Sheridan McNeil has been named Director of Tribal Partnerships at the North Dakota Established Program to Stimulate Competitive Research (ND EPSCoR) in the Office of Research and Creative Activity at NDSU. From this role, Sheridan will lead strategic engagement opportunities, special projects and other initiatives with the state's tribal nations and Tribal Colleges and Universities as part of statewide efforts to foster competitive research on behalf of the state of North Dakota.

ND EPSCoR partners with 10 North Dakotas institutions of higher learning, including five tribal colleges and universities, to develop, implement, fund and manage several STEM-related projects for students across North Dakota. The ND EPSCoR Steering Committee evaluates and advises the overall program.

McNeil was career and technical education director and dean of instruction at United Tribes Technical College over the past seven years and in public health and education on Standing Rock prior to then. She attained degrees in education, including a master’s degree in curriculum and instruction, from Sitting Bull College. She is also a member of the Standing Rock and Sisseton Wahpeton/Lakota Oyates and a descendant of White Earth Anishinaabe and Spirit Lake Dakota Oyates.

“I am excited to start a new journey with ND EPSCoR as the Director of Tribal Partnerships,” says McNeil. “I feel my experiences and knowledge of tribal colleges and tribal communities will help build capacity, strengthen pathways to education and open communication to explore research opportunities that are respectful to our Indigenous nations in North Dakota.”

McNeil will report directly to NDSU Vice President for Research and Creative Activity Colleen Fitzgerald with a dotted line to ND EPSCoR Executive Director Jolynne Tschetter.

“We look forward to Sheridan strengthening fostering equitable partnerships and ensuring ND EPSCoR resources align with TCU priorities so that programming best serves and supports North Dakota communities in the STEM sphere,” said Fitzgerald. “Her background and knowledge will prove valuable to researchers across the state as they work with our partners at the Tribal Colleges and Universities and the tribal nations.”

McNeil’s first day will be June 5, 2023.