Diverse: Issues in Higher Education has published its 2016 rankings of “Top Producers of Native American Graduates” and NC State appears on two of its lists.

In the ranking of universities awarding bachelor’s degrees to Native American students in engineering, NC State ranked sixth in a tie with Northern Arizona University and Texas Tech University, under #1 Oklahoma State with 22 degrees conferred in 2014-15, followed by University of Oklahoma, University of New Mexico, University of Arkansas and New Mexico State University. NC State conferred six bachelor’s degrees in engineering to Native American students in 2014-15.

In the ranking of universities awarding bachelor’s degrees to Native American students in the social sciences, NC State ranked 25th in an 18-way tie with four degrees conferred to Native American students in 2014-15. Sister institution University of North Carolina at Pembroke ranked #1 with 23 degrees conferred in 2014-15.

Coinciding with Native American Heritage Month, the publication also includes several articles that feature Native Americans in higher education.

Assistant Director for Native American Student Affairs Brittany Hunt affirmed:

“NC State is committed to serving its Native students in ways that are culturally tailored and holistically affirming. Multicultural Student Affairs creates a calendar of events of interdisciplinary programming for Native American Heritage Month and coordinates an Indigenous People’s Day celebration, making NC State the first school in North Carolina to recognize this as a holiday. We also provide programming including but not limited to an annual Pow Wow, an end-of-year banquet, a Student Success Series and work closely with the Native American Student Association.

In July of this year, NC State appeared in two of the Diverse rankings of degrees awarded to minorities in STEM, for bachelor’s and master’s degrees awarded in engineering. See the Diversity Digest article.

We are pleased to be included in these rankings and will continue to strive to attract and retain the most qualified students from all groups. Senior Director of Campus Community Centers Reggie Barnes adds:

“As we continue to engage and support more students in more meaningful ways, our goal is to work with our partners across campus to increase the number of historically underrepresented and marginalized students and to equip them with the tools needed to persist and to complete their degrees at NC State. Part of that effort involves creating a welcoming community that can encourage them, values their differences and ensures that they are prepared to succeed in the competitive world of work they will enter once they leave us.”