Madison Reporter

A new initiative at the University of Wisconsin–Madison aims to support Indigenous graduate students through mentorship and community-building. Funded by a National Science Foundation Innovations in Graduate Education grant, the Center for Indigenous Research to Create Learning and Excellence (CIRCLE) will provide approximately $1 million over four years.

The program is led by Judith Simcox, Danielle Yancey, Jeneile Luebke, and Lauren W. Yowelunh McLester-Davis. "This [program] really arose from regular meetings with the Native American Center for Health Professions and discussing how we could build something better for the next generations of students," Simcox explains.

Indigenous students are underrepresented in scientific research, comprising less than 0.4% of master's and doctoral students nationwide. At UW–Madison, Indigenous student graduation rates reflect these national figures. McLester-Davis notes, "The rate at which Indigenous graduate students are graduating from our university is not on par with graduate students of different races and ethnicities."

Elena Hill, an Oneida Nation member and agroecology graduate student, emphasizes the importance of community: "There’s a certain way of being seen and understood — like you are back home — that is hard to find outside of your community."

CIRCLE's initiatives include connecting students with faculty mentors, providing advisor training, hosting weekly meetings for research discussions, supporting interdisciplinary approaches to Indigenous science, and offering microgrants for community engagement.

McLester-Davis highlights CIRCLE's mission: "Indigenous students get asked a lot of them. Being at school means being separated from community and family... That physical separation... can impact their ability to be healthy and accomplish their academic goals."

Jennifer Jones from the Nelson Institute for Environmental Studies hopes CIRCLE will foster more Indigenous researchers addressing environmental justice issues: "Researchers like me can bridge the gap between academic literature and tribal government leaders."

CIRCLE is available to all Indigenous graduate students at UW–Madison. Interested individuals should contact Lauren W. Yowelunh McLester-Davis for more information.