**AWARDS ISSUED PRIOR TO JANUARY 20, 2025, WERE FUNDED UNDER PREVIOUS ADMINISTRATIONS AND MAY NOT REFLECT THE PRIORITIES AND POLICIES OF THE CURRENT ADMINISTRATION.** THE NEW BEGINNINGS FOR CHOCTAW TRIBAL STUDENTS (NBCTS) PROGRAM IS A COLLABORATIVE GRANT PROPOSAL SUBMITTED BY MISSISSIPPI STATE UNIVERSITY (MSU) AND THE MISSISSIPPI BAND OF CHOCTAW INDIANS (MBCI). THE PROPOSAL ALIGNS WITH GOAL FOUR OF THE UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE (USDA) - TO FACILITATE RURAL PROSPERITY AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT, DEVELOP AN EFFECTIVE AND DIVERSE AGRICULTURAL WORKFORCE, AND COLLECT GRADUATION DATA OF TRIBAL STUDENTS. THE NBCTS PROGRAM WILL TARGET MBCI HIGH SCHOOL AND COLLEGE STUDENTS ATTENDING MSU. RECRUITMENT PROGRAM EFFORTS WILL TARGET STUDENTS WHO ATTEND CHOCTAW CENTRAL HIGH SCHOOL (CCHS) OR PARTICIPATE IN THE YOUTH OPPORTUNITY PROGRAM (YOP). THESE RECRUITMENT EFFORTS WILL FOCUS ON INSPIRING MBCI STUDENTS THROUGH PROGRAMMING ON CAREERS IN AGRICULTURE. SUPPORTING THE RECRUITMENT AND RETENTION OF AI/AN STUDENTS WILL IMPROVE GRADUATION RATES AT MSU. WITH A MORE HIGHLY EDUCATED WORKFORCE, THE MBCI WILL BE ABLE TO BETTER FULFILL THEIR AGRICULTURAL, ENGINEERING, AND HEALTHCARE NEEDS, FACILITATING RURAL PROSPERITY AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT. RETENTION PROGRAM EFFORTS WILL MORE BROADLY TARGET AI/AN STUDENTS CURRENTLY ENROLLED AT MSU, WITH A FOCUS ON THE UNIVERSITY'S MBCI STUDENTS.TO INCREASE THE RETENTION AND GRADUATION RATE OF TRIBAL STUDENTS AT MSU, THE PROPOSED NBCTS PROGRAM INCLUDES STRATEGIES TO STRENGTHEN THE RECRUITMENT AND RETENTION OF MBCI STUDENTS AT MSU. RECRUITMENT EFFORTS WILL FOCUS ON HIGH SCHOOL PREPARATION THROUGH THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THE 4-H BUILD YOUR FUTURE CURRICULUM WHICH INCLUDES EXPERIENTIAL LEARNING ACTIVITIES AND MSU RECRUITMENT PROGRAMS INCLUDING CAREER DAYS, PREVIEW WEEKENDS, AND ADMISSIONS COUNSELOR SEMINARS. RETENTION EFFORTS WILL DRAW ON EXPERIENTIAL LEARNING, THE SUPPORT AND DEVELOPMENT OF STUDENT SERVICES, AND INCREASED ACADEMIC ADVISING THROUGH INFORMAL AND FORMAL MENTORSHIP PROGRAMS. THE NBCTS PROGRAM WILL FOCUS RETENTION EFFORTS THROUGH THE NATIVE AMERICAN STUDENT ASSOCIATION (NASA) AND PAID RESEARCH INTERNSHIPS FOR MBCI STUDENTS. STRATEGIES TO STRENGTHEN NASA INCLUDE DEVELOPING A SCHOLARLY LEARNING COMMUNITY THROUGH TECHNOLOGICAL AND PROGRAMMATIC SUPPORT CENTERED AROUND PEER MENTORING AND PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT. NASA MEMBERS WILL PROVIDE PEER MENTORING TO STUDENTS ATTENDING CCHS. THE NASA WILL ALSO PROVIDE A TRIBAL CULTURAL CALENDAR TO MSU AND WILL RECEIVE FINANCIAL AND TRANSPORTATION SUPPORT TO RETURN HOME FOR KEY CULTURAL HOLIDAYS WITH THE MBCI. RESEARCH INTERNSHIPS WILL PROVIDE MBCI STUDENTS WITH FACULTY MENTORS WHO WILL FACILITATE EXPERIENTIAL LEARNING AND ACADEMIC ADVISING AIMED AT SUPPORTING SUCCESSFUL TRANSITION INTO GRADUATE SCHOOL OR EMPLOYMENT UPON GRADUATION. TO INFORM RECRUITMENT AND RETENTION EFFORTS, FOCUS GROUPS AND A CLIMATE SURVEY WILL BE CONDUCTED WITH TRIBAL STUDENTS AT MSU. FUTURE PROGRAMMING WILL BE INFORMED BY DATA COLLECTED ON THE APPLICATION, DROP-OUT, AND GRADUATION RATES OF MBCI STUDENTS. THE COMBINATION OF THESE EFFORTS WILL FACILITATE TRIBAL PROSPERITY BY CREATING AN EFFECTIVE AND DIVERSE WORKFORCE.