Project Grant 20243842441470

**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 PROJECT TRAUMA-FOCUSED EQUINE ASSISTED LEARNING (TF-EAL) - RESEARCH TO EXPAND CURRICULA ELEMENTS AND OUTCOMES IS BEING SUBMITTED BY NUETA HIDATSA SAHNISH COLLEGE (NHSC) IN COLLABORATION WITH NORTH DAKOTA STATE UNIVERSITY (NDSU), UNDER THE NEW DISCOVERY FOCUS OF THE TRIBAL COLLEGES RESEARCH GRANTS PROGRAM. AS DEFINED BY USDA-NIFA, WE WILL BE ENHANCING THE BODY OF SCIENTIFIC KNOWLEDGE BY CONDUCTING MEANINGFUL RESEARCH REGARDING TF-EAL. TF-EAL CURRICULUM, DEVELOPED AT NHSC, INTEGRATED CULTURALLY-RELEVANT TRAUMA-FOCUSED EQUINE ASSISTED LEARNING INTO AN EXISITING EQUINE STUDIES DEGREE PROGRAM. THROUGH DISSEMINATION ACTIVITIES, THERE IS GROWING INTEREST IN EXPANDING TF-EAL TO COMMUNITY SETTINGS. THE GOAL OF THE PROJECT IS: RESEARCH TO EXPAND TRAUMA-FOCUSED EQUINE ASSISTED LEARNING CURRICULA AND OUTCOMES. THIS WILL BE ACCOMPLISHED THROUGH THE FOLLOWING OBJECTIVES: 1) EXPANDING ACCESS TO TF-EAL SERVICES AND2) ADAPTING TF-EAL PRINCIPLES FOR COMMUNITY SETTINGS WHEN HORSES ARE NOT AVAILABLE. OBJECTIVES WILL BE DELIVERED BY THREE PRIMARY STAFF, NHSC AGRICULTURE DIRECTOR LORI NELSON (PI/PD), NHSC THERAPUETIC RIDING DIRECTOR/EQUINE INSTRUCTOR, KATIE OAKLAND, AND NDSU DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC HEALTH ASSISTANT PROFESSOR, DR. RAMONA DANIELSON (CO-PI), WITH FULL ADMINISTRATIVE SUPPORT OF NHSC, AND COLLABORATIVE RELATIONSHIP WITH NDSU ALL OF THE PROPOSED ACTIVITIES SUPPORT THE MISSION OF NUETA HIDATSA SAHNISH COLLEGE (NHSC), AS WELL AS THE VISION AND MISSION OF NHSC'S AGRICULTURE AND EQUINE STUDIES DEPARTMENTS.