Dissertation
NATIVE ENOUGH: AN AUTOETHNOGRAPHIC INQUIRY OF A NATIVE WOMAN’S EXPERIENCES IN HIGHER EDUCATION
Doctor of Philosophy (PhD), Washington State University
2026
Abstract
Native American students make up less than one percent of the United States undergraduate population (Postsecondary National Policy Institute, 2025). Historical traumas such as the forced assimilation practice of boarding schools have deeply impacted the relationships that Native peoples have with the education system (Brayboy, 2005; Smith, 2012). As a Native American student and researcher, I have a unique position from which to explore this issue. Guided by the theoretical perspective of Tribal Critical Race Theory (TribalCrit; Brayboy, 2005) and the decolonizing methodologies proposed by Smith (2012), this study used autoethnography to reflect upon my own experiences in the education system. Key facilitators were identified, including family and friends, institutional resources, desire to reconnect, and giving back to others. Key barriers included mental and physical well-being, family roles and responsibilities, existing and identifying as a woman, underrepresentation and lack of belonging, and being a first-generation college student. These results can be used in future prevention research to further contextualize and strengthen efforts to improve retention and well-being for Native students in higher education.
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Details
- Title
- NATIVE ENOUGH: AN AUTOETHNOGRAPHIC INQUIRY OF A NATIVE WOMAN’S EXPERIENCES IN HIGHER EDUCATION
- Creators
- Sara Mills
- Contributors
- Sara F Waters (Advisor)Lisa Colón (Committee Member)Yoshie Sano (Committee Member)Amir Gilmore (Committee Member)
- Awarding Institution
- Washington State University
- Academic Unit
- Department of Human Development
- Theses and Dissertations
- Doctor of Philosophy (PhD), Washington State University
- Number of pages
- 118
- Identifiers
- 99901394204901842
- Language
- English
- Resource Type
- Dissertation