Native access and equity in higher education with Commissioner Dennis Olson

Posted on March 17, 2022

Episode Description

In this episode, Rebecca sits down with Dennis Olson, the commissioner of the Minnesota Office of Higher Education and member of the Fond du Lac Band of Lake Superior Chippewa. In this conversation, Rebecca and Dennis talk about his early educational experiences, the achievement gaps between white and Native college students, and how his agency is working with tribes and Native communities to address issues in higher ed.

EPISODE RESOURCES
Minnesota Office of Higher Education: https://www.ohe.state.mn.us/
Minnesota Indian Scholarship: http://www.ohe.state.mn.us/mPg.cfm?pageID=149
SMSC Endowed Scholarship: https://diversity.umn.edu/student-financial-aid/shakopee-mdewakanton-sioux-community-smsc-endowed-scholarship

Survey findings: https://www.understandnativemn.org/ninety-percent-of-minnesotans-support-teaching-more-native-american-content-in-k-12-schools/

Follow the campaign on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/NativeMNFacts/ and Twitter at https://twitter.com/NativeMNFacts

Song: Buffalo Moon by Brulé