MTCC AmeriCorps VISTA - Montana State University Billings Native American Achievement Center Ambassador

The Native American Achievement Center (NAAC) aims to help recruit and retain American Indian students at Montana State University Billings (MSUB). NAAC serves as an advocate for students pursuing post-secondary educational opportunities at MSUB, extension services, and College by providing academic support, while also encouraging their individual, social, cultural, and emotional growth. 

The objective of this project is to establish inclusive connections among students, faculty, staff, and community members, fostering a sense of belonging for Native students at Montana State University Billings (MSUB). This initiative aims to enhance Native students' potential to form meaningful relationships, providing crucial support for their journey to graduation. Ultimately, by boosting post-secondary achievement, the project seeks to break the cycle of poverty, unlocking new career opportunities for Montana's Native students.

Montana Campus Compact (MTCC) serves as the intermediary for this project. MTCC is a CEO-led coalition of colleges and universities that support civic engagement, service learning, and volunteerism across the state. Every year we place cohorts of full-time, part-time, and summer AmeriCorps members with schools, colleges, nonprofits, and government agencies in Montana. The AmeriCorps projects we facilitate increase educational equity, break down barriers between higher education and community organizations, and address the root causes of poverty in communities across the state.

To achieve the Native American Achievment’s (NAAC) goal of establishing a sense of belonging for Native students at Montana State University Billings (MSUB), the VISTA member will forge and create systems to sustain partnerships between the NAAC, MSUB student support offices, and organizations in Tribal communities including high schools. The VISTA member will craft pathways enabling Native students to access a comprehensive system of care at MSUB by conducting assessments to gauge the needs of students. The member will also be responsible for researching and developing DEI curriculum for students from a critical Indigenous lens. Learn more by visiting https://mtcompact.org/available-positions/