Supporting American Indian and Alaska Native students in achieving higher education
Official title: Student Development Program
Funded at Indian Health Council, INC. · NIH-10925174 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This program is all about helping American Indian and Alaska Native students succeed in their studies in health-related fields by giving them the support and resources they need to finish their degrees and become health scientists.
Quick facts
| Grant type | NIH-funded research |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Indian Health Council, INC. NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Valley Center, United States) |
| Project start | September 20, 2021 |
| Project end | July 31, 2025 |
| Funding year | 2024 |
| Award (this year) | $399,057 |
| NIH project number | 5S06GM142117-04 |
| Project ID | NIH-10925174 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Ideal candidates for this program are American Indian and Alaska Native students pursuing degrees in biomedical and behavioral sciences.
✕Less likely to help
Students from non-AI/AN backgrounds or those not pursuing degrees in the relevant fields may not benefit from this program.
What this research studies
This program focuses on increasing the academic success of American Indian and Alaska Native (AI/AN) students by providing support and resources to help them complete their degrees in biomedical and behavioral sciences. The initiative partners with various educational institutions to recruit and retain AI/AN students, ensuring they have the necessary tools and mentorship to thrive in their academic pursuits. By addressing the unique challenges faced by these communities, the program aims to improve health equity through the training of more AI/AN health scientists.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this program could significantly increase the number of AI/AN students completing higher education degrees, leading to improved health outcomes in their communities.
How similar studies have gone: Previous initiatives targeting AI/AN academic achievement have shown success in retaining students and increasing degree completion rates.
Where this research is happening
-
Indian Health Council, INC.
Valley Center, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Armenta, Richard Frank — Indian Health Council, INC.
- Study coordinator: Armenta, Richard Frank
About this research
- This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
- Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
- For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page.