Mellon Tribal College Research Journal – Volume 2 Valerie Todacheene and Eduardo Arellano
persist and be successful. Therefore, on-campus students who feel a sense of community with their college persist socially and academically. The connection between a sense of community and college success is even more pronounced for American Indians because American Indian values are based on the concept of sense of community. Specifically, the American Indian perception of community is connected to feelings of belonging and relationships to the community, tribe, clan and family members (Cajete, 2005; Deloria, Jr., & Wildcat, 2001). Relationships in American Indian communities are important because of American Indians’ beliefs that all things are related (Cajete, 2005; Deloria, Jr., & Wildcat, 2001). The philosophy that all things are related suggests a connection between all living things. As a result, these relationships promote interdependence and cooperation between tribal community members. American Indian college students seek relationships and a sense of belonging with what they see as their new community in college and their success is based on these experiences. Research also shows that the support American Indian students have from their community and family encourages academic success and persistence in college (HeavyRunner & Decelles, 2002; Martin, 2005; Ortiz & HeavyRunner, 2003). Therefore, college faculty and staff should be aware of American Indians’ values, particularly relationships and sense of belonging, to create programs that support these values, while at the same time creating a community environment to promote academic success and retention (Martin, 2005; Ortiz & HeavyRunner, 2003). Given that a sense of community is connected to family for American Indians, it is important to discuss the role of family in higher education.
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