2022 Goals and Ongoing Organization Involvement

Education Services Administrator

Amber Silverhorn-Wolfe

 

Phone: 405.247.2425 x171

Email: amber.silverhorn-wolfe@wichitatribe.com

School Email:ambersilverhornwolfe@ou.edu

 

About Me: 

I am an enrolled citizen of the Wichita and Affiliated Tribes, a decendent of the Kiowa Tribe, Cheyenne and Arapaho Tribes and of Mexican descent. My pronouns are she/her/hers. 

I started working in this position on September 29th, 2020. Prior to  moving into this role, I worked at the Kiowa Tribe in the Higher Education  Department as the Job Placement & Training Specialist, where I was promoted to the Higher Education Counselor and then promoted to the Higher Education Director. I have been blessed to find a career I am deeply passionate about and will do my best to provide for our Wichita people. I always want our students to succeed in all they do and my job is to make sure tribal organizations and schools are supporting them on their journeys.  

If you have any suggestions for our programs, please feel free to reach out!

 

"Life is very short and we we have to do must be done in the now." ~Audre Lorde

 

Our Vision:

To support the Wichita and Affiliated Tribes in their continuous efforts to defend and protect our tribal sovereignty; and to enhance the quality of life for the Wichita tribal people and the surrounding community by investing in education and cultural opportunities.

 

Our Mission: 

To assist Wichita tribal members in obtaining self-sufficiency and enhance their quality of life by providing educational, cultural and financial support through one-on-one counseling, outreach, and collaborative partnerships.

 

Presentations:

Native American Student Advocacy Institute (NASAI) 2022: Developing A Network Improvement Community for Native Student Success

National Conference on Race and Ethnicity in Higher Education:Honoring the Cultivation of Gamma Delta Pi, Inc. Native American Sisterhood 

National Indian Education Association (NIEA):Inspiring Empowerment, Leadership, and Advocacy of Indigenous Women Through A Native American Sorority

 

Collaboration Efforts:  

• Boarding School Panel at Texas Christian University (TCU) 
• TCU Native American Advisory Circle Member: Recruiting Resource Guide
• USA Today Features TCU in Land Acknowledgment Coverage

 

2022-2023 Goals

 

Short-Term:

Career/Education Outreach Customized Training hosted by CKTC

"How to" Courses will begin in the Summer of 2022

• Resume Building
• Create Email
• Pay bills online
• Business Etiquette
• Microsoft Programs

 

Weekly Education Nights/Webinars

• Scholarship Writing (AISES, AIGC, etc.)
• Presentations by Tribal Education Departments, Indigenous Organizations, Scholars
• Tutoring
• Lunch Break Talks with the Education Services Department and invited guests every Wednesday

 

Strengthen Partnerships and Collaborative Efforts

• Community
• Tribal Community
• Tribal Deparments
• PK-12 Schools
• Colleges/Universities
• Tribal Organizations

 

Provide quality service  through the modernization of the Education Department 

• Keep Website up to Date
• Make Applications Fillable
• Complete OneTribe Application Process which will allow for electronic delivery of application processes

 

Long Term:

Mentorship Program(s)

• High School
• College
• Career Professionals

 

Book Club

Building a Tribal Education Department/Tribal Education Agency

Creation of a Tribal Education Institution

 

Ongoing Organizational Meetings & Community Involvement

• Administration for Native Americans Social and Economic Development Strategies (ANA SEDS): This grant was awarded earlier this year along with AISES (American Indian Science and Engineering Society, the Kiowa Tribe Higher Education, and the Comanche Nation Higher Education. Monthly meetings take place to stay up to date on progress being made. This grant promotes social and economic self-sufficiency in communities. The grants are aimed to support locally determined projects designed to reduce or eliminate community problems and achieve community goals. The goal of our ANA SEDS grant is to create curriculum with cultural relevance from the Wichita and Affiliated Tribes and educate local school staff to use the curriculum based in the areas of financial literacy, higher education and entrepreneurship.

 

• Communities in Schools (CIS) Local Advisory Council: The Council aims to engage local community members and better serve the youth and families. Community partnership assist in connecting the youth and families to community resources. In partnership with NIEA and Anadarko Public Schools.

 

• National Indian Education Association (NIEA): The mission of NIEA is to advance comprehensive, culture-based educational opportunities for American Indians, Alaska Natives and Native Hawaiians. The ESD Administrator, Amber Silverhorn-Wolfe currently serves on the membership committee for this organization.

 

• Oklahoma Council for Indian Education (OCIE): This organization advocates for Native American students within the state of Oklahoma by seeking to meet academic and cultural needs. The ESD Administrator, Amber Silverhorn-Wolfe currently serves as the Southwest Representative for the OCIE board.

 

• Oklahoma State Department of Education (OSDE) Collaboration of Tribal Leaders and School Indian Education Leaders: Collaboration meeting with various tribal education leaders and school Indian education leaders along with the Executive Director of OSDE, Jackie White.

 

• Oklahoma State Regents for Higher Education- ReachHigher: Direct Complete: Students who have some college but have not completed a degree may qualify for assistance. The ESD Director, Yolanda Walker currently serves as the ReachHigher Navigator for this program.

 

• Southwest Oklahoma STEM Alliance (SOSA): An organization that emphasizes interdisciplinary curricula, state/nation-wide collaborations, and peer mentorship that provide pathways for not only career success, but also student well-being, and lifelong learning. Tribal and school representatives and other community stakeholders do work on collaborative projects, apply for grant funding, and advocate for students in southwest Oklahoma.

 

• Strengthening Healthy and Resilient Environments (SHARE): An organization aimed at reducing poverty and strengthening families by building meaningful relationships, increasing opportunities for education, and reinforcing and promoting healthy behaviors in our communities. This organization's progress has been on hold due to coronavirus and changeover in leadership.

 

• Texas Christian College (TCU) Advisory Circle: Newly formed advisory council created to raise awareness of and respect for Native American peoples, cultures, and perspectives; to learn from and respectfully engage Native American knowledge(s) throughout all levels of the campus community; to create a welcoming and respectful environment on campus for Native American students, faculty, staff, and visitors; and to build healthy, respectful, and mutually beneficial relationships with Native American peoples and communities.

 

• University of Oklahoma CS Includes Advisory Board: Funded by a nearly $1.5 million grant from the National Science Foundation, the project will support at least 24 full-time scholars with demonstrated financial need and a commitment to giving back to Tribal Nations. Nine recipients were selected for the Computer Science Indigenous Community of Learners United to Develop, Excel and Succeed (CS INCLUDES) scholarship. The program is focused on students majoring in computer science at OU. The project is supported by two advisory boards. The Advisors for Indigenous Community Engagement board consists of community members and professionals who support Indigenous education across Oklahoma. The Student Success Advisory Board consists of OU faculty and staff with expertise in many aspects of student support.

   

• University of Oklahoma SBME Advisory Board: Education Services Administrator was recently voted in to sit on the Stephenson's Biomedical Engineering Board. This seat will allow for diverse perspectives and assist in creating educational and career pathways into to Biomedical Engineering fields for Wichita and all Indigenous students.