International Journal of Engineering, Social Justice, and Peace esjp.org/publications/journal ARTICLE Why Don’t More American Indians Become Engineers in South Dakota? Joanita M. Kant,* Wiyaka His Horse Is Thunder,† Suzette R. Burckhard,‡ and Richard T. Meyers§ * Civil and Environmental Engineering, South Dakota State University,
[email protected] † Counseling and Human Resource Development South Dakota State University,
[email protected] ‡ Civil and Environmental Engineering, South Dakota State University,
[email protected] § College of Arts and Sciences, Tribal Liaison, South Dakota State University,
[email protected] American Indians are among the most under-represented groups in the engineering profession in the United States. With increasing interest in diversity, educators and engineers seek to understand why. Often overlooked is simply asking enrolled tribal members of prime college age, “Why don’t more American Indians become engineers?” and “What would it take to attract more?” In this study, we asked these questions and invited commentary about what is needed to gain more engineers from the perspectives of enrolled tribal members from South Dakota, with some of the most poverty-stricken reservations in the nation. Overall, results indicated that the effects of poverty and the resulting survival mentality among American Indians divert attention from what are understood to be privileged pursuits such as engineering education. The study’s findings indicated American Indian interviewees