Courtney Kroll

Courtney Kroll, along with colleagues from UW Tacoma, Green River College and Tacoma Community College, is developing a faculty-led study abroad program entitled “Exploring Tribal Sovereignty and the Environment through an Indigenous Lens” which will take place at the University of the Fraser Valley in Abbotsford, British Columbia. Given that Indigenous students have the lowest rate of study abroad participation (0.5% in 2019-20 and 0.4% in 2020-21, according to the 2022 Open Doors Report), Kroll will focus on collaborating with local tribal organizations to develop a study abroad program that responds to the unique interests and needs of Indigenous-identifying students. A large portion of this work is funded through the inaugural IDEAS Consortium Grant for Indigenous-Serving Institutions, which will allow us to significantly lower the costs for students as they explore the environmental knowledge and land management practices of the the Stó:lō people of British Columbia and learn how this critical wisdom can be mutually shared with the scientific community and policy-makers.