Objectives: This article explores the impact of a decade of cultural education and revitalization with the Miami Tribe of Oklahoma, as they strive to recover from years of historical trauma and cultural oppression. The recovery or resilience is measured through behaviors (defined as living well") seen in tribal youth and community engagement. This study has 4 research questions focused on academic attainment, physical and mental health, community engagement, and national/tribal growth. Method: A series of studies using both qualitative (ethnographic-observation and interview) and quantitative measures (survey) examined language use, educational attainment, and tribal event engagement. The samples consisted of 32 Myaamia college students (59% female, 41% male) who matriculated at Miami University between 2013 and 2017 and about 800 community members in attendance at various community events from 2012 to 2017 upon which observational data were collected. Results: Ethnographic content analysis of interviews and descriptive and regression analyses suggest an increase in graduation rates among the college sample who took culture courses, a stronger sense of belonging, an increase in language use and tribal event attendance among tribal members, and increases in scores on Snowshoe's (2015) Cultural Connectedness Scale for the college sample taking culture courses signaling shifts in identity. Conclusions: This study suggests that reclaiming one's culture and language has an impact on restoring wellness among this tribal nation. Cultural rejuvenation of the Myaamiaki may represent a shift in the way healthy living can be conceptualized within tribal communities. The authors stress the importance of using community knowledge in conjunction with global knowledge to develop community-specific and community-implemented interventions for health promotion.

Historically, the African American family has been the subject of numerous studies in an attempt to understand its structure, survival, personal relationships, and status. Many of these studies focused on the perceived pathology or perceived dysfunctional nature of African American family life. The contemporary view, however, of the African American family differs from this historically deficit-oriented or deficiency-oriented model and more appropriately focuses on the cultural and indigenous strength of the family (

This article presents issues and methods used in teaching an African-American Psychology course. Theories about Afrocentrism, identity, education, family, and mental health as they relate to African Americans are discussed. This course adds diverse perspectives to the psychology curriculum.

Some Native American college students, like many college students, engage in a complex process of identity formation that involves discovering their culture. This ongoing identity formation process impacts various aspects of their lives including academic achievement and sense of belonging. This study examined the process of one cohort of Native American college students, Myaamia Tribe (Miami Nation), as they matriculated through a predominantly White institution that shares their tribal name. Results suggest that identity is influenced through a series of courses designed to provide deeper learning about tribal culture and language. The relational bonds to other tribal students and the cultural knowledge that emerged from the series of culture courses not only influenced identity development but also contributed to academic retention and success.

College students need to be prepared for a global environment, and assessing student awareness about issues of diversity is critical to this preparation. This study chronicles the validation of the Miami University Diversity Awareness Scale (MUDAS). This instrument is designed to measure the level of student awareness about issues of culture, intergroup interaction, social justice, and the degree to which students believe these issues are presented in the college classroom. An exploratory factor analysis suggested that the 29-item scale produced a 5-factor model showing good fit of the data. A follow-up instrument revision included the addition of 8 items resulting in a refined 37-item survey. Construct validity and reliability issues were addressed. Incoming first-year student MUDAS results are examined and implications for future research and practice are discussed.