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The Herbert H. and Grace A. Dow College of Health Professions at Central Michigan University has forged an academic and research partnership with the Saginaw Chippewa Indian Tribe's Nimkee Memorial Wellness Center.

Tom Masterson, interim dean of health professions, said that this will further student engagement and outreach. "Students will expand their skills in rural health care and gain knowledge of Native American culture, while the university can provide a variety of specialized clinical services," Masterson said.

The collaboration opens up a variety of opportunities for CMU students and tribal members, including internship sites for health administration and health fitness majors, speech-language pathology and audiology practicum opportunities, and other instructional endeavors in athletic training and public health education. Onsite clinical training for physician assistants will continue.

Faculty members and administrators also will be able to collaborate on grant proposals to support rural health care initiatives, such as those currently undertaken by CMU's Bridges Center.

Tribal Sub-Chief Lorna Call welcomed research opportunities with the university. "This will not only further academic knowledge, but will benefit our tribal members and community as well," Call said. Joe Sowmick, vice chairman of the Tribal Health Board, said that the meetings were extremely fruitful.

The Tribal Health Board and administrators of the Nimkee Wellness Center will work with various CMU departments on a number of initiatives yet to be determined.