Recruitment & Retention of American Indians into Nursing
Celebrating 35 years of supporting American Indian students seeking degrees in nursing, nutrition & dietetics, and social work.
The Recruitment & Retention of American Indians into Nursing (RAIN) program at the University of North Dakota offers more than academic support. It provides advisement, guidance, personal and financial counseling, and a true “home away from home” for American Indian students pursuing degrees in Nursing, Nutrition & Dietetics, and Social Work.
RAIN students work hard to achieve their goals. For many, UND is far from home, but with RAIN they find encouragement, guidance, and a sense of belonging. Cultural identity is honored as a strength, guiding students toward healthcare careers rooted in respect, resilience, and service. With this support, students succeed on licensure exams and graduate ready to serve — many returning to tribal and rural communities, others advancing care across North Dakota and beyond.
RAIN’s Impact at a Glance
RAIN actively recruits American Indian students to consider careers in nursing, nutrition & dietetics, and social work. Amid nationwide workforce shortages, RAIN is essential, preparing professionals who strengthen care and build connections in the communities they serve.
Tribal Nations represented by 41 RAIN students who were enrolled in UND's pre-nursing, BSN, MS, PhD, and DNP programs. Since 1990, students from 20+ tribal nations have graduated through RAIN (Fall 2024 summary report).
American Indian RAIN program graduates (258 BSN, 87 MS), and 3 Doctorate)
Million dollars in federal funding brought to UND by RAIN
NCLEX Licensure pass-rate by UND RAIN BSN graduates (2023-2024)
Your Pathway to Success
Discover the support and community that makes UND a home away from home.
RAIN is here to help you navigate college, build confidence, and achieve your healthcare career goals.
The cost of attending UND may be less than you think. RAIN supports students with resources and guidance, helping their talent and dedication shine as they pursue careers in healthcare.
RAIN Perspectives
Hear directly from our students and our alums about what RAIN means to them — from finding a ‘home away from home’ to gaining the confidence to lead in their chosen careers. Their stories show the heart of RAIN’s impact.
Make a difference. Be a part of RAIN!
RAIN helps American Indian students thrive in healthcare careers. Through mentoring, scholarships, and culturally responsive advisement, guidance and encouragement, students gain the support they need to graduate prepared for the workforce. With donor support, more students complete their education and enter the workforce — strengthening healthcare for tribal nations, rural areas, North Dakota and across the nation.
RAIN’S ‘deliverables’ have always been, and will continue to be: heart, caring, acceptance, respect, humor, a sense of belonging, and provision of a welcoming space for students to gather. For 35 years, the RAIN program has provided wrap-around services for Indigenous students. Utilizing our RAIN mentor model, we have created a home away from home by supporting students holistically.
The RAIN program has survived primarily through federal funding, but we have been sustained through the generous contributions of individuals and foundations. Support from donors has helped alleviate barriers and financial burdens so students can stay on the path to graduation.
Keeping in mind the impact of social determinants of health that our students face, the generosity of program supporters’ supplemental scholarship funding strengthens RAIN’s wrap-around services & highly successful mentor model!
Program News & Updates
Land Acknowledgement Statement
Today, the University of North Dakota rests on the ancestral lands of the Pembina and Red Lake Bands of Ojibwe and the Dakota Oyate - presently existing as composite parts of the Red Lake, Turtle Mountain, White Earth Bands, and the Dakota Tribes of Minnesota and North Dakota.
We acknowledge the people who resided here for generations and recognize that the spirit of the Ojibwe and Oyate people permeates this land. As a university community, we will continue to build upon our relations with the First Nations of the State of North Dakota - the Mandan, Hidatsa, and Arikara Nation, Sisseton-Wahpeton Oyate Nation, Spirit Lake Nation, Standing Rock Sioux Tribe, and Turtle Mountain Band of Chippewa Indians.