Dr. Virginia Whitekiller
Dr. Virginia Whitekiller
Professor Emeritus of Social Work
Degree
Ed.D. in Higher Education Administration (2004) - Oklahoma State University
MSW (1995) Washington University in St. Louis
BSW (1987) Northeastern State University
Dr. Drywater-Whitekiller is a Professor Emeritus of Social Work whose career was dedicated to advancing research, education, and community engagement with American Indian/Alaska Native/First Nations populations. Her scholarship focused on the theory of cultural resilience and examined issues such as microaggressions, higher education retention, identity development, and Indian child welfare.
In 2009, she was selected as a Smithsonian Community Scholar at the Smithsonian Institution, conducting research in the archives in Suitland, Maryland. She also served as the 2018–2019 Fulbright Canada Jarislowsky Research Chair in Aboriginal Studies at Vancouver Island University in Nanaimo, Canada.
Over the course of her career, Dr. Drywater-Whitekiller secured more than $2.3 million in external grant funding supporting program development, evaluation, and workforce preparation in medical and social service fields. She has also served as a consultant for programs designed to better support and include American Indian and Alaska Native communities.
Now retired from teaching, Dr. Drywater-Whitekiller continues to be recognized for her contributions to Indigenous scholarship and culturally responsive social work practice.
Click here to see NSU academic spotlight interview regarding Fulbright experience.
Drywater-Whitekiller, Virginia (2020) "First Nations, M tis, and Inuit University Students Share Advice for College Entry and Retention," Journal of Indigenous Research: Vol. 8 : Iss. 2020, Article 6.
