The Mashantucket Pequot Tribal Nation of Connecticut and the Roger Williams University in Rhode Island announced a collaborative education partnership on Tuesday.

Chairman Michael Thomas said the partnership will enable tribal members "to reconnect as a people to the sea." The tribe lived on the shores of Connecticut before moved to a reservation further inland.

The tribe donated $250,000 in aquaculture equipment to the school's marine biology laboratory and will be offering internships to students at the tribal museum. The school will offer academic and camp scholarships for tribal youth, help develop a science curriculum at the museum and help in early childhood development programs and college preparation programs.

Get the Story:
Pequots donate fish tanks to university (The Providence Journal 5/5)
Roger Williams teams with tribe for education collaborative (AP 5/4)