Addressing food, energy, and water issues through a systems approach is essential for Native American communities, where climate change, natural disasters, and pandemics further strain access to these vital resources. Tribal communities experience a disproportionate impact from these global crises, which heightens and exposes existing vulnerabilities in their access to food, energy, and water. During the COVID-19 pandemic, for example, the lack of access to clean water became an urgent public health threat, underscoring how deeply food, energy, water systems (FEWS) challenges are tied to health and well-being. Despite the growing need for FEWS solutions on Indigenous lands and the strength that Native peoples bring through their holistic cultural upbringing, there is still scarce representation of Indigenous science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) experts equipped with the necessary technical skills to develop FEWS solutions for their own tribal communities. This lack of representation creates a compounding effect: limited career pathways deter Native students from entering STEM fields, leaving FEWS challenges on tribal lands unaddressed. The result is a cycle where the absence of locally driven solutions exacerbates existing vulnerabilities. Now in the fourth year of a five-year NSF grant, the Native FEWS Alliance has established a robust network of partnerships involving more than 20 institutions to support Native students in pursuing careers in FEWS-related fields. Through these partnerships and the institutional changes they foster, students can more effectively navigate their career in FEWS, gaining the knowledge and skills needed to build a strong foundation for addressing FEWS challenges within their communities.