FOND DU LAC BAND OF LAKE SUPERIOR OJIBWE
University of Minnesota Duluth
CHEMISTRY AND AMERICAN INDIAN STUDIES
I distinctly remember growing up without ever seeing a Native dentist, doctor, or athlete. As a result, I never pictured myself growing into one of those roles. But somewhere along the way, I realized that I could do it. Now, in my senior year at the University of Minnesota Duluth (UMD), I’m working on a dual degree in chemistry and American Indian studies — on my way to becoming the person I never saw: a Native American dentist.
Growing up in the Rock River Valley of southern Wisconsin, I split my time between my divorced parents’ houses. My father lived in a town of 80,000; my mother in a town of 4,000, so I got a taste of a big town and a small town.
I also got a sense of what it means to be surrounded by strong women. My grandmother played a huge role in forming the woman I’ve become. She taught me to read and write, and helped me build a strong mind. I also found strength in my mother and stepmother, Minda, who taught me about “girl power.” She was the first woman I’d ever met who didn’t care what others thought.
That strength got me through high school in Evansville, Wis., where I didn’t do that well. I had horrible grades at the end of my high school career. With poor grades and lacking the financial support necessary for college, I decided that getting a degree immediately after high school wasn’t the best option. Instead, I spent three years in trade school (where I got straight As), worked in a variety of jobs, and waited until I was 26 to apply to the University of Arizona (UA).
Being able to balance my life in college and outside class eventually reached a critical point, and I decided that UA wasn’t the right fit and transferred to UMD.
While I was excited to start my college career, I found it hard to find my footing. I really struggled with being a nontraditional student — I’ve never lived on campus, and much of undergrad is campus based. Living off campus, I felt disconnected from my classmates. With responsibilities outside the classroom, I also found it difficult to connect with my professors. I felt like my professors forgot that many of us have entire lives outside academia.
For me, that’s especially true because my extracurricular life includes competitive bike racing — I enter races across North America that often take days or weeks to complete. So far, I’ve been pretty blessed in the bike racing world. I set the women’s single speed record for the 2019 Tour Divide — which is basically a 2,700+ mile traverse of the Continental Divide spanning from Banff, Alberta, Canada, to Antelope Wells, New Mexico — in just 18 days. I also won the women’s field for Smoke ’n’ Fire, a 400+ mile bike packing race in 2018; set the women’s course record in 2018 for the 80-mile Tuscobia Trail Race in Wisconsin; and won the 2019 Colorado Trail Race for the women’s field, placing 17th overall. I couldn’t do this without the help of my sponsors, Broken Spoke and CHUMBA USA.
Being able to balance my life in college and outside class eventually reached a critical point, and I decided that UA wasn’t the right fit and transferred to UMD. Almost immediately, I felt like a member of the community. I was able to develop a personal relationship with most professors, and I felt like they saw me as a person, not a number.
Being at UMD allowed me to pursue my desire to become a doctor of dental surgery for the Native American community, and I majored in chemistry and American Indian studies to combine my two passions. The prerequisites for dental school line up pretty close to what it takes to get a degree in chemistry. It is also important for me to understand federal Indian policy. Combining the two fields has given me what I need to move forward, even when times get tough.
I deal with imposter syndrome quite a bit in the realm of science and academia. But realizing that I can become the person I never saw growing up helps to keep me motivated. How can I expect future generations of Anishinaabe to continue our legacy if I’m not willing to help pave the path?
As far as I know, my band has never had a dentist from within our community, and I’m ready to be the first one who steps up. I’m extremely aware of the dental health disparities of Native people versus the general U.S. population. But I believe that those disparities can be alleviated through preventive care, which I feel the Native American community does not know enough about.
I know my path is long, but it’s a lot about enjoying the journey, whatever that may look like. Life isn’t a straight line; it’s a winding, confusing path of joy, sorrow, bliss, and burden. Allow yourself the time to explore your passions, and to discover what truly fulfills you. Once we accept the fact that we really don’t know that much, our brains become open to other perspectives, and our life’s purpose may end up presenting itself. Mine certainly did. Five years ago, I would never have told you that I was going to pursue a career in dental medicine. I waited, and now I wouldn’t trade my college education for anything.
— As told to Alexa Panza
NAVAJO
University of Arizona
ELECTRICAL ENGINEERING
Growing up on the Navajo Nation, it’s common to know someone without access to electricity. For me, this includes my great-grandmother, who lives in Black Mesa, Ariz. I grew up in Window Rock, the capital of the Navajo Nation. So as a child, I would often wonder why we had electricity and she didn’t. These types of questions led me to experiment with small circuits and electronics. From then on, I’ve had an interest in electronics and learning how things work — and finding their application to real-world problems.
My dad went to school for electrical engineering and works for the utility company on the Navajo Nation: NTUA (Navajo Tribal Utility Authority). As I was growing up, I knew I had an interest in electronics before I realized my dad had gone down the same path. So, interestingly, I am following in his footsteps.
Being homeschooled, I learned the most from my mom. My sister and I would say we had no break from school, because we learned at home. My mom would encourage us to think about what we would like to do after high school. I knew I wanted to get a degree in electrical engineering and take what I learned back to the Navajo Nation.
AISES has been very helpful in my education. It was a combination of networking at AISES as well as college tours that helped me choose the University of Denver. And it was through AISES that I met my academic advisor there. It was also AISES that opened opportunities for summer internships — I have had various internships that I’ve learned a lot from.
After my second year in college, I had an internship at NTUA. Although I had some tough engineering classes, going back to the Navajo Nation and working at the utility helped me remember what I was working toward.
The following year, I had an internship at Tséhootsooí Medical Center in Health Promotion and Disease Prevention. Although this was outside my major, the internship involved engaging with and caring about the health of the community. Through face-to-face interactions from this internship, I learned that my efforts contributed to the overall health of my community.
The summer after I received my bachelor’s degree, I worked at Sandia National Laboratories in the Indian Energy Program. The internship involved visiting various reservations to see renewable energy projects. I also had a research project that was focused on analyzing the operation of refrigerators in off-grid solar/wind systems on the Navajo Nation. I enjoyed this research as it could greatly help those who need refrigeration but do not have the option of connecting to the electrical grid.
Each reservation has problems that are unique. But regardless of the status or condition of the reservation, it’s the people who take action who make a difference in their community. So I think that Native people in a position to go to college and get an education, and who are able to go back to the reservation, should do that. That is how we can make positive change in our communities.
I think that Native people in a position to go to college and get an education, and who are able to go back to the reservation, should do that. That is how we can make positive change in our communities.
Throughout these internships, the fact that I wanted to do work that creates positive change on the Navajo Nation was constantly reinforced. This led me to pursue my master’s degree at the University of Arizona in the Indige-FEWSS Program, which focuses on food, energy, and water problems on the Navajo Nation. Through that program I have had the opportunity to do research I enjoy and work that is applicable to problems on the reservation. I have also been able to work with college students on the reservation.
One of the most challenging things about college was being far from home in an unfamiliar environment. I went from growing up on the reservation where nearly everyone is Native to a college where I can count the number of Natives on campus with my fingers. I would say it was a bit of a shock at first, and it took me a while to get adjusted. But what helped me through it was surrounding myself with those who have a similar background. That included our weekly Native student alliance meetings. The fact that I was so far away from home reminded me why I should keep going.
For those who hope to go to college, I would say to go out and look for opportunities. It may seem impossible, but there are opportunities out there — you just need to find them. Develop a goal, make a plan, and take small steps that will help you get there. Don’t give up. Remember that we are rooting for you.
— As told to Kyle Coulon