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LEADERSHIP IN THE WORLD OF STEM AND BEYOND
A band of the Plains Cree (Nehiyaw) First Nation, the Moosomin First Nation is located by Cochin, Saskatchewan, surrounded by large lakes and extensive forests. you are, whatever you are doing, stay connected to our people and the land.”
Nikita Kahpeaysewat comes from a long line of residential school survivors and hundreds of years of colonial resistance. But, she says, she is the first generation in her family to grow up with all the tools she needs to succeed. “I remember being eight years old and making a promise to my mom that I was going to graduate from high school and someday get a degree,” she says. “I got lost along the way but eventually found my way back!”
Following high school, Kahpeaysewat joined the Canadian Armed Forces and graduated from basic military training as a private. After much consideration, she decided not to continue an enlistment and instead spent three years pursuing a career in aesthetics. “I used these years to focus on who I am and who I want to be, all the while working and living in an adult world that has little to no forgiveness” she says. “I realized that I couldn’t work hard for other people’s goals. What is the point of living if I cannot do what I’m passionate about?”
She discovered that her passion is rooted in her connection to her community, Moosomin First Nation, located beside Murray Lake near the small town of Cochin, Saskatchewan, with over 1,300 members and about 74,500 acres of land. But Kahpeaysewat remembers that growing up on the reserve, it didn’t seem that big. Although Saskatchewan is mostly flat farmland, Moosomin has running hills, thick blueberry bushes, a couple of marshes, and a variety of boreal forest wildlife. “I grew up surrounded by green grass, tall trees, blue lakes, and many adorable rez dogs,” she says. “Looking back, it’s no wonder I grew up with an appreciation of Mother Earth and all her creatures. I am connected to her and she is to me.”
“For an Indigenous person, family and community ties are very important as they keep me grounded and connected to the land.”
In 2016, as the Dakota Access Pipeline protest was happening at Standing Rock in North Dakota, Kahpeaysewat decided to go back to school. “I had moved to Calgary, Alberta, and was conflicted,” she explains. “I thought, how can I dedicate my life to make sure natural resources are protected? And that was how I began my journey into environmental science.”
During her first two years of university, Kahpeaysewat worked multiple part-time jobs to keep herself afloat. When work began to interfere with her studies, she started picking up student loans. “Loans on loans on loans,” she says. “Even though my community sponsors my education, living in the city on my own is very expensive.”
The difficulties didn’t stop there. Her first two years in Calgary — seven hours from home — were lonely. “For an Indigenous person, family and community ties are very important as they keep me grounded and connected to the land. I am blessed with a big, beautiful blended family,” she explains. “In the end, family is everything, so establishing new connections in the city was a must for my sanity and success. Wherever you are, whatever you are doing, stay connected to our people and the land.”
When Kahpeaysewat began her journey at Mount Royal, the school’s Iniskim Centre (a campus resource for Indigenous students) was her safe spot. With their support, she has her own Powwow Fit class at the recreation center, where she teaches the movements of Indigenous dance styles. Kahpeaysewat has mentored other students through the BMO Indigenous mentorship program, and has worked for the MEG Energy Summer Science Camp hosted by the Aboriginal Science and Technology Education Program. “Blessings on blessings,” she says. “Thank you, Iniskim Centre, for the unlimited support and opportunities. I know I wouldn’t have gotten this far without my university family.” She has also become involved with AISES, traveling to the 2018 National Conference in Oklahoma City and heading to the second .caISES summit in Montreal.
Kahpeaysewat is glad to let others know what powers her success. “Many people will tell you motivation will get you far, but motivation eventually runs out,” she says. “I say determination and loyalty are key qualities to success. Loyalty to the investment you are establishing for your future self. Determination to get there and work through all the problems that come your way. Believe me, it’s not easy and it shouldn’t be. For students who hope to go to college, don’t go to university until you are ready. You will know when you are ready.”
— Kyle Coulon
Located in north central North Dakota near the geographic center of North America, the 72-square-mile reservation of the Turtle Mountain Band of Chippewa Indians is one of the most densely populated reservations in the United States.
Inspired to pursue geological engineering by his strong connection to his North Dakota homeland, Tyson Jeannotte will walk off the stage in May with a master’s degree from the University of North Dakota (UND). He grew up on the Turtle Mountain Band of Chippewa Indian Reservation in the north central part of the state, and has a long-term goal of leading his own environmental remediation firm to restore tribal lands.
Jeannotte encountered challenges along the road to that graduate degree. After two years at Turtle Mountain Community College, he transferred to UND. But being away from family and friends wasn’t easy, and he soon transferred back. “My biggest obstacle wasn’t the academic demands,” he recalls. “I just wasn’t comfortable. What helped me return to UND to complete my bachelor’s degree in environmental geoscience was having some family members living nearby.”
With a 4.0 in his senior year at Turtle Mountain High School, Jeannotte had a head start on gaining admission to UND, and his counselor encouraged him to apply for the prestigious Gates Millennium Scholars Program. “I wasn’t planning to go to college,” he says. “I was more interested in getting a job and making money. So when my counselor asked me if I had applied for the scholarship, I said no. He then called my mom, who made me apply. I ended up being selected, which was very encouraging.”
Jeannotte’s aptitude for the sciences was evident back in sixth grade when he enrolled in a STEM summer camp. Although he wasn’t originally accepted, his mother persuaded him to show up the first day and see if he could get in. “They accepted me,” he says. “What was so neat was that every day we worked on a different project. This helped me develop my STEM skills while building critical thinking. I attended for many summers, and I’m so glad I did.”
As an undergrad, he had the opportunity to work on a project analyzing the cleanup of a drilling site in western North Dakota. “I was able to study various soil and water samples as well as remediation methods. Fortunately, the remediation was done properly,” he says.
After earning his BS, Jeannotte worked as a biological technician for the Department of Agriculture. “It was my first experience as a scientist. We took soil samples and analyzed them in the lab. It was a great learning opportunity,” he recalls.
Jeannotte now shares his experiences with recent high school graduates as UND’s Native American Success in Science and Engineering Mentor and stresses the importance of making their academic advisors their “best friends.” He recommends UND to Native students, especially those in STEM, adding, “The instructors here really care about their students and want them to succeed. I appreciate all my advisor has contributed to my education. Dr. Mahmood and I developed a strong friendship, and I’m going to miss him when I graduate.”
After earning his BS, Jeannotte worked as a biological technician for the Department of Agriculture. “It was my first experience as a scientist,” he says.
In collaboration with North Dakota State University, Jeannotte coordinates a two-week STEM camp offered among five tribal colleges in North Dakota. “The first week, students start at one school and then rotate to the next, where they are exposed to various STEM research projects. They ultimately choose to spend the second week at one school where they work on a project and present their findings to the group,” he explains. “It’s a great hands-on learning opportunity.”
In January, he was part of a student trip to Hawaii for an intensive geology camp experience. Although the national parks were closed due to the government shutdown, Jeannotte encouraged the other students to learn in unanticipated ways. “It was similar to my experience when I was on an internship abroad where we traveled to Africa and Turkey,” he says. “I was exposed to different ways of learning, especially on the fly. At the time, I wasn’t convinced I was learning, but as I got through the program, I realized I was learning, just in different ways.”
Jeannotte also participates as an unofficial advisor for the UND AISES College Chapter. “I help them come up with ways to raise money and find internships and other career development opportunities, like STEM competitions and camps,” he explains. But no matter what his role at UND, Jeannotte encourages students to continue their education, telling them, “It will be the greatest investment of your life.”
— Kimberly Durment Locke