photo by Kelly Kester Photography
Tobias-Jesiah Keohokapu
Tobias-Jesiah Keohokapu found himself getting lost in the stars from a young age. Everything he’s discovered about astronomy since then, from learning about Polynesian wayfinding to studying special relativity and chaotic dynamics at college, has only increased his fascination. When he learned about the world travels of the Hōkūle’a, a double-hulled sailing canoe built as a modern replica of the vessels that brought the first Polynesian seafarers to Hawaii, he knew he had to study astronomy.
Keohokapu grew up on Oahu on a suburban cul-de-sac — a quiet street where he played with his four younger siblings. He lived in a multigenerational house that saw many relatives going in and out every day. His extended family is large, and he would see different cousins every weekend and spend holidays at the homes of different family members. “Our family even made the newspaper because we always go caroling as a group for Christmas,” he says.
The Kamehameha Schools — selective private college prep schools for Native Hawaiians — are famous in that community. “Pretty much every Native Hawaiian tests and interviews to try to get in,” says Keohokapu, “but I just never wanted to. They rejected me all the time, and I was over it.” He had switched from a private to a public school in eighth grade and had to make a whole new group of friends. He didn’t want to go through that process again, nor did he want to get another rejection. His parents told the interviewers that he was sick, and he didn’t go to testing.
A week later, Kamehameha called and asked if he wanted to reschedule. “I saw this as fate,” he says. “‘Maybe this time it will be different.’” It was different. He was accepted. He enrolled at Kamehameha Schools Kapālama campus, got over his fears, and made lifelong friends and connections. “I never wanted to go to Kamehameha, but it was probably the best decision of my life,” he says. Being at a school for Native Hawaiians taught him a lot about his culture and identity and helped him develop spiritually.
At Kamehameha Kapālama, he was introduced to AISES by his biology teacher, Ms. Ishimoto, winner of the 2018 AISES Educator Partner Award and an important influence on his academic trajectory. Keohokapu joined AISES, attended conferences, and presented research throughout the rest of his time at high school. His AISES connection came with both valuable experiences and many opportunities, and he’s grateful to Ms. Ishimoto for her help.
Succeeding despite ... earmarks of imposter syndrome has been an exercise in perseverance, something he learned at a young age while helping his dad with construction.
Moving halfway across the globe to attend Rochester Institute of Technology was something of a shock for Keohokapu. “Going from over 80 degrees to under 60 within a day was not something I thought could happen on Earth,” he says. “Besides the temperature, I never felt like I had a place for myself, and I still kind of don’t.”
He joined the RIT AISES College Chapter, where he was treasurer for a time. That community helped, but feeling socially isolated was still a challenge for him. “Academically I was keeping up fine,” he says, “but I never felt like I deserved to have a voice in any of my classes. My viewpoint was ‘what right do I have as someone who is not as smart as these people, or works as hard as these people, to ever really make it in life?’”
Succeeding despite those earmarks of imposter syndrome has been an exercise in perseverance, something he learned at a young age while helping his dad with construction. It was hard labor, and he did it for years, from hanging drywall to making garbage runs. When he compares that experience with anything else he’s faced, nothing seems daunting. Construction work is always the harder job.
Recently Keohokapu started a Hawaiian Interest Club, with the aim of helping future students from Hawaii find community at RIT. It’s a place where they can give voice to their worries and talk to others who are experiencing the same challenges. “I wish I’d had something like this when I started,” he says, “and I know the other people in the club feel the same way.”
As a member of the class of 2023, he is thinking about what his next steps will be. Imposter syndrome is something he is still dealing with, and not having firm plans is sometimes demotivating. But seeing other Indigenous people through AISES — people who are making headlines and succeeding in STEM fields — has been a source of encouragement that has kept him pursuing his own academic future.
— DJ Pollard
Before Hawaii became a U.S. territory in 1898, it was ruled by a monarchy based on the island of Oahu. King Kamehameha I united the islands in 1810, and the last monarch, Queen Liliuokalani, was overthrown by mainland colonists in1893 in a coup that President Clinton officially apologized for a century later.
PHOTO BY ADRIAN SANCHEZ GONZALEZ/MONTANA STATE UNIVERSITY
As a young girl, Shanell Sinclair dreamed of becoming an aerospace engineer working for NASA. Then, as she was growing up in rural Montana, achieving that career seemed increasingly remote. But today Sinclair’s dream is no longer up in the clouds. Now a junior at Montana State University majoring in mechanical engineering and minoring in aerospace engineering/mechatronics, she is closer than ever to making her dream come true.
Sinclair is grateful for the tight-knit community of her childhood on a reservation in rural Browning, Mont., just 12 miles from Glacier National Park and 30 minutes from the Canadian border. “My family has always been close,” explains Sinclair. “They are very supportive of what I am doing.” This support has been invaluable, as her rural community did not offer many opportunities to a young girl with big dreams.
By the time she was attending Browning High School, Sinclair did not believe herself worthy of earning an advanced degree. “I did not think I would be going to a university,” says Sinclair. “I wrote about it, but I didn’t believe it.” But after being accepted to Montana State University, Sinclair was ready to take a chance on herself.
While she was excited to pursue a degree, Sinclair’s transition to college student was anything but smooth. “When I first came to Bozeman, I did not have a place to stay or childcare,” explains Sinclair, a mother of three: Robert, 9; Carmelita, 4; and Carl, 18 months. “I did not have a laptop or books for my classes.”
Sinclair is especially grateful for the support of her family, friends, mentors, and professors who have guided her and helped her navigate the challenges of her journey so far.
Sinclair also experienced some additional trials that caused her grades to suffer. “There were times I did not think I would make it through,” says Sinclair. Thankfully, with the support of her family, friends, and MSU faculty, she managed to get back on her feet.
Sinclair also became involved in a number of groups and organizations at MSU, including AISES. “We’ve reestablished the AISES MSU College Chapter, which disappeared during COVID,” notes Sinclair. Not only has she helped reestablish the chapter, Sinclair also serves as chapter president and has helped the group flourish — they won the 2022 Chapter Impact Award and hosted the 2023 Region 1 Conference.
Sinclair has also flourished outside the classroom, having received multiple internships in her field. “I’ve had three Montana Space Grant Internships,” says Sinclair. “They taught me to work harder and embrace a challenge so that I could also learn to be successful.”
That success has not come easily to Sinclair, nor has it come without help. Sinclair is especially grateful for the support of her family, friends, mentors, and professors who have guided her and helped her navigate the challenges of her journey so far. “I’ve had so many people who have helped me along the way,” says Sinclair. “Professors, tutors, academic support staff, and the unconditional support of my family, who I get to come home to every day.” Even when life is challenging, Sinclair continues to work hard and persevere.
Now Sinclair is utilizing her time at MSU and is excited to pursue her goals. While she initially believed her dream was to work for NASA, she says that goal may expand. “My ultimate career goal was to be an engineer working for NASA. That has been a childhood dream of mine,” explains Sinclair. “However, I really want to have a huge part in preparing future generations in STEM as well.”
Sinclair also believes that there is a cultural aspect to STEM that can sometimes get lost. For Sinclair, the connection between Indigenous culture and STEM is key to her continued success. “I always think back to my cultural ties to this Earth. To all the people who came before me and our resilient ancestors,” says Sinclair. “I believe that everything I do is in their vision. They are the ones who survived so that we could have the chance to do great things. I do not plan on wasting that chance to make a difference.”
Sinclair knows that whatever her eventual goals are, she can — and will — make a difference. And she wants other Indigenous youth to know that they can as well. “Youth are the key to our future,” notes Sinclair. “Don’t be afraid to pursue your dreams, and don’t be afraid to fail.”
— Alexa Panza
The Niitsitapi (Blackfoot Confederacy) spans the U.S.–Canadian border and comprises the Siksika (Blackfoot), Kainai (Blood), and Piikani (Northern Peigan) in Canada and the Amskapi Piikani (Blackfeet or Southern Piegan) in the U.S.