Making the Grad: 2020 Students of the Month by Sara LaBarge

BY: SARA LABARGE, AMERICAN INDIAN GRADUATE CENTER SCHOLARS ALUMNA

In 2017, American Indian Graduate Center created a program to honor and recognize exceptional Native scholars: Student of the Month Making the Grad.

American Indian Graduate Center introduced the #MakingTheGrad campaign to highlight the impressive achievements of our American Indian Graduate Center Scholars in academic excellence and community engagement.

Each month, the Student of the Month committee selects one graduate and one undergraduate student receiving American Indian Graduate Center or AIGCS funding. Since starting the program four years ago, more than 40 students have been recognized for their achievements.

With a wide breadth of backgrounds and experience, each of our Students of the Month are a testament to the diversity of Native scholars who have been empowered by American Indian Graduate Center. We are proud to have supported students from over 500 Tribes in all 50 states as they pursue undergraduate, graduate and professional degrees.

Students of the Month awardees are showcased on American Indian Graduate Center’s website and social media platforms, and also receive a certificate and honorarium. They also have the opportunity to be considered for American Indian Graduate Center’s Student of the Year award, which celebrates exceptional scholars who have demonstrated their commitment not only to their own education, but also their leadership and service to their Tribal communities.

Eva Dawn Burk Graduate - July

Eva Dawn Burk grew up practicing her Denaakk’e (Koyukon) and Dene’ (Lower Tanana) Athabascan traditions of harvesting salmon, moose, waterfowl and berries and trapping with her family on their ancestral lands and waters. She earned a Bachelor of Science in Civil Engineering from UAF in 2007 and worked for Arctic Slope Regional Corporation’s subsidiary ASRC Energy Services as a Senior Project Engineer for a variety of projects involving pipelines, roads, broadband infrastructure, environmental studies, logistics, stakeholder engagement and renewable energy. Currently, she is working on a Master of Science in Natural Resources Management with a focus on Sustainable Agriculture and Rural Development.

Joseph White Mountain Undergraduate - July

Joseph White Mountain is currently in his fourth semester of college. His first two semesters were spent studying Applied Science in Electrical Technology, however he then switched to IT for his most recent semesters. He also volunteers his time with the Sun Watogla Horse Program, and Sitting Bull College’s Fitness Club and Geek Squad, as well as coaching McLaughlin Middle School Football. Joseph enjoys all the knowledge he is receiving through his coursework and will continue with hard work, dedication and patience until he graduates and earns his degree.

Monique Apple Graduate - August

Monique Apple is a happily married mother of three beautiful children, grandmother of three grandsons and one granddaughter. She received her Master of Social Work in 2004 from Washington University in St. Louis, Missouri. Monique has dedicated herself to giving back to her Tribal community and served in a number of leadership roles including Director of the Oglala Lakota College Social Work Department and Executive Director of a direct mental health and advocacy services for a Lakota children’s mental health program. She is slated to defend her dissertation in her Doctorate of Social Work program in the spring of 2021.

Jacob Flowers Undergraduate - August

Jacob Flowers is a student athlete at Wingate University. As a sophomore in college, he is pursuing a degree in biology. He has a 3.0 GPA and also plays on the school’s football team at the Division II level. Jacob also volunteers his time with the student government association and participated in One Day One Dog, a full day of service at Wingate University.

Eva Dawn Burk

Joseph White Mountain

Monique Apple

Brooke Hoover

William Wilson III

Gavin Nadeau Brooke Hoover Graduate - September

Brooke has a passion for both science and art. She is approximately two years away from completion of her Ph.D. in Integrative Biology. In this endeavor, she has found that science when viewed through an art lens can lead to extraordinary discoveries, and hopefully she will be able to contribute her research discoveries to the world by the completion of her degree. Brooke has dedicated much of her time in service to her communities, including as an aide to the Center for Sovereign Nations at Oklahoma State University and a planner for the Science Club at Highland Park Elementary

William Wilson III Undergraduate-September

William Wilson III is pursuing his bachelor’s degree in Native Studies Leadership at Northwest Indian College in Bellingham, Washington. William is a recipient of the Wells Fargo Undergraduate Scholarship and has been described as humble, kind, loving and mindful. In addition to his studies, William volunteers his time at the Sweat Lodge on campus.

Paul Areyan Gavin Nadeau Graduate - October

After starting his higher education journey at Turtle Mountain Community College, Gavin earned two Bachelor of Arts degrees – Indian Studies and History – from the University of North Dakota. He then enrolled in a Masters of Science program for higher education, following his passion for helping students navigate their own college journey. After graduating with his Masters degree in 2019, Gavin was accepted into his current doctoral program, which will prepare him to serve his Turtle Mountain community when he graduates. Beyond his coursework, Gavin serves as a Student Advisor for UND’s TRIO Student Support Services program.

Paul Areyan Undergraduate-October

Paul Areyan served as a medic in the Army for three and a half years. When he returned, Paul decided to pursue a degree in nursing. He transferred to California State University Fresno with a 4.0 and maintained it. He has a chemistry minor that he will finish this semester. He plans to graduate in December 2021 with his Bachelor of Science in Nursing. Paul has volunteered with United American Indian Involvement (UAII) and Fresno American Indian Health Project (FAIHP), where he was a camp counselor and first aid person for UAII’s Robert Sundance Summer Camp.

Abigail Johnson Graduate - November

After completing a Bachelor of Science in Geography from Arizona State University, Abigail is currently pursuing a Master of Education from Kansas State University. After serving as a Children’s Ministry Teacher at a local church, Abigail’s passion grew for teaching elementary aged students; it is one of the reasons why she decided to pursue a master’s degree. Abigail’s professional goals include providing students culturally responsive teaching in STEM and improving literacy rates amongst Native children. She is currently a 5th grade student teacher at Norman Public Schools on Kikkaapoi (Kickapoo) lands. She is set to graduate this spring.

Alexis Estes Graduate - December

Alexis Estes’s art therapy journey began when an art therapist guided her through a practice of meditation and art creation that encouraged her growth through self reflection. The practice reminded her of the soothing rhythms and “flow” of Indigenous dance and ceremony, which is why she is passionate about making art therapy more available to Native communities. Now, she is pursuing a master’s dual degree – in Counseling and Art Therapy. Alexis seeks to share these practices to help other Native women and adolescents heal through the arts. Her Lakota culture has influenced her art to contain colorful abstractions of beadwork symbols.

Abigail Johnson

David Donovan

David Donovan Undergraduate-November

David is a first-generation college student. In 2015, he obtained his Veterinary Technician degree, which helped solidify his desire to be a Doctor of Veterinary Medicine. Currently David is a full-time student finishing his Bachelor of Science in Biology from the University of Colorado Denver. He will be the first of his siblings to obtain a bachelor’s degree and will soon obtain a professional degree. David said his hope is to be a practicing rural large and small animal medicine at his home on the Navajo reservation.

Douglas Krukoff Undergraduate-December

Douglas Krukoff is pursuing a bachelor’s degree from Columbia University, intending to declare a major in psychology and acquire knowledge that has to do with the human experience through the environment and mind. Douglas said the ability to succeed at this institution is a triumph that there is pride in because of the rigor that such private research institutions entail. As a first generation college student, Douglas is proud to represent Native populations.

Alexis Estes

Douglas Krukoff