OVERCOMING OBSTACLES

The High Dropout Rate Of American Indian Students Is Not News

According to the National Indian Education Association, the national dropout rate for American Indian students is 15 percent. However, Minnesota State University of Moorhead criminal justice graduate Cera Swiftwater refused to be a statistic.

Swiftwater was raised by her 17-year-old single mother on the South Dakota Pine Ridge Reservation. When Swiftwater was 15, she and her four brothers and sisters were placed in foster care. During her time in the foster care system, Swiftwater moved from school to school multiple times, but she stayed focused and remained on track to graduate high school.

“My siblings have struggled a lot through school and I asked myself, ‘What can I do to help them?’ On the reservations sometimes you don’t have that mentor,” Swiftwater said. “I thought I can be that person they can look up to.”

By graduating from high school she defied yet another statistic. Based off a 2012 report published by the U.S. Department of Education, South Dakota has one of the lowest American Indian graduation rates in the nation of 49 percent. Out of her graduating class of 12, she was the only one to attend college.

“When I first came here (MSUM), I stayed to myself a lot and I didn’t leave my dorm much,” she said.

It wasn’t until Swiftwater got involved with MSUM’s American Indian Student Association (AISA) that she started to enjoy her college experience. As AISA president, she realized that many American Indian students were struggling to embrace the college experience, just as she had.

“I wanted an organization that made Native American students feel comfortable. They come to college and they feel like they don’t have any support.”

After initiating weekly meetings, study groups and even the occasional movie night, Swiftwater increased membership and led AISA to receive the award for Best Diversity Program on campus.

She also excelled academically.

“She’s one of those fantastic students that teachers can learn more from than they can ever hope to teach her,” said Professor Kate Richardson Jens. “ She’s very bright, very

In the midst of her college career, Swiftwater decided to take a semester off and enrolled in the National Guard.

“If you ask anybody who knows me they would never have guessed that I would join the military. I’m very uncoordinated and I don’t play sports. It was very out of character for me,” Swiftwater said.

During basic training in the Minnesota National Guard, the recruits attended a training session on domestic violence and sexual assault, igniting a passion within her.

“I have a lot empathy for domestic violence and sexual assault victims because I’ve seen it first hand. I felt like I could use my knowledge and experience to help them.”

Swiftwater pursued her passion by volunteering and later interning at the Rape and Abuse Crisis Center, where she worked directly with victims of domestic violence and sexual assault.

“Helping these victims became second nature to me,” Swiftwater said. “It further instilled that this is where I need to be and this is what I’m supposed to do.”

Today, Swiftwater focuses on raising awareness of the high violence and abuse rates experienced by American Indian women and children.

“The Center instilled more confidence in me and assured me that I know how to help resolve these issues. MSUM gave me the opportunities to use my knowledge.”

“Cera has faced more challenges at a young age than many people experience in their lifetime,” said Sociology Professor Deborah White. “Her work to raise awareness about high rates of violence and abuse experienced by Native American women and children, along with her commitment to help others in her home community, are truly inspirational.”