Recent graduate Mara Patterson grew up far from her tribe in Alaska. D-Q University, she says, helped her find her identity as a Native woman and an internship in Washington, D.C., strengthened her belief in the power of education. 
Bruce Benson’s name once was synonymous with TROUBLE. Beginning in his teens, Benson had a reputation for drinking and fighting, spending as much time in jail (and later the penitentiary) as he did at home. Whenever there was trouble on the reservation, his name was on everyone’s lips.
At the age of 38, Wade Wiartalla decided there was more to life and began looking at various colleges. When he arrived at Bay Mills Community College, in Brimley, Mich., his interest in biology and his natural leadership skills combined with the college’s unique learning opportunities to propel him toward a new career — teaching. The tribal college’s cultural focus was also important to Wiartalla, a member of the Sault St. Marie tribe.
Studying science at Leech Lake Tribal College transformed Ken Johnson’s life. “Nature has a way of speaking to you. It’s like the elements – carbon connects with a different element because there’s an attraction.”
Being selected as a Morris K. Udall Foundation Native American Congressional Intern for the summer of 1999 was a dream come true for Justin Finkbonner of the Lummi Nation in western Washington.
Morgan Wheeler Two Moons spent last summer in Providence, R.I., and now he is studying in Santa Fe, N.M., far from the open plains of Montana. Most likely, he won’t stay away from his home on the Northern Cheyenne Reservation in southeastern Montana for long, however. Two Moons’ rambling has been fueled by his dream –to become the curator of a museum on his reservation.
It was an emotional time, a time to reflect on what had happened in the past 40 plus years for this Spirit Lake tribal member. George McDonald walked away from the ravages of alcohol to accomplish something no one dreamed he would do. He graduated from college.
After graduating from Haskell Indian Nations University, Heather Rozler is answering the call for American Indian educators to teach American Indian youth. The new Indian educators have their work cut out for them. “It is tough to be a child in today’s world,” said Rozler, a member of the Seneca Tribe of New York.
To Carolyn Fiscus, being on the staff at Nebraska Indian Community College (NICC) is a natural part of the journey home. Now the Extension and Community Education Director for NICC, Fiscus began her career in education 30 years ago.
Eleven years ago, Nicole Antoine joined Salish Kootenai College’s Upward Bound program as a Ronan High School freshman. This year she returned to Ronan High School with a master’s degree in social work to become the school social worker. The road from high school freshman to professional social worker wasn’t an easy one.
