Winds of Change - College 2016 - 11
started MIT with a deficit. Some
of my peers had already taken
differential equations and
computer programming, while
my small-town high school
maxed out at calculus I.
I also had to be proactive in
my college search, as my teachers
and counselors weren't well versed
in schools outside Nebraska. The
application process itself was long
and tedious. Because I was trying
for a nationally ranked university,
I started taking the ACTs and SATs
early so I could retake them - I
took my first ACT in seventh
grade. During high school I also
sought out summer programs at
my dream schools. I did Minority
Introduction to Engineering and
Science, which gave me insight
into what MIT would be like as a
student.
My mother couldn't afford to
pay for my education, so I
prioritized finding scholarships. I
applied for upward of 25
scholarships and received funding
from several sources, including
the Gates Millennium Scholarship. I'd recommend that high
school students identify a teacher
early to be their recommendation
writer and apply for as many
scholarships as they can.
When I first got to MIT, I felt
lost. Homesickness was real.
Being 1,500 miles away from
home meant I couldn't go home
as often as my state-school
friends. To cope my freshman
year I would call home multiple
times a week, but by my
sophomore to senior years, this
trickled down to a weekly call.
The academics were very
difficult, which meant I had to
limit my extracurriculars.
Sophomore year was the most
challenging by far. In my hardest
class, unified engineering, I
learned the necessity of group
study and not to be ashamed to
ask for help from my professor
and the teaching assistants. Still,
more than once, I had to cut my
losses and drop a class toward
the end of the term. To relieve
stress, I was a percussionist in the
Wind Ensemble. I also briefly
contributed to the rocket team
and space balloon team, both of
which I had to cut to save time.
When I started as a freshman,
there was no Native-based club.
With the encouragement of my
mentor, Dr. Sophia Cisneros, a
postdoc in astrophysics and a
Native woman, I decided to restart
the AISES chapter, which had
been inactive for more than eight
years. I led the club for most of
my four years at MIT. Our group
got together weekly to reconnect
and keep the circle intact at a place
so far from our homes.
Leading the AISES chapter was
my most rewarding experience
Free, Six-Week
Summer Health
Professions
Education
Program
outside the classroom. It taught
me management skills involving
talks with the MIT administration,
budgeting, and delegating. Plus,
being in the company of other
Native students was rejuvenating
in knowing that I wasn't alone in
my journey through MIT. In the
bigger picture, I've gained new
professional connections and
cultural networking through the
National and Region 6 Conferences. Meeting other highachieving Natives in STEM at
these conferences has been
incredible - I wouldn't know
they exist otherwise.
My goal now is to contribute
to the world by helping develop
manned spacecraft to explore our
last frontier - deep space - and
to be a role model for the younger
generation, especially young
Native Americans who want to
pursue a STEM career.
- As told to Lindsey Yanow
My most vivid memory of the program
was being around people who looked
and thought like me. It was the most
'at home' I'd felt with a group of
people. It made me see where I could
fit into medicine. It showed me I could
be a doctor. They helped reinforce
in me that there was every reason I
should enroll in medical school.
Sharlay Butler
SHPEP class of 2006 University of Washington
Resident, Northwestern University
Feinberg School of Medicine
Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology
Member of Coeur d'Alene Tribe
www.facebook.com/shpepconnect
www.twitter.com/shpepconnect
Building on more than 25 years of success,
SHPEP, formerly the Summer Medical
and Dental Education Program (SMDEP),
has been changing lives and shaping
the careers of college freshmen and
sophomores. Learn how you can help
build a Culture of Health through this free
academic enrichment program.
Application Opens:
November 1, 2016
Application Deadline:
March 1, 2017
To learn more, visit
www.shpep.org
aises.org
SHPEP is a national program funded by the Robert Wood Johnson
Foundation with direction and technical assistance provided by the
Association of American Medical Colleges and the American Dental
Education Association.
2016-2017 SPECIAL COLLEGE ISSUE * WINDS OF CHANGE 11
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Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Winds of Change - College 2016
Contents
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Winds of Change - College 2016 - Contents
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Winds of Change - College 2016 - Cover3
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