Winds of Change - College 2017 - 12

Student BODY

I just need to keep
being determined
and focused on the
bigger picture.
Continued from page 11

One mentor, Toz Soto, whom I met
when I was interning at the fisheries,
inspired me to pursue the fisheries
biology major. He was my mentor
during my senior project and also
attended Humboldt State. He and the
professors at HSU have kept me
motivated when times are difficult.
Before HSU, I attended Happy Camp
High School. The friends I made there
influenced me to stay on the right track.
If I didn't hang out with the good friends
I did, I'm positive I would be logging or
trying to find some seasonal job. Luckily,
I've worked fishery jobs or internships
every summer since 2010. Each experience was a great opportunity to learn,
network, and build on what I learned
from previous jobs and internships.
When I got to college, I had a hard
time getting into the fisheries biology
major. Luckily, I found solace in
becoming a Native American studies
(NAS) major, at least temporarily. I made

sure to take every NAS class,
from language to conservation of natural resources.
Being in science, a lot of the
time NAS classes don't fit my
educational plan. But when I
do take them, I feel like I am
finding a part of my identity
that has been dormant. It is a
different feeling of getting to
know the science, and it is a
natural learning process when
I take Native American
studies classes.
Looking back on my NAS
classes and history of my
people, fisheries biology is
important to me as a major
because it's important to my
people. We are fishing people,
and all our battles with the
government and other entities
revolve around fishing. We are
battling right now to take
down four dams on the
Klamath River, and I feel my
degree will help me effectively
make that a reality. I believe
fisheries are my niche, and an inherent
responsibility that I must fulfill.
My values keep me levelheaded in
these situations: practice makes perfect for
myself; I just need to keep being determined and focused on the bigger picture.
I'm able to open up and introduce myself
to people, and I think this is what has
gotten me far in academia. If I had to give
advice to other Native students who hope
to go to college, it's to keep hold of your
dreams, create a five-year plan, and stay
focused. Also, learn to cook your favorite
dishes! Not only will it be cheaper, but it
keeps that "home" feeling strong while
you're away at college.
Finally, I would be remiss if I didn't
mention AISES as an organization. AISES
has played a large role in my development.
I've been an AISES member since 2016,
and AISES has opened a door that I never
thought existed. I didn't know about
conferences before AISES, but AISES
allowed me to present my research on the
national level, which was a phenomenal
experience. The networking created so
many opportunities that I didn't believe
were possible for a person in my field.
Being surrounded by intelligent and
beautiful people who share the same
ambitions as I do is truly a blessing.
- As told to Kevin McPherson

12 WINDS OF CHANGE * 2017-2018 SPECIAL COLLEGE ISSUE

Meghan
"Sigvanna"
Topkok
IÑUPIAQ (NATIVE
VILLAGE OF AMBLER)

Dartmouth College

NATIVE AMERICAN STUDIES

University of Oregon
School of Law
JURIS DOCTOR

M

y higher education path can best be
described as "where there's a will, there's
a way!" Even though my dad had gone to
community college, no one in my family had
gone to a traditional four-year college, or
gone on to graduate school, so I didn't really
know what to expect. I found out it's not
always easy, but with passion and dedication
you can do anything.
Growing up in Portland, Ore., and Alaska
allowed me to keep in touch with both sides of
my family, who were instrumental in helping
me with my schooling. Unfortunately, my
father died when I was only 11, but my mother
made sure to impress upon me how important
she believed a degree to be. From the time I was
very young, my mother encouraged and
supported my dream of going to college. I can
remember being in middle school daydreaming
about what kind of college I wanted to go to.
I was fortunate to go to an alternative high
school where I could take community college
classes in my junior and senior years. Not only
did this allow me to graduate with a high
school diploma and an associate's degree, but
also it exposed me to some of the most
influential teachers in my life, especially the
professor who taught my Native American
history courses.
One day when I walked into class, this
teacher handed me a book written by a
professor at Dartmouth College. She told me
Dartmouth was a great school and I should look
into it. I knew nothing about Dartmouth, and
had actually thrown away an invitation they sent
to visit the campus because I didn't think I could
get into an Ivy League school. But I trusted my
professor, went to look at Dartmouth, and was
thrilled when I was accepted.
I had thought that I wanted to get far away
and see a new part of the world, but being
thousands of miles from home, without the
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THE
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