Horizons Fall 1998 - Bemidji State University

Horizons Page 4
Larry Aitken
In American higher education
today, one trend that is catching
the attention of both the private
and public sectors is the growth
and impact of the tribal college
movement.
Just 30 years ago, there wasn’t
a single tribal college in existence.
Influenced by policies of
assimilation and educational philosophies
that extracted students
from reservations, education became
a means of submission
rather that opportunity.
Today there are 29 tribal colleges
serving more than 20,000
students in 12 states. Founded
and controlled by tribes, these
schools are run by Native Americans.
And, according to a recent
report by the Carnegie Foundation,
“More than any other single
institution, they (tribal colleges)
are changing lives and offering
real hope for the future.”
To peoples from diverse cultures
and backgrounds, education
has long been viewed as a vehicle
that can carry a society forward.
But for many American Indians,
the role of education in their lives
Where We Are ... What We’re Doing
(Continued from page 3)
degree in counseling from the University of
Wisconsin, Oshkosh, and plans to graduate in
December. He works with autistic children, using
applied behavioral analysis techniques. He’s been
married to Kris Tommervik for two years … Kris
Tommervik (’95) lives in Oshkosh with her
husband, Rick Blackburn. She is an accountant for
Warehousing of Wisconsin … Sonia Yip (’91) and
Roel Coenders (’91) recently celebrated their first
wedding anniversary. The couple met at BSU in
1988 and both graduated with business degrees in
May 1991. Sonia and Roel completed master’s
degrees at the University of Kentucky. Roel is now
a marketing manager of an international
biochemical feeding company and Sonia is a
senior financial analyst of an insurance company
Sonia Yip and Roel Coenders
focused less on growth and more
on subversion — to survive, they
had to forego their traditions and
become white.
Coupled too often with poor
preparation, the results of attempts
into mainstream post secondary
education led to students
dropping out at a rate that
climbed to two or three times the
national average and reached 90
percent at some colleges.
A shift in federal policy away
from paternalism and toward self
determination among indigenous
people over the past few decades
opened the door for the tribes to
create their own future, including
post secondary options.
The pattern they followed was
the community college, where philosophies
of open enrollment,
community development and job
training satisfied critical needs.
Located on the reservations, the
tribal colleges also integrated heritage
into a curriculum that included
math, science, English composition,
and American history.
“Adding a cultural and a spiritual
component to tribal colleges
was a way to enhance the move-
… Bertha Walters (’96) and Sheldon Langager
(’97) announced their engagement. Bertha is
employed at Herberger’s in Bemidji and Sheldon
is an aquarium curator at Cabela’s in Owatonna
… Holly Evenwoll (’94) announced her
engagement to Dean Flansburg. Holly is
employed at the Bemidji Senior Center … Scott
Schoneck (’97) was recently engaged to Kaylyn
McKinley … … Kathryn (Kleven) Nordine
(’98) of Roosevelt will teach K-12 music this
school year in Goodridge and her husband, Mike
Nordine (’96) will teach high school social
studies in Thief River Falls at Lincoln High
School … Brian Cin (’92) of Eagle River, AK,
plans an August wedding with his fiance Nancy
Laboy. The wedding will be conducted on a
halibut fishing charter out of Nome, AK, to be
followed by a fishing excursion for the wedding
party … Misty Miranda Bauman (’97) and
Eric Benjamin Jobe (’98) were recently married
during ceremonies in Bemidji. Eric will be
teaching in Mora this fall and the couple will
reside in Ogilvie.
1980s
Arlene Schwerzler (’85) was recently selected
as consumer manager at the Winona main office
of Norwest Winona, a company she’s been
employed with since 1986. She is a member of
the United Way, Winona Area Chamber of
Commerce and Central Lutheran Church and
lives with her husband, Tom, and their two
children … Nikki Hollinbeck (’80) of Nisswa
was recently presented with the Minnesota
Tribal Colleges
Education with a Passion
ment,” said Larry Aitken, a BSU
graduate who helped found and
now serves as president of Leech
Lake Tribal College.
The combination of a nurturing
educational environment, familiar
surroundings, and a system that
valued diversity has paid dividends.
One study showed placement
figures that ranged from 85
to 93 percent at three colleges on
reservations where the unemployment
rates hovered in the 60 percent
range. Recent research
showed that graduates of tribal colleges
had a completion rate above
80 percent after they transferred to
baccalaureate institutions.
“Mainstream academy approaches
education a little like
airlines overbook seats,” said Dr.
Holly Youngbear-Tibbetts, a
BSU alumna who left her teaching
post at the University of Wisconsin-Stevens
Point last year to
Dr. Holly Youngbear-Tibbetts
Department of Natural Resources’ Water Patrol
Deputy of the Year Award for her accomplishments
in boat and water safety in 1997. Along with
her work on boating, Hollinbeck is a DNR
volunteer firearms safety instructor and
snowmobile safety instructor and was recently
certified to teach bow hunting education. A peace
officer since 1995, she previously worked for the
Pequot Lakes Police Department … Stella
Bowland (’88) has resigned from the Alexandria
School Board to pursue a law degree in St. Paul.
She was first elected to the board about five years
ago and was re-elected to a four-year term 18
months ago. Bowland intends to study law at the
William-Mitchell School of Law in St. Paul,
starting this August … Mark Kurtzahn (’82) and
his wife, Lesley Williamson (’83) live in
“America’s horse country,” Crestwood, KY, with
their two daughters. Mark flies for UPS as a
captain on a B-727. He completed 12 years with
the U.S. Marine Corps, achieving the rank of
major … John Martin (’88) teaches welding at
Western Wisconsin Technical College in
LaCrosse, WI. He lives in LaCrescent with his
wife, Gail …William E. Dimmel (’86) of Anoka
was recently married and is self-employed as a
programming consultant. His business is Online
Dynamics, Inc … Paul Bergly (‘ 86) lives in New
Hope with his wife, Karen, and sons, Mathew and
Jonathan. Paul is producing a compact disc,
“Winds of Mars,” featuring piano music by Bach
and the winds of Mars, as compiled from digital
data received from the Mars Pathfinder …
Rebecca (Sarberg) Sarkela (’85) of Duluth
become development director at
the College of the Menominee
Nation in north central Wisconsin.
“They admit more students
than they are likely to graduate,
and strategies are geared for
weeding out students. The goal of
tribal colleges is not to weed out,
but to work with each student
until they reach their full academic
potential.”
Aitken agrees. He left a position
at the University of Minnesota-Duluth
to teach 43 part-time
students in the first class at Leech
Lake Tribal College. Now the enrollment
is 370 full-time students.
“There’s a necessity for tribal
colleges in Indian country,”
Aitken said. “The indigenous
community always felt it was better
to raise the community up
three inches rather than lift one
or two individuals up a foot.
“Tribal colleges have the inherent
philosophy of raising everyone
— not only the eager and the
good, but also the ill-prepared and
those on hard times.”
That Indian people are finding
success comes as no surprise to
Youngbear-Tibbetts. “The ancestors
were people of sense, were
culturally conversant, used critical
analysis, were linguistically
competent, and were naturally
given to empirical methods to
make sound decisions,” she commented.
“These are the abilities
that will be needed in the future.”
works as a financial counselor at Miller Dwan
Medical Center. Her husband, Scott, works as a
district rep for Lutheran Brotherhood. The couple
has two sons … Kevin Newton (’82) of Glenboro
teaches high school, coaches and officiates
volleyball as a Level IV National official … Mike
and Karen (Duebbert) Eischens (’83) live in
Excelsior … Karen (Baumann) Bernsdorf (’87)
of Meadowlands works in customer service for
Schneiderman’s Furniture, helps run a family
business and is mother to three … Susan
(Warnke) Carlson (’89) lives in Cottage Grove
… Paul Olson (’85) enjoys teaching in Moose
Lake where he lives with his wife, Shelly, son,
Andy, 4, and daughter, Dana, 2 … Karen
(Larson) Halver (’85) and her husband, Jim,
recently bought more land adjacent to their home
north of Detroit Lakes. Jim works for MN/DOT
and Karen stays home with sons, Brander, 5,
Drake, 3, and Korgen, 1 … Fran (Bailey)
Houghton (’82) of Lakewood, CO, and her
husband spent the last year working in Tajikistan,
a country in Central Asia, and traveling around
Europe … Joe Fischer (’83) of Apple Valley
works at Lockheed Martin, Eagan, and enjoys
softball, hockey and hunting … Harry Hunt (83)
and Margaret Hunt (’83) live in Wayzata …
Brenda Ness (’86) of Eden Prairie works for
Deluxe Corporation. She’s married and has two
daughters, 5 and 8 … Paul Meskan (’86) and his
wife, Jill Meskan (’84), live in Minneapolis. Paul
spent ten years with the Ramsey County Sheriff’s
Department and is currently on loan to the state as
an investigator with the Minnesota Gang Strike
The future is of great concern
to tribal colleges, both for their
students and for their own survival.
As with much of higher
education today, budgets are extremely
tight and staffing lean.
Contrary to public perception,
the tribal colleges are not
fully funded entities. Their operations
are supported by a
combination of tribal resources,
grants, gifts and federal appropriations
that averaged just
$2,900 per student in 1995.
For the communities that have
invested in tribal colleges, the
results extend beyond the normal
benefits of a trained workforce.
With a focus on culture, the tribal
colleges have become a safeguard
of the traditions and old
ways. They have moved into
community development and initiated
research programs relevant
to the reservations.
Just as important, they have
become reservoirs of calm in often
politically charged environments.
As the Carnegie study reported,
the tribal college was the
most stable and most politically
independent institution on many
reservations.
“Every tribal college has an element
that is central to its identity
and mission,” said Youngbear-
Tibbetts “We’re contributing to
the infrastructure of Indian country
— with a passion.” ■
Force … Elise Kines Hughes (’84) lives in
Chester, VA, with her husband, John, and their
three children. She is working on a master’s
degree in teaching … Becky Messenger (’81) of
Nashotah, WI, owns and operates a dance studio in
Waukesha, WI. She teaches social and
competitive ballroom dance to adults and children
and runs a ballroom competition every April - the
Wisconsin State Dance Sport Championships.
She’s been married for 14 years to her husband,
Dan, and the couple has three children … William
Yerbich (’87) was recently engaged to Lori Baker
… Mary Jo Mrazek (’82) and her husband, Tim,
are the new owners of Lake Region Paint and
Mary Jo and Tim Mrazek
Decorating at 405 Beltrami Ave., which offers
interior decorating ideas, carpet, tile, paint,
laminates, floor covering, wallpaper and counter
tops … Jim Hecimovich (’88) is the new principal
of Hayfield Elementary School. “The principal