As kid, I enjoyed Legos, building things, and playing in the sand and dirt. Now I get to do that full time. I finished my degree in civil engineering last spring at the University of Saskatchewan (USask), and I’m currently on a high-rise project for Graham as a project coordinator. These projects are hugely complex works of art. A big part of the job is the coordination between engineering, architects, and skilled trade workers.
Building things runs in the family. My grandmother was a project manager and my dad is a carpenter by trade. Growing up off-reserve in Saskatoon, I was always outdoor oriented, doing a lot of hunting, camping, and fishing. Fieldwork — working with Mother Earth’s resources — was an appeal of civil engineering. I don’t want to be in an office all the time.
Engineering studies were quite a shock to the system — there are times you burn out or fail an exam. Failing is tough, but learning to fail is definitely a skill set. The more you fail, the better you’ll become and narrow down what you actually enjoy.
Having a strong support system living at home my first two years was essential. The medicine wheel helped me balance my health physically, spiritually, and emotionally. It’s easy for STEM students to get bogged down in the books — having an active outlet helped me thrive in student societies and academics. I spent five years on the university track and cross-country team. The North American Indigenous Games has a big place in my heart. I was an athlete in 2017, and I’m looking to get some coaching certifications for the next games in 2026.
Throughout university, I spent a lot of time in various student societies that gave me the opportunity to lead and organize, working with different types of people. I started off with the Saskatoon Engineering Students’ Society, then restarted the Civil Engineering Students’ Society, and was also part of the USask Bridge Team. We basically designed and fabricated a small-scale steel bridge and competed against numerous universities from around the world.
I thought there should be an Indigenous STEM student society. It turns out we had one five years prior, but it went away due to the COVID-19 pandemic. In my senior year of university, I helped restart the AISES chapter, and it’s going strong now even though I’m gone. We hosted the AISES Region 5 Conference last summer. The conference was a big gathering of territories we’re semi-related to, and I met like-minded people like Matthew Dunn and John Desjarlais, who started the student chapter and are now role models in the world of Indigenous STEM.
By joining AISES I was able to meet more Indigenous people and embrace who I am more. I was able to connect, lead, and organize to literally have our own little family within the college. We’re all going through the same student stresses — seeing other people like yourself make it through a really challenging program is inspiring. Through AISES, we were also a part of Indigenous Student Achievement Pathways (ISAP), a USask program getting high school students excited about STEM.
We also have a strong Indigenization at USask. In the College of Engineering we worked with a resident elder who was part of our student society to advise and teach. The Federation of Sovereign Indigenous Nations put on a science fair, and we were judges on the panel, with a scoring component relating to Indigenous traditions. One memorable student presentation on the Northern Lights had the science but also included lots of Indigenous stories, beliefs, and traditions. Engineering can be more two-eyed seeing. The science and math are essential, but at the same time the stories and traditions can’t be forgotten.
The concept of seven generations is an important tool in sustainable engineering. We have environmental problems from abandoned mines and industrial activities and people thinking in the present purely from an economic standpoint. Do you look seven generations ahead or behind? It should be both to get a full picture.
I know I’ll be back in school eventually to pursue my master’s — whether that’s in business administration, engineering, or science, I’m not sure yet. It will be something to tie in my interests in Indigenous involvement, athletics, and sustainability. I believe higher education is really important. Behind my mom, I’m the first one on both sides of the family to attain a degree, which is a huge accomplishment.
Indigenous people need to be heard and seen in all levels of society. We need leaders, engineers, and scientists. One of the greatest things I heard recently is that education is the new bison. People used to live off the bison, a key resource that helped sustain the world. Nowadays, I think education is the key.
