I grew up in the small community of Briggs, Okla., east of Tahlequah near the Illinois River. The area is part of my family’s original allotments from the Dawes Allotment Act. My town has two of the three federally recognized Cherokees: my tribe, the United Keetoowah Band of Cherokee Indians in Oklahoma, and the Cherokee Nation of Oklahoma. Tahlequah also has Sequoyah High School and Northeastern State University, which both began as boarding schools for the area.

Sometimes you have to go outside yourself to find the things closest to you. While I’ve always enjoyed science — Star Trek is the best! — it’s been more of a growing awareness for me. I’m super curious about the intricate details of how biological systems work, and how this can be leveraged for good. 

Never forget where you come from” is a mantra I hold dear. Even though I’ve been honored to be a 2014 Cooke Young Scholar and a 2019 Cooke College Scholar, I never want to forget where I’m from. While I currently live more than eight hours away as a student at the University of Kansas, I feel a strong pull toward my ancestral home: the Rosebud Reservation in Rosebud, S.D., where I grew up.

Although I grew up in Houston, I consider Torreon, N.M., in the Eastern Agency of the Navajo Nation, home. I spent much of my childhood in that remote rural area, playing on —and learning from — the land. It’s why I want to become a principal investigator and start my own microbiology lab on the Navajo Reservation: I want to take care of the land. After a nontraditional academic journey, I’m now a graduate student at Harvard University studying bacterial genetics, and I finally feel like I know where I’m going.

Both my parents studied computer science, and from the moment I started school they encouraged me to pursue higher education. I grew up near Spokane, Wash., where my college journey began at Spokane Falls Community College. From there, I went to the University of Washington, then to Haskell Indian Nations University, where I am currently a senior set to graduate this spring. My major is environmental science, which is a good fit for me since I’ve always wanted to study something within biology. Environmental science provides a good overview while being interesting and impactful.

Performance evaluations are useful tools to help managers and employees understand how they are doing and where they may be able to improve. If you haven’t already, you’ll likely be asked to complete a self-evaluation prior to a performance review. For many professionals, that can be a daunting task. However, preparing a self-evaluation doesn’t have to be difficult. Here are a few tips to consider when working on your next self-evaluation.
 
Be Honest

Your culture is a part of you. Whether it informs how you live your daily life or it’s simply one part of what makes you you, staying true to your culture is important. During times of change or stress, especially when you’re away from home, this can be difficult. Here are some ways you can remain true to your culture.
 
Determine What Is Important to You 

You might think that once you’ve landed a job you’re all set and no longer need to worry about updating your resume. While that may have been true years ago, in today’s professional environment, it’s important to ensure you have a current version of your resume at the ready. Here are a few reasons why you should always keep your resume up to date.
 
Keep Track of Accomplishments 

Just when it seems like you’ve finally gotten the hang of high school, it’s time to think about college. The college application process may seem daunting, and with so many things to keep track of, like deadlines, essays, and financial aid, it may seem like you’ll never get through it. Don’t get overwhelmed. Instead, use the tips below to help understand and navigate the college application process.
 
Figure Out Who You Are and What You Want

The stories told to us by our elders can sow seeds that flower for later generations. For Sky Harper, Navajo (Diné), stories told by his mother, Cassandra Begay, ignited a passion for learning that can help his people. He is of the Towering House Clan, born for the Red Running Into Water Clan. His maternal grandfather is of the Big Water Clan, and his paternal grandfather is of the Towering House Clan. His mother’s tales sparked a fascination with the natural world and motivated him to understand it by pursuing a wide-ranging discipline that comes with an opportunity to give back.