As a young girl, Shanell Sinclair dreamed of becoming an aerospace engineer working for NASA. Then, as she was growing up in rural Montana, achieving that career seemed increasingly remote. But today Sinclair’s dream is no longer up in the clouds. Now a junior at Montana State University majoring in mechanical engineering and minoring in aerospace engineering/mechatronics, she is closer than ever to making her dream come true.
Sinclair is grateful for the tight-knit community of her childhood on a reservation in rural Browning, Mont., just 12 miles from Glacier National Park and 30 minutes from the Canadian border. “My family has always been close,” explains Sinclair. “They are very supportive of what I am doing.” This support has been invaluable, as her rural community did not offer many opportunities to a young girl with big dreams.
By the time she was attending Browning High School, Sinclair did not believe herself worthy of earning an advanced degree. “I did not think I would be going to a university,” says Sinclair. “I wrote about it, but I didn’t believe it.” But after being accepted to Montana State University, Sinclair was ready to take a chance on herself.
While she was excited to pursue a degree, Sinclair’s transition to college student was anything but smooth. “When I first came to Bozeman, I did not have a place to stay or childcare,” explains Sinclair, a mother of three: Robert, 9; Carmelita, 4; and Carl, 18 months. “I did not have a laptop or books for my classes.”
Sinclair also experienced some additional trials that caused her grades to suffer. “There were times I did not think I would make it through,” says Sinclair. Thankfully, with the support of her family, friends, and MSU faculty, she managed to get back on her feet.
Sinclair also became involved in a number of groups and organizations at MSU, including AISES. “We’ve reestablished the AISES MSU College Chapter, which disappeared during COVID,” notes Sinclair. Not only has she helped reestablish the chapter, Sinclair also serves as chapter president and has helped the group flourish — they won the 2022 Chapter Impact Award and hosted the 2023 Region 1 Conference.
Sinclair has also flourished outside the classroom, having received multiple internships in her field. “I’ve had three Montana Space Grant Internships,” says Sinclair. “They taught me to work harder and embrace a challenge so that I could also learn to be successful.”
That success has not come easily to Sinclair, nor has it come without help. Sinclair is especially grateful for the support of her family, friends, mentors, and professors who have guided her and helped her navigate the challenges of her journey so far. “I’ve had so many people who have helped me along the way,” says Sinclair. “Professors, tutors, academic support staff, and the unconditional support of my family, who I get to come home to every day.” Even when life is challenging, Sinclair continues to work hard and persevere.
Now Sinclair is utilizing her time at MSU and is excited to pursue her goals. While she initially believed her dream was to work for NASA, she says that goal may expand. “My ultimate career goal was to be an engineer working for NASA. That has been a childhood dream of mine,” explains Sinclair. “However, I really want to have a huge part in preparing future generations in STEM as well.”
Sinclair also believes that there is a cultural aspect to STEM that can sometimes get lost. For Sinclair, the connection between Indigenous culture and STEM is key to her continued success. “I always think back to my cultural ties to this Earth. To all the people who came before me and our resilient ancestors,” says Sinclair. “I believe that everything I do is in their vision. They are the ones who survived so that we could have the chance to do great things. I do not plan on wasting that chance to make a difference.”
Sinclair knows that whatever her eventual goals are, she can — and will — make a difference. And she wants other Indigenous youth to know that they can as well. “Youth are the key to our future,” notes Sinclair. “Don’t be afraid to pursue your dreams, and don’t be afraid to fail.”
