Winds of Change - College 2017 - 6

THE

Student BODY

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with such passion and enthusiasm that it
made learning fun, and I became fascinated
by the unseen world all over again. During
high school biology I really began to think
about a career, and I knew that my future
involved the biomedical field.
The end of high school proved challenging, though, as my father was diagnosed with
an autoimmune liver disease. We spent my
junior and senior years shuttling him eight
hours back and forth to his medical
appointments, and trying not to notice that
his health was quickly deteriorating. Both my
parents had always stressed the importance of
getting an education and being able to
support ourselves. Seeing my dad so sick only
reaffirmed my desire to pursue a degree.

I feel like I've found
a good balance
between my
Native American
interests and my
scientific interests.
While I was getting my associate's
degree at Little Big Horn College, my dad
became terminally ill. It filled me with an
overwhelming sense of determination to
finish school, become a doctor, and
conduct research that would benefit my
dad and my people. Thankfully, my dad
was able to watch me receive my associate's
degree, and he saw me off to college at
Montana State University, where I started
in the fall of 2014.
During my first semester in college, my
father passed away. I was devastated.
Dealing with his death while also a
full-time student was difficult. To complicate matters, I was also juggling being a
mother to two young sons - a toddler and
a preschooler. Thankfully, MSU was always
there to support and encourage me.
Once I found my footing, I became
immersed in my classes. In one, Introduction to Native American Studies, we learned
about Native history and the genocide this
country was built on. It saddened me to
learn about such a dark time in America's
history - but it also empowered me to
learn about Native resilience. When I go
through hard times, I think about what my
people have overcome.
I used the strength I gained from this class
to determine my major: microbiology. I'm
fortunate that I had a variety of experiences

both before and during my time at MSU that
have helped me shape my path. While getting
my associate's degree, I worked with a
professor to study E. coli in the Little Big
Horn River. Rivers are a sacred part of the
Crow culture, and being able to intertwine
my culture and my scientific curiosity led me
to channel my love for science into a passion
for research.
This research opened my eyes to a new
career, and I decided to pursue more
research opportunities. I participated in
Bridges to the Baccalaureate, a Montana
program that helps students transition
from tribal colleges to four-year universities,
and began doing research studying the
molecular epidemiology of Clostridium
difficile infection. I also spent the summer
of 2017 in Salt Lake City, Utah, as a
participant in the Native American
Research Internship program, studying the
congenital heart defects of zebra fish. Each
of these experiences has been a steppingstone toward a career in scientific research,
and together they've fueled my enthusiasm.
Now, I'm a senior and expect to graduate
next spring. I feel like I've found a good
balance between my Native American
interests and my scientific interests. I am
currently a mentor to two Native students in
STEM, the vice president of our AISES
Chapter, and a member of the American
Indian Council. And I was recently selected
to represent MSU at the 42nd annual
American Indian Council Pow Wow as head
woman dancer.
I'm still considering what my next
move will be after graduation. I used to
get angry when people would comment
on my last name, but now I'm proud and
excited to be the future "Dr. Kills."
Whether I end up going into medicine
and return home to help my community,
or go to graduate school and into
academia to teach students like me, I
know I want to help people.
My path hasn't been easy, but I wouldn't
change it. I know that a major factor in my
success has been my perseverance and
resilience. Having support from my family
and teachers has also been essential in
helping me get to where I am today. As
Native Americans, we have fought like heck
to be here, and have encountered many
setbacks along the way. I fight against the
odds to honor those who have passed.
Remember, you are not less than, you are
more than. We have an opportunity to make
a difference in our community, and we will.
- As told to Alexa D'Agostino

6 WINDS OF CHANGE * 2017-2018 SPECIAL COLLEGE ISSUE

Brandon
Begay
NAVAJO

Arizona State University
BIOCHEMISTRY

I

'm the first in my family to attend
university. Early on, my parents told
me how much school would help me in
the future, but I never really thought of
going to college after high school. I
aises.org
http://www.aises.org
Winds of Change - College 2017

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