BA in History

London Poor Thunder, 2027

How did you decide on the history major?   

I've always had an affinity for studying history in high school, and I usually picked a history course alongside my first and second-year engineering courses. After considering my overall career goals, I decided to switch to History after transferring from Montana State University to George Mason University.    
    
Are you minoring in anything else, or double-majoring? If so, how do the two work together – or separately?   

I am not minoring or doubling, but I have a concentration in Public History and have aligned my classes with Indigenous/Native American studies, where I could minor in Native American studies if I wanted to. I am considering adding the Law and History concentration, but we will see.   
    
What have you learned in a history class that really surprised you/changed your perspective?   

I am currently taking an Irish Nationalism class, and it has surprised me how much I don't really know about Ireland aside from the stereotypical and common history of the island. It makes me think of how history is usually told by the victors and how marginalized communities really do stay in the margins when thinking about history in a global context. I was really surprised by how deep the religious conflict in Ireland was and how it, for a large part of Ireland's history, is a part of the culture. It has been interesting to learn their version of decolonization compared to the European/English ideologies.     
    
Tell us about your dream occupation…   

I want to be a lawyer for my tribe, but I also want to create spaces that highlight the Native American experience in history and in places where it is not fully visible to the public. I'm not sure how I can mesh the two, as being a lawyer stems from my goal of giving my nation in Pine Ridge a voice and helping my community and being a curator and exhibition designer is something I have grown passionate about since I started my major here. The dream is to bring back whatever I learn to my reservation and fulfill my passions and goals.   
    
Have you had any internships? Or interesting jobs or volunteer experience? Tell us about it/them.   
   
I have interned with the Co-Creative Space under Dr. Gabrielle Tayac at the start of my second half of my sophomore year. For the first internship I had with her, we worked on the concept of the Offerings to the Potomac exhibition, which is housed in Buchanan Hall on campus until next May. It was a very rewarding experience to get to work on building it with Mason Exhibitions and to have a say in how we portray this offering to the Ancestral Doeg and to the Nations that currently live in the DMV and make up the indigenous diaspora here in Northern Virginia.  I have also been accepted to work with her next spring, so I am excited about what other skills I can learn and what else I can add to the Co-Creative Space.   
   
I also had the fantastic opportunity to gallery sit for the Before the Americas exhibition during the semester. Seeing so many artworks that showcase generational resistance alongside other themes showed me how much art and self-expression really play a role in how history is learned outside the classroom.   
    
Any accomplishments you're proud of? Opportunities you've taken advantage of? Brag a little!   

I am proud to be on the dean's list for at least two semesters in a row, considering I had a rocky start here at GMU. I am also the president of the Native American and Indigenous Alliance (NAIA) here. It has been an honor to work to build our campus community for Native students and to find so many allies who want to be part of making our presence on campus permanent.    
   
Tell us something people would be surprised to know about you.   

I am a huge gamer and book lover; I think I have more books on my shelf than I have read, and that number keeps increasing.   Also, I mentioned I am a transfer student from Montana, but I went to high school 10 minutes from the GMU campus. It's funny because I always said I would never go to school this close to home, but I think it was the best decision I ever made (although I am a westerner at heart).