by Christopher Sanchez
Daily Lobo
Whenever UNM alumna Rebekah Horsechief told people her academic focus was Native American Studies, they told her it was useless.
Horsechief wasn't worried. After graduation in May, she found a job in public relations at the Center for Native American Health at UNM.
"Most people have this fear of graduating and not being hirable," she said. "I am absolutely working in the field and in the people. I am also giving back to the indigenous community."
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Horsechief was one of 20 UNM students to graduate in May with a degree in Native American Studies. Eleven of the graduates attained their bachelor's degree, which was the first time any UNM student graduated with a four-year degree in the program.
The biggest challenge of creating the bachelor's program was getting support from students, faculty and staff, said Greg Cajete, director of the program.
"Originally, the whole program started as a student service program, and getting people to think about Native studies as a real academic program was challenging," Cajete said. "A lot was changing peoples' mind-sets to what it was."
UNM first offered a minor in the program in 1999. The bachelor's degree program was instituted in December 2004.
UNM is among 23 campuses in the United States that has a bachelor's program in Native American Studies, Cajete said.
It is important to have the program at UNM because New Mexico is situated in the middle of the highest concentration of American Indians in the country, he said. The program is beneficial to local tribes, because it focuses on issues with tribal politics, arts, communication and governance, he said.
There are four concentration areas in the program - leadership and self-determination, language and education, cultural and environmental studies and arts and the new media.
Among other things, the four concentration areas build a foundation for a graduate degree relevant to law, education, political science, history and medicine, he said.
"The gamut is quite large for possible uses of that degree to build on," Cajete said.
UNM alumnus Patrick Willink graduated in May with a bachelor's degree in the program. Willink said he plans to apply to graduate schools to continue his passion for media and tribal arts.
"I can teach it one day, but I think I'll probably go into production where I'm producing media-based art," he said.
Willink, who started attending UNM in 2000, said he feels like he's a part of history because he has seen the program grow and bring diversity to the University.
"I think Native American history and culture and identity wasn't always included in the academy as much as the location offered," he said.
Cajete said the program has continued to develop since its inception. There are about 400 students taking the program's courses and four American-Indian faculty teaching in the program, he said.
The program is a miracle in many ways, said Maria Williams, a professor in Native American Studies.
"I'm obviously very delighted and happy," Williams said. "I'm very proud for students and the whole University. It makes UNM look great."
Taking a course in the program helps develop an open mind, she said.
"We all know about American history, but if you look at it in a different perspective, you have a fully dimensional view of history," she said.
Williams said she would like to see the program expand and offer a master's degree.
Cajete said the possibility of offering a master's degree is only a few years away.
Horsechief said she is planning on applying to law school, but in the meantime she plans to work.
"I'm going to try and get out and see what happens this year," she said. "The possibilities are endless."
