After attending two different non-tribal colleges that left her feeling like something was missing, Jasmine Neosh (Menominee Tribe of Wisconsin) found the right fit for her post-secondary path: The College of the Menominee Nation (CMN), a Tribal College and University (TCU) in Keshena, Wisconsin.
“They (CMN) showed me what it was like not just to be a successful person in the Western World, but also a fully Indigenous person,” says Neosh. She further credits her TCU professors and staff with unwavering support and arming students with the determination to carry on in the face of adversity and isolation during a global pandemic.
Her sense of belonging, coupled with her hard work, laser focused sense of purpose, and dedication to her community, led to Neosh earning her bachelor’s degree in public administration this past May, despite her struggles with ADHD, online classes, and social deprivation.
“It was one of the proudest days of my life,” she shares. “The College Fund made higher education financially possible for me so that I could focus on my studies and my work without having to constantly worry about how I was going to pay for it.
“But they have done so much more than that,” Neosh says. “As an AICF Student Ambassador, they helped me connect with Native students all over the country.”
This network of students sharing experiences serves as a valuable resource. “We ask each other questions, vent, laugh, celebrate each other’s accomplishments, and help one another through hardships,” says Neosh.
In addition, the College Fund staff has given Neosh guidance and encouragement when she needed it the most. “I don’t know how they always know my spirts need lifting, but they always seem to; they also remind me that I’m not alone in the work that I do.”
Neosh will attend the University of Michigan Law School this fall, where she will specialize in environmental law and constitutional law. In preparation, she completed the Pre-Law Summer Institute in Albuquerque, and in the process, won a book award for her academic achievements.
Some words of advice she offers to beginner college students: Don’t pass up opportunities because you think someone else is more deserving and you’re not good enough. “Shoot your shot.” If things don’t work out, “you’re in the same place you were before but with a little more experience for next time.