Student Tribune
2021 Recipients of the Scholarship Program for Indigenous Native & Alaskan American Students
SPINAS SCHOLARSHIP & PROGRAM
The SPINAS Scholarship (formally known as the Native American Scholarship)
was established in 2012 to provide financial support to deserving Indigenous
Native American and Alaskan students as they pursue their educational goals
at MCC. This scholarship exists to help students attain a college
education that will benefit not only them but their families and communities.
Our goal at MCC is to give more American Indians and Alaskan Natives the
resources, leadership skills, and encouragement they need to learn and succeed
beyond MCC. By harnessing the power of knowledge, these future leaders
can bring about positive changes in their own lives and their
communities. Listed below are this year’s recipients who will
receive a scholarship and certificate.
- SHAUNA-RAE MARR is currently majoring in Business
Administration and Computer Information Systems at Monroe Community
College. She currently holds a 3.0 GPA and holds a Master's degree from
the University of Rochester in Immunology. She has done substitute
teaching in the Rochester City School District. Shauna belongs to the
Mohawk tribe and is a member of the Six Nation Reservation in Oshweken
Ontario. She considers herself a life-long learner and has worked with
businesses in the Rochester Community as a Certified Transformational Life
Coach and Consultant. She has two sisters and she says her mother dreamed
that all of her children pursue advanced degrees in science and medicine that
would help their people.
- BYRON WAH currently is majoring in Business
Administration and holds a 3.4-grade point average. He plans on attending
the University at Brockport majoring in accounting, hoping to one day to become
a Certified Personal Accountant. He is a member of the Navajo
Nation. The pandemic was devastating to his family and the
community. His dream is to help his community out.
- RUTH DALTON will be graduating from MCC with a
degree in Global Studies. She plans on transferring to the University of
Buffalo to further her education in International Politics. Ruth is part of the
Tlingit Alaskan Native American Tribe and also the Navajo Tribe. Her
Tlingit name is Sk’eik’ee which comes from the glacial bear clan
and the eagle moiety. Her family is scattered throughout Juneau, Sitka, and
Hoonah in Alaska. Ruth is determined to connect with family members and to get
an education. Ruth has evolved into an exemplary student leader at Monroe
Community College. She was a member of the Chinese Cultural Club, she
took part in the Indigenous programs in the PRISM Multicultural Center last
semester where she met other indigenous students to connect with. Before the
college switched to remote learning due to the pandemic, Ruth was an
outstanding student in the Model United Nations Class. This semester she
was involved in a research opportunity for the Institute of Humanities at MCC
to help bring more awareness to the social justice activists and movements that
occurred throughout Rochester.
- NICHOLAAS VAN ROON is currently pursuing a degree
in Applied Science (AT10). He has huge career goals. He currently
is in his second year in the Toyota T-Ten Program. The T‑Ten Program is a
partnership between community colleges, vocational schools, and Toyota and
Lexus dealerships. See how our industry-leading technician training network is
helping to develop and place thousands of people like you in rewarding
careers. Nicholaas is a part of the Seneca Nation.
- ETHAN PERVAIZ is part of the Mohawk Tribe and is
currently pursuing a degree in Criminal Justice (CJ01) at MCC. His goal
is to become a lawyer specializing in Criminal and Civil law. Since he
has been at MCC he has involved himself with Academic and Co-curricular
opportunities. He was involved with the literary magazine Cabbages and
Kings and took on many projects with social media photography.
These scholarship are made possible by donation to the MCC Foundation and
SPINAS is supported by the The Office of Inclusion, Diversity,
Equity, and Accountability (IDEA).
Gantt, Calvin
Inclusion, Diversity, Equity and Accountability
04/23/2021