16 S moke S ignals JANUARY 1, 2016 Tribal member Monty Herron seeking doctorate degree By Brent Merrill Smoke Signals staff writer For most people, having gradu- ated with a bachelor’s degree and a double minor is plenty, but not for 43-year-old Tribal member Monty Herron. Herron said he is set on accomplishing much more than his degree and he’s hoping the main beneficia- ries of his hard work will be the Confederated Tribes of Grand Ronde. “I want to have a positive legacy,” said Herron. “I want to make a difference.” After having spent the last five years pursuing a bachelor’s degree at Portland State Univer- sity, Herron is now enrolled in the school’s Graduate School of Edu- cation to gain a master’s degree in education and policy. Previously, Herron has worked as an emergency medical technician, security guard at Spirit Moun- tain Casino, corrections officer at the Oregon State Penitentiary, mid-level manager at T-Mobile and a conductor for the Union Pa- cific Railroad before a short stint with the Tribe’s Social Services Department as an administrative assistant. “I did all these great jobs,” said Herron. “But my income always topped out because I didn’t have a degree.” While working for the Tribe he started looking into pursuing his education to a greater level. He talked to the Education De- partment’s Senior Administrative Assistant Debbie Bachman about what it would take to get back into school. Bachman encouraged Herron and got him in touch with then-Edu- cation Director April Campbell and then-Academic Adviser Luhui Whitebear-Cupp. Herron also worked with Bryan Langley and John Harp to return to school and continue his education. “I am eternally grateful to them because they told me I could ab- solutely do this,” said Herron of the Tribe’s Education staff. “All of those people are super important to thank.” Herron said he also wants to thank his mother, Tribal Elder Sharon Wattier, father Darrell Herron, brother Michael Herron, sister Cheyanne Running Bear, for- mer Tribal Council members Steve Bobb Sr. and Wink Soderberg and current Tribal Council members Cheryle A. Kennedy and Brenda Tuomi for their help. He said he prays to his people who have walked on, including his grandmother Margaret McAbee, great-grandparents Elizabeth “Liz- zy” Leno and Paul Buffalo Lafferty, and great-great-grandparents Da- vid and Tilmer Leno. “They are the people that I pray to and I pray about,” said Herron. “I wouldn’t be here if it wasn’t for those people that refused to give up. It’s good to reflect on that.” Herron said he is grateful to Tribal member Deitz Peters and the Tribe’s very first Education Director Dean Azule. Herron said Peters is very sup- portive of him. “He lifts me up,” said Herron. Part of Herron’s goal in pursuing his education was to have career options. His main goal is to end up working for the benefit of Indian people. “I’ll be able to teach at the college level,” said Herron. “I’ll also be qualified to work in administration in any educational setting. I could work for the Portland School System’s Office of In- dian Education creating more culturally competent teachers.” Herron said he wants to be part of what he sees as a necessary change in education. “I see a lot of colonial injustice in education where Native children are concerned,” said Herron. “I want to put myself in a position where I can create culturally com- petent teachers, culturally compe- tent curriculum and de-colonize methodology. Natives have our own way of knowing that are just as val- id and just as important as white colonial. That’s important to me.” Since moving onto Portland State’s campus, Herron has been involved in many student activities and has fully embraced the univer- sity atmosphere. “I’ve had such a transformative experience at that school,” said Herron. “I got involved in the United Indian Students of Higher Education and I’ve been a speaker for the Queer Resource Center.” Herron said he has been involved in a number of speaker panels an- swering questions about his “two spirits” status and that he has always been interested in studying communication. Herron said that he was recently appointed to Port- land State University President Wim Wiewel’s Campus Oversight Committee for public safety and that he often guest lectures about culture and indigenous issues in classrooms on campus. Among his other activities, Her- ron also served the school with a stint as Victor the Viking, Portland State University’s sports mascot. “I focused my studies on commu- nication, philosophy, governance and indigenous views,” said Her- ron. “I ended up with a bachelor’s of arts with a double minor in commu- nication studies and philosophy. I was really, really happy with that.” Herron said he satisfied his for- eign language requirement with two years of Chinuk Wawa. “I’m really grateful to the Tribe for the Chinuk Wawa classes that we have,” said Herron. “I’m su- per grateful to everybody over at Culture. I’m really thriving and enjoying that.” Herron said the next education- al goal is to pursue his doctorate degree as soon as he graduates with a master’s. He said he has been looking at the University of Oregon’s College of Education for future doctorate studies. “I want to hold that doctorate,” said Herron. “I want to be a role model for other Native American students because that’s what I got at PSU.” great about his future and that he can’t thank the members of the Tribe’s Education staff enough for all the help they have given him in his pursuit of higher education. “I’m forever grateful,” said Herron. “I never thought this is where I would be five years ago. I just wanted to do some- thing to improve my life and now I’m thinking on a much larger scale.” Herron wants to give back to his Tribal community when he completes his educational goals. “I want to improve life for my Tribe,” said Herron. “I want to improve life for Native Ameri- can students. I want to do my part. The seed of wanting to make a difference in the world and leave some sort of legacy is growing and I’m happy about that.” One of the ways Herron will leave a legacy at Portland State is his two-year battle to Courtesy photo by Tyler Bertram have university officials allow Tribal member Monty Herron is looking Native American students to to obtain a doctorate after obtaining smudge in their on-campus his master’s degree in education from housing. Herron said it was the Amer- Portland State University. ican Civil Liberties Union, its attorneys and the fire marshal that Herron will be in rare company eventually came together to change when he reaches his doctorate the policy banning the smoke from studies. smudging. According to Harp, the Tribe’s “I took it upon myself to lead that Continuing Education coordinator, fight because I wasn’t doing it just there are 51 Tribal members in ac- for me,” said Herron. “I wanted to tive graduate study programs — 24 do it so that every Native who goes are attending school full-time and to that school can do that, because 27 members are attending graduate we have Natives from all over the school on a part-time basis. country that go to that school. I was Harp said that when he started hoping to make a difference.” working for the Tribe’s Education While attending Portland State, program in 2002, there were only Herron has established some life- six members in graduate studies. long relationships and learned from Harp said that Herron is “doing people he wants thank. well.” Herron singled out Drs. Cornel “Education has always been a Pewewardy and Brook Colley for priority for Tribal Council,” said helping him not only achieve his Harp. “There has always been a goals but in providing him with shortage of Native teachers at ev- the role models he hopes to one day ery level so that anytime a Tribal become. member wants to go into education Pewewardy is Kiowa and Coman- it is always exciting for us because che and an enrolled member of the we’re hoping they can fill a spot Comanche Nation of Oklahoma, somewhere where young students and is the director of and associate can have access to a Native teacher. professor of Native American Stud- And that is the route that he is on ies at Portland State. right now. He’s a strong student.” Colley, who earned her Ph.D. in Tribal Education Director Leslie Native American Studies from the Riggs said no matter a potential University of California at Davis, is student’s age, the Tribal Education an instructor in the university’s In- program is ready to help. digenous Nations Studies program. “This is available to you so wher- Herron’s goal to give back not ever you are at in your life that can only to the Tribe, but to Native lead to a better quality of life,” said students is in sight now. Riggs. “I think it is important for me to Riggs said he is impressed with say that I feel extremely blessed to Herron for his efforts and proud of be in a position now to help Natives the Tribe for creating such an amal- because that’s all I want to do,” gam of educational opportunities. said Herron. “Now that I get to “I’m immensely proud,” said Riggs. do that – I feel really blessed. I’m “I feel very proud that first of all we thankful and I’m grateful for all have these programs that our Tribal the Tribe has invested in me. Just members can utilize and that then saying thank you doesn’t begin to when the Tribal members do utilize scratch the surface of how much them that they are having the kind appreciation I have for my Tribe. I of success that they are having. just want anyone who reads this to Being that we are in a position that know that I do what I do because of we can provide for our membership the investment the Tribe has made makes me immensely proud.” in me. My love for this Tribe is so Herron, who dresses down and great.” n dances at powwows, said he feels