McNair Scholar in the Amazon

First University of Wyoming McNair Scholar Ph.D.

An Inspiration

On Assignment in the Amazon

Written by Gabriel Flores

Gabrial is current graduate student in Anthropology at Brown University, Providence Rhode Island. He was a participant in the University of Wyoming's McNair Scholars Program from 1999-2001

The rain began to fall one afternoon and continued for two days-an average storm in the Upper Amazon of Ecuador. During that time I was bound to my small home; moving around in the wet, thick soil of therain forest was simply impossible. Over the course of those two days I carried out a number of informal interviews with my hosts and friends-an indigenous Naporuna family that shed light on their understandings of health, illness, and doctors. The time spent waiting out the rain also afforded an opportunity for me to reflect on my progress in the PhD-track anthropology program at Brown University. How had I made it to Brown? How was I doing so far? If today I find myself in the Amazon, what opportunities might tomorrow bring?

Gaining acceptance to any graduate program requires the 'standard' mix of good grades, references, standardized test scores, and hard work. I would guess, however, that for most first-generation minority students, achieving the 'standard' mix is usually out of reach. In particular, this would seem to be the case for low-income students, who not only worry about biology exams or sociology mid-terms, but also deal with demanding work schedules. So how does a student like me end up working on a PhD in the Upper Amazon?

In a phrase, it was the University of Wyoming's Ronald E. McNair Post-Baccalaureate Achievement Program (a TRIO program). Without a doubt, the McNair Program was the key that unlocked a new world of possibilities. In addition to stressing the importance of the 'standard' mix mentioned above, the program focused on the importance of doing undergraduate research. In every instance, the McNair program showed me that if I was willing to do the work, they were willing to find a way to make things happen. For example, during my McNair research in the summer 2000, they provided extra funds that enabled data collection at the University of New Mexico-the data proved invaluable to my overall study.

The McNair program also gave me a realistic understanding of what graduate school would entail, from the master's thesis to the doctoral dissertation. At this point, I have conducted research in Ecuadorian Amazonia and the Andean highlands twice. I have helped teach one course here at Brown and am in the process of teaching another.

For these innumerable opportunities I would like to thank my mentors and friends at the McNair Program Zackie Salmon and Susan Stoddard.

Article Written by Corey Campbell for the McNair Newsletter, University of Wyoming

Dr. Campbell is the First UW McNair Scholar to Obtain a Ph.D.

WANTED: Ambitious person who is willing to forego a high salary in exchange for a chance to make new discoveries, become a life-long student, challenge yourself, teach others, and find satisfaction in your ability to problem-solve.

Will getting a Ph.D. limit your salary potential? Maybe or maybe not, it depends on your field. However, in obtaining a Ph.D., you will hopefully transcend the idea that having a high salary is a "be all end all" career goal, and become interested in loftier goals: teaching, collaborating, and finding your intellectual and physical limits. Having goals such as these can lead to a lifetime of career fulfillment and help you avoid burnout later on.

When I first came back to college after an eight year break to raise my family, these goals were the furthest from my mind. All I wanted to do was to be able, as the sole wage earner, to provide financial support for my three children. So, I looked for an undergraduate major that would provide me with the ability to do that. I had no intention of obtaining a post bachelor's degree. But, surprise! Here I am now, some thirteen years later, working as a staff scientist for a federal research agency, all because of my decision to shoot high and aim for a Ph.D. degree rather than settling for a position at the Bachelor's or Master's level.

Obtaining my Ph.D. was one of the best decisions I have made, not only for earning potential, but because I have found a career that provides me with the self-satisfaction and autonomy that I would have never found with a lesser degree. In whatever you chose to do with your life, aim high! Even if you don't reach every goal, you can rest in the knowledge that you did your best work. And, that's all you should ever expect from yourself, or anyone else.

Snow College Student Support Services Graduate an Inspiration

Kolleen Taylor, of Manti Utah, graduated magna cum laude against great odds from Snow College in May 2001.

A few years ago she could only read at a fourth grade level. She grew up with dyslexia, the youngest of 10 children and the only girl. She was known in the family as the "dumb little sister". Finishing high school was a struggle.

After seven children and a divorce, she was working in a sewing plant when a friend told her she was too smart to just be working in the plant. With encouragement, she opened her own sewing shop. Other friends encouraged her to go to college, but she said she couldn't’t read or write, and was too afraid. When her two young boys were diagnosed with dyslexia, she realized that she too had the condition. With the help of a specialist, she progressed from almost a nonreader to reading at the 10th grade level in five months.

Kolleen realized that maybe she could go back to school. Sandra Lanier from the Student Support Services at Snow College helped her enroll. Kolleen took advantage of the SSS services and received a 3.95 her first semester.

Her skills have improved, but reading was still difficult, requiring her to spend many, many hours a day studying. She closed her shop and dedicated her time to her education, working during the summers to make ends meet for the two sons who still lived with her.

Kolleen has been accepted as a student at Utah State University, majoring in Psychology. She is currently doing as well there as she did at Snow.

(Revision of an article written by Karen Buchanan for the Manti, Utah Messenger-Enterprise, May 10, 2001. Additional material from Sandra Lanier, Snow College SSS)

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