February Student of the Month

Scholarship: Accenture, Science Post Graduate Scholarship Fund
School: Oregon State University
Degree: Computer Science
GPA: 4.0

Community Service

• Native American Student Union, RRPS Powwow Volunteer
• Native American Student Union, Native American Pageant Volunteer
• Native American Student Union, RRPS Fun Run Volunteer
• Key Club, Penny Wars Fundraiser Volunteer
• Extension project of Fundraiser for UNICEF Key Club, VSCHS Homecoming Tailgate/Fundraiser for UNICEF Volunteer
• Science Olympiad, VSCHS Homecoming Tailgate Volunteer
• Tree Plenish, Virtual — Strategy and Communications Intern
• Native American Club, VSCHS Fry Bread Sale for the Coalition to Stop Violence Against Native Women Volunteer

Bio

Courtney Chavez is an Indigenous youth from Kewa Pueblo, New Mexico. She advocates for Indigenous issues and has hosted various events to bring awareness to the Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women movement. While Indigenous issues are the core of Chavez’s philanthropy work, she has advocated for other causes important to her such as technology equity and LGBTQ+ equality. When Chavez isn’t spending time with her friends and family, participating in cultural practices, studying, or planning for her extracurriculars, she works on research projects and other STEM activities. Chavez is a National Center for Women & Information Technology: 2022 Aspirations in Computing New Mexico Affiliate Awardee and won several awards in the Central New Mexico STEM Research Challenge for her project on environmental sustainability. In the future, Chavez hopes to continue advocating for Indigenous communities and other communities facing hardship. She will continue her STEM education and pursue a bachelor’s degree in computer science at Oregon State University.

Native Forward Scholars Fund has empowered me to better myself and my community through higher education. In an evolving technological society, learning to combine today’s resources with tradition is crucial in maintaining Indigenous culture. By supporting me in my academic efforts, Native Forward is simultaneously supporting the uplifting of Indigenous communities throughout Native America. As a disabled individual, I noticed the gap in assistive technology research. I find this to be unfair, considering how many people deeply struggle with their disabilities and how the lack of assistive technology can negatively impact chances of living a fulfilling life. This issue encouraged me to work towards creating assistive technology, starting with majoring in computer science with a concentration in robot intelligence. Being a Native Forward scholar has shown me that other people are rooting for me to succeed and believe in my potential. Native Forward is helping me progress toward my dreams of developing assistive technology for the disabled community, advocating for assistive technology equity in Indigenous communities, and representing my people in STEM become the scientists, lawyers, doctors, and teachers to have a voice within the dominant society. I have sat in ceremonies where I have witnessed that we are clinging to our language by a thread. And once that thread breaks our ceremonies could also cease to exist forever.

Native Forward Scholars Fund has empowered my intentions of recognizing vital issues within Tribal Nations. One of those issues are the revitalization of the Cheyenne language into everyday common conversational abilities for tribal members. With Native Forward Scholars Fund empowering me, I have been able to create time within my life to lead by example and that is by learning the language myself. I believe by being a Native Forward Scholar has separated myself from every other scholars out there. I have an uprooted Indigenous community that is supporting efforts and ideas such as Language revitalization. I am able to hold myself more confidently when I apply for various goals such as Graduate school because of how recognized Native Forward Scholars Fund is. Thank you Native Forward Scholars Fund!

Want to be our next Student of the Month? Apply here!