When Elizabeth Shulterbrandt ’12 first heard about a White House gathering of 500 federally recognized tribal nations a few years ago, her curiosity piqued. She found herself drawn to learn more about American Indian communities.
“Up until that point, I didn’t know much about the wide diversity of American Indians in this country, let alone the diversity in our backyard, or in the region surrounding Scripps,” says Shulterbrandt, who is currently working on a master’s degree in education at the University of Arizona’s American Indian Studies Department.
“My path that led me to work with Native communities was not intentional, but it led me to my calling.”
Today, Shulterbrandt works for Pitzer College/WesternU’s Native American Summer Pipeline to College Program to prepare American Indian students to successfully transition from high school to college. Through the program, students learn effective studying techniques as they sharpen their writing skills so they can excel academically in higher education, while remaining true to their cultural values.
“We get to see the tangible fruits of our labor, [such as] seeing one student overcome his or her shyness to give a speech or witnessing a growing awareness among students and The Claremont Colleges’ [community] on their understanding of American Indians,” says Shulterbrandt, who majored in political science and international relations.
“My job demands that I wear many different hats, but I enjoy that diversity,” she says. “When you find a job that doesn’t feel like a job—and you get paid doing it—then you know you’ve found your calling in life.”
Shulterbrandt’s interest in American Indian communities began with her senior thesis. “I was struggling with my thesis topic and my advisor, Scripps College professor Thomas Kim, asked me outright what I wanted to pursue,” she recalls. “To this day, I’m not sure why I said this, but I told him I thought it would be interesting to write about the White House Tribal Nations Conference.”
A native of the U.S. Virgin Islands, Shulterbrandt’s research propelled her current career trajectory, as her academic project prompted her to meet with tribal elders and scholars who expressed their concerns about equity and educational access. She continues her work with community-based programs that advocate for American Indians in the U.S. educational system.
Shulterbrandt describes observing American Indian youth gradually grow in their self-confidence and self-esteem as being one of the most rewarding aspects of her job. During her college years, Shulterbrandt experienced similar growth and discovered the power of her own voice.
“The single most important aspect of my Scripps education was learning to speak up for myself,” she says. “That confidence also spills over into my actions, helping me to be more confident in taking leaderships roles at work or school.
“I didn’t realize I was so confident in expressing my opinions to others until someone pointed it out to me. Thank you, Scripps, for instilling that confidence in me!”