October 13, 2016

Student Assistants – Summer 2016

Student Intern, Morgan Paige

IWRI was lucky to have Morgan Paige join the Ethics Training for Health in Indigenous Communities Study (ETHICS) as an intern for Summer 2016. Originally from Mercer Island, Washington, Morgan will be starting her senior year in the fall at the University of Southern California where she is majoring in Global Health, with a minor in Spanish. Morgan states that interning at IWRI exposed her to the rich teachings shared by Native elders, mentorship of Native youth, and gave her an opportunity to speak with participants representing tribes from all over the country. She was inspired by her fellow co-workers and the vast knowledge they have as well as the warmth with which they welcomed her. Morgan hopes to share the impact that IWRI has had on her with her colleagues at USC, her work with youth, as well as her desire to return to underserved communities as a pediatric nurse. As a Latina, she understands the disparities and challenges that many minorities face, and also recognizes the strength and pride one draws from one’s culture and people. Her goal is to address health disparities locally through her career as a nurse. Morgan will never forget the people she met at IWRI or the lessons that she learned about Native cultures.

Student Assistant, Betsy Strewler (aspiring white ally)

IWRI has been a wonderful place to spend a summer at the halfway point between the two years of the MSW program. With professional interests in aging, end-of-life care, mental health, and work with families, I seek to further understand the roles of multigenerational family and community in healing and wellness from both macro and micro angles. To these ends, working with the IWRI community has taught me a lot about diverse Indigenous experiences, as well as about community-based participatory research and the research process itself. I am excited to continue my work with IWRI during the 2016-2017 academic year and am grateful for the exposure and knowledge I’ve gained here, all of which broaden the lens I bring to my practice.  As I bid farewell to summer to undertake the Multigenerational/Aging concentration and complete a certificate in nonprofit management, I hope to continue biking, hiking, running, and reading just for the fun of it.