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Yellow Bird: Graduate's long path to success
Monday, January 9, 2006

"In an unprecedented move during winter graduation this year, Dr. Bob Boyd, vice president for student and outreach services at UND, broke into a line of graduates receiving their doctoral degrees to congratulate Eric Longie, the first person ever from the Spirit Lake Dakota Nation in Fort Totten, N.D., to receive a doctoral degree.

The announcement brought the audience and Longie's family out of their seats in a rousing ovation for this shy Dakota man. Eric and I have known each other casually for several years, but I didn't know about the long and winding path he had traveled to reach that moment in Chester Fritz Auditorium on Dec. 16.

In order to realize the significance of Longie's "first-ever" doctoral degree, it is important to understand a little of the life story of the Spirit Lake Dakota nation. It has been difficult for these American Indian people. Their history is filled with atrocities committed against them; there were times when they barely were able to eke out a living. And it has been a continuous struggle for them because of misunderstandings of their cultural ways and who they are."

Get the Story:
DORREEN YELLOW BIRD COLUMN: Road to success goes through rez (The Grand Forks Herald 1/7)

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