Page 27 - Winds Of Change Fall 2018

The American Chemical Society (ACS) Scholars Program is a renewable, undergraduate scholarship available to American Indian, African
American and Hispanic/La no high school seniors and college freshmen, sophomores
and juniors intending to or already majoring in a chemical science and planning a career
in a chemical science eld.
The ACS scholarship is also available to students in two-year college programs intending to or already majoring in chemical technology and planning a career accordingly.
Apply on our website at http://www.acs.org/ scholars between November 1 and March 1 annually.
To obtain addi onal informa on, please email us at scholars@acs.org or call toll-free 1-800-227-5558, ext. 6250.
1155 Sixteenth Street, NW Washington, DC 20036
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FALL 2018 • WINDS OF CHANGE 25
strated how all areas of life need to be ef cient to work and be sustainable. “This major clicked for me and I was able to understand the need for engineering.”
Finding a focus for her studies early hasn’t meant that college has been all smooth
sailing. In fact, the largest obstacle Keeling has experienced as a Native woman in STEM is the disbelief she encounters from people who should be encouraging. “Before classes started my freshman year, I went to campus to introduce myself to key people I would be in contact with. One of the individuals, a Native American mentor who is no longer employed by the university, told me that I would fail out before my sophomore year,” she recalls. “This was jarring for a teenager who had not yet started college. I was told that Native American students cannot succeed in STEM-related elds at OU.”
But that “mentor” didn’t count on Keeling’s persistence. “Even if you aren’t perfect at a subject or struggle nding your place, not giving up is the most important thing,” she says. “From my experience, no one expects you to be perfect on the rst try and there is honor in knowing where you’re lacking. Take the time to better yourself — to not give up.”
STEM elds may not be easy, Keeling acknowledges, but they’re not necessarily hard. “You’re being taught a new language, a new way of thinking about problems,” she points out. “Knowing that you will not understand everything about every subject the rst time will help so much.”
She also has good advice for students thinking about applying for an internship. “Find resources at your college or high school that can help with resume review and interview practice. People who work in career development roles are genuinely trying to help you succeed and highlight your best values to future employers,” she says. “Also, try reaching out to recent graduates who are on a career/educational path that you would like to work toward. Most people are willing to help.”
Keeling’s experience has made her an enthusiastic supporter of internships, especially at Boston Scienti c. “Besides doing true project work that’s relevant to your education, the company provides fantastic mentorship programs, as well as resources for career development,” she says. “It takes a while to learn lingo, procedures, and people, but once you nd that groove of how the company works, they allow you to make real change and get amazing project work under your belt.”
For now, Keeling is unsure about what role she ultimately wants to achieve in her career, but some of her plans are rm. She has accepted a full-time position with Boston Scienti c that will start after her OU graduation. “I do know that I hope to be able to start a scholarship for Native American students pursuing STEM,” she adds. “Because of organizations like AISES, representation and resources have improved tremen- dously. But there are plenty of students who are still not exposed to these opportunities and jobs. I would like to be part of the change in helping inspire young people and showing them that STEM majors can help make a difference in the world.”
CHEROKEE NATION
The Cherokee Nation is the largest tribal nation in the United States, with a jurisdictional area that encompasses 7,000 square miles in northeastern Oklahoma.
aises.org
— Kyle Coulon