Udall Undergraduate Scholarship Nominee Information Form |, Darrell Marks understand that | have been nominated for a Udall Scholarship and affirm my wish to be considered Permission is hereby given to officials of my institution to release transcripts of my academic record and other requested information for consideration in the Udall scholarship program. | understand that this application will be available only to qualified people who need to see it in the course of their duties. | waive the right to access letters of recommendation on my behalf. | affirm that | plan to pursue a career related to the environment, or that | am a Native American or Alaska Native and plan to pursue a career related to Native American health care or tribal public policy. If selected as a Udall Scholar, | agree to attend the Udall Scholar Orientation Weekend in Tucson, Arizona, August 5-10, 2014 | understand that this application will be available only to qualified people who need to see it in the course of their duties. | waive the right to access letters of recommendation on my behalf. This application, including the essay, is my own work or formally cited from other sources. | affirm that the information contained herein is true and accurate to the best of my knowledge and belief A. Your Profile Legal name in full LAST Marks FIRST Darrell MLR Permanent address: STREET AND NUMBER PO Box 2315 CITY Page STATE AZ ZIPCODE 86040 (Permanent residence is established by at least two of the following: home address for school registration; place of registration to vote; family's primary residence.) Send notification in April to (if different than permanent residence) STREET AND NUMBER 2500 S Huffner Lane Apt 158 CITY Flagstaff STATE ZIP CODE 86001 BEST TELEPHONE (928) 600-8129 BEST EMAIL drm223@nau.edu Ave you: [ZUS. CITIZEN [U.S. NATIONAL [U.S. PERMANENT RESIDENT (Permanent residents must include a letter stating your intent to become a U.S citizen and a copy af your Permanent, Resident Card, First Nations of Canada members must submit a copy of the Petmanent Resident card.) Inthe current academic year, are you a [s0rHomore [punior For Nominees in fields related to health care or tribal public policy: Please provide the name of your federally or state recognized tribe, nation or band, and indicate how your tribal status has been established: Tribe/Band/Group: Navajo [ZEMBER OF TRIBE, NATION OR BAND [EPESCENDANT IN FIRST OR SECOND DEGREE OF TRIBAL MEMBER [[ESKIMO, ALEUT OR ALASKA NATIVE [EMEMBER OF FIRST NATIONS OF CANADA AND PERMANENT U.S. RESIDENT B. Career Goals 1. In one or two sentences, describe your career goal. My aspirations are to be a major contributing member, obtain an Elementary Education degree, and share my knowledge with my tribal community. | will contribute guidance to expanding on ecanomic and educational ventures appropriate for my community. | seek to accomplish this through established inter-trial collaborations that Ive negotiated. | am working with my community to bring in resources that deliver expanded economics and utiize community resources. These efforts are to generate a sustainable economy and stimulate commerce with neighboring tribal communities,2. What are your professional aspirations? What issues, needs or problems do you hope to address: which area(s) of the environment, or tribal public policy, or Native American health care you are cor ing \g your career and specify how your academic program and your overall educational plans will assist you in achieving your goals. Ihave a strong desire to play an influential role in shaping my community through sharing my knowledge that | have acquired during the course of my educational and professional experiences. | anticipate with this scholarship | will be able to expand on my knowledge by obtaining degrees in Elementary Education and Applied Indigenous Studies. My current instruction in elementary education has aided me in understanding how Native Americans learn and what teaching strategies are most effective. | am determined to gather more knowledge to empower my ever-increasing roles of leadership and collaboration within my tribal community. My community has a low high school graduation rate and school retention is very low. | intend to put to use my educational degree and my experiences in working with Native American youth to help address these concerns. | seek to reinforce my people's traditional understanding and maintain the importance of fostering our youth. My community has a high unemployment rate and many of its members move away to seek better opportunities. It is my duty as an active member to share my acquired knowledge in working with economic enterprises and have it be used as a benefit for my tribal community. My communty is in need of a greater understanding of governmental workings and inter-tibal collaboration; | have worked closely with other tribal communities and collaborated on efforts to improve their quaity of lfe. | am currently assisting in planning the future of my community and assisting in mapping out future land use plans. | am assisting in locating resources that will expand the community's, economic and educational developments. | seek to provide a greater understanding that would help enhance our community and help it create a sustainable econamy. | also seek to provide greater educational achievernent for our youth and improve graduation and retention rates as well C. Schooling What is your undergraduate major(s)? Elementary Education Applied Indigenous Studies What is your cumulative GPA? 2.96 Onascale of: 40 How many credits does your school require for graduation? 60 How many total credits towards graduation have you earned as of January 1? 116 When do you expect your baccalaureate or associate degree? 5/2015 tion, what four-year institution do you plan to attend? Hyou are currently enrolled in a two-year instit [OUHAVE APPLIED = [J HAVE BEEN ADMITTED What graduate degree, if any, do you plan to pursue? Elementary Education 1. Beginning with the school you currently attend, list all schools you attended in the last four years, including any for summer or special courses. SCHOOL LOCATION. DATES ATTENDED GPAGPA SCALE Northemn Arizona University Flagstaff, Arizona 82012-22014 278/40 Mesa Community College Mesa, AZ 72011 - 52012 1.9140 Southern Utah University Cedar City, Utah 8/2003 - 52011 2.48/4.0 2. List any awards, honors, or scholarships you have received in the past four years. Please list in descending order of signiNAME DATE DESCRIPTION Dean's List 1212013 Added to the Dean’s List on GPA achievement Student-Faculty Scholarship Day Award 472010 Utah Conference Undergraduate Research Scholarship D. Programs and Act 1. List any programs and activi school (such as clubs, publi descending order of significance. S in which you have pat COLLEGE ACTIMTY DESCRIPTION/OFFICE HELD Published Native American Teaching Association for Supervision & Strategies Curriculum Development Teach Native American students President of Future Native videography American Educators Guest Presenter in Education Dept Presented findings on Teaching classes Strategies Co-presenter at Teacher's Conference Presented at Indigenous Languages & Education Conference Big Brothers Big Sisters Association Volunteer Native Americans United NAU Participant/Club Member Assisted in hiring new undergratuate Hiring Committee for Southern adviser Utah University ipated on campus or in your community whi is, debate, dramatics, music, art, student government. Please list DATES HOURS PARTICIPATED PER WEEK 8/2009 - 6/2012 4 1/2013 - 372014 3 1/2013 - 5/2013 1 612013 - 62013 6 82011 - 52012 4 11/2012 - 5/2013 2 372010 - 52010 2. List internships, assistantships, and jobs (including summer employment) you have held in the past four years. Do not repeat items listed previously. JOB & KIND OF WORK. (SUMMER/SCHOOL YEAR) EMPLOYER Parenting Instructor, parenting classes Phoenix Indian Center Grounds, clearing sidewalks of snow in Northern Arizona University winter Front desk and auditor for AmeriCorps.» Mesa Community College Assistant Manager and Director Navajo Village Heritage Center Inpatient Supervisor and service trainer Tuba City Regional Health Care Cultural Arts Building Director and Manager Page Unified School District DATES OF EMPLOYMENT 11/2013 - 372014 12/2012 - 22013 11/2011 - 1/2012 422007 - 872009 7/2008 - 6/2009 11/2006 - 4/2008 HOURS PER WEEK 5 5 8 40 50 50 3. List public service and community activities. Do not repeat items listed previously. Please list in descending order of significance.HOURS ACTIVITY ROLE DATES PER WEEK Native Youth Unite Inter-Tribal youth Co-Founder and Advisor 11/2005 - 372014 5 Fctate economic enterprise between Inter-Tribal Liaison 11/2013 - 372014 4 Wigs Native American USA Pageant —_Vice President 672011 - 82012 3 Navajo Village Heritage Center Board Member 412007 - 32014 3 ‘Advocate of tribal and environmental Guest Speaker and advocate 8/2004 - 32014 2 (Ske Powell Concert Assocation Board Member 11/2005 - 5/2008 2 4. Describe non-course-related research experience, if applicable. Indicate which areas of the environment, or tribal public policy, or health care your research affects, and the ways in which the experience will assist you in achieving your goals. If you have not engaged in research, please enter “not applicable.” | seek to acquire knowledge that would benefit Native American communities and myself. | have participated in workshops an issues of climate, sustainability of food, housing, energy, and community. | have involved mysef in in- services, actions, and advocacy for environmental issues, indigenous sacred sites, tribal youth, and tribal governance. | have participated in marches, ceremonies, runs, concerts, protests, and gatherings that have all addressed concerns of Native American peoples, people of color, and other underrepresented populations. | have advocated against sexual discrimination and racial discrimination. | have always involved my children in these learning experiences, and these experiences of life have contributed to my knowledge and understanding of the world and its mechanisms. | have been involved in research to ascertain effective learning strategies for Native American youth in the field of education. | am currently conducting research on the economic gains and shortfalls of my tribal community and that of the San Carlos tribe. In my work experiences, | have always sought out new knowledge and would often research other populations or communities to ascertain knowledge on what worked and did not work for their programs in tribal governance and health care, as well as how they addressed issues of environmental conceins. | applied my gained knowledge in areas that | could become involved with in the communities | researched, as well as my own community. 5, Describe a leadership experience in which you made a difference on campus or in your community. | am the co-founder and advisor to an inter-tibal youth council called Native Youth Unite, which has conducted and participated in a number of actions and activities. | have done similar work with youth groups and councils such as the Navajo Language and Culture Club, Page High School UNITY Club, and Native Insights Youth Council as their advisory mentor. The direction that | motivated within these groups was to carry out efforts to advocate for their fellow youth, stressing unity, creating a space of equity, and building relationships with each of their tribal identities. | have a number of years of experience in working with youth and youth councils so this was a foreseeable outlet of my passions. | have taken the initiative in applying all my prior experience and resources into locating Native American talent and negotiating fundraising opportunities so that the youth council can attend conferences and participate in community-building actvities throughout the state. As advisor, | have ushered this youth council to several youth conferences and actions all around the state, unifying its members across tribal divides and advocating issues of individual importance, as well as tackling topics of environmental justice and ethnic and racial discrimination. | have continually mentored and stressed with the youth the need to contribute to the local communities of their prospective tribes. Although this youth group is based in the city of Chandler, Arizona, it has members that reside in various communities throughout Phoenix and extends into both the San Carlos and Flagstaff, Arizona communities, each a member of different tribes. These tribes include but are not limited to Hopi, Navajo, San Carlos Apache, Tohono O'odham, and Gila River. Each member remains in consistent contact via social medias and internet video conferencing. Each member is responsible for addressing and educating the whole on topics of indigenous discussion throughout the country. The group has outreach efforts to positively influence troubled youth, thus assuring the beauty and power of a strong tribal identity. 6. Describe a specific activity or experience that has been important in clarifying or strengthening your commitment to the environment, or tribal public policy, or Native American health care.A pivotal experience reshaped my life and gave me firsthand experience of the struggles indigenous people face. A multi tribal gathering took place at the base of the San Francisco Peaks near Flagstaff, Arizona, in which all the tribes were to have sent runners to join in solidarity and advocate for the continued protection of the sacred mountains. | desired to participate in the run with my children, with a desire to encourage health and reinforce the cultural significance running holds with my tribe | encountered a group of San Carlos Apache and | leamed from the group's leaders how they organized their run through tribal and state governance documentation. | learned how corporations threatened the serenity of the holy mountain that all these tribes held in cultural significance. | learned from the runners their value of and commitment to their personal health and well-being. | embody these virtues and teach my family to honor our traditions and ceremonies as Navajo people. 7. Describe briefly your most significant public service, community, or campus activities associated with your ts in the environment, or tribal public policy, or Native American health care in which you regularly pate. Explain the duration, degree, and significance of your involvement. The most significant example of public service has to be my current involvement in brokering a deal with the San Carlos Apache. | am collaborating on an economic development plan that would bring business and industry to my home community of Tonalea on the Navajo Nation and for the Apache. The significance of this endeavor lies in the magnitude and outcomes that it will generate. | am proud that Tonalea's leadership asked me to secure this collaboration and also of the faith that the Apache leadership has in me. The high level of my involvement with this task has allowed for me to negotiate directly with the leaderships of both communities. This effort will help Tonalea establish a greater economic base without having to rely on nonnative actors and would strengthen inter-tribal relations. | had to speak with several economic enterprises of the Apache people and in some cases | took my proposal to their board of directors, the local governance, then to the tribal council for approval. | had secured a visit for the Tonalea council members to the Apache's economic development enterprise and local businesses, and we received an intimate view of their inner workings. | have been able to secure a deal in which the Apache would help foster Tonalea’s economy, utilizing their own established businesses. In our visit, the businesses and several Apache leaders endorsed the deal and assured us of their total support. Tonalea suffers from a large employment deficit and lack of industry, and this endeavor will have profound impacts on the community once these efforts are finalized and the opportunity gains footing. Tonalea can now open up three small businesses that are financially supported by the Apache, who will assist in the establishment and supplies of these businesses. | am advocating that this process be economically sustainable and not be disruptive to the environment. All my efforts have been on a strictly volunteer basis, because | believe strongly in the benefits of working together with another tribe that has found success in its economy. | have been working on this endeavor with diligence and dedication for the last half year. 8, What additional information do you wish to share with the Udall Scholarship review committee? | am motivated by my responsibility as a Native American male and father to participate in my various activities that have priority over my own achievements, including school. | understand that | have a low academic 2:96 GPA and my educational pursuit has been sporadic since returning to school. This is because | am a single father of three children who | have full custody of since my divorce. | first started school after finishing high school, but stopped after my son was born in order to raise and support my family. | dedicate my commitment first and foremost fo my children and their success as well as their well-being. | am devoted to my mother who is also a single parent that graduated with a master's in education. She recently retired from work because her health was deteriorating, so | moved closer to care for her because I value family. | dedicate my energy to my people and indigenous communities, out of my cultural obligation to give back This extends into my efforts to promote success and achievement with indigenous youth that | encounter and who are within my influence Udall Essay In 800 words or less, discuss a significant public speech, legislative act, book, or public policy statement by Congressman Mortis K. Udall or Secretary of Interior Stewart L. Udall and its impact on your field of study, interests, and career goals.After reading some of the public policy statements by Congressman Morris K. Udall, | came across one that struck me as imperative to mention. This was archived as “The American Indians and Civil Rights,” American University, October 4 1965. As | read through the entire document, | understood that Congressman Udall presented to his audience a liberal approach on the matter of American Indians’ civil rights and liberties. Udall's views on the American Indian rang true to the era of change, that coincided with his efforts to bring about government reform and address American Indian issues, views that many of his colleges did not share. | believe that he derived this from how his parents raised him with the influences of local tribes and reflected the community of St. Johns, Arizona, where he was born, being in close proximity to several American Indian reservations. | feel that his experiences in the military, stationed alongside blacks, helped shape his desire to address American Indian issues on matters of civil rights. | found his story to significant to my interests and influences to my career goals. "Mo Udall made mention of the unique nature of American Indians’ place in society, being dual citizens of the United States. He mentions how American Indians choose to identify themselves, and how they view themselves within society. Udall referenced “make this observation. The Negro and his defenders today look to the time that the Negro will be assimilated in white society and all barriers and distinctions will seem to disappear. Not so with the Indian. The one big thing the Indian possesses is his pride in being an Indian. He doesnt wish to be other than an Indian.” The verbiage and terminology that Udall uses in this statement, may not be politically correct and comes across as dated, but the concept rings true with me, being that | identify as an American Indian above all else Udall demonstrated some nativity in this address and | thought it was dangerous depending on how his audience received it. Udall presumably addressed a conservative crowd and his statements could have fueled a debate that Congress could move to terminate status of dual citizenship. | was concerned because the conservatives in the state of Arizona have exploited, entrenched upon the liberties, and tile American Indians have to the land in order to provide economic gains for the state | realized how with Udall's sponsorship of H.R. 10337 “an act to provide for final settlement of the conflicting rights and interests of the Hopi and Navajo Tribes to and in lands lying within the joint use area” affected my hometown community of Tonalea. In the statement, Udall discussed matters of health care, welfare of the American Indian people, land, and of governance that either by regulation or bureaucratic stagnation, all still appear to be in a similar state of non- productiveness. | have witnessed these continual attributes through my years of professional experience in the fields of education, health cate, and participating in local governance. As tribes seek to define sovereignty to a federal government, Udall was able to state quite clearly that “In some respects tribes continue to function as separate nations with own laws, own legislatures, own courts and system of justice.” My experiences focus on the issues affecting American Indians here in Avizona and addressing some of the deficiencies that they encounter in education, health care and how American Indian tribes deal with matters of the environment. Udall career has been highlighted with his efforts to secure protections over lands and protection of the environment resource | found Udall's words bringing about more clarity to my own personal narrative, “l am inclined to believe optimistically, with President Johnson, that we are ‘moving into a new and creative time in which much that has eluded man's quest before will now be oursto reach.” | believe as an American Indian, that time still exists for us, and efforts of legislators like Udall have helped secure that ideal, through various acts and policies. | especially feel as if| am on the right track in life when Udall closed his speech with a statement of how American Indians feel. For the American Indian, this would be fulfilment of the prayer of Chief Joseph: Treat all men alike. Give them all the same law. Give them all an even chance to live and grow. The earth is the mother of all people, and all people should have equal rights upon it. Let me be a free man- free to travel, free to stop, free to work, free to choose my own teachers, free to follow the religion of my fathers, free to think and act for myself." | agree that this is the manner in which | will continue to help shape, foster growth within my community, and influence the nature that we continue to exist as a people. | hope that in my life | may find myself in the right place with my efforts to protect the environment that my people hold sacred and defend our civil liverties to continue to exist in our ancestral homelands. Udall had helped many of the tribes here in Arizona regain title to their homelands and appropriated protections through his vatious actions as a congressman, even those that address strip mining, water rights and regulations on such environmental impacts that have directly and indirectly effected American Indians,