Reference no: EM133600085

Problem

Case Study:

The reflection required by Dr. J was a welcomed opportunity for 24-year-old Merriam, who grew up on the Navajo Reservation in the southwest. Her father died when she was two years old, so her mother and grandparents raised her. She was intricately connected in meaningful spiritual, psychological, and physical ways to the entire Navajo tribal community. Her intimate connection with the tribe and its spiritualism taught her the value of nature and the urgency of preserving it. Merriam's mother and grandmother made sure her beaded ceremonial apparel and all the treasures of her cultural heritage were made known to her and treated as sacred objects. Still, she had an insatiable curiosity about the world of people and ideas beyond the reservation. In her childhood, Merriam loved to walk the backcountry, track a storm or an animal, and pick herbs she gave to her grandfather, the tribe's medicine man. Often, she wandered into the desert to find the one shade tree where she could sit and read for hours on a hot day. She read everything she could get her hands on. The world was an open book to Merriam, and she loved looking from the outside in. She desired to be of the world (i.e., from the reservation) and in the world (i.e., attend a non-Native college).Merriam's family was rich, but not in the classic Western sense of monetary wealth. In fact, her family had limited income. Her family's wealth came in the form of connection to each other and the land, nature, and spirit, assets she suspected money would never buy. After high school graduation and two years at a local tribal college, she felt whole and grounded within the Navajo community, giving her enough confidence to leave the tribe to continue the education she sought and then return home to fulfill her dream of increasing educational opportunities for future generations of Navajo people. Merriam loved learning in college and took advantage of every opportunity that crossed her path. She learned much from her fellow biology majors and her professors. In her first year she rarely spoke in class, but this changed as she became more comfortable with sharing her perspectives. She became active in the biology club almost immediately, arranging outdoor field trips and coordinating service-learning trips to a nearby elementary school to introduce children to everyday science. In her senior year, she co-wrote a grant with her professor to create a student-managed university xeriscape flower garden and an experimental herb garden for all food service venues on campus.

While Merriam appreciated her college experience and feeling like she was making a difference off the reservation, she also experienced some challenging moments. For example, she was interested in participating in a study abroad trip to broaden her knowledge and exposure to the world. While she was never concerned about her low-income background, she was devastated to realize the expenses associated with study abroad were too much and she could not afford participation. This was even more troubling since her roommate and good friend was going. Merriam was hoping to identify grants or a fellowship to help offset the costs but was unable to gather enough financial resources. Situations like these made Merriam miss her family, their language, easy access to nature, and the desert homeland of her indigenous ancestors. Merriam always thought she would return to the reservation and marry Sam, the son of one of her mother's friends. During her second year in college, Sam and Merriam broke up. Through her involvement in the biology club, Merriam met Alex, a Dominican American male student, who was the student body president and a chemistry major. After some time passed, they became close friends and began to see similarities in their Afro-Latino and Native family stories of heritage, culture, ritual, history, and celebration; later they created a more intimate bond. Inseparable, they were extremely active on campus. After attending a "Careers in Student Affairs" program, they decided to pursue their graduate degrees together. For Merriam, the degree would serve as an opportunity to hone her programming and leadership skills. When she finishes her master's degree, her immediate plans are to return to the reservation and encourage younger generations of Navajo youth to attend college. She also plans to work with the reservation's tribal college to implement pre-college STEM programs.

Task

Question A. Provide a brief description of the case study. Referencing the reading, respond to this Prompt...The development of independence is a noted value in several theories.

Question B. How does this value conflict with Merriam's desire to return to the reservation?

Question C. What support should we provide to her as she remains committed to returning home following graduation?