There were many reasons Keeli Siyaka ‘21 chose to transfer to UMN Morris: previous generations of her family went here; she knew she would find community; and she was excited to join the environmental program. She recalls feeling “lost” at a larger university, and finding it hard to connect with her peers and professors.
“I realized that Morris would be a great option for me to finish my studies. I was able to meet new people and create lasting connections with my classmates, develop relationships with professors, whom I still keep in contact with, and earn a degree I’m proud of.”
Siyaka changed her major from environmental science to environmental studies so that she could take more classes dedicated to economics, political science, and environmental justice.
“While at Morris, I became more interested in the policies that shape our environment and I began to wonder how I could shape those policies.”
With support and encouragement from her academic adviser, Siyaka was able to connect with alumni who pursued a legal education after graduating from UMN Morris. "I then understood that this path was possible for me, and that my voice was needed in this area of the law.”
After graduating from UMN Morris, she worked as an environmental justice educator and organizer for a St. Paul-based, Native-led nonprofit. For Siyaka, it was a dream job.
“I was able to apply so much of what I learned at Morris to my work, including Dakota language, environmental science, public speaking, and research and writing.”
Siyaka went on to law school a year later, hopeful that she could affect change through the legal system and confident that it would provide her with the skills necessary to be a strong environmental advocate, working, she says, "at the intersection of environmental justice and tribal sovereignty.”
“My education at UMN Morris ... gave me the confidence to pursue a career that is both challenging and impactful,” says Siyaka.