Current Students

Sapsik’ʷałá Family Portrait – Staff and Cohort 2026

Meet our 2025-2026 scholars:

Natalie Dean (United Houma Nation): MEd Curriculum and Teaching with English Language Arts and ESOL endorsements

Aletu, seyulhtcefuyat Natalie Dean!
Hello, my name is Natalie Dean!
I’ve lived in Eugene, Oregon, for most of my life, but my tribe, the United Houma Nation, is located in Louisiana. Our language is Uma, a sleeping language that is being researched and revitalized by tribal members. I stay connected to my tribe and local community through intentional traditional acts, such as beading jewelry, studying traditional plant medicine, practicing our language, connecting with nature, and giving back through teaching and supporting students of all backgrounds. As a first-generation college student who grew up in a low-income, single-parent household, accessing higher education seemed impossible. Growing
up in a tumultuous household that was working on healing, I found safety and solace in the routine of school, but I had never imagined being able to take that next educational step. It was with the support and encouragement of teachers and faculty that I motivated myself to conduct research, explore my options, and take action.

After completing my undergraduate degree at Western Oregon University with a Bachelor of Arts in Professional Writing, I spent a year and a half working for the 4j School District, helping students of all abilities from K-12th grade. It was during that time that I realized how much more work can still be done to help students, and was heavily inspired by the passionate, fiery, genuine staff and students I worked with during that time. With the guidance and support of my loved ones, I decided to pursue my passion for teaching English and Language Arts at the University of Oregon, working under the guidance of UOTeach and the Sapsik’ʷałá program. My goal as a future Indigenous educator is to find meaningful ways to engage with students in the classroom to inspire learning, advocate for accessibility and representation, and actively create generational cycles of knowledge, healing, and agency.

Yakuke, tcepésalátceké,
Thank you, goodbye,
Natalie Dean

Chance May (Metlakatla): MEd Curriculum and Teaching with Social Studies and ESOL endorsements

Member of the Tsimshian Nation
Chance May is an educator committed to culturally sustaining pedagogy and community-based learning. He holds an A.A. from SIPI Tribal College, a B.S. from Oregon State University, and an M.Ed. from The College of New Jersey.
Chance has been accepted into the UOTeach program at the University of Oregon, where he is pursuing a Master’s in Curriculum and Teaching with dual endorsements in ESOL and Social Studies.
With six years of experience as a Special Education paraprofessional and a background in Design & Technology education, Chance brings hands-on expertise and a culturally grounded perspective to his work as an educator.

Jesse Manygoats (Navajo): Curriculum and Teacher Education (CTED): MS Curriculum Teaching with Reading endorsement

Yá’áh’tééh! ShÍ ‘éí Jesse Jade Manygoats yinishyé. Kinyaa’aanii nishłį́ Ashiihnii bashishchiin, Tsi’naajinii dashicheii ,Apache clan dashinalí. To’Naneesdizi di shighan. University of Arizona bi’ olta. Shima doo Shize ei Sherry doo Harry Manygoats wolye’.  

Hello! My name is Jesse Jade Manygoats. I am Navajo and Apache from Tuba City, Arizona. My clans are Towering house, Salt Clan, Black wood streak clan and Apache clan. My parents are Sherry and Harry Manygoats.I graduated from the University of Arizona in 2023 with my Bachelors of Arts degree in Elementary Education with English as a second language endorsement. After graduating from UofA I began teaching 3rd grade at Tuba City Unified School district on the Navajo and Hopi reservation. I am currently a Graduate student at the University of Oregon in the Sapsik’ᵂałá Teacher Education Program. I feel blessed to be part of this amazing program, I am thankful for this opportunity to build relationships with other Indigenous students and faculty at UO.  

My passion to become a teacher started from my grandma Annie Nockideneh. She was a preschool teacher in Gap, Az for many years and also a traditional jewelry maker. I always remember former students expressing how kind, and patient she was. I believe her work ethic and passion for teaching left an impact on my family’s lives. I come from a family of educators, my mother, aunts and cousins are all currently educators. My hope is to leave an impact on my students’ lives by showing kindness, patience and support on achieving academic success while taking pride in their culture,language and traditional kowledge. I want to be able to advocate, support and create a curriculum that is relevant to all my students’ culture, language  and community. I want my Indigenous youth to feel seen, valued and empowered in my teaching. Ahé’héé! 

Monique Samuels (Confederated Tribes of the Colville Reservation): MEd Curriculum and Teacher Education with Elementary and ESOL endorsements

waý x̌ast sx̌lx̌ʕalt incá iskʷíst monique samuels
Hello, good day! My name is Monique Samuels, I am an enrolled member of the Colville Confederated Tribes, and my tribal bands are Okanogan, Entiat, Moses-Columbia, Nespelem, San Poil, and Wenatchi. I grew up on the Colville Indian Reservation and am from Omak, Washington. I am the oldest daughter of my parents, a sister, a granddaughter, and a niece. In high school I participated in a program called Running Start and graduated from both Omak High School and Wenatchee Valley College with both my high school diploma and my Associate of Arts Degree at the same time in 2022. I then completed and graduated from my undergraduate studies at the University of Oregon in 2024 with a Bachelors of Science in Educational Foundations and a minor in Native American Indigenous Studies. During my senior year of undergrad at UO, I was a NASU co-director where I got to build many connections with the Native community here at UO. I have now moved back to Eugene to be apart of the amazing Sapsik’ʷałá Teacher Education Program as a graduate student.
I have always wanted to become a teacher since I was in grade school and am still driven towards the same goal now! The misrepresentation and underrepresentation of Native culture in curriculum and schools that I saw throughout my own K-12 schooling experience drives me towards my goal to become an educator. This year I wish to learn and bring back as many skills and knowledge to my tribe and community. I will use my academic achievements to steward, support, and honor my tribal community by bringing native representation in the classroom as an Indigenous teacher. Indigenous presence and Indigenous voices deserve to be acknowledged and are so important for all students to see in schools. I want students of all cultural backgrounds and identities to believe that they are accurately represented in curriculum and school teachings, as well as believe they can pursue higher education and succeed! I am greatly inspired by my swaw̓ásaʔ (auntie) who teaches back home in Washington, as well as the rest of my family! I hope to make them proud and honor all the support and love they have given me.
I am honored to have been accepted into such an influential program and am so excited for the future and the knowledge and skills I will gain during my time here!
limlmt (thank you)

Blake Velkinburg (Tonawanda Seneca): MEd Curriculum and Teaching with Elementary and ESOL endorsements

Greetings! My name is Blake and I am thrilled to be a member of this year’s Sapsik’ʷałá cohort. I am a member of the Iroquois Confederacy (Tonowanda Band), who call northwestern New York home. I was born and raised in Eugene and graduated with my Bachelor of Science in Education Foundations from the University of Oregon in 2024. Professionally, I have worked in the community in Special Education programs for four years, supporting students with diverse needs towards their educational goals. This experience sparked my passion for inclusive and equitable access to high-quality education for all students, ultimately leading me to pursue a career as a teacher. Throughout this program, I am eager to deepen my knowledge and understanding of indigenizing educational spaces and grow as a future educator in community with my peers, professors, and mentors.

Resources for current students: