CAREER CHOICES
Let Your Interests Guide You
INTERVIEW CONDUCTED BY BARBARA SORENSEN

Deborah Tsingine and Tsosie Reyhner, Navajo, siblings, are examples of Indian leaders who have made wise choices in terms of education and careers. Though they chose different paths, their lives reflect decisions that encourage commitment to their communities. One has found a niche as a family physician; the other is still pursuing an education to further his knowledge. These differences provide insight into how young Indian leaders balance cultural awareness and perseverance. Their father, Jon Reyhner, is a Northern Arizona University professor. Their mother, Marie Reyhner, is a former teacher and Navajo language instructor.

Winds of Change: Where did you both grow up and how did your parents instill in you the desire to pursue higher education?

Deborah Tsingine: We grew up in Montana and northern Arizona. We have attended schools on the Rocky Boy Reservation, Blackfeet Reservation, Havasupai, Navajo and White Mountain Apache reservations.
My parents expected us to go to college; college was not optional. They also set an example by pursuing their own higher education and valuing education. An important part of that was reading to us at home as children. I want to show my respect for them and the way they brought me up by being a healthy, successful person.

Tsosie Reyhner: I would say that my parents were very good at nurturing my curiosities, interests and hobbies into a desire to learn at a young age. I asked a lot of questions when I was young, to the point that might drive some parents crazy. My parents did their best to answer many of my questions, but they also encouraged me to look for answers on my own. When I had interests and hobbies growing up, whether it was building blocks, model rockets or building tree houses, my parents were good at relating these to skills or professions I might learn about in school. By the time I graduated from high school, I was so excited by the opportunity to learn more about engineering that I did not even consider not attending college.

WOC: What educational pathways did you both pursue?

TR: After graduating from high school in Montana, I had the opportunity to attend Stanford University in California. I chose to major in mechanical engineering due to my interests in the classes that were offered in that department and due to my long-held interest in engineering. After working for four years, first in manufacturing, then consulting, I chose to pursue a graduate degree. I chose business school based on my experiences with my consulting job and the desire to expand my education into other fields, including economics and fi nance. I currently expect to graduate in May 2006 and will likely return to consulting.

DT: I obtained my bachelor?fs of science in microbiology at Montana State University in Bozeman. I attended medical school at the University of Colorado in Denver and did my residency in family practice at Good Samaritan in Phoenix, Arizona.

WOC: Were there barriers that either of you had to overcome?

DT: For me, it was simply my own poor choices?\association with people in college who were there to party rather than get an education.

TR: We were fortunate enough to have parents who were educators and who made it a point to encourage our best efforts at school. Therefore, the lack of college preparatory classes and an array of extracurricular activities in our rural schools that many applicants from larger schools take for granted did not hinder my desire to attend college. I was also able to obtain substantial scholarships, from Stanford, the American Indian Science and Engineering Society (AISES) and the Navajo Tribe. These scholarships allowed me to attend a school that I would not have otherwise had the resources to attend. I am currently attending business school with a fellowship from the Consortium for Graduate Studies in Management, an organization that attempts to increase the representation of Natives, African Americans and Hispanics in its member schools.

WOC: Tsosie, can you also describe what you did as a mechanical engineer?

TR: My first job out of school was working with a large manufacturing plant in Los Angeles. I accepted this job primarily based on financial reasons. Within a year, I realized that I was not fulfilling my interests in my job and, although I was well compensated, my paycheck alone was not enough to make me enjoy my job. I took my second job in energy efficiency consulting, based on my interest not only in the consulting work, but the overall aim of my work to allow businesses to use their energy more efficiently and reduce their need for exploitation of natural resources.

WOC: Deborah, describe a typical day as a family physician.

DT: I work four days a week in the primary care clinic at Phoenix Indian Medical Center, which is an adult clinic. I also work one half day a week in the pediatric clinic to see children, and I am on call in labor and delivery one night a month. Most days I arrive at the clinic at 8 a.m. and see patients until around 4:30 p.m. I also see patients in the hospital on the weekend, rotating with my colleagues. I end up working the weekend about every six to eight weeks. Our adult patients tend to be complex with multiple chronic medical problems like diabetes and high blood pressure, so it is a nice change of pace to work in the pediatric clinic in labor and delivery.

WOC: Were there any particularly helpful mentoring or internship programs in which either of you participated?

DT: In high school, I was involved with the MSU-Billings AISES chapter. In college, I was a member and officer in the MSU-Bozeman AISES chapter and also worked in a microbiology lab through the Minority Biomedical Research Support program (MBRS). The summer of 1994, I attended the Minority Medical Education Program (MMEP) at the University of Arizona in Tucson, which really helped me prep for the MCAT exam, gave me a little taste of what medical school was like, and gave me some exposure to actual practicing physicians (I didn?ft know any personally). I think these programs were immensely helpful to me and don?ft think I would have considered the field of medicine for myself without the exposure I had to professionals through AISES, MBRS and MMEP. I would highly recommend finding a mentor and summer program to gain insight into your field of interest.

TR: Although I never was in any formal mentoring programs, I did have several teachers, including my juniorhigh algebra and high-school math and science teachers, who I felt really helped me enjoy their classes and encouraged my interest in engineering. I also participated in two summer residency programs, one at Colorado State University and one at San Francisco State University. These were programs that I learned about through various teachers and AISES. During my second summer science program (the NASA Sharp program in San Francisco), I had the opportunity to visit Stanford for the first time. During this visit, I learned about Stanford?fs Native community and this motivated me to apply. I would highly recommend that students as early as possible learn about programs that will allow them to develop their talents in math and sciences. Seek out programs that not only help you to achieve goals, but to set new ones as well.

WOC: Tsosie, you are switching careers. Can you share with us what you are doing now, why you chose this path and any recommendations on career changes?

TR: I am currently in my second and final year toward a master?fs of business administration at New York University?fs Stern School of Business. I am enjoying the opportunity to take classes that I did not have the opportunity to take while studying engineering. I find that many of my business classes require the same analytical and general skills that are required for engineering classes. Business school also offered me the opportunity to relocate to the East Coast for the first time and learn about different communities and new cultures. These skills can be useful in business, especially in consulting.
I find my career switch enjoyable because it was driven by a desire to learn more and broaden my expertise. I would try to avoid a career switch if you think it is just a way to earn more money. These are mindsets that are ultimately not true to your spirit. You could be setting yourself up for a disappointment. Also, make sure not to discount what you learned in your previous career. You have likely learned a variety of general skills in your previous career that will help you in your new one. Your previous career skills could offer a new company a fresh or unique perspective. Finally, I would say keep an open mind when considering career options and look at ways to make your new career build on your personal interests. Anything that will make your career personally fulfilling will make your new job that much more exciting.

WOC: Why is it important for more Native people to enter into the fields you are involved in?

DT: Basically, I believe it is important for students and young people to see that any professional field is open to them.

TR: As far as business and engineering, an important part of maintaining sovereignty is the ability to control technology in a way that is best for our communities, tribes and all indigenous peoples in ways that reflect community values. Many of the conflicts involving tribes now, including development, mining and pollution issues, are caused by the misunderstanding or ignorance of Native values. One way for Natives to convey these values is to educate themselves or learn the language of business and engineering.

WOC: What is your definition of Indian leadership?

DT: I think a good leader is a member of the community who represents and exemplifies a healthy lifestyle. I think that as a Native person having a career in medicine and serving the Native people are honoring my heritage.

TR: There are a lot of changes in Indian Country right now. There are issues of gaming and sovereignty, and there is a great generational turnover that unfortunately includes the loss of language. A good leader needs to be aware of all the issues that are affecting Indian people. In addition, he or she must be willing to learn and understand the differences between living on a reservation and being an urban Indian. They need to come from a tribal mindset, no matter where they grew up, so they can effectively relay information to non-Native people. In my own life, I look forward to clearing up misconceptions about Indian identity.

WOC: What words of wisdom can you give to others interested in pursuing your fields?

TR: I would recommend pursuing and investigating your interests, values and hobbies and let those guide your educational and career goals. If you can figure out how to fulfill your curiosity while you are learning or working, you will enjoy whatever you decide to do.

DT: Work hard. Take care of your body, destress in constructive ways, i.e., exercise, instead of destructively with the use of alcohol, drugs, food or complaining. Don?ft expect things to get easier. For example, with each step?\college, medical school, residency and practicing medicine?\my level of responsibility, accountability and time investment grows rather than diminishes.

Interview conducted by Barbara Sorensen, senior editor for Winds of Change.