Felisia J. Tagaban Gaskin

Felisia is Diné (Navajo) of the Tódich'ii'nii (Bitter Water) and Tachii'nii (Red Running Into the Water) clans, she also is Tlingit and of the Wooshkeetaan (Shark) clan. Felisia is a doctoral student in the Center for the Study of Higher Education. In her former roles as a Native SOAR graduate assistant (2018-21) and as a Sunnyside CATS (Connecting for Access and Transition Success) coordinator (2021-22), Felisia worked directly with American Indian/Alaska Native high school students and their families to support their pathways into higher education. During her service, she found inspiration to pursue her research interests, which include studying the embedded (and often invisible) effects of colonization and assimilation in educational settings. Through her work and her future research, she plans to create solutions by disrupting harmful institutional practices and by problematizing the systems, structures and policies that offer little to no support for Indigenous students. As she continues to advocate for Native students and communities, she is honored to work alongside the Native SOAR team, campus partners, community leaders, and allies.