This November we are highlighting Native Bruin Cheryl Ellenwood (Nez Perce and Navajo), class of 2010.
Cheryl Ellenwood, is a citizen of the Nez Perce Nation and also Navajo. Cheryl is an Assistant Professor at the School of Politics, Philosophy, and Public Affairs at Washington State University. She is also an affiliate of the Center for Native American Research & Collaboration at WSU and an alumnus of the Collaborative for Indigenous Data Governance led by Dr. Stephanie Russo Carroll at the University of Arizona. As an Indigenous social scientist, Cheryl draws from her academic training in public management and professional experience working with Native-led organizations in the public, private and voluntary sectors to examine issues of sovereignty, race, justice, and equity.
At WSU Pullman Campus, she is a part of the Tribal Nation Building and Leadership Program where she works with undergraduate Indigenous students. In this program, she teaches Introduction to Tribal Nation Building.
“Teaching Indigenous student cohorts is one of the most fulfilling aspects of working at WSU. I am delighted to be on my traditional homelands and teach a course that I designed solely to affirm the value of Indigenous knowledge that our Indigenous students hold and bring to WSU. The course is also designed to serve the goals of our 13 MOU Tribes who continue to partner with WSU.”
She holds a PhD in Public Management from the University of Arizona and earned an MA in American Indian Studies from the University of California, Los Angeles in 2010. She earned a BA in English from the University of Arizona and is a proud community college graduate of both Pima Community College and Columbia Basin College.