Native SOAR

Felisia Tagaban Gaskin
(she/her/hers)
Native SOAR Director

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.

Kayleigh (she/her) is Diné (Navajo) and she grew up in Tuba City, AZ before moving to Tucson for her undergraduate studies. Her clans are Tsé’deeshgizhníí (Rock Gap clan) born for 'Áshįįhi (Salt People clan). Kayleigh participated in Native SOAR from 2021-2023 as an undergraduate mentor for two semesters; between her formal enrollments in HED 397C, she supported Native SOAR as a remote volunteer mentor and facilitated the 2022 Indigenous Arts Program (IAP) with Dr. Amanda Cheromiah. In 2023, Kayleigh received her Bachelor of Science in Health Sciences (BSHS) - Physiology & Medical Sciences in the College of Medicine. Her prior work includes researching dietary therapies for type 2 diabetes within Native populations in the Nutritional Sciences & Wellness department at the UA. Aside from her research background, Kayleigh has a passion for serving Native youth in the higher education spaces; she is excited to foster relationships with Native SOAR collaborators and help spread the Native SOAR message.

Myrhea Sherman is Diné (Navajo) from Tó Nihalíí (Tonalea, AZ), located on the Navajo reservation in Arizona. Her clans are Tł'ízí lání nishłí (Manygoats clan), To'áheedliinii báshíshchíín (born for the Water flow together clan), Biih Bitoodnii da shícheii (maternal clan is Deer Springs), áádóó Tódich'ii'nii da shínálí (paternal clan is Bitter water). She received her Bachelor of Science degree in Family Studies and Human Development in 2019 and Master of Arts degree in Higher Education in 2021 from the University of Arizona. Myrhea is a first-generation student, dedicated to supporting higher education pathways for Native American student success. As an undergraduate student, Myrhea participated in the Native SOAR class in 2018, while serving as the office assistant under administrative associate, Lora Francois in EPSP. After graduation, she transitioned into a Native SOAR graduate assistant role (2019-2022) and then joined the full-time staff team as an outreach specialist (2023). After, she worked with the Native American Student Affairs (NASA) cultural resource center team to support Indigenous student programming with community building to create a sense of belonging on campus (2024). Myrhea returned to the Native SOAR team to continue to celebrate Indigeneity, diverse backgrounds, and help undergraduate students learn about our local tribal communities while supporting all pathways post-graduation. She holds the service-learning course and mentorship program dear to her heart and is excited to inspire and motivate Indigenous youth mentees and undergraduate mentors. She aspires to create opportunities to strengthen Native American students to thrive and achieve academic excellence in a safe environment where they can build skills for leadership, personal, and professional development.