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Native American student finds his niche
While College of Engineering statistics claim there are six students
of Native American descent enrolled, engineering physics sophomore
Franklin Dollar hasn’t met any of them.
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Engineering
physics student Franklin Dollar, of the Dry Creek Pomo Tribe,
is trying to raise awareness among his fellow Native Americans
that a college education is within their reach.
ANGELA PRIVIN PHOTO |
As a Native American student, Dollar dreams of forming a community
of Native American engineers at Cal. But until then, he finds
the academic support he needs as a member of both the Hispanic
Engineers and Scientists Society and the Black Engineering and
Science Students Association.
“Unfortunately, I don’t know any other Native engineers,
so I joined those groups to be a part of a minority engineering
group that supported me in my academics,” he says. Dollar
is also active in the Native American Retention and Recruitment
Center (NARRC), a group dedicated to coaxing more Native American
students to come to Berkeley.
“We fly people out here and spend the weekend with them
to try to encourage them to come here,” says Dollar. It
was NARRC’s recruitment effort that persuaded Dollar not
just to apply to Berkeley, but to consider college in the first
place.
“Growing up on the reservation, you’re given the message
that college is not for you because it’s so expensive and
difficult. I bonded with the NARRC students I met, and they showed
me that I could also come to Cal,” he says. “I buckled
down in high school and studied hard my last two years so I could
come here.”
In an effort to bring more Native American students to Berkeley,
Dollar is doing his share of local, hands-on recruiting through
NARRC. He often visits reservations and Native American boarding
schools statewide to spread the message, primarily though example,
that college is an attainable dream. The recruiting paid off,
Dollar says, when 15 Native American students matriculated as
freshmen this year, compared to only five last year.
Born in San Jose, Dollar grew up on the Dry Creek Rancheria in
Geyserville and graduated near the top of his high school class
of 38 students. He says that, although Berkeley’s “small
metropolis” atmosphere may intimidate some students from
tiny schools, he found an immediate community and wealth of support
through NARRC.
“I really like the fact that Berkeley is big and yet so
community oriented at the same time,” he says. “It
is both a safe and exciting place.”
By Angela Privin, Engineering Public Affairs |
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