UPAC Native American Student Scholarship

My name is Cody Crocker, son of Keith and LaVerne Crocker of the White Mountain Apache Tribe and the Navajo Nation. I was born in Kearns, Utah and was raised in the same township. Utah has provided myself and my family with extensive opportunities to engage with our tribal community, and the University of Utah has given me the incredible opportunity to study anthropology with an emphasis in archeological science. Studying and graduating from higher education was not an opportunity for my parents. I began my studies as a Computer Science major but soon found myself fascinated by my anthropological-focused elective courses. I enthusiastically changed my major and have become absolutely enthralled by studying human and cultural development. As a lifelong outdoorsman, archeological studies give me the opportunity to work in the outdoors. The indigenous stories taught to me by my parents as a child come to life as I study Native American artifacts and sites in school, and I intend on using my personal connection to my culture to amplify what I study and what I intend to do as a career. While I am grateful to be attending university, financing my education has proven to be my largest roadblock in my studies. If given this incredibly generous scholarship, the funds will go directly to paying my tuition, aiding in purchasing my school supplies, and will allow me to attend field schools where I get to practice archeology and obtain valuable skills related to the career. I work outside of school to fund my education, and scholarships will allow me to prioritize school, which in turn will allow me to perform better. I already place a heavy focus on my studies, and I will take any opportunity to do even more so. My future is dependent on my performance. I intend to apply to Anthropological graduate schools, and my excellent performance now will make me a more desirable candidate in their application processes. Being able to study and to do so effectively now will allow me to further my education, pursue graduate studies, and later be able to work in archeology. I intend to seek positions related to Native American tribes and organizations as I already have an interest in indigenous studies. I am proud to be an indigenous college student, and even more so to represent my tribes. I thank you for the opportunity to apply for this scholarship, I would be truly grateful to receive funding from the Utah Professional Archeological Council.