The Mellon Career Enhancement Fellowship was a long-standing partnership between the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation and the American Indian College Fund. Established in 2004, its aim was to support tribal college and university (TCU) faculty in the final year of their doctoral program. Although the program ended in 2023, TCUs are still reaping the benefits through the instruction offered by previous Mellon fellows. As we settle into winter, the season of storytelling, it seems appropriate to highlight one of these past fellows whose work utilizes Indigenous storytelling to not only educate but to heal students and community members alike. 

Vicki Besaw (Lac Courte Oreilles Lake Superior Ojibwe Tribe) didn’t expect to go back to college at age 54 to pursue her doctorate. She had been working for the College of Menominee Nation (CMN) since 2006, having started her education career in the K-12 system. But joining the faculty at CMN showed her there was more to teaching than simply helping students learn in the classroom. Students silently grappled with trauma and needed a safe space to explore the issues they faced in order to heal. Besaw decided to use storytelling to create that safe pathway for her students. And so she enrolled in the First Nations Education Doctorate Program at the University of Wisconsin–Green Bay.  

For her dissertation, Besaw conducted an autoethnographical study to examine how educators can use Indigenous story methodology to provide a safe space for students to explore their own life stories. These life stories can help students to understand the impact of trauma on their life decisions and outcomes. Elders have used Indigenous stories for generations. Rather than overtly correcting or chastising individuals, they would often tell a story about themselves or someone else related to an issue. It was up to the listener to process and use this information in a manner that would help them most. This avoided shaming or blaming individuals and allowed for self-direction in a non-accusatory manner. Using an Indigenous story methodology, Besaw shared her own stories in her classroom so students did not have to put themselves in vulnerable positions or feel compelled to share personal information.  

Through her research study, Besaw not only identified ways to better support her students but also saw intergenerational healing begin in her own family. Her mother, who had experienced childhood trauma and often felt disconnected, began writing her stories, and her son took up journaling again. Besaw emphasized that this healing work with students can open old wounds. An educator cannot simply discuss trauma in the classroom and then walk away. Educators must care for their students beyond class hours.  

Besaw noted that her work at a tribal college offers a unique position to address trauma. She worked on her own challenges for 60 years and after identifying a way to help others, Besaw now feels she must contribute to healing. She is working to ensure CMN includes the lessons learned from her study in its English curriculum. She would also like to publish her series of 43 stories as a book, making it available outside of academia to reach more people who might benefit from those stories.  

Besaw said the Mellon Faculty Career Enhancement Fellowship program with the College Fund was instrumental in helping her earn a doctorate. Other funding resources had dried up and she was hesitant to take on student loan debt so late in her career. As a Mellon Fellow she received funding and ongoing support from the College Fund, participating in a writing retreat, a faculty convening, and other cohort activities.   

Besaw views earning her doctoral degree as a way to give back to her community. Her greatest hope is that her work will help others find meaning in their experiences.