Anna Jealous of Him gives a first-hand look into the significance of American Indian cultural programming for nursing students.
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“I had tears of joy just knowing I made it.”
That’s how SDSU nursing alumna, Anna Jealous of Him, describes the moment she transitioned from being a student to being a nursing professional.
That moment was part of a key rite of passage for nursing students in Native American culture that celebrates graduates as they leave behind their days as an undergrad and officially start a new chapter in the nursing field.
Known as the honoring ceremony, the tradition is just one of many programs and events making a difference for students through the Native American Nursing Education Center (NANEC).
Anna Jealous of Him (far right) and two other students at their honoring ceremony
Located on SDSU’s Rapid City campus, the NANEC offers financial, academic, social, and cultural support for American Indian nursing students in their journey in healthcare. The center provides a nurturing and collaborative environment, emphasizing learning through mentorship.
Students regularly meet one-on-one with mentors for holistic support, benefit from cultural ceremonies and programming, and flourish through resources designed to guide their success.
Honoring ceremonies like the one Anna described commemorate students’ completion of courses following graduation. A local culture bearer and drum group conduct this landmark Lakota ceremony while a star quilt is presented to each graduate, signifying their transition from student to nurse.
We reached out to Anna for a first-hand account of the impact of the NANEC and the significance of the support and programming available, inside the classroom and out. Anna was recognized at an honoring ceremony in December of 2021.
How did the mentorship and related support of the NANEC impact your education overall?
Anna Jealous of Him
"The Native American Nursing Education Center has been a massive part of my success because of the genuine support and family-oriented space. They gave me the support I did not have in my personal life at the time. This group of women cared enough about me to keep me encouraged, to make sure I had what I needed to succeed. The amazing things they are doing by bringing back the past to the future and encouraging healing in a professional and personal way are needed."
Describe your honoring ceremony with the NANEC. How does this prepare you for your future career in the healthcare field?
"Our ceremonies were taken and lost. Many of us could not learn these ways, and the honoring ceremony helps build us spiritually, mentally, and emotionally while physically being given hope.
The honoring ceremony was for me, healing—being reminded of the prayers through the songs sang and receiving encouragement through hardships to come. Being in a profession where you give a lot, where you see broken people, layers of a person, and diseases patients are facing, while not losing yourself and holding that compassion and empathy? These things are not easy, and the ceremony blessed us to prepare us and protect us on our journey."
In what ways is the honoring ceremony meaningful to you?
"The honoring ceremony was beautiful. It was something I had never been a part of, a sign that I was successful. Sometimes, we are trying so hard to escape poverty and generational trauma. We forget our identity, the community. Our family is broken from the trauma and substance abuse, and we don’t have this connection. Healing begins with us taking this step to get an education, to help understand the complexity of trauma. This ceremony is more than honor. It is a reminder of who we are and where we came from, a moment to see the resilience we each have and the perseverance it took when we felt like giving up so many times…but more powerful than that feeling of self-doubt and that imposter syndrome was the notion that we are the answered prayers of our ancestors."
Anna Jealous of Him surrounded by her family during her honor ceremony
One of the greatest resources found in the NANEC are the mentors who dedicate their time to sharing medical knowledge, cultural insight, and unwavering support.
“The cohesiveness and professionalism of our NANEC staff generates positive energy that we pass on through mentoring, which many of our students say motivates them to succeed,” says mentor Kathy Labonte. “Offing a sense of belonging at the university level is extremely valuable and also impacts retention. Assisting Native students by creating a welcoming, supportive environment gives tremendous meaning to me as a mentor.”
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