Future nurse Angela Gopher reflects on MSU as ‘home away from home’

BOZEMAN - When Angela Gopher was around 7 years old, she spent a week in the hospital for a rare illness that confounded her doctors.

"It was a frightening time for both my mother and me, especially because it took the doctors several days to figure out what was wrong. During that vulnerable experience, I remember the nurses who cared for me - how compassionate, reassuring and skilled they were," she said.

"Their impact stayed with me, and I knew I wanted to be that kind of support for others," continued Gopher.

Now more than a decade later, she will be one step closer to achieving that long-time goal upon graduating Dec. 12 with a Bachelor of Science degree in nursing from the Montana State University Mark and Robyn Jones College of Nursing.

Gopher, who is from Rocky Boy and is tribally affiliated with both the Chippewa Cree and Navajo tribes, is one of eight students graduating this fall from MSU's Caring for Our Own Program, often referred to as CO-OP. The program is specifically geared toward Native American students pursuing a career in nursing who want to return to work in their tribal communities.

Gopher decided she wanted to attend MSU, where her mother also earned her degree, because she had heard positive feedback about the nursing program. She worked to gain experience even before college, taking a certified nursing assistant class at age 18 to work in a long-term care facility and later working as a medical assistant in the Indian Health Services clinic in Rocky Boy.

Gopher was awarded the Montana Advantage Nursing Scholarship and the Indian Health Services scholarships, which allowed her continued pursuit of education at MSU. While in school, she worked in emergency medical services, sparking a new passion and confirming that nursing is the career she wanted to pursue. She also was involved with the Montana Student Nurses Association, which helped her build strong relationships with peers.

Reflecting on her college experience, Gopher praised the CO-OP program and the resources it provided to her as a student.

"I had amazing mentors who guided me through choosing classes, finding tutoring and navigating the challenges of school. They cared about me not only academically, but personally - they regularly checked in on my well-being and supported my mental health," she said. "I have always known that I wanted to serve a rural Native American community, and this program helped prepare me for that path. My professors equipped me with the support and opportunities I needed to step into nursing in an underserved community with confidence."

Additionally, Gopher said she was grateful for cultural events at American Indian Hall, including guest speakers and activities such as beading, sweetgrass picking and dinners with traditional foods from a variety of tribes, which made the MSU campus "feel like a home away from home," she said.

Still, there were difficult times too, when Gopher turned to her parents and her faith for additional support. Her parents are first-generation college graduates who understood the value of education and always encouraged her to keep going.

"Whenever I felt discouraged, I would call them, and their advice and support helped me push through," Gopher said.

Now, with a bachelor's degree under her belt, Gopher is studying for the NCLEX exam to become a registered nurse. She is pondering a move to Arizona to reconnect with her Navajo roots and experience life beyond Montana, but she also might stay in state. Regardless, she wants to make an impact on peoples' lives as a nurse, like nurses did on her own life many years ago.

"My experiences at MSU strengthened my passion for nursing and confirmed that this is the career I'm meant to pursue," she said.

Started in 1999, the CO-OP program was created to increase the number of qualified Native American nurses to serve Tribal areas. The program has significantly expanded its reach over the years and next summer will achieve the long-time goal of graduating more than 200 students, said Sarah Shannon, dean of the nursing college. Students from every American Indian reservation in Montana have enrolled in CO-OP, and historically around 80% of program graduates stay in Montana to serve rural and tribal communities.

"We are so proud of our students who have a passion to educate themselves and work to make a difference in their communities," Shannon said. "Angela, and every one of our graduating seniors, have shown a deep commitment to strengthening the health of this state. Montanans are very lucky to have such a great group of MSU-educated future nurses eager to start their careers here."