by: TAYLOR NOTAH NAVAJO
by: CHESTON DALANGYAWMA HOPI
B.A. Journalism
Major: Criminal Justice & Criminology
Bridging transitions This is one of the 11 Marine Corps leadership principles that veteran, Criminology major, and former law enforcement officer Cheston Dalangyawma learned during his five years of active-duty service in the United States Marine Corps, and is one that he implements everyday. “To me, this principle means to have self awareness, to recognize my strengths and weaknesses,” Dalangyawma (Hopi) said, “and to work on my weaknesses to become a well rounded person and father mentally, physically, emotionally, professionally.” From the Village of Hotevilla on the Hopi reservation, Dalangyawma, 30, is one of the 105 self-identified Indigenous Military Affiliated Students currently enrolled at ASU*, where he is applying this principle into his studies to strive toward his dream job as a special agent with the FBI or U.S. Marshals Service after graduation. “Special agents investigate major crimes
and track down dangerous fugitives who flee to reservations,” he said. “Non-Native agents don’t have that rapport with the reservation or know the local customs and beliefs. I feel that being Native might make the connection a lot easier as far as breaking any barriers that may make people unwilling to speak.” His college journey isn’t that of a “traditional” pathway: a transfer student from Winslow’s Northland Pioneer College who had a 10-year gap between his studies, Dalangyawma’s higher education actually began while still in high school. Dual enrollment courses propelled him ahead of his peers where by the time he graduated, he was six credits away from receiving an associate degree in welding. Accepted into ASU’s engineering program shortly after high school graduation, Dalangyawma had to reconsider college once he saw the costs. “I was accepted and was offered multiple
“Know Yourself and Seek Self Improvement.”
TRANSFORM SOCIETY
Above Photo: Hopi veteran Cheston Dalangyama, pictured in Northern Iraqi during Operation Iraqi Freedom in 2009. (Photo courtesy of Cheston Dalangyawma.)
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