Inspire – Women of Dartmouth Stories

Helping Native American Students Succeed

Carmen Lopez, D’97, shares her story in the 50 for 50 Podcast.

Growing up in the Navajo Nation, Carmen Lopez had never heard of the Ivy League when she became spellbound by a guest speaker at her high school: Dr. Lori Arviso Alvord, Dartmouth Class of 1979, the first female Navajo surgeon.    

Arriving on campus in 1997, Lopez quickly involved herself in Native American Studies and joined the growing effort by Indigenous students to battle stereotypical language and imagery. After graduating, she earned a master’s degree, becoming a teacher. Later, she became director of Harvard’s Native American Program. Back home in the Southwest, she now directs New Mexico-based College Horizons, which supports the college and graduate school goals of Native American students. 

Click below to learn more about the 50 for 50 Storytelling Project and listen to Carmen’s episode.

Shared with permission of Dartmouth and Jennifer Avellino, host of the 50 for 50 Storytelling Project. Click here to learn more about the Project and to listen to all of the episodes.

2 thoughts on “Helping Native American Students Succeed”

  1. Carmen Lopez is a successful woman, and she knows firsthand that college is expensive. She shares her story in the 50 for 50 podcast where she describes how a low-income student from a tribal college in North Dakota went on to get an MBA from Harvard Business School.”

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