Alumni Profile: Laura Meier (M. HSPH '21)
Read about HSPH alumna Laura Meier ('21). She is now the Tribal Archivist at Shakopee Mdewakanton Sioux Community.
Why did you choose HSPH?
I chose the Heritage Studies and Public History program because it aligned with my values and provided a nurturing environment for its students. From the beginning, I was drawn to its dedication to diversity and inclusion by offering an accessible and affordable educational experience and encouraging its students to engage with underrepresented histories through an interdisciplinary lens. Additionally, its attention to social justice and community engagement, and its being close to home, assured me that I could engage with stories that matter to me and that matter to the broader community.
What do you do in your current position?
I am the Tribal Archivist for the Shakopee Mdewakanton Sioux Community (SMSC), a sovereign federally-recognized Dakota nation southwest of Minneapolis/St. Paul, Minnesota. At the SMSC’s cultural center, Hocokata Ti, I work closely with the Collections department to steward the Community’s archival collections in an ongoing effort to preserve and sustain Mdewakanton Dakota cultural heritage, language, and history. On any given day, you can find me responding to research requests, assessing new archival materials, engaging with potential donors, or collaborating with departments across the SMSC on a variety of projects.
In what ways did the HSPH program prepare you for your current position?
The HSPH program provided the practical experiences, perspectives, and connections necessary for my current position. Between the (paid) internships and fellowships in areas of records management and digital collections management, especially, I was able to harness the necessary hands-on experience fundamental to my day-to-day work. Likewise, through group projects with my cohort, and partnerships with diverse communities throughout Minnesota, I further developed my communication and interpersonal skills that are at the heart of any collaborative project. In fact, through my master’s capstone project, I was also able to make my first connection with the Shakopee Mdewakanton Sioux Community, where I continue to learn and grow every day.
