Eleven years of hard work yield PhD

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Over the past 20 years ago, I have had the pleasure of meeting a number of Aboriginals who have gone beyond grade school levels to achieve bachelor's and master's degrees at Canadian universities. But, when it comes to doctorates (PhDs), the count is extremely low.

Truth is, very few people know, or know of, any PhD graduates. After picking my brain, I could only arrive at nine. Even if the real count were 29 or 39, it would still not reflect any substantial figures in relation to the number of Natives in this country.

Just this past fall, however, the University of Calgary granted one more PhD to a native in the person of Sherry Marie Wilson (nee Bellerose), a 35-year-old Metis.

"We need people in all disciplines, especially for (Native) self-government," Wilson says of her Doctorate of Philosophy. To her way of thinking Native professionals are a very crucial element in forming meaningful foundations for the development of Native government, and to formally embrace it in an effective and positive manner.

Wilson toiled for 11 long, hard years in University to fulfill a dream, she's had since she was a youngster. It wasn't easy. And she's the first to admit that such objectives require strong commitments, a good work ethic, personal sacrifices and adequate finances.

"The biggest commitment was financial," she explains. Fortunately for her, she managed to tap into some federal research grants while pursuing both her master's and doctorate in Calgary. Those monies enabled her to get by without having to resort to student loans, which must be repaid.

To complement her budget, she also worked part-time as a teaching assistant for professors.

A three-year contract with Alberta Forest Services initially helped prepare and equip her with knowledge and skills that held her in good stead when she did chase after post-graduate studies,. She is particularly proud of her work in the Slave Lake and Fort McMurray regions where "it was difficult for women to make it in male-dominated forestry."

Probably the most time-consuming aspect of her studies was her course work.

"Get to the lab at 9 a.m., not leave until 7 or 8 p.m. and sometimes have to return even later at night." And there were the weekend shifts.

"In one period, I worked for four months solid every day," she quips. She adds, however, that this was not the case throughout her entire five-year PhD program.

"It's especially tense at the start because you have to write a research proposal which had to be orally defended, take required courses, write candidacy exams as well as regular exams and papers, and try to read and learn as much as you can."

Obviously, she did something right. When it finally came time to orally defend her 200-page dissertation on the genetic transformation of white spruce, she did so successfully on her very first round.

Wilson describes her years in academia as ones embodying rigid self-discipline. She had to virtually shut out the rest of the world and have one focus only - her studies. Oh, there was "the odd movie," but she couldn't build in any ski trips or holidays. Nonetheless, there were "up-sides," she confesses. She'd get highs from the challenges and the accomplishments. Precious, too, were the friends and acquaintances she made along the way, and the use of campus sports and recreational facilities.

"A large part of social life centres around coffee or dinner breaks (with fellow students)," she adds.

"I would like to teach at a college or university level," she says;. Recreationally, she dabbles in pottery and refinishing furniture, she's an avid reader and looks forward to hiking, skiing, windsurfing and sailing lessons.

When queried about family life, she admits her life doesn't necessary require a partner or children.

"If it happens, it happens," she shrugs. In other words, she's just taking everything in her stride, living one day at a time.

As for specific advice to any Natives who may aspire to higher education, se suggests that "you have to want it enough to give it your best shot...finances are imporant...and you can't think about it (education) too much, just start doing it....thinking can sometimes scare you out of it."

Achieving's a family affair

Wilson, incidentally, comes from a very progressive family. Born at High Prairie, raised and schooled din Edmonton, she is the second oldest of three girls and two boys. One sister is finishing her law degree; the other is completing an architectural drafting course. Her youngest brother has taken a year off from university studies in media and communication, while her older brother is into photography and layout, and operates his own digital imaging business. As for her parents, her father is an ex-military man; her mother worked in real estate and as a registered nursing aide, and now has a degree in education.