TCU Student Intern Program

Empowering TCU Students to Lead Community-Driven Climate Solutions

Engage in a year of learning, connection, and discovery -where data meets story, land, and community. Become part of the next generation of leaders strengthening Tribal sovereignty, protecting homelands, and building resilience for generations to come.

The Great Plains Tribal Water Alliance is committed to supporting the next generation of Tribal leaders, researchers, and environmental stewards. Through our TCU Student Internship Program, students from Tribal Colleges and Universities gain hands-on experience working on projects related to water, climate resilience, environmental stewardship, and Tribal sovereignty.

Interns collaborate with Tribal Nations, faculty mentors, and community partners to address real-world challenges facing Indigenous communities across the Great Plains. These opportunities provide valuable professional experience while helping strengthen Tribal capacity in environmental management, climate adaptation, and community-driven planning.

We are proud to highlight the accomplishments and contributions of our student interns, whose work helps advance GPTWA's mission to uphold Tribal water rights, support climate resilience, and honor & protect Tribal lands and waters for future generations.

Meet the Interns

  • Juston Maurice Barse

    Juston Barse is a member of the Sisseton Wahpeton Oyate and a student at Sisseton Wahpeton College pursuing an Associate of Arts degree in Dakota Studies. He is passionate about preserving Dakota language, history, culture, and traditional knowledge while helping strengthen future generations through education and community engagement. Before returning to college, Juston spent nearly twenty three years working in heavy industry, where he gained extensive experience in operations, safety, leadership, and workforce development. Following a life-changing workplace injury, he chose to pursue higher education and dedicate himself to service, recovery advocacy, and community development. As a participant in the Climate Data for Resilience Internship, Juston is focused on connecting climate science with Indigenous knowledge and community-based education. His project interests include water conservation, environmental stewardship, climate awareness, and creating educational resources that help youth understand the importance of protecting natural resources for future generations. Juston is a husband, father, and grandfather who believes that resilience, cultural identity, and community responsibility are essential to building a stronger future. His goal is to use education, traditional teachings, and lived experience to inspire others and contribute to the well-being of the Sisseton Wahpeton Oyate and Indigenous communities across the region.

  • Kimberlee Blevin

    Bio

  • Sage DuMarce-White

    Sage DuMarce-White is Dakota, and a member of the Sisituƞwaƞ-Waḣpetuƞwaƞ Oyate. After earning his B.S. in Information Systems & Cybersecurity at Neumont University, he enrolled at Sisseton Wahpeton College to pursue his A.A. in Dakota Studies, alongside certifications in Tribal Arts and Dakota Language Teaching. His love for learning has taken him many places, however currently he is figuring out what his Dakota identity means to him. Billiards, video games, driving, tinkering, and music are some of the hobbies he holds near and dear to his heart.

  • Denise Flores-Frazier

    I am a member of the Reno-Sparks Indian Colony, I am Numu (Paiute) and kooyooe ticutta (cui-ui eater/Pyramid Lake Paiute band). I am a senior at Haskell Indian Nations University graduating Fall 2026 with a B.S in Environmental Science. My focus is water quality that has been impacted by anthropogenic driven climate change and aquatic systems. I love to be at the lake, river, swimming pool, anywhere with water. 

  • Jaimie Little Bear

    Jaimie Rose Little Bear is from the Standing Rock Sioux Nation and is a descendent of "Wiyaka Waste Win", Good Feather Woman. She is the older sister of Sitting Bull. Jaimie Rose earned her Master's in business administration at Sitting Bull College this spring. She is currently working on this internship with the Great Plains Tribal Water alliance. 

  • Talia Little Bull-Mahpiya Maza

    My name is Wakaŋgli Kawíyakpa Wiŋ (Bright Shining Lighting Woman). I am Oglala Lakota from the Paȟiŋ Siŋte District on the Pine Ridge Indian Reservation. I study Elementary Education with an Endorsement in Special Education at United Tribes Technical College. My focus with the Great Plains Tribal Water Alliance as a Climate Resilience Intern, is to create a project to encourage youth and community members on my reservation to Reduce, Reuse, and Recycle with climate data and traditional knowledge.

  • Nyna Matowin

    Nyna Matowin is an Oglala Lakota student living on the Pine Ridge Reservation in South Dakota. She is currently attending Oglala Lakota College, going for her AA in Lakota Studies and the Lakota Language Certificate through Oglala Lakota College. She will eventually pursue her BA in Lakota Studies with an emphasis on her people's Lakota language then later on her Master's in Lakota Leadership and Management. She is also a multi award winning, nominated singer / songwriter having garnered millions of views across multiple media platforms, with her current biggest platform being TikTok, with nearly 17k followers. With a distinct mind and passion for her people, Nyna is sure to leave her mark one way or many others. 

  • Serenity Squirrel Coat

    My name is Wakan Mani Win. I am Dakota from the Sisitunwan Wahpetunwan Oyate. I recently earned my A.A in Dakota Studies from Sisseton Wahpeton College, and will continue my education there to complete a Certificate. My focus is to learn about the impacts of human activity on the environment, especially the water quality of our lakes here on the Lake Traverse Reservation. My goal is to help create more awareness about how human actions affect our water.

  • Nashae Thunder Chief

    Han mitakuyepi, my name is Nashae Thunder Chief from the Standing Rock Sioux Tribe, but I was born and raised amongst the Oglala in Little Wound SD. I have two daughters, a loving husband and two crazy cats. We currently reside in Rapid City, where we are enrolled at Oglala Lakota College, where I plan to graduate in Spring with my A.A in Early Childhood and Endorsement in Indian Studies. Growing up we were taught to treat everyone with respect and love the land. We are very culturally active and participate in our cultural activities daily.

  • Marlon Weston

    Marlon Weston is an enrolled member of the Oglala Sioux Tribe from the Pine Ridge Indian Reservation. He recently earned a degree in Lakota Studies from Oglala Lakota College and is preparing for graduate studies in Data Science. Marlon currently serves as Director of the Oglala Sioux Tribe Environmental Protection Program. Through the Great Plains Tribal Water Alliance internship program, he is exploring the intersection of Indigenous knowledge, environmental monitoring, climate resilience, and data-informed decision-making. His interests include water resources, land stewardship, regenerative grazing, buffalo restoration, GIS, and environmental data systems. Marlon is committed to strengthening Tribal capacity through the integration of Lakota knowledge, environmental science, and emerging technologies that support future generations.

Curriculum

Empowering Future Leaders Through Climate Knowledge and Responsible Data Practices

Group picture at our Očéti Šakówiŋ Climate Resilience Workshop

Group picture at our Očéti Šakówiŋ Climate Resilience Workshop

Visit to a Mesonet station

Visit to a Mesonet station

Learning about DAPL

Learning about DAPL

Learning about Tribal Data Sovereignty

Learning about Tribal Data Sovereignty

Learning about Cultural Intelligence

Learning about Cultural Intelligence

Beginning day two

Beginning day two

GPTWA staff and board members

GPTWA staff and board members

Learning about Mesonet station tools

Learning about Mesonet station tools

The group on the Mesonet station camera

The group on the Mesonet station camera

Learning about climate data tools

Learning about climate data tools

Learning about Mesonet data tools

Learning about Mesonet data tools

Taking good notes

Taking good notes

Orientation

  • Our work is grounded in Two-Eyed Seeing—a framework that brings together the strengths of Indigenous knowledge systems and Western science. By valuing both ways of knowing, we support more holistic, culturally relevant, and effective solutions for Tribal communities.

    We recognize that Indigenous knowledge is rooted in generations of lived experience, stewardship, and deep relationships with land, water, and climate. At the same time, Western science offers tools, data, and analytical methods that can strengthen planning and decision-making.

    By weaving these perspectives together, we aim to:

    • Support community-driven and culturally informed projects

    • Strengthen climate resilience and stewardship management

    • Promote respectful collaboration and knowledge sharing

    • Build solutions that are both scientifically sound and locally meaningful

    Interns play an important role in this approach by engaging with data, community priorities, and collaborative learning in ways that honor both knowledge systems.

  • Presentation slides

Soon to come!

Project Highlights

View Project