Dr. Theresa L. Gregor

What fears or anxieties did you have about going to college?

I had many fears and anxieties about going to college as a first-generation student. I was afraid that I would not be smart enough to complete college-level coursework. I was worried about how was I going to pay for my tuition, books, and living expenses. But I was most afraid of feeling like I didn't belong there once I got there (read: imposter syndrome). I was able to overcome these anxieties and worries thanks to great mentors who helped me apply, kept me on track, and provided resources to assist me with advising, financial aid, housing, and job placement. I volunteered to serve as a GenExcel Mentor because I feel like it is my responsibility to pay forward the guidance and assistance I received from my mentors. Without the presence, encouragement, and attention that faculty and staff provided me along my higher education path, I am not sure I would be where I am today. If I can become a touchstone for students in the same way that my mentors were for me, then I feel like my journey will come full circle.

  • Ph.D., University of Southern California

The advice that I have for first-gen students is to not let fear stand in the way of your educational goals. Don't be afraid to ask for help and to seek out campus resources; we are here for you. Don't be afraid to be the student in the class that introduces him/herself to others--be bold and build a network of friendships with your peers. Don't be afraid to take chances and freely explore your intellectual aspirations and passions. You belong here, you deserve to be here, and you are smart enough and capable of attaining your degree.

Walking/hiking, volleyball, horseback riding, golfing, bicycling, reading, and cooking.

  1. Laptop with eternal charger
  2. A Louise Edrich novel
  3. Water bottle

In 2007, my tribal community (rural San Diego County) experienced one of three mega-fires in the span of four years. At the time, I was writing the final chapters of my dissertation while working part-time for the Iipay Nation of Santa Ysabel. Our entire reservation was evacuated for two weeks because we had no power or water in the aftermath of the inferno. We were totally unprepared and devastated. In the weeks and months following the disaster, I joined a coalition of tribal leaders and community members to start the Inter Tribal Long Term Recovery Foundation, a tribally-led non-profit. We began as a grassroots organization, but we have evolved in our community outreach and service to work across local, state, and federal jurisdictions with private and public donors. Our mission is to help American Indian people and communities recover from disasters and be resilient. We are faced with more frequent, severe, and dynamic threats: from wildfires to floods, to earthquakes and pandemics--and I work to ensure that no tribal community has to start from scratch to gather the tools and resources necessary to rebuild.

I am working on two articles and an anthology at the present moment. My current research focuses on California/American Indian women, gender, identity, cultural revitalization, language repatriation, and decolonization. I teach Introduction to Native American Studies (AIS 101), Ethnic Experience in the US: Native Americans (AIS 319), Composition and Expository Writing (AIS 100B), Introduction to American Indian Literature (AIS/ENGL 340), American Indian Women, Genders, and Sexualities (AIS/WGSS 313), and Indigenous Philosophies of Sustainability (AIS 336).

I am from the Santa Ysabel Indian Reservation; I am Iipay and Yoéme. I am very proud of my tribal heritage and am eager to share my research and teaching with first-gen students that are looking for engaging courses to fulfill GE requirements.