Learn more about Marquel Holiday (Ihanktoŋwaŋ), a student graduating from the Sapsik'ʷałá Teacher Education program, through our Graduate Spotlight series

Meet Marquel, MEd Curriculum and Teaching program with Social Studies and ESOL endorsements.

Haŋ, WoDakota G’duš O’Wi emačiyapi.  Ihanktoŋwaŋ oyate hemataŋhaŋ na šina sapa ed wati. Hello, my Dakota name is WoDakota G’dus O’Wi and my given name is Marquel Holiday. I am Ihanktoŋwaŋ, Oglala Lakota, Ponca, and Latina. I am an enrolled member of the Yankton Sioux Tribe. I am a mother, daughter, sister, and granddaughter. I grew up on the Yankton Sioux Reservation and come from the Marty Community. 

I graduated in 2020 from the Ihanktoŋwaŋ Community College with my Associate’s in Human Services. Then I went on to graduate from Haskell Indian Nations University in 2024 with my Bachelors in Indigenous and Native American Studies. I moved to Eugene, Oregon to continue my education in the Sapsik’ʷałá Teacher Education Program. 

I am passionate about the preservation of tribal history, culture, language, and life ways. I am fortunate to say that I was raised on my homelands and was surrounded by Dakota culture. I was taught by many teachers throughout my lifetime from my family, community, and in school that had left a lasting impact on my sense of strength through my identity. Taking this into consideration, I chose to become a teacher, so I can dedicate myself to strengthening the identities of the children within my communities through education. 

I believe that being a teacher can give me the opportunity to teach tribal history, language, culture, government, law, and economics within my classroom. I want to have an emphasis on place-based knowledge from the community that I am within through incorporating teachings, traditions, crafts, and traditional medicines and/or food into my classroom. I want to provide a space where children can thrive in their identity while being supported through education. I am grateful and excited to for the opportunity to have studied under the Sapsik’ʷałá and UOTeach programs. 

I am thankful for where I am and where this journey will take me. Wopida. 

What inspired you to become a teacher and join the Sapsikwala program?

My home and my relatives are who inspired me to become a teacher. Coming from my community, I just want to see the best possible future for our children. 

I wanted to dedicate my degree to something that would contribute to a bettering their quality of life, and I think that I can be done through education. I joined the Sapsik'ʷałá Teacher Education program with the hope that I can learn the skills and supports to take home to try to do the best I can for my students.

What are your plans following graduation?

My plans are to return home to South Dakota. I plan to teach middle school/high school in a tribal community. 

Sapsik'ʷałá, a Ichishkíin/Sahaptin word meaning "teacher", is the name of a program created by the University of Oregon College of Education in partnership with the nine federally recognized Tribes of the State of Oregon. The 12-month program allows participants to earn a master of education (MEd) degree and teacher licensure. The Sapsik'ʷałá Teacher Education Program supports American Indian and Alaska Native teacher candidates in becoming professional educators, provides funding for teacher candidates' cost of attendance, and provides two years of support services once in the field.