By Taria Wolfe, Nebraska Indian Community College Business Division Head
2024-2025 Indigenous Visionaries Fellow
Taria Wolfe and great grandmother Cleola Painter at Bellevue University Graduation Day in 2015.
Ebe bthiⁿ tʰe uwibtha tamiⁿkʰe (let me introduce myself). Umonhon izhazhe wiwita-the (my Omaha name is) Gi xpe’tha xa. Waxe izhazhe wiwita-the (and my English name is) Taria Wolfe. I am a member of the Umonhon Tribe of Nebraska and reside on the Umonhon Indian Reservation in Walthill, Nebraska.
My first teacher was my great-grandmother, Cleola M. Painter. She instilled in me a strong work ethic and always reminded me, “If you want something done, you have to do it yourself.” In the academic realm, I did not encounter my first Native American educator until fourth grade. At that time, I did not realize how fortunate I was. The rest of my educational journey was shaped by non-Native instructors, from the time I began my master’s degree program until its completion.
I did not give my education a second thought; it was the norm to have an instructor who didn’t look like me. I never imagined being an educator myself. I obtained a bachelor’s degree in health administration and policy on a full-ride academic scholarship at Creighton University. I then pursued my master’s degree in public administration from Bellevue University. I worked at the Indian Health Service from July 2007 through December 2022.
I was inspired to pursue a career in the administrative area of healthcare to help Native American people have a voice, but then I came upon an unexpected opportunity to teach. I joined Nebraska Indian Community College (NICC) in November 2023 as a business faculty member. I completed the coursework to obtain my Nebraska Post-Secondary Teaching Certificate after joining NICC. I was also promoted to the Business Division Head sooner than expected. However, I proudly stepped into the role and intend to build our program. It has been the best career move; so much of my work at NICC brings more than just monetary rewards. I cannot wait to see our first graduating class of the Business Administration and Tribal Nation Building bachelor’s degree program in 2026.
When I was younger, I admit I was selfish. My thinking back then was, “I need to get my education for myself. I need to do this for myself to get what I want.” Today, I want my students, community, and everyone to succeed. I am the face that my students and community want and need at our tribal college. We need more motivated leaders and educators to build our tribal nations to prosperity.
Taria Wolfe and great grandmother Cleola Painter embraces Taria after earning her master’s degree.
A memory at NICC that has stuck with me is when I had a student thank me for being her instructor. She went on to say that she wanted to be me when she grew up. It meant a lot because this student was older than me. I like to share with my students that I want to be that familiar face that they can depend on while pursuing their higher education – to know they are not alone, and they can accomplish great things. I am there to help them with school and outside of the classroom. As an experienced learner, I want to be a resource for them to get through any obstacles.
Learning new things and setting new goals never stops. My goals and aspirations include pursuing a doctorate. I have always aspired to be in a top executive position. Since changing fields, I have gone from wanting to become a CEO to a tribal college dean or president. However, right now I am enjoying teaching and interacting with students at NICC.
It has been a blessing to network with other like-minded Native women and to receive the encouragement and support I needed in an underrepresented field of work with the American Indian College Fund’s Indigenous Visionaries: Women’s Leadership Program. I hope that other emerging Native American leaders pursue the education field and take advantage of the opportunities available to them.
Taria Wolfe, Nebraska Indian Community College Business Division Head.
