November serves as National Native American Heritage Month, a period designated for heightened public awareness of Native histories and futures. At the University of Pennsylvania, less than 1% of the student body identifies as Native American, but in the diverse schools and through Natives at Penn, Native students have forged a close-knit community.
On a cool afternoon on Locust Walk, Wharton Stories checked in with Ryly Ziese W’25, a finance concentrator and member of the Cherokee Nation, born and raised in Cookson, OK. We later caught up with Lauren McDonald W’23, a finance and business analytics concentrator from southern Florida and member of the Onondaga Nation. We talked with both scholars and professionals about their paths to Wharton, their goals, and where they want to tell their fellow Native students who are looking towards higher education:
Ryly Ziese, W’25
Why Penn, and Why Wharton?
Before College Horizons, an enrichment program for Native students to meet college counselors, I hadn’t heard of Penn. I met an admissions counselor from Penn who turned me onto Wharton, and at the time, I thought Penn could be a for-fun application to a stretch school. Otherwise, I applied to schools in Oklahoma and Colorado because I wanted to be somewhere where I’m outdoorsy and love to ski. When I got into Penn, my dad and I came up to campus and I looked into Penn’s Native community. It was really small, which made me nervous as someone coming from a robust Native community, but there was this undeniable pull. I couldn’t pass up the opportunity and I’m glad I didn’t.
What impactful experiences have you had at Penn and Wharton in your first year and a half?
Coming to Penn was certainly a culture shock, at first. I met a lot of people who didn’t know that Native Americans are still around. But also, being around people from all over the world was so, so exciting. Today, I count people from Sweden and Lithuania as some of my best friends at Penn.
I got involved with Natives at Penn immediately. At the moment, there are maybe a dozen active members, but we have a lot going on. I got to be a part of the Arch Street building re-imagination last semester and I’m still involved with that. It will be so exciting for Natives at Penn to have a central presence on campus, right on Locust Walk. For now, we are still based in the Greenfield Intercultural Center while we look for a faculty leader. Helping grow the organization and get its footing has been unreal.
I am involved in STEP: Successful Transition and Empowerment Program at Wharton. It’s a pre-orientation enrichment program for underrepresented students that goes year-round. I’m a mentor for fellow students who are racial minorities, first-generation/low-income, and/or come from rural backgrounds. STEP helps us get in the door for networking opportunities, offers tutoring services, and now I have two advisors: one academic advisor and one STEP advisor. It’s great having two advisors to help me plan my future coursework when it gets busy.
As an emerging professional, what are some goals you have or things you’re trying to experience?
When I came to Penn, I thought I wanted to get into investment banking. It still fascinates me, and finance in general excites me, but I’ve also discovered consulting and I’m in the recruiting phase for that. I’m looking for experiences across the spectrum, from consulting to internal corporate finance. I’ve thought about potentially returning to the Cherokee nation as a business professional in some capacity, but it depends on what’s needed in the area.
As an Indigenous student in a business education space, what advice do you have for prospective indigenous students looking at universities, and especially prospective indigenous students who are curious about the world of business?
These higher education institutions were not designed with Native students in mind; they were initially designed to keep us out. But, personally, I find it really rewarding to push through. I want to show that younger student or prospective Native student that they can succeed here. But, it can be rough to be in the minority of minorities. Once I get into the workforce, I want to be part of the growing community of Native finance professionals. The graduation rate for indigenous students nationwide is slowly increasing, and I want to see that keep going.
LAUREN MCDONALD, W’23
Why Penn, and Why Wharton?
College wasn’t on my mind until later in high school. My high school guidance counselor gave me the space to think through what I wanted: a good school, possibly outside Florida. I was drawn to Penn because I was deciding between Business and Nursing, two of Penn’s best. When I got in, I enrolled in the College so I could explore all of my interests. I have a friend here at Wharton who merged her interest in art with her business education so profoundly that inspired me. Seeing how my classmates connected their business education with their interests and communities pulled me in that direction.
What impactful experiences have you had at Penn and Wharton in your first year and a half?
At Wharton especially, I’ve been able to merge my interests and studies through research. Right now, I’m researching the HUD Section 184 program for Native home financing. At Wharton, I learned how to start with a good research question and develop a study in general. Now that I can perform research with communities on these policies, I feel like I can do bigger things than I imagined.
Also, Wharton Alliance joined Natives at Penn with the Navajo Nation to consult on a potential oiling project. I worked as part of both organizations, consulting with Wharton Alliance and using my Natives at Penn connections to invite Matthew Yazzie to campus.
As an emerging professional, what are some goals you have or things you’re trying to experience?
I have kept an open mind on the professional side. Generally, I want to use my business and research skills to give back to communities. How can my financial modeling skills to aid business development on reservations? How can I pass my skills onto the next generation? I am also really interested in connecting with the philanthropy world and highlighting Native causes and other under-funded causes.
As an Indigenous student in a business education space, what advice do you have for prospective indigenous students looking at universities, and especially prospective indigenous students who are curious about the world of business?
If you are interested in business, there isn’t just one look of business. It’s not just about being a workaholic CPA or about breaking connection to the Native community. In looking at colleges, just look at the values they espouse. There are going to be so many professors at a place like Wharton especially who are going to support creative research ideas. Plus, the new concentrations in ESG and DEI here are exciting. There will be resources that’ll encourage you to pursue your ideas!
– Devon Chodzin
Posted: November 22, 2022
