The Cal Alumni Association Native American Scholarship (CAANAS) is a one-year, merit-based award that recognizes Native American students at UC Berkeley for their leadership, community involvement, and contributions to the Indigenous community. This scholarship is available to all Native American students at Cal, including incoming first-year and junior transfer students. We are honored to introduce the second cohort of CAANAS recipients for the 2022 – 2023 academic year.
Introducing the 2022 – 2023 Recipients
Breanna Wheeler
Breanna is a proud transfer student, a system-impacted scholar, and the first in her family to pursue higher education. In addition to majoring in political science and minoring in Native American studies, Breanna works in public health evaluation and research with Native American Health Center in Oakland. In her work, Breanna supports important Native-led research and advocacy for the health and wellbeing of other urban Natives in her community. She is humbled and honored to be able to reconnect with and work in Indigenous spaces in the Bay Area. She plans on pursuing a Masters of Public Health degree following her graduation in 2023. Her research interests include the long-term health effects of incarceration on those from Native communities. The Native American Scholarship supports her pursuit of graduate school education as well as her future goals of completing a post baccalaureate education and beginning an M.D. program to become a pediatrician.
Parker Yazzie-Umberger
My name is Parker Yazzie-Umberger and I am a first-year Navajo student at Cal studying political science. I was raised in Phoenix, Arizona, surrounded by strong indigenous women who encouraged me to seek out a multitude of passions while simultaneously giving back to my community. I participated in competitive running, fine art photography, and foreign language clubs, but I always prioritized service projects that allowed me to give back to Native American families while learning about my people. The knowledge I gained in these settings has motivated me to pursue a career in politics to further provide aid to native communities and reduce the effects of systemic oppression.
Read more about Parker’s experience at Cal and beyond.
