We recently welcomed Vanessa Haswood, a Haskell Indian Nations University student, to Travois as a summer intern. Vanessa is joining us for the second session of our summer internship with Tepa. She spent four weeks with Tepa and will finish out the summer with our Travois Asset Management & Compliance team! Read on to get to know Vanessa.
Q: Please introduce yourself to our readers.
A: I am an enrolled member of the Navajo Tribe and I am also half Mexican. I am from Window Rock, AZ, the capital of the Navajo Nation. I was raised by a single mother. I have two older sisters, an older brother and a niece. I grew up in church, so religion is a big part of who I am.
Q: How did you pick a college to attend?
A: At the end of my senior year in high school, I wasn’t sure where I wanted to continue my education, so I ended up taking a semester off. That summer my family and I took a road trip to Michigan for my cousin’s graduation, and we stopped in Lawrence. I fell in love with the area and I decided to attend Haskell Indian Nations University in the spring of 2015.
Q: Tell us about your time in college.
A: Attending Haskell was the best decision that I ever made. It’s been really great there. I earned my associate’s degree in liberal arts, and in the spring of 2019, I will earn my bachelor’s degree in business administration and management. Kinis Meyer and Phillip Marshall have been my favorite instructors at Haskell.
Q: What does this internship mean to you?
A: This internship is a great opportunity for me because it gives me new experiences. Both of these companies are teaching me new things. At Tepa, I was able to work in different departments within the company: marketing, business development, technology, environmental and human resources. I am excited to work with the asset management team here at Travois.
Q: What accomplishment are you most proud of?
A: I am really proud of how well I am doing at Haskell. In high school, I didn’t take it seriously, so I didn’t do a very good job. At Haskell, I have been making the Dean’s List and President’s Honor Roll. With the grades that I have been getting, I am also a Chief Manuelito Scholar, which is a big accomplishment from my tribe.
Q: Do you have a slogan, wise words, or life philosophy that represents you?
A: My favorite quote from the Bible is Philippians 4:13: “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.”
Q: Who’s the one person who makes you laugh the hardest?
A: My older sister, Crystal; she is the silliest person I know, and she knows how to make me laugh, especially when I need it the most.
Fill in the blank:
1. On weekends, you’ll find me: Catching up on sleep, going to the gym or watching movies.
2. My favorite holiday is: Halloween! I love all the creepy decorations, crazy costumes and going to haunted houses. I enjoy being scared.
3. My favorite movie, band or song of all time is: My favorite movie is “Pearl Harbor.” I can watch that movie so many times and never get tired of it.
My favorite band would have to be Midland, a country group, or the Backstreet Boys. I have so many favorite songs by a variety of artists, so it’s hard to choose. But I love anything from Carrie Underwood.
My first car was a: Navy blue Chevy Cruze.