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Tarissa Spoonhunter

Associate Professor of American Indian Studies

Tarissa Spoonhunter

Contact Tarissa Spoonhunter

855-2240 Email

Main Campus Riverton:INTERTRIBAL CENTER 120K

Office Hours

Many of my elders preserve our culture by sharing their knowledge and that’s what I am trying to do. In my Nation Building classes, I have introduced more Federal Indian law and policy classes. Helping American Indians learn about contemporary issues and what they are facing today in subject areas of treaty rights, national forest, national parks, traditional ecological rights; these are topics we discuss.”

Biography

As the professor of American Indian studies at Central Wyoming College, Spoonhunter is focused on sharing knowledge with other races and nationalities to build relationships to increase understanding; something that resides deep in her roots growing up on the Blackfeet Indian Reservation. 

At age nine, Spoonhunter was given the name Medicine Beaver Woman by her people, a name she remembers feeling came with a great deal of responsibility. Spoonhunter carried that responsibility throughout her life accomplishments. She earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in anthropology from the University of Montana and a Master of Arts and a Ph. D. in American Indian Studies from the University of Arizona. She earned awards from the National Science Foundation, published numerous research papers and has presented at national conferences.

Degrees
  • Bachelor of Arts - Anthropology, University of Montana
  • Master of Arts - American Indian Studies, University of Arizona
  • Ph.D. - American Indian Studies, University of Arizona