Passion for her people wins student prestigious scholarship

Sea Marsland already has a lengthy list of accomplishments.
And the 30-year-old Cree from Lac La Ronge is hoping to continue helping other Aboriginals for a long time.

Marsland was recently presented with a Heroes of Our Time scholarship, annually awarded by the Assembly of First Nations.
The AFN annually awards eight Heroes of Our Time scholarships in various categories.

Marsland won the Walter Dieter Award for Social Work and with it $2,000.

Marsland is in her final year of studies at the University of Calgary’s Lethbridge campus , where she will graduate with a Social Works degree next spring.

But that will not mark the end of her education. She is hoping to continue her academic career and has applied to Harvard Law School in Massachusetts as well as the University of Saskatchewan's College of Law. She would like to attending one of these two schools next September.

Marsland is thrilled she won a Heroes of Our Time scholarship.
"It means I've been recognized for all the work I've put in for First Nations reserves," she said of her accolade.

Her particular scholarship is named after a famous Saskatchewan native. Dieter served as the chief of the Federation of Saskatchewan Indian Nations from 1966-68. In 1968 he became the founding chief of the National Indian Brotherhood, which today is known as the AFN.

Those applying for one of the AFN scholarships had to submit a 1,500-word essay as well as reference letters and their transcripts.

The scholarships, awarded to those with First Nations ancestry, reward post-secondary students for their hard work, dedication and academic achievements.

In her essay Marsland wrote about why she became interested in social work - so she could help other First Nations, Métis and Inuit people.

By applying for law school she now has even loftier goals.
"First I went to school (and took social work classes) to learn about the systems," said Marsland, who  prefers to shorten her given name of Seapieces, which in Cree means Brook.  "And now I want to do something about it."

Besides the cash award which will assist her schooling expenses, Marsland said her scholarship win has been beneficial as it has created some press coverage.

"I really wanted to be interviewed by newspapers so I could bring awareness to Aboriginal causes," she said.

Two years ago Marsland founded and was a DJ for a radio program at her university called The Ravine. Besides music it includes discussions about any First Nation, Métis or Inuit issues. The Native American Student Association at the university now operates the program.

Marsland's other accomplishments at her university include starting up a language lecture series and panel discussion. This program has focussed on First Nations, Metis and Inuit cultures and languages.

She also developed a website, fracktheworld.wikispaces.com, to raise awareness about hydraulic fracking, especially on First Nations land in Alberta.

Photo caption: Sea Marsland is in her final year of a four-year Social Work degree at the University of Calgary.