Ellie Trahern (she, her) is pursuing a Baccalaureate of Arts degree in English with a minor in Native Studies and Ethnic & Racial Studies at Southern Oregon University. Ellie plans to graduate in Spring of 2024 and is on the President’s lists in Winter and Spring 2022 and Provost’s lists Fall 2021 and Fall 2022. Ellie is a first-generation and biracial student. Her background includes European and Native Hawaiian ancestry. Ellie grew up away from Hawai’i and experienced her culture away from the homelands of her ancestors. Ellie was able to learn about her heritage in an academic manner through her studies at Southern Oregon University.
Ellie is interested in the studies of Indigenous knowledges, specifically focused on Pacific Islander and Native Hawaiian perspectives. Ellie is particularly interested in the intersections of written accounts and literature that comes from Pacific Islander peoples. Ellie hopes to look further into the applications of a Pacific Islander identity within a Eurocentric world through literary perspectives. Other topics of interest that Ellie has include Indigenous sovereignty, Indigenous governance, and the application of an Ethnic and Racial studies lens upon literature.
After completing her undergraduate studies and graduating from SOU, Ellie looks forward to refining her knowledge of Pacific Islander studies by attending an English doctoral program with a focus in Pacific perspectives. After completing her doctoral degree, Ellie hopes to apply her post-baccalaureate education to educate undergraduate students in a professorial role. Ellie hopes to teach students their heritages in an academic manner; similar to what she experienced within graduate school. Ellie also hopes to expand the practice of studying Pacific Islander literature at an academic level.
McNair Faculty Mentor: Dr. Alma Rosa Alvarez, Professor of English
Scholar Curriculum Vitae
