Marcia St. Goddard

Senior, health and human performance and exercise science

Hometown and state?
Browning, Montana.

Why did you come to UM?
Initially, I came on scholarship.

What’s your favorite place on campus?
I like to hang out at the Rec Center a lot and work out.

What’s the best course on campus?
A course called How to Study in College. It helped me manage my time and know how to study for different classes and how to prioritize.

Have you done any internships or exchange programs?
I did an externship at the local Indian Health Service in Browning, working with the physical therapists as a PT aide. It gave me sense of what to expect in the field and for where I plan to work. There are different issues for areas like the reservation.

Have you had any other majors besides your current one?
I was undeclared for about two years, but after doing the externship in Browning I felt really confident about my choice.

Who has influenced you most in your time here?
I had a daughter during my first semester of college and it was tough for me to come from a place where I was not considered a minority to a place where I was considered a minority. I had to deal with the culture shock and try to relate to people with whom I thought I could never relate. But as I took more classes and met more people from different cultures I realized that our perspectives weren’t so different. It was challenging. I had to be a student. I had to work – which was different for me because there are no jobs on the reservation for young people, and I had to be a new mother. So through that experience I’ve grown. I’ve realized that every choice I make will reflect not only on my future but also on my daughter’s future.

What are some of the on-campus resources that have been helpful for you?
ASUM Childcare was helpful. The Educational Opportunities Program was really helpful and the Health Career Opportunities Program. They gave me that support that I needed. I also started working at the American Indian Student Services Program and they referred me to outside services.

Are you in any clubs or activities?
I have done the Kyi-Yo Association. I also help Blakely Brown with the health fair at the powwow and I’m part of the American Indian Peer Mentor Program. We mentor Native American students when they first come to college. It was really helpful for me because I was shy when I first came. I didn’t know my way around campus. I didn’t know my way through the financial aid process. Now I can provide that assistance to my mentees.

What is your main goal in life?
To become a physical therapist and provide a strong home for my daughter. My ultimate goal is to return to the reservation as a physical therapist and help preserve traditional culture. Over the years our Native American elders have not lived long enough or been healthy enough to pass on their beliefs. When I was young my grandfather was in a nursing home and was isolated so he could not pass on his traditions and the family was left without guidance. When the elder becomes less mobile they go downhill. Physical therapists can help with prevention and with keeping them mobile.

Do you have a hero?
My grandma. Her husband divorced her and didn’t support her. She moved to Seattle and got her master’s degree in education with her six kids.

How would you solve the energy crisis?
I’m a strong advocate for riding your bike, walking, running, especially with the nation becoming more obese, or take the Bio Bus! I take the Bio Bus everywhere.

Describe your personal style or fashion sense.
I like to dress up. I always feel a little overdressed in HHP, but I like to look professional.

If you could have any superpower what would it be?
Someone asked me this before: Would you like to fly or be a millionaire? I said, I’d like to fly and then I’d charge people to ride on my back and make a million.

What’s your favorite guilty pleasure?
Cold Stone Creamery ice cream. I’ve been guilty a lot this summer.

What’s your favorite Montana body of water?
McDonald Lake in Glacier. It’s clear and cold. I love it.

What’s the best thing about Missoula?
It’s probably one of the most diverse towns in Montana.

-- Interview and photography by Winona Sorensen