Embracing a hidden heritage
Mataya Larson arrived at the University of Minnesota Duluth (UMD) unsure of her Indigenous identity, having only recently learned about her family’s roots in the White Earth Nation. Through her studies in anthropology and American Indian Studies, she began to confront the colonial legacy of academia while reclaiming space for cultural preservation. Her involvement with the American Indian Learning Resource Center and the Indigenous Student Organization helped her connect deeply with her heritage. Now nearing graduation, Larson speaks with clarity and pride about her journey.Read more about Mataya's story: https://news.d.umn.edu/articles/mataya-larson-2025
More from UMD Life
- 1:23Embracing a hidden heritageMataya Larson arrived at the University of Minnesota Duluth (UMD) unsure of her Indigenous identity, having only recently learned about her family’s roots in the White Earth Nation. Through her studies in anthropology and American Indian Studies, she began to confront the colonial legacy of academia while reclaiming space for cultural preservation. Her involvement with the American Indian Learning Resource Center and the Indigenous Student Organization helped her connect deeply with her heritage. Now nearing graduation, Larson speaks with clarity and pride about her journey.Read more about Mataya's story: https://news.d.umn.edu/articles/mataya-larson-2025
- 2:34Cardboard Boat Races: Duct tape dreams in actionThe annual cardboard boat race at the University of Minnesota Duluth (UMD) never disappoints. Learn more about campus life at UMD: https://campus-life.d.umn.edu/
- 0:50Feel the pulse of game day 🎧Learn more about campus life at UMD: https://campus-life.d.umn.edu/
- 0:54We asked Bulldogs what they're most excited about this year 🐶Learn more about studying at the University of Minnesota Duluth: https://d.umn.edu/
- 2:19The College Boys of UMD celebrate 50 years of friendshipFor more than 50 years, a group of University of Minnesota Duluth (UMD) alumni known as “The College Boys of UMD” have gathered annually to celebrate their friendship. Over the years, they’ve shared in many of life’s transformative moments. From marriages and career achievements, they’ve celebrated each other's success and supported one another through illness and loss. And while their paths diverged, their connection endured, rekindled each year around the “Fire pit of knowledge.”Read more about the College Boys of UMD: https://news.d.umn.edu/articles/college-boys
- 1:19Beyond the classroom: A bold choice, a balanced pathLeah Blomquist, a professional sales major with a minor in health and wellness coaching, made the bold decision to apply to only one school: the University of Minnesota Duluth (UMD). Her confidence was rooted in the university’s specialized sales program, but she quickly discovered that UMD offered more than just academics. Through a high-level remote internship with Gartner and her work as a lead fitness instructor at UMD’s Recreational Sports Outdoor Program (RSOP), she found that her two seemingly different fields of study were complementary.Read more about Leah's story: https://news.d.umn.edu/articles/professional-sales