New Native American student counselor starts at Minot State
Minot State University graduate and Turtle Mountain Band of Chippewa native Dennis Parisien is the new Native American student counselor at MSU. Parisien comes from a varied background, which includes more than seven years of service in the U.S. Army, four years as an MSU student, five years as an MSU enrollment services representative and nearly three years as a North Dakota Job Services veteran employment representative in Minot. Parisien said his desire to work with students is what brought him back to the university.
"I’m a firm believer in the mission of Minot State," said Parisien. "My experiences at MSU changed my life and that is truly what I think the university can do in the lives of Native Americans from the state and region."
Parisien points out that the student to faculty ratio of 13 to 1 at Minot State is a perfect environment for anyone coming from a smaller high school, like he did. Parisien is a Dunseith native and enrolled member of the Turtle Mountain Band of Chippewa. He said his own personal insight into the challenges that surround today’s Native Americans is what has prepared him to be a higher education recruiter and counselor to Natives.
Parisien will also be an advisor to the Native American Cultural Awareness Club and a member of the MSU Diversity Committee. He said he’s proud to be working at a university that is among the best in the state in serving the needs of Native Americans and his ultimate goal in taking this new position is to increase involvement of Native students on the Minot State campus and within the community.
To contact Parisien, call 701-858-3000 or e-mail him at dennis.parisien@minotstateu.edu.
11/23/09