West River Eagle

6 questions with 6 BHSU Grads: D’Aryn Lends His Horse


SPEARFISH… Full-time jobs, travels across the world, and advanced degrees. In this series “6 questions with 6 grads,” Black Hills State University will highlight the future plans of some of the University’s May 2018 graduates.

Name, Location, and Major?

My name is D’Aryn Lends His Horse. My major is chemistry and I’m from Eagle Butte, S.D.

What are your plans after graduation?

I was recently accepted to pharmacy school in Denver at Regis University. I’ll be going there in the fall.

What will you miss most about BHSU?

What I’ll miss most about Black Hills State would probably be the opportunities. I’ve been able to do a lot of things while I was here. I traveled to Africa and the Philippines for service learning trips. I’ve worked with President Jackson, I’ve also worked with the Center for American Indian Studies, and have been involved with many clubs. One of the clubs that I’m in I got to organize and host the Pow Wow that we do every year. Being close to my culture was really cool.

What’s your favorite memory at BHSU?

My favorite memories of Black Hills State would be my international service learning trips. I didn’t know anyone in the classes. Getting to travel with strangers brought us all close together and we were a family when we came back. To experience different cultures really opened my eyes and I think made me a better person. To get to teach students that were similar to me in a way was a great overall experience.

How has BHSU prepared you for your future?

Black Hills State has prepared me both academically and personally because of all I got to do while in college. I took pretty much all the chemistry courses that were offered, I got to do research, I got to travel, so many different things that not only prepared me academically but how to be a good person overall and to get out there and actually be successful. I always wanted to be in the health professions. Growing up I had sick family members and I remember my grandma used to have diabetes. She used to let me give her insulin shots. I think it was when I realized it wasn’t the doctors that were giving my family these medications that helped them feel better it was the pharmacists – that’s when I chose pharmacy. I chose pharmacy before I chose chemistry, but everything I’ve done up to this point was to get me to pharmacy school which I actually got in to!

Who is your favorite professor?

Dr. John Dixson, associate professor of chemistry. I’ve taken classes with him and I’m helping him with his research. He’s really let me know the inside scoop on things, gave me life advice and interview advice. I think he helped me get into pharmacy school with all the interview tips he’s given me. In his Seminar of Chemistry class we went over interviews. He gave us certain questions he was asked and would be repetitive in all different types of schools you’d be interviewed for. I’ve actually had a few of those questions in my interviews for pharmacy school so I was overly prepared which was nice.

Nearly 390 graduates will be recognized during the 175th BHSU Commencement Ceremony at 10 a.m. Saturday, May 5 at the Donald E. Young Sports and Fitness Center. The public is invited to join and celebrate the students’ achievements. Degrees to be awarded include 66 master’s degrees, 294 bachelor’s degrees, and 28 associate’s degrees. An honorary doctorate will be bestowed upon Dr. Lowell Amiotte, Oglala Lakota and a 1964 graduate of BHSU.

D’Aryn Lends His Horse, chemistry major from Eagle Butte, S.D., is one of nearly 390 students to graduate from Black Hills State University Saturday, May 5. After graduation, D’Aryn will pursue her goal of becoming a pharmacist. She was accepted into pharmacy school in Colorado.

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