University of South Dakota Medical Biology student and Udall Scholar Tamee Livermont is focused on serving Native American communities as a neonatologist.
Nationally, 60 juniors and seniors received $7,000 scholarships from the Udall Foundation. The foundation selects recipients based upon their commitment to careers related to Native American health care, leadership, environment, tribal public policy and academic achievement.
“Where I grew up, I saw mothers using drugs and alcohol while they were pregnant and I could see the effect this had on their children, who were born addicted,” Livermont, a member of the Oglala Sioux tribe, said. “I feel as a neonatologist, I could be a first line of defense for those babies.”
Another focus for Livermore will be preventing drug and alcohol abuse through educational programs. Over the summer, she will be researching addiction to methamphetamine.
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