ASU geology grad aims to inspire students with ‘stories from the land’
Elishua Shepherd (Diné), in front of the Labriola National American Indian Data Center mural at Hayden Library on the Tempe campus. Photo by Marilyn Murphy/ASU Library
Editor’s note: This story is part of a series of profiles of notable spring 2025 graduates.
When you meet Elishua Shepherd (Diné), you quickly realize he has left a lasting mark on the ASU community. From his role as a student worker in the Labriola National American Indian Data Center to representing ASU at many tribal community events as Mr. Indigenous 2024–25, his time at ASU reflects a strong commitment to Indigenous excellence and community.
This spring, Shepherd will graduate from the School of Earth and Space Exploration in The College of Liberal Arts and Sciences with a bachelor's degree in Earth and space exploration (Geological and Planetary Sciences).
“It sounds like I'm studying to be an astronaut, but I'm just a geology student,” Shepherd said.
His love of geology emerged while attending Phoenix College, part of Maricopa Community Colleges.
“I found geology not at ASU, but at Phoenix College,” Shepherd said. “I liked it a lot because of the stories of the land. One day, I asked my professor about all these different rock structures and landscapes around the Earth, and he had an answer and a story for every single one. I thought that was super cool and very logical, how everything fit into place.”
After transferring to ASU in 2022, he found Professor Steven Semken, who inspired Shepherd to make connections between Indigenous creation stories and geologic history.
“Taking my first geology class here at ASU entitled 'Earth Science in Arizona and the Southwest,' my professor, Steve Semken, was the one who championed Indigenous knowledge, and he started incorporating that into his lectures,” Shepherd said. “I remember he used the Western name for rock structures like South Mountain or Mount Taylor, but he also used the names given to those structures by the surrounding Indigenous communities.”
For Shepherd, it unlocked a desire to learn more about the parallels between geologic history events and Indigenous creation stories.
“I think it was the Zuni or the Hopi, they mentioned a volcanic flood in their creation story, and we can see the floods in the geologic record that they may be talking about,” he said. “It made me realize I want to study geology more and eventually become a professor who does that for Indigenous students, to try and bring more Indigenous students into geoscience.”
His educational journey is supported by several scholarships including: the American Indian Services Scholarship; the Cobell Scholarship; the Freeport-McMoRan Native American Scholarship; the ASU Geology Field Camp Scholarship; and the J. David Lowell Field Camp Scholarship from the Geological Society of America.
In this Q&A, Shepherd, whose hometown is Rock Point, Arizona, and who grew up in the Maryvale area of Phoenix, shares more about his time at ASU, his plans after graduation and advice for students.
Note: Answers have been edited for length and clarity.
Question: What was your favorite spot on campus, whether for studying, meeting friends or just thinking about life?
Answer: It would have to be the Labriola National American Indian Data Center. I feel like I can be my authentic self here and I don't have to cater to anybody. I feel comfortable here. I can study here, I can socialize here, I can eat here, and I'm surrounded by good people here.
Last April, we had a grand opening for the new space and it was beautiful to see everybody in the space for the first time and walk around and say, “I want to start studying here” or “I want to start hanging out here.” The grand opening was an impactful event because that's when our community got really big. We started getting more traffic and began hosting more events here.
Q: Which professor taught you the most important lesson while at ASU?
A: I had three professors who taught me different things. Steve Semken showed me that I belong here, and he helped me feel welcomed into the geology community.
Darryl Reano taught me that I have a set of skills that make me unique and (I) should not be afraid to apply myself to different roles. He motivated me to get involved not just with the geoscience community, but also with the Indigenous community. He's been my rock — no pun intended — for the past couple of semesters. He’s written me numerous letters of recommendation, he's given me advice on how to handle different things, and he’s also encouraged me to be my authentic self.
Thomas Sharp was my mineralogy professor who helped me understand the importance of having a strong work ethic and how important it is to balance time between work and socializing. After taking his class, I felt motivated to try my best in my classes so I worked my butt off. Honestly, it was hard because I was still finding my place here at ASU, but I eventually found a way to be a good student and stay involved with the community.
Q: What are your plans after graduation?
A: My plans are to go to grad school and to eventually become a professor of geology. I want to teach geology to Indigenous students and offer them an experience of what Dr. Semken provided for me in my classes.
Q: What’s the best piece of advice you’d give to those still in school?
A: Be kind, because there's no need for animosity between one another. We're all here to learn; we're all here trying to better ourselves. We're supposed to have fun here, and this is when you're learning about how to navigate your life and what you want to do. We all have different goals, dreams and aspirations, and for those relationships that we have with each other, cherish them, take care of them.
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