Business administration student recognized for her dedication to campus, local community

The recognition felt like a huge achievement to the young student. Medicine Horse never thought college was for her, until she lost her dad in 2020. “He always told me that education was the most important aspect that you could have and that nobody could take that from you,” Medicine Horse said.

After she graduated from high school, Medicine Horse joined the workforce right away. Her father’s death motivated the Turtle Mountain Band of Chippewa citizen to go back to school, which led her from her home in New Salem to United Tribes Technical College in Bismarck. Years ago, her dad received a certificate in welding. While Medicine Horse acknowledges her skill in welding, she has bigger dreams. The 29-year-old envisions herself eventually owning a store, so she decided to major in business administration.

Dorene Malling-Lee, the Business Administration Department Chair at UTTC, has been Medicine Horse’s advisor since she first began the program. In the classroom, Malling-Lee noted that Medicine Horse always stood out for being outspoken and insightful.

“One of the things I noticed when I first met her is that she’s not one of those people who are nervous to ask questions or answer questions –– if she has something to ask she’s going to ask it,” said Malling Lee. “And she’s a big-picture thinker. The questions she thinks of are always beyond just wanting to know a fact; she always wants to apply it to something outside.”

Medicine Horse has been dynamic throughout her time at UTTC. The third-year student is an American Indigenous Business Leader fundraising officer, Thunder Society student representative, a member of the American Indian Science and Engineering Society and is running for student government president this spring. “I want to help clubs be able to get the funding that they need to be able to help the community out here,” Medicine Horse said.

Earlier in March, Medicine Horse was voted captain of the UTTC Business Bowl team for the 2024 American Indian Higher Education Consortium Student Conference in Minneapolis. Medicine Horse, who participated in the business bowl, an academic competition, helped lead her team to winning first place this year.

“We had started from scratch, but we fought our way through and I believed in my team the whole time,” Medicine Horse said.

Amid her bustling schedule are the duties and joys of motherhood, as Medicine Horse is a mother to three children. Her youngest, Maylee, was born not long before she enrolled at UTTC and will be turning four years old this year. Another reason why Medicine Horse decided Fall 2021 was the time to go back to school is because she wanted to be more present in her children’s lives. The long hours she worked at each of her jobs left her exhausted by the time she returned home.

“I realized that my kids are growing up without me,” said Medicine Horse. “I just applied to college because I was like, you know what, I can take a step back. I drop them off at school, I come to classes myself and then I’m home before they’re even home.”

Not far from Medicine Horse’s side is Nichola DeMarrias, the business student’s younger sister. DeMarrias, who is currently a general studies student at UTTC, plans to go to nursing school after she graduates. She said Medicine Horse has continuously supported her throughout her educational journey.

Last month the sisters were both nominated for UTTC’s Student of the Month. DeMarrias was nominated to be a United Tribes Student Government Association representative. Though they were equally considered for the award, DeMarrias said it was a no-brainer for her to vote for her elder sister.

“She told me to vote for myself, that I deserved it,” said DeMarrias. “But I get to see what she does outside of school for her clubs and any of the activities we are doing. So I voted for her and knew it was the right thing to do.”

DeMarrias describes Medicine Horse as loyal, hardworking and determined. The 26-year-old also said her older sister’s best trait is uplifting others. “If not for my sister, I would not be where I am in life,” said DeMarrias. “If you know Terrica, then you know she tries to encourage you in whatever you are doing. She doesn’t do it because there is something to gain from it, but because she knows how hard it is.”

In the future, Malling-Lee foresees Medicine Horse going into an interactive career in education, the government or with a nonprofit. “She’s going to do big things,” said Malling-Lee. “I see her in a role of helping. I see her in some type of nonprofit organization, where she’s reaching out to help people in need. I could see her in education, maybe as a teacher or someone who comes into the classroom as a speaker to talk to students about finance and money.”

Medicine Horse, who graduates with her bachelor’s degree in Spring 2025, hopes to stick around at UTTC after her program ends. “I wouldn’t mind actually teaching here,” said Medicine Horse. “I know I’m good at math and I’m good at some of the business classes here.”

No matter where Medicine Horse ends up after graduation, she wants to continue serving people in the community. “I feel like Tribes has given me that family type of aspect,” said Medicine Horse. “Everyone cares about everybody here. And I like that –– I want to be able to be that for someone else.”