Student aims to be 1st Native woman welding graduate

At 7 a.m. most people are just starting their days, but by this time each morning Mesa Community College student Leslie Bahe is already hard at work at the Southern and Dobson campus, according to a news release from the college.

Most of the week her day will not end until 8:30 p.m., and for many students, her 17-credit-hour workload would seem unbearable.

But Bahe has some motivation to keep her going. Next spring, Bahe will become the first Native American woman to graduate from the college's welding department.

Bahe, Diné, grew up in Kayenta. She first became interested in welding in her freshman year when she took a beginners class at Flagstaff High School. Bahe discovered she had an affinity for welding.

"All the other kids just wanted to watch me weld," Bahe said, grinning sheepishly.

Despite her skill at welding, Bahe did not plan on pursing it after high school. Originally she planned on joining the Marines, but after taking a tour of MCC's campus and particularly the welding department, Bahe said her mind was made up.

Bahe's advisor, Loretta Damon, who works for MCC's American Indian Center, helps Native American students achieve their goals and prepare for their lives after school. In Bahe's case, Damon was by her side step by step to help her through her placement tests and to make sure she got into the classes she was most qualified for.

Bahe says that Damon was a mentor in her personal life and helped keep her on track.

Life can be challenging for Native American students, who come from all over the state. Many, Damon said, become homesick and the distraction can sometimes be too much.

"A lot of kids want to go home, but not her," Damon said. "She's a role model to the kids in her tribe."

Upon completing her degree at MCC, Bahe said she would like to go to Ohio State University to continue her education in welding.

After getting her bachelor's degree, Bahe is considering going into underwater welding, a specific field in the industry in which welders dive to extreme depths to make repairs to oil rigs and large ships at sea. It can be one of the highest paying jobs in the industry, and one of the most dangerous, something that Bahe admits attracts her even more.

But Bahe is also considering pursing a career in education. One of her goals is to go back to Flagstaff High and teach the next generation of aspiring welders.

Bahe said she will never forget her time at MCC.

"I love it," she said. "The school, the teachers, the students. They are all great."

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