# @ucsandiego on Instagram

- **Type:** Image
- **Original URL:** https://www.instagram.com/p/DRfztxLEp4b
- **Gondola URL:** https://gondola.cc/posts/37330577-ucsandiego-instagram
- **Thumbnail:** https://img.gondola.cc/tr:w-,h-,fo-auto/postThumbnails/6b56eb0b23.jpg
- **Posted:** 2025-11-25T22:56:45.000+00:00

## Caption

“My journey has been about self-identity, self-exploration and embracing pride in who I am. It led me to Fort Lewis College in Durango, Colorado, which has the largest population of Native students, faculty and staff of any non-tribal four-year university in the U.S. I connected with other urban Native folks who, like me, didn’t grow up close to their homelands and came through the Fort Lewis Native American Tuition Waiver, a form of repatriation and affirmation tied to the school’s history.

As I learned more about myself, I developed a passion for Native student success and wanted to shift the narrative that higher education inadequately serves Native students. That drive inspired me to pursue my doctorate and work in equity spaces at Chapman University, UCLA and now UC San Diego, where I serve as director of the Intertribal Resource Center (ITRC).

My path has been one of continued discovery, using my privileges to change narratives and uplift Indigenous voices. I arrived at the ITRC with a vision to embed an Indigenous lens in our work, grounding it in Kirkness and Barnhardt’s Four Rs: respect, reciprocity, relevance and responsibility. We aim for healthy, reciprocal relationships that ensure students feel heard while strengthening connections with our Kumeyaay neighbors.

San Diego County’s 18 Indigenous communities continue to teach me, and building relationships with them helps open pathways for local Indigenous students to see UC San Diego as a place for them.

The ITRC is a hub for all things Indigenous, offering community, conversation and individualized support. In the community, we strive to be as supportive as any neighboring university, committed to programs and policies that honor every student’s journey.”

— Tim Topper (he/him), director of the Intertribal Resource Center ucsd_itrc at UC San Diego #TritonStories

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- **Likes:** 450
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- **Comments:** 8

## Tags

tritonstories

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