Terri Buffalo Star Gardner: Social work scholarships

They say that stars shine the brightest when the sky is the darkest. For Terri Buffalo Star Gardner (MSW '07), a Native American spiritual minister, her personal journey and commitment to service is helping to light the way for students of color in Loyola's School of Social Work.

Gardner's story begins with her passion for family. Her parents founded Soft Sheen Products, an African-American hair care and cosmetic company that she later ran until the family sold the company to L'Oreal. "After being so involved in the business, I asked myself what I wanted to do with the rest of my life," says Gardner. The answer came in many ways, as she decided to adopt a child from Ethiopia, get her master's degree in social work, and to become a reverend.

"In my life, I've seen first hand how many people are helped by counseling in the difficult times of their lives," she says. "It became clear to me that I could be doing something so much more important."

Gardner's spiritual journey led her to a Cherokee spiritual center, where her mentor, the Venerable Running Wolf, conferred her name "Buffalo Star" as a symbol of her life's aspiration--to provide a bright light in the midst of people's darkest times. Gardner went on to become a minister and to launch the Gadohi Usquanigodi Native American Spiritual Center of Chicago, a place of oasis in the city, where people can connect with each other and the land.

Gardner wanted to focus on serving others on a one-on-one basis, so she chose Loyola's graduate program in social work. "At our spiritual center, we deal with the whole person," she says. "My counseling background has helped me to become a more effective minister."

While at Loyola, she became passionate about supporting people of color through the School of Social Work's (SSW) Multi-cultural Alumni Resource Committee (MARC). "I wanted to assist with some of the challenges people of color face and to relieve a little of the financial pressure so they could stay focused on education," says Gardner. To do that, she annually funds a graduate assistantship that actively champions MARC's mission of recruiting and retaining quality students of color.

"Terri's scholarship fund helps Loyola support students from diverse populations, while rewarding students for their hard work and diligence," says Terri Kilbane, PhD, faculty director at MARC. "Several of the recipients balance going to school with caring for their children and families. They were chosen to receive the scholarship because they demonstrated a passion for addressing and going above and beyond the challenges of students from different races and cultures in carrying out MARC's mission."

In 2008, two Gardner scholarships were awarded, one to Essie Riley at Loyola's Carthage Campus, and one to Deresha Gibson. Both will receive their MSW degrees at the end of the summer.

A mother of two sons, one with leukemia and one with autism, Gibson is committed to direct service of others. "Being the strong mother I've had to be, I've become a nurse, therapist, and advocate for my boys," says Gibson. "Loyola has taught me how to be a great clinician."

Through the Gardner scholarship, Gibson worked to energize others about the support that MARC can provide. "I spread the word through flyers, e-mailing, and events. As a result, we're supporting an even more diverse population."

Gibson plans to enter a PhD program to continue her education, but her Loyola experiences have already touched her for a lifetime. "The Gardner scholarship taught me the value of partnership," says Gibson. "Terri Gardner believed in Loyola enough to start this scholarship. It's important to become a partner in something you believe in. That's something I'm planning to carry forward in my own career."