Here are some dedicated members of the UOG community who are contributing to preserving and revitalizing Micronesian heritage.

UOG STUDENTS

Chauntae Quichocho 

Degree Program: Bachelor of Arts in CHamoru Studies - CHamoru Studies for Education
Expected graduation: Fañomnåkan 2023 

“I hope to teach the CHamoru language and culture at an elementary school. We need to protect and sustain our culture, but we cannot do that if we do not teach the children. Our culture is who we are. When we study and practice it, we give it life and honor our ancestors.”

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Luke Tedtaotao 

Degree Program: Bachelor of Arts in CHamoru Studies - CHamoru Studies for Education
Expected graduation: Fañomnåkan 2023 

“I believe it’s important to study culture because it helps us understand who we are better. Currently, I’m a teacher of the CHamoru language and culture. I hope to continue my work in the education system — hopefully inspiring and helping more and more people to learn the CHamoru language and culture. I hope to be able to help young CHamoru people realize the importance of knowing their indigenous heritage the way my teachers inspired me.”

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Nolan Flores 

Degree Program: Bachelor of Arts in CHamoru Studies; Bachelor of Arts in Political Science
Expected graduation: Fañomnåkan 2022 

“I hope to continue my work on preserving and revitalizing Fino’ CHamoru and advancing our/the CHamoru people’s quest for self-determination and decolonization. Knowing our indigenous language enables us to capture the full depth of our cultural heritage. Although understanding and speaking Fino’ CHamoru does not define your cultural identity, our language is a helpful tool in connecting with our mañaina, learning from and living through them, and carrying forward all that defines us as the indigenous people of Guåhan."

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UOG ALUMNI

Andrew Gumataotao 

UOG Degree: ‘16 B.A. in CHamoru Studies; ‘16 B.A. in Fine Arts – Music

“Studying culture helps us find ways to expand our capacity to understand how our homes, environments, genealogies, and customs are beneficial and generative for our collective lives. With my cultural musicology research, I make connections across multiple fields of study that engage with music, movement, and sensorial domains. I have the opportunity to see how music and performing arts build bridges and amplify community knowledge bearers who transmit their knowledge to future generations.”

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UOG FACULTY

Mary Therese Cruz, Ph.D.

Associate Professor of Political Science, Micronesian Studies, and CHamoru Studies

"When I left Guam for graduate school, I realized how little I knew about the history of my people and my identity. This realization inspired my teaching and research interests. The more I read, the more interested I was in learning about Guam and the region. This passion continues into the classroom because it gives me an opportunity to share what I know with my students in the hope that they will be inspired to make a positive impact in our community. Indigenous politics and regional studies bridge traditions with contemporary political issues [...] it allows students to see how issues in our island and region affect their lives so they can see themselves as agents of change."