Keredith's advice to those contemplating college and graduate school: "Your individual success depends on your ability to challenge yourself - the possibilities are limitless because only you set limits on yourself. You've got to apply yourself in high school and then during college. Go on to graduate school, get a Master's degree, and consider finding yourself a job away from the Reservation. Get some life experiences and work experience away from the Reservation and then come back and help our people."

Finally, Keredith would like to say thank you to her family, friends and especially to the Yogi Crowe Memorial Scholarship Fund. "Without that financial assistance and support, I wouldn't have made it…gas, books, and getting copies printed of required reading materials, research books, insurance - the funding was greatly appreciated!"

Tell us about yourself and who your family is.
I was born in Hendersonville, NC, the son of Charlie Lytle and Mary Lambert Lytle, now Mary Collins. My father passed away in 1986. My grandparents were Joe and Louisa Lambert of Adams Creek in the Birdtown community. My grandfather was a very well known farmer, logger. My Grandfather Lambert used to tell stories about logging in the park years before it was the Great Smokies National Park,-and a well-known bear hunter and raiser of famous bear dogs. My mother won a scholarship to the Rutherford School of nursing in the early 1950's and was one of the first tribal members to do so.

Tell us about your program of study, why you selected that program, where you attended. Any future employment possibilities or what you plan to do after you receive your degree.
I worked for several years in television before I decided I wanted a change. I came to Cherokee to work at the casino, but the casino is not for everyone. It certainly wasn't for me.
I knew I wanted to work with people in some meaningful way. I had the idea of working in physical therapy and actually had taken some courses in it when I discovered the master's program in speech-language pathology at Western Carolina University. I enjoy this field because one can work with both children and adults in helping achieve better communication skills. I found that in PT, people didn't always want or would even do their exercises, but in speech, everyone wanted to talk, so they were always interested about doing their speech therapy.
I will probably work in this area with adults. I enjoy children, but feel I am better working with the adult patient. This will include helping recover language skills after a stroke, a traumatic brain injury, or dementia.

How did the Richard Yogi Crowe Memorial Scholarship Fund help you achieve your graduate school goals?
The Richard Yogi Crowe Memorial scholarship meant everything to me because it helped pay my bills while I was in school. With the current price of gas, I was really in a bind trying to get to my internships, which were in places like Georgia, and the VA at Asheville. The scholarship took a great deal of stress off my mind. It also gave me extra time to study. If I had to work a job, there is no way I could have achieved the grades I did while I was in the program without the assistance of the Richard Yogi Crowe Memorial Scholarship fund.

Any advice or words of wisdom for potential graduate students or anything else you would like to add?
I think a Master's degree is very vital in this day and age. At one time, an undergraduate degree would do, but jobs are becoming more competitive. It is very important to have a masters.
I am extremely thankful for all the support and encouragement the scholarship fund has given me over the years while I was at Western. If it wasn't for the Richard Yogi Crowe Scholarship Fund, I don't know if I could have made it through graduate school.
I would advise anyone seeking a master's degree to "go for it." Cherokee needs more diverse people in different fields.