At her small public high school on a New Mexico Navajo reservation, Jill Peters and her friends had never heard of Colorado College.

But Peters’ high school counselor had, and he was motivated to find new and different opportunities for his students. He invited representatives from CC to the school’s college fair. Colorado College looked interesting to Peters.

“The Block Plan intrigued me and I also liked the idea of small classrooms and more personal interaction with faculty,” Peters said. She ultimately attended CC, majoring in English.

From an early age, Peters knew she wanted to contribute to her Navajo tribal community or to Indian country in general, but she wasn’t sure in what way.

“I didn’t have a planned career path at the time I attended CC. I wasn’t necessarily aiming to work on Capitol Hill,” she said. “But my desire to find some way to give back to my community developed and matured in college. My CC experience taught me that there are a variety of ways to achieve success. We had to make our own decision on what that success would be.”

Peters’ interest in tribal policy increased during her time at CC and after her graduation. “Congress has the ultimate authority for federal Indian policy,” Peters said. “Whether we like it or not, our destiny is controlled by the decisions made in the Congress, the administration, and the courts. We are a minority among minorities, and more often than not, an afterthought in policy development. I thought the only way to change that was to become active in the political scene myself.”

In 1993 in her first job, she worked for the Navajo Nation legislative office in Washington, D.C. In this position, she met Arizona Senator John McCain’s staff and other Capitol Hill staff. She soon received an offer to work for McCain on the Senate Committee on Indian Affairs; he served as chairman of that committee in the 104th Congress and still serves as a member.

Peters now advises McCain on issues such as public land, the environment, agriculture, energy, and Native American concerns. She also serves as his representative to the 21 Indian tribes in Arizona.

Peters’ family placed a high value on education and hard work. Her father struggled to support his family as he completed his college degree and was a source of great inspiration.

Colorado College also called upon Peters to work hard, persevere, and investigate her purpose in life, she said.

“The Colorado College experience encourages students to reach beyond their potential and think outside the box.”

In fact, the atmosphere at CC is similar in some ways to Washington, she said.

“Work life in D.C. can be hectic and frenzied, often requiring a quick turnaround and critical thinking. Those are the same qualities nurtured under the Block Plan, which can be very strenuous. I think my experience at CC helped me to focus on my potential, develop critical thinking and writing skills, and thrive in a competitive environment.”

Peters said her career in public service has been very rewarding.

“It’s exciting and challenging, particularly working for someone as intriguing as Senator McCain. And it’s very satisfying for me to help a tribe or community achieve an important goal, or to help individuals gain a voice or access to federal assistance when they might not otherwise get an opportunity to do so.”