American Like Me: Jay Calhoun

By Elizabeth Macanufo 

January 2010

The son of two Cherokee Nation citizens, Jay Calhoun split his time growing up between Anchorage, Alaska, and Sallisaw, Okla., within the Cherokee Nation. Exposed to Native community in both locations, Calhoun learned the importance of community at an early age, taking lessons from his great uncle, a Cherokee Nation Tribal Council member, who served with the Principal Chief and distinguished leader, Wilma Mankiller. This influence remained strong throughout his life, leading him to pursue a business education and return to Oklahoma to work for the tribe in which he was raised.

After completing high school in Anchorage, Calhoun paved the way for his four younger brothers to receive higher education by becoming the first member of his family to attend college. At the University of Oklahoma, Calhoun closely observed his 2,000 Native American classmates. He remembers, “one thing you faced as a Native American student was that sometimes you felt a little out of place. You’re used to being in a smaller town with people you know.” Noticing that this outsider mentality led to Native American students dropping out during their freshman year, Calhoun vowed to change the cycle. Helping implement a freshman retention program, he connected freshmen with upperclassmen to help the entering students adjust to college life. “The freshmen needed to feel something familiar and get the support they needed academically and socially.”

Majoring in chemical engineering, he secured internships in the oil and gas industry, leading to experience with the National Science Foundation and providing the foundation for his career in power and energy management consulting.

During his consulting career, Calhoun continued providing leadership for his Native American peers. As he explains, “At the consulting firm, I helped create a National Native American networking group. If you’re a Native American going into a global consultancy, your parents weren’t likely in business strategy or finance roles. We had the opportunity to share common interests and give back to the company.” With the support C-level leadership, the group planned leadership workshops and cultural activities to educate coworkers about the Native American community. The group quickly grew from two to 50 members, allowing them to concentrate their efforts on recruiting Native American analysts.

After several years in the consulting field, Calhoun began considering a MBA. “Business schools had always been in the back of my mind. I didn’t get a lot of business background as an engineering major.” Mentors who had gone to business school encouraged Calhoun to pursue the degree, but his desire to continue providing leadership for Cherokee Nation confirmed his decision. “I had initiated discussions with tribes about economic development, and it put a seed in my head about what I could do with management experience, problem solving skills and structured education.”