Salish Kootenai College on the Flathead Reservation in Montana has only seen one president since its inception in 1978.

That changes come July, when Luana K. Ross takes over the college. She's a member of the Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribes who was urged to accept the job by her uncle.

"Last spring, I got a phone call out of the blue from my dear uncle, who was dying in the hospital at the time,” Ross, 60, told Inside Higher Ed. “He said, ‘You’ve got to come home. You’re my unfinished business.’ He told me to apply for this position and said that I was the best candidate and that there was no doubt that I would get the job.”

Ross hasn't lived on the reservation since 1979 but she's eager to return. She plans to start an office of public relations at the school and work to address race relations.

Ross replaces Joe McDonald, 77, also a tribal member, who is retiring after 32 years as president.

Get the Story:
Transition at a Tribal College (Inside Higher Ed 3/25)

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