FVCC President presents mentor award to Salish Kootenai College President

(L-R) FVCC President Dr. Jane Karas presents Salish Kootenai College Founder and President Dr. Joseph McDonald with the fourth annual President’s Mentor Award while FVCC Board Trustees John Phelps and Tom McElwain applaud. (courtesy photo)

KALISPELL — Flathead Valley Community College President Jane Karas presented her fourth annual Montana Mentor Award to Joseph McDonald, president of Salish Kootenai College, during the college’s 41st commencement May 15. The award was created in 2006 to honor a community leader who every day inspires us with their leadership, vision, integrity and passion and exemplifies the meaning of mentor.

McDonald is the founder and president of Salish Kootenai College. Under his leadership, the college moved from its initial home as a satellite campus of FVCC in Kalispell to a campus consisting of 53 major modern buildings situated on 128 contiguous acres in Pablo. Prior to the college, McDonald worked as a high school principal and assistant superintendent from 1968 through 1976 in Ronan and created the first Native American Studies program in Montana Public Schools.

In Karas’ presentation, she acknowledged McDonald as “an individual who has used his gifts of vision, leadership and encouragement to help thousands of individuals.”

In her remarks, she noted, “he has dedicated his life to helping people help themselves.”

Karas recognized McDonald for his role as a mentor to students across the state of Montana, to educators across many nations and to many elected officials from sovereign nations, the state of Montana and Washington, D.C.

She regarded McDonald as a “great role model not only for his friends and relatives but for all Indian country.”

Karas acknowledged him for providing her advice and support when she became the new president of FVCC and when she was appointed commissioner on the Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities.

McDonald is the recipient of numerous awards and honors including The University of Montana’s highest recognition-an Honorary Doctorate of Humane Letters, The University of Montana Foundation’s “Fifty Greatest Grizzlies,” The University of Montana Department of Educational Leadership Excellence Award, Montana Ambassadors Michael P. Malone Educator of the Year Award, Montana Governor’s Humanity Award, Montana Indian Athletic Hall of Fame, Distinguished Alum of the University of Montana and Western Montana College and Montana’s 100 Most Influential People of the 1900’s.

He holds honorary doctorate degrees from Gonzaga University in Washington State and Montana State University.

Last year, Karas presented the award to FVCC Board of Trustees Chairman John D. Engebretson.

For more information, contact Monica Settles at 756-3801.