Dr. Karla Bird, Blackfeet Community College – 2019
Okii Nis-Too Nii-Ta-Nik-Ko, Natook Kyiyaki, Nii Amskapi Piikani. Hello, my name is Karla Bird and I am an enrolled member of the Blackfeet nation. Recently, I have graduated with a doctoral degree in Educational Leadership at the University of Montana. My area of expertise is in Higher Education, with the specific intent of serving within a leadership capacity at the Blackfeet Community College.
The topic of my doctoral dissertation was on educational persistence among American Indian students attending post secondary education. The intent of this research was to use an Indigenous research orientation to view students as sources of strength and resiliency, with tools and assets that help them persist and reach success in academe. Success for Indigenous students involves the ability to maintain their own cultural identity while also meeting high academic standards, in order to make a valuable contribution to society.
I am very excited to serve the Blackfeet Community College alongside so many highly esteemed staff, faculty, board members and the tribal council with a focus on student persistence and success. I truly believe that a students’ sense of belonging and purpose at BCC can translate into retention and graduation. I look forward to the upcoming academic school year, as BCC offers our students an opportunity to build a strong academic foundation that will eventually contribute to the overall nation building of the Blackfeet tribe.