It was exciting to see the Chronicle of Higher Education rank Fort Lewis College as having the highest percentage of Native American students of any liberal arts college in the country. For anyone who knows FLC, this might not come as a surprise, but it’s gratifying to get national recognition.
What I think is just as important as our student body diversity is the success of the students who come here. We’ve seen the FLC graduation rate continue to climb in recent years, and today it stands among the best for regional schools in Colorado. Our Native American graduation rate has been climbing as well. One of my favorite distinctions is that Fort Lewis College awards more degrees to Native American students than any other baccalaureate institution in the country.
The effect of a college education for Native American communities is remarkable. According to the National Center of Education Statistics, the unemployment rate for Native Americans with only a high school education was 16 percent. That rate fell to 5 percent for those with a bachelor’s degree or higher, the largest gap for any ethnic group.
I’m proud of the last century of history of Fort Lewis College and of our commitment to diversity and academic excellence. I’m excited to see what the next century will bring.
Sincerely,
Dene Thomas
President, Fort Lewis College