FLC Appoints New President 

Fort Lewis College will be led by an indigenous president for the first time in the institution’s history. The FLC Board of Trustees unanimously voted to approve Dr. Heather j Shotten as the college’s next president. At its meeting on April 11th, shotten was the sole finalist for the position you’re watching the Local News Network, brought to you by Kroger’s, ACE Hardware and San Juan Regional Medical Center. I’m Ryan Simonovich. Shotten is an enrolled citizen of the Wichita and affiliated tribes and a descendant of the Kiowa and Cheyenne Tribes. She holds a doctorate in educational leadership and policy studies from the University of Oklahoma. Shotten joined Fort Lewis in 2022 as the vice president of diversity affairs. During that time, shotten also served as acting Dean of student engagement. Shotten said she applied for the president’s role for several of the same reasons she joined the Durango College in the first place. She wanted to be part of what she called the good work then underway, particularly around diversity and reconciliation.

I think that the dedication that I witness here at Fort Lewis is really unparalleled. The commitment that our faculty have to our students, the commitment that the entire campus has to making sure that our students are successful, that we’re having a positive impact is so inspiring.

Shotten will oversee the execution of a strategic plan that was finalized last December.

Our focus on academic excellence through whether it’s place-based learning, experiential learning, mentorship, undergraduate research, the experience that our students get here, that focus is really important to me. Basic needs continues to be something that is important for us and our, our attempt to make sure that our goals, to make sure that our students’ needs are met at all levels so that they can be successful, and that we’re meeting not just the needs of our students, that we’re meeting the needs of our faculty and staff here at the college. Of course, our focus on reconciliation as a part of the strategic plan is really important, and I think our willingness to engage with the history of Fort Lewis College and our beginnings as a federal Indian boarding school and how we’re both confronting that history and also turning it into a responsibility for how we are having positive impacts both on indigenous students, indigenous communities, tribal nations, and thinking about our responsibility to reconciliation.

Shot’s work in diversity affairs centered on student belonging, as well as reconciliation with the school’s history. As an Indian boarding school, Fort Lewis Indian School in Hesperus operated from 1891 to 1911. It was one of many boarding schools across the country that have legacies of mistreatment and abuse as they tried to assimilate indigenous students into white society without regard for their native cultures. Fort Lewis has made a concerted effort to reckon with its dark past since 2019. More than 160 indigenous tribes in Alaska, native villages are represented on campus. But until shot’s appointment in April, the president’s position has never been filled by an indigenous leader.

Just a, a powerful moment, I think, for me personally, but also for my family and my community, my home community, my own tribe, and I think for our students.

Shotten will take the helm as president on July 1st.

I’m just really excited to step into this role and to be here at Fort Lewis College and, and to continue this work and to engage with the, the community as we all work together and partner on making sure that Fort Lewis College is, is serving this region and, and that we’re building a strong future together.

Few more stories at Durango Local News. You’re watching the Local News Network. I’m Ryan Simonovich.