Salish Kootenai College's president retires after 34 years

PABLO - Salish Kootenai College honored the retirement of Joseph McDonald, its first and only president in the 34-year history of the school. Last Thursday, June 17, several hundred people showed up to celebrate his career in a building that was named after him, on a campus that owes its existence to him.

"I just realized I have to retire because I just can't continue to be so nice, patient and humble anymore," McDonald joked.

The Joe McDonald Health and Athletic Center was abuzz as entertainers performed and speakers shared their memories of McDonald. A huge buffet-style dinner ensured nobody went home with an empty stomach. Montana state lawmakers, former educators and coworkers were among those in attendance.

"This is really a celebration of my change in careers. I'm not really retiring, I'm just changing jobs," McDonald said. "It's been a wonderful experience working here. Each fall, I've gone to school since 1938."

According to SKC Chairman of the Board Bob Fouty, McDonald has been appointed President Emeritus, an honorary title bestowed upon someone who has shown exemplary service. McDonald will still have an office at the Fouty, "his own key to the gymnasium."

Even though he's retiring, he will still be a large presence at the college.

"When he walks into the room, it's like a quiet whisper ‘Joe's here'," Angela McClure, who used to work for McDonald, said. "At the college, Joe is one of the most approachable people on campus."

Sports was where McDonald first started out, playing football and basketball for his hometown of St. Ignatius.

"Joe's family has been in the valley since people were in the valley," Fouty said.

As quarterback, he led the Bulldogs to the State Class C Championship in 1949. He was named to the All-Tournament team at the State Class C Basketball Tournament in 1951.

"If they would have had a three-point line, he probably would have set a Montana state record for points scored," Fouty said.

His success as an athlete taught him the importance of athletics and their impact on kids.

"It's very important for physical education, it keeps a lot of kids in school and it keeps their grades up," McDonald said.

McDonald remembered he was raised in a smoking environment but he never smoked since it was said that it would cut his wind for athletics. It was this kind of dedication that allowed him to take his athletic career to the next level.

He attended Western Montana College where he was a starter in football, basketball and baseball. In 1951, he was named to the All-Conference team. McDonald was also named by his teammates on the football team as the outstanding backfield player. He received an Associate Degree in Education in 1953. He received his Bachelor's in Education from the University of Montana in 1965 and his Ed.D. Degree in 1981.

UM also awarded McDonald the Honorary Doctorate of Human Letters in 2005. He was named by the University of Montana Foundation as one of the "Fifty Greatest Grizzlies."

McDonald had a long career of coaching in athletics too. He coached basketball in several places in the state of Montana. He was the track coach at Northern Montana College and Hamilton High School. He also coached varsity football at Ronan.

SKC has also been very active athletically with the men's and women's basketball teams winning three national tribal championships each.

From 1968 to 1976, he served as the high school principal and assistant superintendent in Ronan and created the first Native American Studies program in the Montana Public Schools system.

"His reach was far broader than his community," Montana State Legislator Carol Williams said.

He was the athletic director when Ronan won one state football championship, three track and field championships and three wrestling state championships. In 1974, he received the Sullivan Award from the Montana Amateur Athletic Union for his contributions to amateur athletics.

"Joe's impact on education and its culmination is here at the college," Fouty said.

As the founder of Salish Kootenai College, McDonald saw a school that would serve American Indian people throughout the United States.

"He demonstrated that education is one of the most important parts of making a stronger community," Montana State Legislative Senator Carol Juneau said.

When the school was first established over thirty years ago as an offshoot of a Title Three grant, McDonald was named its first president and overcame several obstacles to ensure its growth and sustainability.

"We were struggling financially just to find places to hold classes," retired educator Stan Juneau said.

At first, McDonald was a able to get the school to hold classes in unoccupied buildings on the Flathead Indian Reservation.

"Joe would work out deals and be able to use them," Fouty said.

He could tell there was need for higher education in the area and people wanted to use that opportunity to better themselves.

"You cold tell there was a need from the large response," McDonald said.

McDonald served as the stabilizing force for the college, and pushed it forward to the place that it stands today. Before 1978, SKC was a branch of Flathead Valley Community College. In 1981, the school became self-governing. SKC now consists of 53 buildings, over 1,000 students and offers seven bachelor degree programs and 13 associate degree programs.

"He built something people have only dreamt about," Williams said.

According to Fouty, the college isn't supported directly from state taxes. He said that McDonald was instrumental in raising funds for the school.

"Out of the 30,000 or so people in the county, we've graduated 2,500. That's a pretty good percentage," said Fouty.

Throughout the years, McDonald has also served on various state, tribal and national educational organizations. Many at the event had praise for McDonald and how he was able to work with everyone.

"There's probably no one more visible and effective at bringing the non-tribal and tribal members together," former educator and tribal council member Tom Thompson said. "Joe has been very effective in that area in the last 20 years, being able to merge the gap."

While McDonald's reputation far extends from the local area, his main focus has always been improving the quality of life in the area.

"Joe has never forgotten where he's from, never forgotten his community, he has maintained his identity," Stan Juneau said.

Celebration of McDonald's passion will continue this weekend with a golf scramble in his honor at Silver Fox Golf Course.