Donald Day Appointed President

of Fond du Lac Tribal and Community College

Donald Day today was appointed president of Fond du Lac Tribal and Community College by the Minnesota State Colleges and Universities Board of Trustees. The college, located in Cloquet, is the only combined tribal and community college in the United States.

Day, 48, is currently director for the American Indian Center at St. Cloud State University. He will begin serving as president January 6, 2003.

“We are confident that Dr. Day will serve this unique and important college with great distinction,” said Chancellor James H. McCormick. “His combined experiences and background in leadership, education and American Indian issues will enable him to lead the college and serve its students with integrity.”

McCormick recommended Day to the board after interviewing three finalists recommended by a search committee and consulting with the chair of the Fond du Lac Tribal College Board of Directors that jointly governs the college with the Minnesota State Colleges and Universities.

“The process was very fair and thorough and the search committee members worked hard to forward the best candidates to the chancellor,” said Stephanie Hammitt, who chairs the Tribal College Board of Directors and served on the search committee. “As president, Dr. Day will be a great complement to the fine people at the college.”

Day began serving as director for the American Indian Center at St. Cloud State University in 1997. Prior to this, he served as minority student services director for Bemidji State University for 12 years. Day also taught at the University of Minnesota Duluth. He earned his bachelor’s degree at Bemidji State University and holds a master’s degree from the University of Minnesota Duluth and a doctorate from the University of North Dakota in Grand Forks.

Day grew up near Walker and lives in Duluth with his wife, Priscilla. They have three children. He is a member of the Leech Lake Band of Ojibwe.

Day will become the second president of Fond du Lac Tribal and Community College. Lester Jack Briggs, the founding president, died in December 2001. Tom Davis, chief academic officer and director of tribal college programs, is serving as interim president.

Fond du Lac Tribal and Community College serves 1,300 students annually in credit courses and offers a liberal arts transfer program, American Indian studies, environmental science and many two-year career programs including law enforcement, computer technology and nursing.

The Minnesota State Colleges and Universities system is made up of 34 state universities, community colleges, technical colleges and comprehensive community and technical colleges in 46 Minnesota communities.

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