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Dr. Gerald Monette
"If I were to open this window and shout 'I'm a leader,' people would laugh and no one would listen to me anymore," says educator Dr. Gerald "Carty" Monette, president of Turtle Mountain Community College in rural Belcourt, North Dakota. As the head of the first institution of higher education on the Chippewa reservation and a member of the Turtle Mountain Band of Chippewa, Monette understands that humility is one key to his effectiveness as a community and educational leader.
And the truth is that his record speaks for itself. It begins with longevity. Monette has been at Turtle Mountain since 1973 and stepped into the president's position in 1978. "It isn't usual for mainstream higher education but I love this kind of work," he explains. When he came to the college, the 14,000 members of the Turtle Mountain Band who live in the area had no access to higher education and unemployment was high.
Today, the college has 650 students, most enrolled in post-secondary programs. The rest are enrolled in pre-college programs, which Monette says is an extremely important role for the college to play. "In addition to the academic programs we offer, it's critical to the success of this community that we provide basic education so that people can find employment and meet the needs of employers."
Beyond the education the college offers, Turtle Mountain set up a Center for New Growth and Economic Development in 1989 under Monette's leadership. In 1995, funding from the Kellogg Foundation allowed the Center to become a reality. Working with tribal leadership, the Center has embarked on several projects to enhance the community's ability to succeed and to provide more opportunity for the people living in the area.
Among the Center's chief projects are a wind energy program; its participation in a review of the tribe's constitution; a school reform initiative to improve student performance particularly in math, science, and technology; and a program to reintroduce traditional Native American foods back into the diets of tribal members.
It is programs like these that make Monette particularly proud of the institution he leads. "Native Americans have seen failure so many times. One of the reasons that both the tribal leadership and the people trust us is that we have sustained what we have done and they can see that we're succeeding in bringing positive change. That the community can trust us is vital to being able to do what we do."
He describes the growth of the institution as one indicator of the college's visible success. "We began in one room on the third floor of a deserted convent. Almost thirty years later, with community support, we have our own space and are beginning construction of a new auditorium."
Monette says that his success as a leader of the college has come as he has adhered to some basic tenets of leadership in both the Chippewa and the wider culture. "I try to state my vision for the college and the community clearly and often so that people can get comfortable with what we're trying to accomplish. It's also critical that I understand the community so that I know how much we can do at one time." Respect, communication, and relationships with the tribal leadership are also important to his success as president and to the college's value within the community.
As leader and member of the tribe he serves, Monette relies on tribe teachings to guide his work. "They aren't really so different than the teachings of any community. They include respect, honesty, humility, wisdom, peace, bravery, and truth. I try to keep those teachings in front of me as I carry out my job here."
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Dr. Joseph O'Rourke