The Blaine County Journal News-Opinion - We've Got The County Covered

Aaniiih Nakoda College Commencement is slated for Friday, May 10, 2024, at 1:00 p.m. The celebration will take place at the Fort Belknap Red Whip Gymnasium. Dr. John Spence will be presenting the commencement address to the forty-one graduates. Dr. Spence is Gros Ventre and Sioux and was born at Fort Belknap. Dr. Spence traveled to Aaniiih Nakoda College from his home in Salem, Oregon, on November 7, 2023, where he and other past ANC Presidents were honored during the 40th Anniversary of ANC formerly known as Fort Belknap College. Dr. Spence was the second President and through his leadership led the college toward accreditation. In 1987, President Spence applied for, and received candidacy status to pursue accreditation with the Northwest Commission of Colleges and Universities. From that point on Fort Belknap College (Aaniiih Nakoda College) could award its own degrees and operate as an independent institution; leading the college to earn accreditation in 1993.

Dr. Spence earned a Doctorate in Higher Education from the University of Washington. His past work history includes being a caseworker, program director, teacher, and trainer. While living at Fort Belknap he served as a tribal health planner, group home director, parenting project coordinator, foster parent, tribal councilman, and college president. He was the director of the student substance abuse program at Chemawa Indian School in Salem, Oregon. At the Confederated Tribes of Grand Ronde, he worked in their tribal youth treatment center and social services department. For twenty years he was an adjunct instructor at the School of Social Work at Portland State University and served for six years in the U.S. Marine Corps Reserves. Dr. Spence and his co-workers have involved hundreds of youths from the nine Oregon Tribes in horse therapy workshops. Currently he works twice a week with tribal youth and horses at the Native American Rehabilitation Association of the Northwest (NARA-NW) youth residential treatment program. He is the author of Crazy Wolf, A Half-Breed Story (2021). We welcome Dr. John Spence home.