An Indian Leader Institute program to strengthen leadership among Montana’s American Indians will continue for another year thanks to a $40,000 grant from the Student Assistance Foundation. However, the group plans to refocus its efforts to help native students make the transfer from college to work.

“Indians face a different situation when they step out of school and into any profession,” said Pat Williams, a director of the Indian Leader Institute and a former U.S. representative from Montana.

“Many want to return home…(But) many more want to learn about living in the white world,” he said.

This year, two pilot programs will be created, one at the University of Montana and another at the Salish-Kootenai Tribal College, that will aim to develop leadership skills in students who are close to graduating. Twelve students from each school will be chosen to participate.

Currently, American Indians are not filling leadership roles, and part of the reason is the many differences that exist between natives and the rest of the population, Williams said.

“Too many people see those differences as weaknesses,” Williams said. These include cultural and intellectual differences that he thinks can in fact “promote Indians and make them superior leaders.”

One example of intellectual differences William provided was American Indians’ perception of nature.

“Indian people have not only a reverence for but an understanding of their connection with the land and water,” he said. “Properly used, this can bring about changes in all of our relationships with the environment.

“But Indians need to get into places of leadership first.”

Williams said the program will teach students the current structure of government as well as how to structure their goals. Training, Williams admitted, that was not needed by American Indians alone.

Additionally, this program will strengthen the relationship between UM and Salish-Kootenai College, Williams said.

“President Dennison has been interested in securing the already tight relationship (between the two schools) and we’re simply following him down that path,” he said.

The Student Assistance Foundation is a non-profit organization that gives student loans as well as grants to organizations focused on education. Williams said that the institute may not have survived for a second year had they not received the money.

Last year, the program focused on helping American Indians who were already in leadership positions, including two symposiums held for both American Indian legislators in Montana.

But according to Kelly Chapman, an executive at the Student Assistance Foundation, her company was persuaded to give the grant after the institute developed a plan to shift the focus to educating students.

“We feel strongly that it’s important to help our tribal members with their leadership,” she said.

Williams said they were intending to make that change from the creation of the group, but admitted that the option of receiving funding from the Student Assistance Foundation encouraged them to make the change this year.

Because funding was just secured, the leadership programs will not get off the ground until a month from now, Williams said. Williams now works for several non-profit organizations.