A University of Colorado administrator with ties to the Ivy League was named director of the College's 23-year old Native American program earlier this month.
Leisha Conners, a member of the Mohawk tribe who currently heads the American Indian Upward Bound Project at Colorado, will start her new job Oct. 4.
Assistant Dean of Students Dan Nelson announced the appointment last month. Conners replaces Colleen Larimore, the director since 1990, who left her position at the end of last spring to begin a doctoral studies program in sociology in the San Francisco area.
Conners received a Bachelor of Science degree from Cornell University in 1983 and a Master's degree in public administration from the University of Colorado in 1993. At the University of Colorado, Conners worked with Native American high school students, providing academic services in science education and college preparation at 16 rural Indian reservation high schools in six states.
Conners was chosen from approximately 30 to 40 applicants. "A big plus for her was that she went to Cornell and knew the Ivy League experience," said Shawn Attakai '95, a search committee member. "That boosted her over everyone else."
Conners, who has worked with high school organizations during most of her career, said she hopes to create a stronger link between Native American students at Dartmouth and Native American high school students around the country.
Conners said guidance counselors around the country spread inaccurate information about Dartmouth to high school students. She said she wants to make sure students get a true picture of the College.
"I found that [Native American] students always look at colleges on the basis of cost rather than the percentage they graduate or the programs they offer," Conners said, "and I don't think that is the best way to choose a college."
Nicole Adams '95, a member of Native Americans at Dartmouth who sat on the search committee, said the Dartmouth experience is difficult for a high school counselor to describe. "This is such a unique place," she said. "There are a lot of things that do not get mentioned in the Admissions Office propaganda."
Currently, 140 Native American students representing 55 tribes are enrolled at the College. The College's graduation rate for Native Americans is approximately 72 percent, nearly 10 times the national average.
The College is presently in the midst of a three-year pilot project called the Full Circle Program, which aims to increase the graduation rate of Native Americans at Dartmouth and improve their College experience.
Conners said the biggest problem Native American students face in a competitive academic environment is learning that they will not always be the most successful students. She said for many Native Americans the problem is closely related to family expectations.
"There is this expectation that if you are a very bright Native American, you are expected to be the best," Conners said. "If you come back not having gotten A's, you may be thought of as a failure because everyone in the community will know."
Conners said the College can help students adjust because of professor accessibility and the supportive environment for Native Americans.
According to Nelson, the director of the Native American Program has an important relationship with the different Native American constituencies at the College. They include the Native American house, the Native American Council, which is made up of students, faculty and administrators, the Native American Visiting Committee, which is made up of alumni, and the Native American Studies Program.
"When I came for an interview, I met with a lot of people who would interact with the Native American program and was impressed by the sincere interest they showed in the success of the program," Conners said.
"What I plan on doing is trying to find out what has happened before and what students would like to see done in the future," Conners said. "I am really going to have to rely on them since I am so new to the campus and the surrounding environment."
