On January 8, 2025, the U.S. Department of Education recognized Salish Kootenai College (SKC) as a winner of the first-ever Postsecondary Success Recognition Program.
The program was launched in April 2024 by U.S. Secretary of Education Miguel Cardona. It honors colleges and universities that excel in serving underserved student populations, facilitating successful student transfers and completions, and preparing graduates for successful careers.
The college was one of seven to be recognized out of 200 that were invited to apply.
The Postsecondary Success Recognition Program highlights the vital role that institutions like SKC play in advancing educational attainment and economic mobility for all Americans, with a particular focus on underserved communities.
SKC is a public, primarily associate degree granting institution chartered by the Tribal Council of the Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribes of the Flathead Indian Reservation in Western Montana. SKC serves over 600 students with nearly 80% underserved students of color and over 65% of students receiving Pell Grants. At SKC, 68% of students transfer or graduate within eight years, and students earn more than high school graduates in the state on average after college.
SKC views their commitment to student success as critical to economic development, community sustainability, and tribal sovereignty for the Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribes and the more than 60 tribes represented among their student population. SKC practices a holistic network approach to student support providing academic, basic needs, and career services through a coordinated CARE team.
