Tribal college receives multimillion dollar gift

A northeast Montana community college is celebrating its largest gift ever in its nearly half century history.

In a Nov. 25 press release from Craig Smith, president of Fort Peck Community College, the $11 million gift from the MacKenzie Scott Foundation was called a “momentous milestone.”

Smith said, “We are truly grateful to the MacKenzie Scott Foundation for this transformative gift, which will accelerate several projects that have been in our long-term plans for our campus.”

Smith added that the investment will strengthen FPCC’s physical infrastructure and also allow “our administration, faculty and staff to enhance services to our students and our communities across the Fort Peck Indian Reservation for generations to come.”

FPCC will mark its 50th anniversary in 2028. Its website describes the institution as a tribally controlled community college, chartered by the Tribal Executive Board of the Assiniboine and Sioux Tribes of Fort Peck Indian Reservation in 1978.

In closing, Smith said that on behalf of the FPCC board of directors, administration, faculty, staff and students, “I express the deepest gratitude to MacKenzie Scott and her Foundation for the contribution made to our institution, along with her contributions to other tribal colleges and Indian Country across the nation.”