DONALD A. GRINDE, JR. IS NAMED HEAD OF UVM'S NEW ALANA STUDIES PROGRAM
Grinde, 48, who has written extensively about Native American history and government policy toward Native Americans, will also teach history at UVM.
"I regard this as a great opportunity to go to a really great place and work with some great people on something that´s dear to my heart," Grinde said. "I´ve worked in the field of ALANA studies all of my professional life, and now I have the opportunity to implement some of those ideas from the beginning."
"He´s a solid scholar, an internationally known scholar in his field of Native American history, and he has many years of front-line experience in ALANA issues," said James Lubker, associate dean of UVM´s College of Arts and Sciences and co-chair of the search committee. "He´ll be a strong advocate for ALANA studies."
Grinde said he was attracted to the area as well because of his interest in the history of the Iroquois, and Canada. He is also a friend of Howard Ball, dean of Arts and Sciences, a friendship that dates back to when both were working at the University of Utah.
Grinde earned his bachelor´s degree from Georgia Southern College, and his master´s and doctorate degrees in American history from the University of Delaware. He has taught at California Polytech since 1977, with a three-year stint as director of Native American Studies at the University of Utah. He was a founding member of the National Association of American Indian Professors and of the American Indian Historians Association.
He´s an academic reviewer of grant applications for the National Endowment for the Humanities, and the author of numerous books and scholarly articles. He has worked on several motion picture and television projects about Native Americans.
"He´s not only an outstanding scholar in his own particular area but is also an outstanding person who has had a lifelong commitment to issues of justice," said Gail Albert, assistant director of the Center for Service Learning and co-chair of the search committee. "He´ll make a wonderful role model for this campus and I think he´ll have a terrific impact on the faculty, the students and the whole climate at this institution."
He will start in his new position this fall.
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