After an invitation from SKC President, Dr. Sandra Boham, and after considering the 37 tribal colleges and universities established in 14 states — among other invitations, U.S. Education Secretary Miguel Cardona chose to make his singular commencement address for 2022 at the Flathead Reservation’s own Salish Kootenai College. What stood out about SKC, according to Secretary Cardona, was the college’s focus on language as a keystone in preserving the culture of a people. He identified SKC as a model for other schools and expressed a hope that other colleges would follow its lead. Cardona further observed that SKC, being on an open reservation and inviting both tribal and non-tribal members into its community, affirmed his belief that diversity and differences enhance the ongoing development of a community.