It will provide a venue in which future Native American leaders can empower themselves through education.
It will help tribes nationwide become empowered as graduates return to and become leaders on their reservations.
It will accommodate the significant growth in the Native American student population (see graph at left) and the number of non-Native students taking Native American Studies courses (almost 2,000 in 2005-06).
It will provide a space for Natives and non-Natives to explore the intersections between the traditions of Native American and mainstream cultures.
It will create an epicenter for tribal leaders from Montana, the region, and the nation to gather, unite, and address some of their common challenges.
It will provide a central location for scholarly activity and exchange about Native American topics, with a goal of increasing campus, community, regional, and national understanding of Native American history, culture, perspectives, and life-ways.
