- Details
- By Brian Edwards
- Arts and Culture
The Institute of American Indian Arts has named Dr. Shelly C. Lowe (Navajo) as its next president, effective August 1, bringing federal-level leadership experience to the Santa Fe-based university dedicated to Indigenous creative education.
Lowe will succeed Dr. Robert Martin (Cherokee Nation), who retires July 31 after an “exemplary tenure marked by transformational leadership and growth,” according to a statement from IAIA.
Lowe’s appointment comes after her departure from her role as chair of the National Endowment for the Humanities, where she left her position in March “at the direction of President Trump,” an agency spokesperson said at the time.
Lowe was the first Native American to lead the federal humanities agency, where she managed a $207 million annual budget. In June, she was named to the advisory council for the MacArthur Foundation's new Native self-determination program, according to Tribal Business News.
Lowe brings more than two decades of senior administrative experience, including roles as Executive Director of the Harvard University Native American Program and positions at Yale University and the University of Arizona, where she earned her PhD in Educational Policy Studies and Practice.
"IAIA is an extraordinary institution dedicated to nurturing creativity, innovation, and leadership within Indigenous communities," Lowe said in a statement. "I am deeply honored to join this vibrant community and look forward to building upon the visionary work of my predecessors and the board of trustees to further IAIA's mission, support student success and programs, and strengthen its national and international presence."
Beverly Morris (Qawalangin Tribe of Unalaska), IAIA Board of Trustees Chairperson, said Lowe's background makes her well-suited for the role. "Dr. Lowe's distinguished career, visionary leadership, and unwavering commitment to Indigenous education and the arts make her uniquely suited to lead IAIA into its next era of excellence," Morris said in a statement.
President Biden nominated Lowe to lead NEH in 2021, and the Senate confirmed her appointment in February 2022 for a four-year term. Lowe grew up on the Navajo Reservation in Ganado, Ariz., and previously served on the National Council on the Humanities from 2015 to 2022.
IAIA serves as one of the few universities specifically dedicated to Indigenous arts and culture, offering undergraduate and graduate programs in creative writing, cinematic arts, museum studies and Indigenous liberal studies.
