New president named at FDLTCC

The Board of Trustees of the Minnesota State Colleges and Universities named Anita Hanson to serve as president of Fond du Lac Tribal and Community College on June 21, effective immediately. Hanson has served as interim president since her predecessor, Stephanie Hammitt, passed away in November.

"Anita navigated the Fond du Lac Tribal and Community College community through an immensely difficult time with empathy and grace," said Devinder Malhotra, chancellor of Minnesota State. "Anita's engagement with the American Indian Higher Education Consortium and her ability to continue the work being produced as part of the Achieving the Dream initiative have been very impactful for the college."

Hanson has 28 years of progressive higher education experience working with faculty and staff to support a diverse population of students. Before taking on the role of interim president, Hanson served FDLTCC as vice president of student services and enrollment management during the fall of 2022 and the dean of student services from 2018 to 2022.

From 2008 to 2012, Hanson provided oversight of the student services department. In her eight years of administrative experience at FDLTCC, Hanson has actively led retention committees and given regular presentations helping to create campus-wide buy-in to support student success.

Hanson's recent accomplishments include leading team efforts in strategic enrollment management initiatives which has improved student headcount in the fall of 2022 and the spring of 2023. She led large-scale student success initiatives including implementation of a holistic student support grant from Achieving the Dream (ATD) that has resulted in gains in course completion and student retention rates. Hanson co-authored the college's ATD Leader College application leading to FDLTCC earning this status in spring 2022, becoming the first tribal college in the nation to achieve this status. She is currently leading a new strategic planning process for FDLTCC, working with internal and external stakeholders, Fond du Lac reservation leaders, and community business leaders to develop a common agenda to guide the college's focus for the next three to five years

Between 1994 and 2008, Hanson served FDLTCC in several capacities including faculty counselor and disability services coordinator where her responsibilities included assisting students with disabilities on documentation requirements and classroom accommodations. She also provided guidance for college and PSEO students with educational goals, academic advisement, and career and personal counseling. She also served North Dakota State University as a disability specialist from 2012 to 2016.

An enrolled member of the White Earth Band of Ojibwe, Hanson holds a bachelor's degree from North Dakota State University and a master's degree in Educational Psychology from the University of Minnesota Duluth.