A LEGISLATIVE COMMEMORATION, Celebrating the life, legacy, and accomplishments of Lionel Bordeaux.

WHEREAS, Dr. Lionel Bordeaux was a trailblazer in Indian education by founding the Mission, SD, tribal college, Sinte Gleska University (SGU). Along with being a founder of the university, Dr. Bordeaux served as the university president for nearly fifty years and led SGU to become the first tribal institution of higher learning to be accredited at the bachelor’s and master’s degree levels; and

WHEREAS, Dr. Bordeaux served in leadership roles as a councilman for the Rosebud Sioux Tribe; board member for the Native American Rights Fund; regent of the Haskell Indian Junior College in Lawrence, Kansas; and the president of both American Indian Higher Education Consortium, and the National Indian Education Association. He was twice appointed by United States presidents to serve on the National Advisory Council on Indian Education. Dr. Bordeaux also co-chaired the historic White House Conference on Indian Education; and

WHEREAS, Dr. Bordeaux recently passed away on November 16, 2022, leaving behind a legacy of dedication to Indian education. He will be remembered for being the longest-serving college or university president in the United States along with his efforts in founding the American Indian College Fund, the World Indigenous Nations Higher Education Consortium, and the Tribal College Journal:

NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT COMMEMORATED, by the Ninety-Eighth Legislature of the State of South Dakota, that Dr. Bordeaux lived a celebrated life of continuous commitment towards the improvement of Indian education and towards positively impacting all of South Dakota through his various endeavors.