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AIU Online Instructor Liz Ross Heads to Washington

AIU Online instructors have experience in their respective fields and businesses, but, Instructor Liz Ross might be the first to break new ground. An instructor at AIU Online since 2004, Ross is about to be confirmed by the U.S. Senate for a position as a trustee at a Tribal College in the Southwest. This is a position Ross did not apply for: the Office of Presidential Personnel came to her.

"When I received the initial email asking whether this was something I would be interested in doing, I was quite humbled. I could think of a million other people who were way more qualified. But then I thought, 'No. Wait. I am qualified. I have lots to offer; sometimes I think way outside the box and maybe that is what this position needs.'" An advocate for the rights of Native Americans her whole adult life (she is half-native from Alaska herself), Ross responded that, yes, indeed she was interested in the position. That was back in November.

The FBI quickly began doing a complete background check on her and Ross was recently told she passed with flying colors. "I feel quite like Dudley Do-Right. I'm pretty low key and stay out of the limelight. I don't break the law; well, maybe I speed every once in awhile. Even so, the FBI checked out so many references. They even talked to a few people at AIU."

Because other professionals are in the process of security clearances for other positions at the same time as Ross, they are being sent to the U.S. Senate for confirmation as a group. The background checks on the other nominees have not yet been finished however. That should happen in the next few weeks and then all will be confirmed together. "As soon as the Senate approves these nominations, I'm active in the position."

Ross does not yet know many details about exactly what sort of work she will be doing as a trustee of this college, but she does know she will not have to relocate from her current home in Florida. She does know that the Board of Trustees oversees the college as a whole and is responsible for managing the numerous grants the college receives from the Federal Government. She expects to have to travel to Washington D.C. to report to staff members of a congressional committee a few times a year.

Ross believes she was earmarked for this trustee position because of her activity on behalf of Alaskan Natives for the past few decades. She has lobbied in Washington D.C., meeting with Senators and Representatives and even taking a meeting at the White House.

Although she now lives about as far from her Alaskan roots as possible, Ross returns regularly to the Alaskan village her mother grew up in, Unalakleet. Southeast of Nome on the Norton Sound, Unalakleet was founded by Ross' great-grandfather; her grandfather, Joe Nashoalook, was the last village chief before the U.S. bought the Alaska Territory.

While this new appointment would seem to impact Ross' classes at AIU Online very little, she disagrees. "My father-in-law had a great saying: 'No matter what you do and experience, it adds richness and character to what you do.' This will add more character to my classroom."

A non-traditional student herself—Ross didn't get her Bachelor's Degree until her four children were grown (and then she quickly went on to get her MBA and a DBA in Management and Finance)—Ross knows how important character can be in the classroom. "I got my MBA at a traditional school where all the professors were full-time faculty. I got my PhD from a nontraditional school however, and many of the faculty had field experience. It was a huge difference between the two degrees and made the one much more interesting. I'm happy to have this new experience of my own to add to the diversity of experience the AIU Online faculty has as a whole. Each of us on our own is very multi-dimensional; together this multi-dimensional-ness is a tremendous benefit for students."

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