Frederick S, Bigjim, an Eskimo, has been appointed Superintendent of the Bureau of Indian Affairs agency at Bethel, Alaska, Interior Assistant Secretary Forrest Gerard announced today.
Bigjim, who has a Master's degree in education from Harvard, has been an administrator and instructor at the Kuskokwim Community College at Bethel.
A graduate of the University of Alaska, Bigjim was Executive Officer for that university's Rural Education Affairs Division in Anchorage in 1975-76. He has also served as Director of Alaska Methodist University’s Intercultural Studies program.
Born in Nome in 1941, Bigjim was a member of the Bank Street School of Education team which completed an extensive study of early childhood education needs in the Indian community. He was also part of a national Indian team evaluating the Chemawa Indian School at Salem, Oregon.
From 1969 to 1972 Bigjim worked for the Alaska Federation of Native’s, administering a state-wide job training and education program.
Bigjim is Vice-Chairman of the Board of Regents of the Haskell Indian Junior College at Lawrence, Kansas. He is also a member of the Executive Committee of the National Indian School Board of Regents. He is active in many Alaskan organizations.
