Carin Silkaitis, MFA
IAIA News:
The Institute of American Indian Arts (IAIA), the University for Indigenous Creative Excellence, is pleased to announce the appointment of Carin Silkaitis, MFA, as IAIA’s Provost and Executive Vice President for Academic and Student Affairs, effective Aug. 1, 2026.
Silkaitis brings significant experience as an academic leader, artist, educator, and administrator. They currently serve as Dean of Arts and Sciences and Professor of Humanities at the University of Alaska Southeast. Silkaitis also recently served as Interim Provost, leading academic strategy, accreditation, research and sponsored programs, and graduate education across three campuses.
“Carin Silkaitis brings collaborative, mission-driven leadership to IAIA at an important moment in our institution’s future,” said IAIA President Dr. Shelly C. Lowe (Navajo). “Their experience in academic strategy, accreditation, student success, faculty development, shared governance, external partnerships, and arts-centered higher education aligns strongly with IAIA’s commitment to Indigenous creative excellence. We are excited to welcome them to the IAIA community.”
Silkaitis was selected following a national search led by IAIA President Dr. Shelly C. Lowe, with support from a hiring committee that included a member of the IAIA Board of Trustees, faculty, and staff. From more than 100 applications received, the committee advanced seven qualified candidates for close review and gave careful consideration to community feedback gathered during the campus process.
As Provost and Executive Vice President for Academic and Student Affairs, Silkaitis will serve as IAIA’s Chief Academic Officer and provide executive leadership for Academic and Student Affairs. Working closely with faculty, staff, students, and the President’s Cabinet, they will help advance academic excellence, student success, Indigenous arts and cultures, and the values that guide IAIA’s work.
Silkaitis’s background includes leadership in strategic planning, curriculum development, accreditation, student success, faculty development, shared governance, external partnerships, and interdisciplinary arts education. Earlier in their career, they served in leadership roles at Columbia College Chicago and North Central College and bring a deep background in theatre, creative practice, and arts-centered education.
Silkaitis also has experience working with Indigenous education and arts initiatives, including collaborations with the University of Alaska Southeast, Sealaska Heritage Institute, Goldbelt Heritage Institute, and IAIA-related partnerships. Their work has included relationship-based academic initiatives, support for Indigenous arts and language programs, and partnerships grounded in reciprocity, cultural respect, and community engagement.
“I am honored to join IAIA and to work alongside IAIA President Dr. Lowe, IAIA’s faculty, staff, students, and community partners,” Silkaitis said. “IAIA’s integration of art, academics, culture, and community engagement represents the very best of higher education. I look forward to listening, learning, building relationships, and supporting the students and creative communities that make IAIA such an extraordinary institution.”
Silkaitis earned an MFA in Theatre Performance from the Theatre Conservatory at Roosevelt University and a BA in Psychology from Indiana University. They also graduated from the actors’ training program at the School at Steppenwolf in Chicago and have worked extensively as an actor, director, educator, and academic leader.
Students at the Institute of American Indian Arts. Photo by Jason S. Ordaz