Thomas Reed

DR. THOMAS REED, a new tenure-track professor in the American Indian Studies department, is proudly English, Irish, German and Oneida. His Oneidan name is Lukwe'tiyó, Oneida for “he is a good man,” and he aims, he says, to live up to the sentiment of his name and to honor all of his cultures.

“I am really passionate about my identity and my heritage,” Dr. Reed says. “Also just about trying to create a better world for Native people and all peoples. I think that I’m really passionate about trying to create a better, more inclusive world for everybody.”

Carrying that mentality into his teachings has been a priority for Dr. Reed, who labels himself a lifelong learner. In 2012, he graduated from Pepperdine University, where he studied communication with an emphasis in rhetoric and leadership.

He received his master’s in public administration and a certificate in American Indian Studies from CSULB in 2016, then attended an American political leadership program at George Washington University before finally returning to California for his Ph.D. in leadership and organizational consulting at University of San Diego.

“The best advice I got was to just go in with humility and authenticity,” he says. “I do not pretend to know all the answers, but I’ll tell you what I learned from my different experiences in education.

“I tell my class, ‘Whatever we co-create, whatever we collaborate, you are all co-instructors.’ I recognize that there is so much out there I do not know, and when we put our minds together, we can accomplish more.”