SPEARFISH - Urla Marcus has been named director of the Center for American Indian Studies at Black Hills State University. Marcus has served as associate director of the center since 2006.

Marcus will guide the activities and initiatives for the Center at BHSU. According to a news release from the university, for many years, BHSU has had the highest percentage of American Indian students as compared to any other state university. BHSU offers a major and minor in American Indian Studies, and provides additional educational, social and cultural enrichment through the Center.

"The Center for American Indian Studies has been very productive in the last few years with Dr. John Glover's strong leadership. I am honored to have been a part of it and eager to continue advancing the interests of the Center and BHSU," Marcus said in a news release. "Attracting more Indians to BHSU is one of several objectives I have in mind for the Center as well as creating new programs to meet the needs of these students when they get here."

Before her work at the Center, Marcus worked in admissions and as a project and research coordinator at BHSU. She is an enrolled member of the Northern Cheyenne Nation, Lame Deer, Mont.