Welcome back, students!

Sep 5, 2008 | Archives, Blog

Labor Day weekend is officially over, and with it, summer has ended. That means one thing in the world of tribal colleges: back-to-school time!

Whether you are a new student this year or returning to complete your education after a hiatus or are headed towards the final stretch to earning your degree, I want to personally congratulate you for the strength and wisdom it took to enroll in college. Your education will be a constant companion with you throughout your life. You may lose your job, material possessions, or even struggle with illness. But once you have an education, no one can ever take that away from you. It will inform who you are, how you view the world, and how you walk upon this earth. It will impact your children, your extended family, and your partner.

You have embarked on a great personal and community journey. By choosing a higher education, you reflect well upon yourself and your people. Congratulations and good luck. Study hard, ask the hard questions, and never doubt yourself or give up and you will succeed on your journey!

Recent Blog Posts

Native American Rights Fund (NARF) Challenges Federal Staff Reductions at Haskell and SIPI

Native American Rights Fund (NARF) Challenges Federal Staff Reductions at Haskell and SIPI

On Friday, March 7, 2025, the Native American Rights Fund (NARF) announced three Tribal Nations (Pueblo of Isleta, Prairie Band Potawatomi Nation, and Cheyenne Arapaho Tribes) along with five Native students sued the United States Department of Interior and Office of Indian Affairs. The case, brought by NARF in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia, challenges the staff reductions at the Bureau of Indian Education (BIE) and the BIE-run tribal colleges which include Haskell Indian Nations University (HINU) and Southwestern Indian Polytechnic Institute (SIPI).