By Leala P., Student Communications and Engagement Coordinator within Student Success Services at the American Indian College Fund
Student Engagement and Communications team at Turtle Mountain College’s Anishinabe Campus
I joined the American Indian College Fund (College Fund) in October 2025 as the Student Communications and Engagement Coordinator within Student Success Services. Since then, I have had the opportunity to learn more about the work of tribal colleges and universities (TCU) through the students and institutions we serve. I am grateful to have had my first TCU site visit as a College Fund employee at Turtle Mountain College (TMC) during a recent team retreat.
TCUs have always been familiar to me. My grandma and auntie have both worked at Oglala Lakota College for my entire life, so I grew up understanding that a tribal college is much more than a place where students attend classes. TCUs are woven into their communities. They provide spaces where students and community members can learn and grow both individually and together. Visiting TMC allowed me to expand that understanding by seeing how another tribal college carries out that responsibility in its own community.
Our team my supervisor, Mariah, and I toured both TMC’s main campus and the Anishinabe Campus. One of the most memorable parts of the main campus tour was visiting the Archives Room in the library. We viewed traditional artwork, basketry, and materials documenting the Tribe as well as the college’s history. One item that especially stood out to me was a typed daily newsletter that the very first president of TMC, President Carty Monette, distributed to the campus community. It was a simple but meaningful glimpse into how the college stayed connected and shared information at that time. It was fascinating to see how the newsletter work I do today continues a long tradition of communication and storytelling within the TCU Movement, one practiced by one of its founders.
At the Anishinabe Campus, we learned more about the college’s agriculture and gardening programs and initiatives. Much of what we saw reflected traditional knowledge and the importance of caring for the land while creating unique resources for the community. The campus also operates community-centered activities such as farmer’s markets. It was a powerful example of how education at a TCU can reach far beyond the classroom.
Our visit also included an appliqué bag-making workshop organized through TMC. The workshop gave our team an opportunity to create something with our hands and spend time together outside of our usual work. We practiced using a sewing machine, which was new to me, and were able to learn a lot in such a short time! As our team’s responsibilities often include elements of design work, it was a fun challenge to put those skills towards a different medium. It was a meaningful team-building experience that also reinforced one of my biggest takeaways from the visit: so much is made possible through TCUs!
Leala P. With Completed Appliqué Bag
I left TMC feeling grateful for the welcome we received and for the opportunity to experience this site visit alongside my team. Although I grew up with Oglala Lakota College as part of my life, visiting Turtle Mountain College gave me a broader appreciation for the distinct ways each TCU reflects and serves its people and community. For my first site visit with the College Fund, I could not have asked for a more meaningful reminder of why this work matters.
