News | American Indian College Fund

I have been fortunate to have had some exciting opportunities as a college student. I was invited to the White House and held internships at the National Science Foundation and at a university in New Zealand. I was even featured in a public-television show called “The Code Trip” (part of Roadtrip Nation), in which two other computer-science students and I drove an RV across the United States, visiting top professionals in our field. My secret to landing these opportunities? It was my decision, as a Native American, to attend a tribal college — first Diné College, a Navajo institution where I earned my associate degree, and then Salish Kootenai College, in Montana, where I recently graduated.

Iḷisaġvik rolls out new business degree program

September 8, 2017

The only tribal college in the state is rolling out its very first four-year degree program this school year.

“I am super excited and I feel that our entire campus is giving all they can,” said Dr. Pearl Kiyawn Brower, president of Iḷisaġvik College. “I think everybody is excited and interested and it really has invigorated, in a lot of ways, the knowledge that we are growing and making a difference in the educational field here. We are absolutely excited for what this means for our institution and for what this means for residents of the North Slope.”

Historically, the school has only been accredited to run two-year associate’s degree programs and issue vocational certificates. However, the North Slope Borough approved an ordinance last December to allow the campus to begin offering the more advanced degrees, which put it on track to begin the accreditation process, as the Sounder previously reported.

Iḷisaġvik anticipates being fully accredited for the program by spring, so it’s started enrolling students on the full track this fall.

“I think residents recognize that business is one of our biggest economic opportunities on the North Slope. We have the borough. We have the regional corporations and the village corporations and the nonprofits, and they are all business-related. So, the best opportunities for jobs are in business,” said Brower. “We also have a very active, engaging faculty group who are supporting that business program, encouraging students to be a part of it, and helping them through the process.”

Those opportunities are a focus of the program, which will allow students who have already completed the associate’s in business to tack on a final two years to earn a bachelor’s.

“Every organization, [both for] profit [and] nonprofit, or government has to function as efficiently and effectively as possible,” said Assistant Professor David Rice, who heads the program. “There is a limit to how much revenue a business or government entity can bring in. Consequently, every dollar must be spent wisely, requiring the management of people and resources. The business program helps students gain the skills to work effectively within all levels of an organization. In addition, our emphasis on Iñupiaq values helps to shape our curriculum and instructional methods. We think this makes a business degree from Iḷisaġvik unique and especially valuable to our students.”

As a tribal college, Iḷisaġvik has concentrated on the particular needs of Alaska Native and rural students, which has influenced how it runs its programs. Teachers, like Rice, take care to focus on the applicability of their course material with that in mind, he said.

“Our students are as smart and capable as the students at any community college,” he said. “What some of them lack is the knowledge and skills to apply their abilities and be hired for the variety of jobs available on the North Slope. We have seen students who enter the college with limited job skills, but graduate with the skills and knowledge that leads to good employment. Many of our already employed students and graduates experience promotions, and we see more and more of them moving into management roles. In addition, the more jobs that local residents fill boosts the local economy because more income is spent within the North Slope.”

A more advanced degree will allow students to begin one step further ahead, administrators said.

All of the courses accommodate distance-learning students, as well, so people can take courses from their homes in the outlying villages without leaving to live on campus.

It’s an approach that’s helped bolster the popularity of the business program, which is important because interest in the associate’s degree in business is what spurred administrators to consider the area of study for the first four-year program, Brower explained.

Initially, they had wanted to do a bachelor’s track in elementary education, but didn’t have a large enough cohort of students who had already completed the shorter degree to funnel directly into the more advanced program, if it started.

“It was hard for us to get interest,” she said. “With the business program, it had been our biggest program since our inception. We had over 40 graduates from just that program, so we knew there was interest in the four-year.”

Now that the business program is fully underway, Brower said the college does have plans to establish a second bachelor’s degree program in elementary education with an emphasis on indigenous learning, but it will take some time to fully plan it.

“We absolutely recognize the need to have our own local residents in our schools. What we have done is started small with the associate’s degree in indigenous early learning and we are building that cohort so that, once we are ready to offer the four-year, we have students who are ready to move right into that program,” she said. “We want to take a lot of care and be really intentional with that roll-out.”

So, as of this fall, students are able to enroll in the college’s usual spread of two-year degrees and certification programs along with the four-year business program, which will put them on track to be Iḷisaġvik’s first graduating class of bachelor’s students down the road.

“I think it’s a real, true, testament to the importance of education on the North Slope and the future of what could be and what will be,” Brower said.

Shady Grove Oliver can be reached at sgoarctic@gmail.com.

College Fund Employee’s Culture on Center Stage

August 23, 2017

American Indian College Fund employees don’t just work to help Native students get a higher education steeped in their languages and culture. They are busy living, practicing, and strengthening their own cultural and spiritual practices,

Teresa Melendez, a College Success Coordinator with the Native Pathways to College program at the College Fund is an avid Native dancer, and recently had the chance to perform on stage at a concert with the musical group A Tribe Called Red along with her two daughters. Teresa recently shared her experience and the motivation for dancing, her appreciation for the art form, and her joy at sharing dancing and performing with her daughters for the first time with her local newspaper.

Our Native Pathways Program Featured in The Atlantic

August 2, 2017

American Indian students are using education to become the next generation of leaders.

Nine Boss Native American Women Share Tips For Professional Success

July 19, 2017

The 51 Native women who make up Women Warriors Work, a collective of indigenous activists, journalists, Ph.D. candidates, educators, and more, have too grappled with these career questions. While pursuing the goal of representing as many professional fields and passions as possible, they seek to create a decolonized space to make the world a more bearable, loving place — hence why they call it “heartwork.”

Montana State U., Tribal College Students to Seek Answers Together

June 21, 2017

Studies have shown school performance of Native children improves when nutrition improves. Montana State University will hire eight TCU student interns through a U.S. Department of Agriculture Grant to study ways to improve physical and mental health and academic performance of students in Native communities.

Dying Omaha Native Language Sees Hope for Preservation

June 2, 2017

Omaha Tribe leaders and language instructors are gaining optimism after worrying about the uncertain future of their native language.
The Omaha World-Herald (http://bit.ly/2qwcq97 ) reports that more than 70 people attended a five-day Umonhon course at the Nebraska Indian Community College‘s inaugural Summer Language Institute last week in Macy, a city within the Omaha Reservation. Organizers said attendance was double what they expected.

TCU Grads Bring Change to North Dakota Reservation

June 2, 2017

Two Cankdeska Cikana Community College graduates are working to address drug problems on the Spirit Lake Reservation in North Dakota. The young women participated in the American Indian College Fund’s Native Place-Based Leadership program, and their efforts were part of their community project.

In Your Words: Students spend a semester in the Arctic

May 12, 2017

This past school year, Iḷisaġvik College initiated a new scholarship program aimed at bringing Alaska Native and American Indian students to the Arctic for a semester of study and cultural learning.

According to Dan Wall, associate professor of social sciences, faculty had been discussing the idea of offering this program for many years based on their sense that people from outside the North Slope would be interested in spending a semester in the Arctic.

Four Tribal Colleges Sign Dual-Enrollment Agreements with Bemidji State University

May 12, 2017

Graduates from four Minnesota tribal colleges will soon be presented with a smoother path to Bemidji State University.

Leaders from Leech Lake, Red Lake, White Earth, and Fond du Lac tribal colleges are set to sign four dual-enrollment agreements with the university Friday. Tribal college students who finish their two-year degrees are automatically accepted at BSU and can start studying there without an admission fee.

American Indian College Fund Raises $119K for Native Students

May 3, 2017

New York City gala a success for American Indian College Fund and Native American students

Leeanne Root • May 2, 2017

The 2017 Flame of Hope Gala raised $119,520 for the American Indian College Fund to help Native American students to achieve their higher education dreams. A new interactive auction format had attendees raising paddles to pledge dollar amounts to help students.

The largest pledge was for $10,000, which provides a Native American student with a full-ride scholarship for one year including tuition and books. Kim Blanchard, American Indian College Fund trustee, who served as the auctioneer, kicked the bidding off by pledging this one herself.

National Honors for SIPI Student

May 2, 2017

Samuel J. Smith III (Taos Pueblo), an American Indian College Fund scholar and engineering student who will graduate from Southwestern Indian Polytechnic Institute, was named a 2017 New Century Scholar, one of the top 200 community colleges in the country.

CICD: American Indian and Alaska Native College Grads Receive a Big Earnings Boost, but Not as Much as Non-Hispanic White Grads

March 22, 2017

Education, and more specifically a college degree, is a fundamental investment in human capital.¹ Each year, millions of young adults across the United States decide whether to enroll in college. In financial terms, they consider whether the higher pay made possible by a college degree is enough to compensate for both college expenses and the time spent away from friends, family, and work while attending college.

Six Indian Education Experts React to DeVos Confirmation

February 21, 2017

by Tanya H. Lee | Indian Country Media Network • February 10, 2017

Educators in Indian country reacted with disappointment, dismay and concern to Betsy DeVos’s confirmation as U.S. Secretary of Education. Despite her having no experience as an educator in any capacity, undisclosed tax returns and contributions to questionable charitable organizations, Vice President Mike Pence broke the tie vote on her confirmation in the Senate on February 7 and DeVos was sworn in a few hours later. Here’s what some Native educators had to say about the effect of her appointment on Indian education.

Fighting Long Odds

January 10, 2017

What one semester reveals about Native American students’ struggle to succeed in college

By Kelly Field January 08, 2017

This is an occasional series of pieces on the transition to college for students at Browning High School on the Blackfeet Indian Reservation in Montana.

College Fund Expert Lends Voice to Cell Phone Debate for Young Children

January 9, 2017

Choosing whether to allow a young child to have a cell phone can be a difficult decision for a parent. WalletHub asked several national experts on education and child development to weigh in on the conversation.

Tarajean Yazzie-Mintz, Co-Director of the American Indian College Fund’s Office of Research and Sponsored Programs and Senior Program Officer of Tribal College and University Early Childhood Education Initiatives, shared that cell phones are no longer merely communications devices, but are tools to access and exchange multiple sources of information. Parents must consider these factors while strategically monitoring and guiding children’s use of these tools. Read the full article.

This Native American student has embraced 3D printing and hopes to become an astronaut

January 9, 2017

3D Printing Technology | Jan 9, 2017 | By Tess

TCUs Among Top 100 Minority Degree Producers of 2016

January 5, 2017

Twenty-two of the nation’s 34 tribal colleges and universities (TCUs) were the nation’s top associate degree-granting institutions for Native Americans, according to Diverse Issues in Higher Education magazine. TCUs provide accessible and affordable higher education for American Indian students, and are located on or near Indian reservations. A complete listing of Top 100 Minority Degree Producers can be found at Diverse Education.

New Diné College President Selected

December 19, 2016

Joshua Kellogg | The Daily Times, Farmington, N.M.

Ilisagvik On Track to Have 4-Year Degree Program

December 19, 2016

Shady Grove Oliver | The Arctic Sounder

Tribal Colleges and Universities Face Funding Challenges

May 17, 2016

Tribal Colleges and Universities Face Funding Challenges, American Council on Education web site.

EDUCATION: Colleges aim to get more Native Americans on campus

May 11, 2016

EDUCATION: Colleges aim to get more Native Americans on campus, by Stephen Wall, Press-Enterprise (Riverside, California),

Stand With Us Campaign Launches

March 7, 2016

Native students are motivated, resilient and eager to activate their academic potential. And most of them need help – 90% demonstrate financial need. Help us reach our goal of raising $500,000 so 100 more American Indians can start the path to earning their college degrees. Stand with us. Stand with Students. Together we’ll empower more American Indians to make positive change in our world. Visit standwithnativestudents.org to help by donating, to learn more about our students, and to help us spread the word by sharing their stories on social media.

Education leaders suggest ways to promote tribal colleges

September 10, 2015

President Barack Obama’s vision of free tuition at two-year colleges would encourage more Native American students to pursue higher education if it becomes reality, a national Indian education leader said Thursday in Bismarck.

College Fund Partner Gives $525,000 to Native Ed Initiatives, TCUs

June 24, 2015

Reinforcing its commitment to education and Indian Country, the Shakopee Mdewakanton Sioux Community (SMSC) has announced $525,000 in grants to Native American colleges and higher education funds. These donations include: • $250,000 to United Tribes Technical College to support technology upgrades (Bismarck, North Dakota) • $150,000 to the Blackfeet Community College to support a nursing program expansion (Browning, Montana) • $100,000 to the American Indian College Fund to support the Sovereign Nations Scholarship Fund (Denver, Colorado) • $25,000 to the Oglala Lakota College to support its Lakota language immersion program (Kyle, South Dakota) “Personal and professional success most often begins with a quality education,” said SMSC Chairman Charlie Vig. “Supporting educational opportunities for Native people today will help strengthen entire Native communities in the years ahead.”

Haskell University announces cuts to troubled athletics program

May 21, 2015

LAWRENCE, KANSAS — In a move to reduce operating expenses, Haskell Indian Nations University announced Thursday it is suspending the upcoming Haskell football season and other intercollegiate athletic programs. The measure was taken by the National Haskell Board of Regents on the recommendation of Haskell President Venida Chenault who notes the rising cost of intercollegiate athletic programs and other factors makes it difficult for Haskell to compete.

Jim Belushi at College Fund Gala: ‘There Are Opportunities Right In Front of You’

May 18, 2015

During the third and final 25th anniversary gala celebration held May 8 at The Drake Hotel in Chicago, the American Indian College Fund held not only a silent auction, but a live one as well. The live auction was for a chance to sing and dance to “Soul Man” on stage with Jim Belushi & The Sacred Hearts. Attendees were encouraged to “put your wampum together” to raise as much money as possible to help Native American students through scholarships.

Culinary tribal college students develop healthier Indian taco recipe

May 15, 2015

Indian tacos are a big part of the Native American community and one organization is working on a healthier version. Culinary students with Albuquerque’s Southwestern Indian Polytechnic Institute teamed up to make the tasty taco.

VIDEO: Tribal college grads look to future

May 15, 2015

Diversity and prosperity were celebrated Friday as graduates from Leech Lake Tribal College and Red Lake Nation College walked across the stage to receive their diplomas at Northern Lights Casino in Walker.

Northwest Indian College builds Lummi workforce, values tradition

March 4, 2015

For thousands of years, along the shorelines of the Salish Sea, the Lummi people have dug deep into the earth to harvest clams, oysters and mussels. We have set our reef nets between our canoes to catch salmon from the Salish Sea. For many of us, our most important education has been alongside our elders at the beach or on the water, learning firsthand by doing, and doing again, to understand the ways of our people and the history of our tribe. But even as we hold fast to traditions, we’ve also embraced changing times, new technology and the advanced training that’s needed to support a productive shellfish harvest. What we’ve learned through the years is that a skilled workforce — and a bountiful harvest — are possible if we make the right investments in training and education.

An Open Letter From a Tribal College Professor

March 2, 2015

Dear Ms. Sarah Butrymowicz of The Hechinger Report, I’m still waiting for your retraction. It’s been more than three months since you published your deeply flawed article, “Tribal colleges give poor return on more than $100 million a year in federal money,” and I’m waiting for you to admit to cherry-picking quotes and arriving at sensational conclusions. I thought that by now the published rebuttals of your piece would’ve prompted you to recant your story, but it seems you’re determined to stand by your incomplete analysis. Yet before I write off your journalistic credibility based upon flawed assertions such as “tribal colleges often have abysmal success rates,” I’m compelled to do my part to help you see the error of your ways. The question is: What’s the best way to teach you how to listen?

Omaha Tribe members trying to revitalize an ‘endangered language’

February 15, 2015

Two sisters from the Omaha Tribe keep a list of the people who still speak their language. There are 12 names left. Glenna Slater and Octa Keen are among the few certified to teach the Omaha tribe’s language, Umónhon. None of the fluent speakers are under 70. The single leaf of notebook paper is filled with names scribbled out. The sisters fear a day may come when the last name is scratched out.

Montana Values Tribal Colleges—And May Back Them with Money

February 12, 2015

Little Big Horn College President David Yarlott, Crow, says non-Native students choose to go to tribal colleges for a variety of reasons, among them proximity to home, access to a high quality education, low teacher-student ratios and low tuition costs. Twenty percent of students attending the nation’s 37 TCUs are non-Native, according to testimony presented by American Indian Higher Education Consortium President and CEO Carrie L. Billy before the U.S. House Committee on Appropriations in April. Montana is one of only three states (the others are North Dakota and Arizona) that provide funding to tribal colleges to help defray the expense of educating non-beneficiary (i.e., non-AI/AN) students. On January 26, the Montana House Education Committee heard testimony regarding a bill introduced by Rep. Susan Webber, House District 16, that would grant a modest increase in the dollar amount the state gives TCUs for each FTE non-beneficiary student.

A language made for poets: Lydia Whirlwind Soldier honored for helping to keep Lakota language

February 10, 2015

Tribal college grad honored for preserving language “If you understand the Lakota language, it’s a poetic language,” she said. “I’ve always been amazed at the way they were able to tell stories. I loved to hear the old men get up and talk. Their speeches were beautiful.”

Passing On: Wilmer Mesteth

February 6, 2015

He taught at Oglala Lakota College for over 20 years, where he was a cultural instructor. He taught traditional songs, dance, traditional herbs and foods, language and history. OLC student Lilly Jones said about Mesteth, “He treated everyone the same. Whether it was a Hollywood film crew or a student, he was always so respectful and humble.”

Tribal College president named one of Alaska’s top 40 under 40

February 6, 2015

Pearl Kiyawn Nageak Brower, 34, received statewide recognition this month after being named to the Alaska Journal of Commerce’s Top 40 under 40. Brower was nominated from a list of some 160 candidates and 230 nominations, the journal reported, which organizers of the list said represented some of the state’s leading entrepreneurs and emerging leaders.

Loveland High works with Oglala Lakota College on respectful Indian mascot

February 5, 2015

The school started the process last year to work with the South Dakota tribe to make sure the Indian mascot remains in the respectful spirit in which it was chosen. Now, the Loveland school is asking students from Oglala Lakota College in South Dakota to design some new logos that the Loveland school might adopt. “It opens the discussion, and it involves input to pick a mascot that isn’t offensive,” said Michelle Salvatore, teacher at the accredited tribal college. “It’s a cool thing to do, and it gives them a voice, and they’re proactive in their own identity.”

Tribal Colleges’ ‘Go To’ Fund Turns 25

February 5, 2015

College Fund president Cheryl Crazy Bull, whose Lakota name Wacinyanpi Win means “they depend on her,” recently spoke with INSIGHT Into Diversity, looking back on a quarter century of successes as well as the challenges ahead.

Bay Mills Community College Works With Invasive Plants as Pellet Feedstock Project

February 4, 2015

For the past several years, my students and I have been experimenting with making fuel pellets from invasive species. The projects have been funded by Michigan’s Biomass Energy Office, the U.S. Department of Agriculture and most recently the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative. We have also collaborated with Michigan State University and Bay Mills Community College.

The College Completion Gap Between Rich And Poor Students Has Doubled, Study Says

February 3, 2015

LOS ANGELES (AP) — The gap in bachelor-degree attainment between the nation’s richest and poorest students by age 24 has doubled during the last four decades, according to a report released Tuesday. The percent of students from the lowest-income families – those making $34,160 a year or less – earning a bachelor’s degree has inched up just 3 points since 1970, rising from 6 to 9 percent by 2013. Meanwhile, college completion for students from the wealthiest families has risen dramatically, climbing from 44 to 77 percent.

Young Native Americans celebrating their culture

February 3, 2015

One photo shows 33-year-old Tanksi Morning Star Clairmont, who grew up off the reservation in Denver. She was usually the only Native American in school growing up. She began to embrace her Native identity in high school by performing cultural dances for her classmates. She also learned the Lakota language and rituals from her grandmother and mother, and she continues to share them with her community in Denver, where she works for the American Indian College Fund. Her portrait shows her dressed in hand-beaded regalia in the colors and patterns of the Lakota and Dakota tribes, standing near a river in a park close to her home in Denver. “I’m proud that we, as Native Americans, can maintain our traditional lifestyle whether we live in the city or on the reservation and that we can be educated and be professionals, too,” Clairmont said in “Red Road.”

Tribal colleges Solving a disparity

January 29, 2015

“The idea is that we’re all in the game of educating Montanans,” says Rep. George Kipp III, D-Heart Butte, adding that tribal colleges have increasingly become “feeder schools” to bigger campuses like the University of Montana and Montana State University. Webber, who also serves on BCC’s board of trustees, says the increased funding proposed in the bill could help accelerate the growth already taking place on Montana’s tribal college campuses, and would harness the influx of non-Indian students in recent years. Non-Indian students now make up 30 percent of total enrollment at Salish Kootenai College; Kipp notes a similar increase at BCC in response to the expansion of its nursing program and its continued development of four-year programs. “All we’re trying to do with this bill,” says Sen. Sharon Stewart-Peregoy, D-Crow Agency, “is equal the playing field and provide adequate resources for tribally controlled colleges who are providing a service to all Montanans.”

Lawmaker wants to increase state funding for tribal colleges

January 27, 2015

HELENA (AP) — A Montana lawmaker proposed Monday that tribal colleges receive the same per-student funding that community colleges receive. Rep. Susan Webber of Browning introduced House Bill 196 in the House Education Committee. The Democrat’s measure builds on a 2013 law that temporarily raised the amount of state funding provided to tribal colleges to educate non-Indian students. That aid totals $3,000 per student annually and is half the amount that Montana’s community colleges receive per student. Webber’s proposal would match funding for students at tribal colleges to the average aid provided to community colleges.

Jump Start program aims to help American Indian students

January 22, 2015

RAPID CITY – Seven South Dakota colleges and universities are launching a program this summer aimed at helping incoming American Indian students get a strong start toward completing an engineering, science or math degree.

Meet Leander “Russ” McDonald, the new president of the United Tribes Technical College.

January 22, 2015

Listen: Meet Leander “Russ” McDonald, the new president of the United Tribes Technical College. He’ll discuss current legislation under discussion in Bismarck regarding Tribal Colleges; what makes for student success; and President Obama’s new proposal to create a “Tuition-Free” system at community colleges.

MSU-based study finds underrepresented students study science if they believe it helps their co

January 22, 2015

A study conducted by a group of scientists at Montana State University and California State University, Long Beach, has found that students from underrepresented minority groups are more likely to pursue scientific or research careers in biosciences if they believe the careers will in some way help them give back to their home communities. The study, “The Role of Altruistic Values in Motivating Underrepresented Minority Students for Biomedicine,” was published in the January issue of the journal BioScience. Co-authors were Jessi L. Smith and Elizabeth R. Brown, both then researchers with the MSU Department of Psychology, Allen G. Harmsen, a research scientist affiliated with the MSU Department of Microbiology and Immunology, and Andrew Z. Mason and Dustin B. Thoman of California State University, Long Beach. Thoman is with the Department of Psychology and Mason with the Department of Biological Sciences.

Oglala Lakota College geologist confirms water problems in proposed Black Hills uranium mining

January 22, 2015

Uranium mining in the southern Black Hills compromises water supplies, according to expert testimony by Oglala Lakota College Department Co-Chair Hannan LaGarry, released Jan. 12 in response to a federal administrative order. Azarga Uranium Corp., formerly Powertech Uranium Corp., sought unsuccessfully to keep the testimony from the public in the Oglala Sioux Tribe’s challenge of the company’s proposal to reopen uranium mines and mills at the Dewey-Burdock site in Custer and Fall River counties adjacent to the Pine Ridge Indian Reservation.

NDSU to partner with South Dakota tribal college

January 17, 2015

FARGO — North Dakota State University will partner with a tribal college in South Dakota to expand that college’s degree programs and increase the number of Native American students at NDSU. Officials from NDSU and Sisseton Wahpeton College signed a memorandum of understanding Friday afternoon to mark the new partnership.

President’s Two-Year Tuition Free College Proposal is Hopeful and Positive

January 13, 2015

Guest Commentary Dr. Leander “Russ” McDonald Editor’s Note: Last week Friday, President Barack Obama announced an initiative that would provide two-years of free tuition for Americans to attend a community college. Included in the proposal are the 37 tribal colleges in Indian Country. “The increasing cost of education continues to be an issue for the American Indian students we serve at United Tribes with post-secondary education and workforce training programs. We support and assist them in accessing as many resources as available. However, additional resources to help them get through their first two years of college would be beneficial – both to students and the college.

Institute of American Indian Arts Expands Key Programs

January 9, 2015

New Funding Helps to Further School’s Mission SANTA FE, N.M – The Institute of American Indian Arts (IAIA) is pleased to announce plans to expand its Master Artist-in-Residence Program, its Student Internship Program, and introduce a Sculpture and Foundry Residence Program. The expansion of these programs will bring additional educational knowledge from artists and Tribal Communities to IAIA students thereby supporting them academically — and in their careers.

Grant will help Haskell provide remedial classes to more students

January 7, 2015

A humanities grant will enable Haskell Indian Nations University to create a summer literature program for freshmen who need remedial English classes. The National Endowment for the Humanities awarded Haskell a $99,800 Tribal Colleges and Universities Humanities Initiative, the university announced this month. The amount will fully fund the development and implementation of the “Summer Bridge Program in Literature” at Haskell.

United Tribes Technical College Hires First New President in 37 Years

January 5, 2015

United Tribes Technical College has a new president. He is Dr. Leander “Russ” McDonald (Dakota/Arikara), an enrolled citizen of the Spirit Lake Tribe in North Dakota. McDonald is the former Spirit Lake tribal chairman and was selected October 24 to take over leadership of the intertribal technical college in Bismarck, North Dakota. He succeeds David M. Gipp, who served as the college’s executive director and president for 37 years.

Navajo Technical University Instructors Balance Work and Education

January 4, 2015

On December 11, 2014, Navajo Technical University nursing instructors Shawnadine Becenti and Jonathan Lumibao graduated with Master’s of Nursing degrees from the University of New Mexico’s Nursing Education program. The 39-credit hour degree program was offered with the option of a part-time curriculum totaling six semesters, which allowed for both Becenti and Lumibao to earn their degrees while simultaneously working full-time teaching in NTU’s pre-nursing and registered nursing programs. Read more at http://indiancountrytodaymedianetwork.com/2015/01/04/navajo-technical-university-instructors-balance-work-and-education-158448

Tribal College Students, Navajo Blues Trio The Plateros Forge Ahead — as Indigenous

January 2, 2015

Two of the most recognizable names in the Native music world, Indigenous and The Plateros, are now one. After two consecutive summers of touring together, the blues trio of cousins has become the next generation of Indigenous. Frontman Mato Nanji, winner of the Artist of the Year at the 2014 Native American Music Awards, will still lead the band. But Levi Platero, Bronson Begay and Douglas Platero will be his new cohorts as the band gets back to its Native roots. ICTMN caught up with Levi Platero, after a performance at the New Mexico State Fair. “Mato asked us if we wanted to become his band full-time,” Levi recalls. “Me and the guys actually thought about it. ‘Wouldn’t it be cool if we were actually to become Indigenous?’ It never really occurred to us that it would really happen. At first, we were just opening for them. Later, we started helping with a few shows. Now, he’s picking us up to be his full-time band, which is just incredible. And, it’s awesome. I’m really excited about it.”

Grant to help MSU increase Native American, minority grad students in STEM

December 31, 2014

BOZEMAN – Montana State University and three partners across the Northwest are working together to increase the number of American Indian and other underrepresented minorities entering and earning doctorates in the STEM fields of science, technology, engineering and math. With a new four-year grant awarded from the National Science Foundation, MSU and the University of Montana will focus on developing an Indigenous mentoring model for American Indian graduate students in STEM degree programs, while the University of Idaho and Washington State University will partner in this effort and lead distinct activities, said Karlene Hoo, dean of The Graduate School at MSU. Together with help from Montana Tech, Salish Kootenai College and Heritage University and other tribal colleges in the region, this Pacific Northwest Alliance will develop a circuit for success through strategic activities for underrepresented students in STEM, Hoo said. Each partner will research different issues that affect enrollment and recruitment, then share their findings and put them into practice. MSU will use its $286,000 portion of the grant to study doctoral socialization and develop a mutual mentoring model.

New Tribal College President Encourages Students in Bismarck

December 22, 2014

Leander “Russ” McDonald Wants Native American Culture at Center of Studies BISMARCK, N.D. (AP) — The new president of United Tribes Technical College noticed something a little off when the school hosted a welcome event in his honor earlier this month. Faculty members were sitting in front nearest the speakers, with students behind them. President Leander “Russ” McDonald would prefer to have students up front, with faculty surrounding them. “None of us would be here without them,” he said. McDonald is the newest face on campus, taking the reins from the vice president of academic, career and technical education, Phil Baird, who served as interim president for eight months. David Gipp, who led the college for 37 years, was named chancellor in January, a role created to focus on the school’s growth and development.

Leech Lake Tribal College Joins Obama’s College Day Of Action

December 5, 2014

Class is in session at Leech Lake Tribal College just like any other day, but today is not a typical Thursday. As part of the White house College Opportunity Day of Action, the president of the college, Dr. Donald Day, was invited to Washington D.C. to meet with the president of the United States. This is the second year the white house has hosted a day of action, but the first time the Leech Lake Tribal College was invited to join. They celebrated the honor with a live stream viewing party.

President Obama introduces “Generation Indigenous” for American Indian students

December 5, 2014

KESHENA – At the College of Menominee Nation, many students like Sally Hill are going back to school. “The job that I was passed over for, I didn’t have the bachelor’s education that was required. Even though I had that experience, that piece of paper kept me from getting that job,” said Hill. The College of Menominee Nation President Verna Fowler says childhood poverty prevents many local Native American students from getting degrees.

Initiative to Lift Up Native American Youth

December 3, 2014

WHITE HOUSE— Maurianna Loretto, an environmental science major at Sitting Bull College on the Standing Rock Indian Reservation in North Dakota, says education is key to beating the odds stacked against so many Native American young people. “There are challenges in the community,” said Loretto, 22. “There are negative influences that someone can easily get into and get wrapped up in — and I think we just need people to motivate the young to do good for themselves.”

Sister lives consecrated life by promoting education

December 3, 2014

Menominee tribal college president follows parents’ counsel to ‘help others less fortunate’

Student Spotlight: Rebecca Diaz Works Toward Starting a Business

December 3, 2014

Tribal college student Rebecca Diaz is grateful for the help she and her family receive from supporters of the American Indian College Fund. This veteran of the U.S. Armed Forces wants to provide the people in her community a needed service, and earning a college degree is the first big step to realize that dream.

The Seventh Generation: 5 Student Projects Making A Difference

December 3, 2014

Making a better life is the number one reason Native college students say they attend a tribal college, Cheryl Crazy Bull, president and CEO of the American Indian College Fund, said. “They show us by their community work that a better life is more than employment,” Crazy Bull said. “It is about health, social justice, quality education, and a better tribal government.”

Activist LaDuke shares wisdom at FLC

November 14, 2014

LaDuke spoke with students about how to be effective in creating social change. Visit is highlight of Native American Heritage Month

How Can Community Colleges Get a Piece of the Billions That Donors Give to Higher Education?

November 14, 2014

Last year at its annual gala, LaGuardia Community College, arguably the most ethnically diverse college in the country, honored Marilyn Skony Stamm, the chief executive of a global heating and air-conditioning business. A child of the South Side of Chicago who had gone to Northwestern on scholarship, Ms. Stamm maintained a committed interest in education and joined LaGuardia’s foundation board six years ago, proving herself a skilled networker for an institution with minimal capacity for soliciting money.

Blackfeet Community College making progress toward four-year status

November 12, 2014

When Dr. Billie Jo Kipp assumed the President’s position at Blackfeet Community College in 2011, she knew there were issues to be confronted. The college was some $906,000 in the red in net assets; the faculty hadn’t had an increase in wages in three years, and no consistent means were being used to measure success or failure. Mostly students would go to BCC after having failed at another institution, not so much after high school. Much has changed in three years at BCC. In her annual evaluation, Dr. Kipp laid out her objectives and the progress made in achieving them.

Scholarship Awarded to NTU STEM Students

November 10, 2014

Four Navajo Technical University students were announced as recipients of the Clare Booth Luce Scholarship, a $75,000 scholarship that allocates copy8,750 over four years to female tribal college students in the STEM fields. The American Indian College Fund administers the Clare Booth Luce Scholarship, and stated that it required a restrictive application process that was limited to four-year majors with a 2.0 GPA in the fields of Computer Science, Digital Manufacturing, or Industrial Engineering. With these restrictions, only two tribal colleges qualified to benefit from the scholarship, NTU and Sinte Gleska University; however, only NTU students were awarded.

San Felipe Pueblo Runner Looking to Carry on Tradition in His Final Meets

November 7, 2014

If you listen to Christian Gering speak, he sounds like he’s carrying the weight of the world on his shoulders. Gering, San Felipe Pueblo, told ICTMN that when he runs, he doesn’t represent himself, but he represents the people, ancestors, the men who have gone before him, teammates and everyone who helped along the way.

25th Anniversary Gala a Tribute to the College Fund’s Success and Future

October 23, 2014

The 25th Anniversary Gala for the American Indian College Fund turned out to be the largest event the organization has ever held, with almost 450 people in attendance. Of those, more than 30 tribal college presidents were in attendance. The evening began with cocktails and a silent auction that included Native pottery, birchbark items, jewelry, Pendleton blankets, artwork and ledgerwork. Once everyone moved into the dining area, Master of Ceremonies David Ushery, co-anchor for NBC 4’s weekend edition of “News 4 New York” began introducing videos created for the evening.

Comcast and NBCUniversal Donate $5M in Advertising to the College Fund

October 17, 2014

The American Indian College Fund, a national Native education non-profit, announced October 16 that Comcast and NBCUniversal is partnering with them to further the cause of Native American higher education with a donation of $5 million of advertising for its 2015 public service announcement (PSA) on its cable system and an additional gift of $500,000 of in-kind services and cash. The support will help the College Fund launch its 25th anniversary goals to increase Native American scholarship support and financial assistance for the nation’s tribal colleges and universities to increase the number of Native Americans with a higher education.

Hope STEMS, Native American Students Blossom

October 16, 2014

A hardscrabble childhood didn’t “harden” Erika Torres-Hernandez, but it did sharpen the Chippewa-Cree tribe member’s resolve to achieve her goals and give back. A recipient of a Toyota Tribal College Scholarship, Torres-Hernandez studies math at a tribal college in Rocky Boy, Mont. Once the 3.7-GPA student earns her four-year degree from a university, she plans to return to the reservation to teach high school.

K-12 schools can learn from black, American Indian colleges

October 15, 2014

It’s arguably the biggest challenge facing many public schools in Minnesota: Disproportionately high numbers of black and American Indian K-12 students aren’t doing well academically, compared with their white peers. Along with Latino kids, they are the focus of any discussion about learning gaps or disparities. Yet students with the same challenges as those in public schools can thrive at historically black colleges and universities (HBCUs) and tribal colleges and universities (TCUs). Those institutions have long histories of educating students and producing high percentages of America’s professionals of color.

University of Montana Dedicates New Elouise Cobell Institute

October 13, 2014

More than a 100 people helped dedicate the new Elouise Cobell Land and Culture Institute at the University of Montana. The institute is located in the Payne Family Native American Center. It aims to bring higher levels of interaction among UM, tribal communities and tribal colleges. Cobell was a Native American activist from the Blackfeet tribe who led one of the largest class-action lawsuits against the federal government. The lawsuit contended that the U.S. Interior Department illegally obtained billions of dollars in royalties owed to individual tribal members across the country. The dedication ceremony included members of Cobell’s family, friends and UM officials.

Clare Booth Luce Scholarship awarded to four NTU female scholars in the STEM fields

October 9, 2014

Four Navajo Technical University students were announced recipients of the Clare Booth Luce Scholarship, a $75,000 scholarship that allocates $18,750 over four years to female tribal college students in the STEM fields. The American Indian College Fund administers the Clare Booth Luce Scholarship, and stated that it required a restrictive application process that was limited to four-year majors with a 2.0 GPA in the fields of Computer Science, Digital Manufacturing, or Industrial Engineering. With these restrictions, only two tribal colleges qualified to benefit from the scholarship, NTU and Sinte Gleska University; however, only NTU students were awarded.

Minnesota Tribal College Awarded Grant to Expand STEM Programs

October 9, 2014

Fond du Lac Tribal and Community College’s Environmental Institute in Cloquet, Minnesota has been awarded $1.15 million from the United States Department of Agriculture to expand its STEM—science, technology, engineering, math—programs, reports Northland News Center.

Shoni Schimmel Visits Flathead Reservation; ‘Be Proud to be Native!’

October 8, 2014

They all stood up as Shoni Schimmel walked onto the basketball floor filled with more than 250 Native American children standing in awe. There was no loud applause, no shouting or clapping, just a surge of energy as she circled through the kids, hands extended, giving them a reason to believe as she made her way to the microphone at mid-court Sunday at Joe McDonald Health Center at Salish Kootenai College in Pablo, Montana.

Solving the Housing Crisis on Native American Lands

October 8, 2014

Oglala Lakota College construction technology students collaborate with University of Colorado professor and environmental design students on building projects, helping to solve housing crisis on the reservation.

Haskell Indian Nations University Dancers travel the country to share culture

October 7, 2014

Haskell Indian Nation Dancers travel the country to share culture Tuesday, October 7, 2014 | 6:10 p.m. CDT BY Jiayue Huang, Kouichi Shirayanagi…

Native student success needs younger engagement, advocate says

October 7, 2014

The key to Native American student success on a college campus begins in elementary school, says a long-time South Dakota educator. Lionel Bordeaux has been president of Sinte Gleska University, one of the first tribal colleges in the country, since 1973, but he was at the University of South Dakota Monday to talk about challenges faced by Native American students pursuing a degree in higher education. “We need to come together and sit down and talk about the long range — a vision across the Midwest where tribal and non-tribal people come together for education,” he said.

New program addresses tobacco, obesity, diabetes, heart disease, and stroke in Indian Country

October 5, 2014

Fort Peck Community College was awarded a grant of $317,000 each year for the next five years to develop a comprehensive worksite wellness program within the Fort Peck Community College, Fort Peck Tribes and Poplar School District.

Housing Program Could Make Fort Peck Tribes A Model For Nation

October 2, 2014

Some of the houses will be modular homes placed on insulated form foundations. Campbell said the project could put local residents to work and might involve the Fort Peck Community College building trades program.

A KU Medical Center researcher receives grant to study smoking policies at tribal colleges

October 1, 2014

KANSAS CITY, Kan. — A $100,000 grant from the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation will allow a University of Kansas Medical Center researcher to examine smoking policies of tribal colleges nationwide. Christina Pacheco, J.D., assistant professor of family medicine, will explore how restrictive smoking policies at tribal colleges and universities affect students’ smoking-related behaviors and their exposure to secondhand smoke.

Four ND Colleges Receive Nearly $10mil in Federal Funding

September 29, 2014

Four colleges across North Dakota are receiving nearly $10 million in federal funding to support training programs for energy-related careers. Bismarck State College will be receiving the most money.. $4.1 million. The other schools getting part of the funding are Sitting Bull College, Turtle Mountain Community College and Williston State College.

Exploring Lakota and Horse Culture in New Documentary

September 27, 2014

“We Are A Horse Nation,” a new documentary about the Lakota relationship with horses, is expected to be complete by November. “The Oceti Sakowin, or Lakota, Dakota, and Nakota, are all from the horse nation. I traveled to all the reservations in South Dakota to see what they wanted to share about the history of the horse and their traditional stories,” Keith Brave Heart, social marketing manager of Tiwahe Glu Kini Pi, a horse program at Sinte Gleska University, said.

Video: Haskell Students Interview Peers and Faculty

September 27, 2014

Haskell Indian Nations University student filmmakers Robert Parker, Sarah Kissoon, and Lance One Horn interview Haskell faculty and some class of 2014 graduates in this video.

Sustainable Indigenous Forestry

September 27, 2014

The Menominee People are known world-wide for their stewardship of the Menominee forest. “Sustainability” is not just a keyword or business objective, but a way-of-life. Prompted by Menominee’s long tradition of sustainable forestry practices, tribal leaders created the Sustainable Development Institute to encourage, promote, and build upon Menominee approach to sustainable development. Please continue to the Center for First Americans Forestry page for more information.

Central Michigan University to partner with Saginaw Chippewa Indian Tribe to work on improving

September 25, 2014

The Soaring Eagle Casino and Resort is looking to conduct a zero waste event next year after a multi-year collaboration with Central Michigan University’s Great Lakes Institute for Sustainable Systems. The collaboration, said Tom Rohrer, GLISS director and CMU professor, will target areas in which the Saginaw Chippewa Indian Tribe can improve its waste management practices at the casino.

Haskell University inaugurates new president

September 23, 2014

LAWRENCE, Kan. (AP) – Haskell Indian Nations University is celebrating its 130th anniversary this year and has inaugurated a new president, Venida Chenault – the first alumna to lead the school. Chenault, a member of the Prairie Band Potawatomi and Kickapoo tribes, became the seventh president of the university in Lawrence during a ceremony Wednesday. She was named president in January after serving in several positions at Haskell since 1991, The Lawrence Journal-World reported.

‘Nation to Nation’: Full of the intriguing, often maddening details of history

September 23, 2014

When the National Museum of the American Indian opened a decade ago this month, the tone, design and scholarship of the exhibitions were unlike anything else in Washington.

SGU Graduation

September 20, 2014

The theme of the Commencement exercises was: “Sharing the Sicangu Oyate and Sinte Gleska University Founders’ Vision and ‘Now We Make the Promise to Fulfill the Vision’.” Before the actual handing out of the diplomas to the grads, the morning of Graduation is a special one with a flurry of activities. Beginning at 8 am, Chief Leonard Crow Dog, Sr., Lakota Instructors, Duane Hollow Horn Bear and Francis Cutt, and SGU President, Lionel Bordeaux conducted the Anpe Wi Hoyekiyapi (Calling on the sun to bring good energy and health to all creation) ceremony. All of SGU’s faculty, instructors, administration, students, and the public were invited to attend the ceremony.

Haskell looks to future with inauguration of new president

September 17, 2014

Venida Chenault was inaugurated as the seventh president of Haskell Indian Nations University on Wednesday, Sept. 17, 2014, at Haskell. Dr. Chenault, a member of the Prairie Band Potawatomi and Kickapoo tribes, is the first student of Haskell to become its president.

CSI Class Popular at Black Hills Learning Center

September 16, 2014

A class in crime scene investigation proved to be so popular in early September that the staff at Black Hills Learning Center (BHLC) had to find a larger room to hold it.

Local students experience native culture at Youth Day

September 6, 2014

BISMARCK, N.D. _ Students gathered Friday at United Tribes Technical College to experience Native American culture through traditional dance, music, dress and inspirational speakers. The Youth Day experience was part of the United Tribes International Powwow. It began with a prayer by Ernie Calf Boss Ribs, who said sage smudge purifies the body, mind and spirit and puts everyone’s minds together as one.

College Fund Poised for Growth

September 3, 2014

From small local tribal colleges to regional and national institutions, more Native students are opting for a college education, on their terms, than ever before. Simply by doing what needs to be done, tribal colleges are leading the national trend in higher education to develop programs that serve their own community.

My Peace Corps Experience as a Native American

September 2, 2014

Growing up on a Native American reservation has profoundly impacted my life choices and career path. My community members and surroundings taught me about the worldview of my people, and the knowledge I acquired from community elders continues to influence how I interact with others. As an Indigenous person, I represent where I come from along with my community’s core values, including love, faith, compassion, service, and dedication to community. These values are instilled in me. They are who I am. My personal goal is to be of service to my community and I have realized the acquisition of knowledge is one avenue to accomplish my goal.

Education on the North Slope: Local Iñupiaq Teachers Needed I?isa?vik College

August 31, 2014

Like many regional entities and programs, the Uqautchim Uglua (Language Nest) initiative at I?isa?vik College works for indigenized education and Iñupiat educational self-determination on the North Slope of Alaska. Unlike some other programs, however, Uqautchim Uglua is relatively new, designed in 2011 and implemented in 2012. But the roots of the program, and the issues which it is intended to address, go back much further.

Gerald One Feather, Oglala Sioux Leader and Education Advocate, Walks On

August 27, 2014

He was the youngest president, at age 32, in the history of the Oglala Sioux Tribe, and he founded Oglala Lakota College on the Pine Ridge Reservation. Gerald One Feather walked on Thursday, August 21 at a hospital in Rapid City, South Dakota.

Four Challenges Facing Native Students Today

August 27, 2014

American Indian college students heading back to school this fall face tough challenges. Some are common to all college students and some are unique to Native students. Many American Indian students begin their post-secondary education at a tribal or a community college, so this discussion focuses primarily on those institutions.

The 15 Least Expensive Colleges in the United States

August 27, 2014

The least expensive and final tribal college on the list is Dine College in serving Navajo Nation in Arizona. Dine is a large community college housing over 2,000 students serving 27,000 square miles of Navajo Nation.

College of Menominee Nation Examines Floods and Fires in Colorado

August 25, 2014

Cottonwood Institute was excited to collaborate with the College of Menominee Nation Sustainable Development Institute (SDI) in a unique Fire and Flood Project exploring the foothills and gaining a deeper understanding of fire, water, and flood issues in Colorado. After an early morning pick-up at DIA, a group of 17 from Wisconsin, began their trip at The Alliance Center in Denver, CO, the hub for sustainability in Colorado. The Sustainability Leadership Cohort (SLC), as the group is known, heard from local sustainability experts to learn more about fire and water issues facing Colorado. With full bellies after a lunch from Smiling Moose Deli, the crew packed up and headed to Cal-wood Education Center just outside of Jamestown, CO, for the next 5 days and 4 nights.

College Fund Attribution made in New York Times

August 25, 2014

Emily Boyd-Valandra, 29, a wildlife biologist at the Rosebud Sioux Reservation in South Dakota, is emblematic of new tribal wildlife managers working around the Northern Plains. She went to college and studied ecology. (Nationwide, the rate of indigenous people in America attending college has doubled since 1970, according to the American Indian College Fund.)

One Feather Sr., Gerald Lloyd

August 24, 2014

OGLALA | Gerald Lloyd One Feather Sr. “Sunka Wakan Waste – Good Horse” and “Wiyaka Wanji – One Feather”, age 76, of Oglala, SD, entered the spirit world on August 21, 2014, at Rapid City Regional Hospital in Rapid City, SD. Gerald was born to Elva and Joe One Feather of the Oglala Junior Community on July 10, 1938, and grew up in a traditional Lakota family and tiospaye. He had a lifelong love of learning and reading, being outdoors, and traveling. He was proud to serve as an ambassador and leader of his Lakota People and loved his family and friends.

Reviving a lost art

August 23, 2014

For the first time in more than a century a buffalo hide tipi constructed by Northern Cheyenne tribal members will be erected. The tipi will then be dedicated at 10 a.m. on Saturday at the Vore Buffalo Jump three miles west of Beulah, Wyo.

Little Priest Tribal College launches athletic programs

August 21, 2014

SIOUX CITY | Little Priest College announced the launch of its Warrior athletic program at a media day event here Wednesday. LPTC is a member of the National Junior College Athletic Association (NJCAA) Region 11 and the Iowa Community College Athletic Conference (ICCAC).

Meet The Generation Of Incredible Native American Women Fighting To Preserve Their Culture

August 19, 2014

Native Americans represent just one per cent of the US population and some languages have only one speaker left. Now a new generation is fighting to preserve the culture. Meet the women leading that fight:

Former Tribal College President Appointed to Cobell Panel

August 15, 2014

David M. Gipp has been appointed by the American Indian College Fund to serve as the Fund’s representative on the Cobell Board of Trustees. Gipp is the former president of United Tribes Technical College and currently serves as the college’s chancellor, focusing on outreach, partnerships and development.

Launching Lives of Service: We Honor 25 Outstanding Tribal College Alumni

August 14, 2014

To celebrate the magazine’s 25th anniversary, Tribal College Journal asked the tribal colleges and universities to nominate 25 alumni to be honored. Although some of these nominees have achieved great success or even national fame, the common denominator is service. All of them serve their people in one way or another. For example, Larry Emerson, Ph.D., works with Indigenous education and health organizations across the continent. Dr. Esther Tailfeathers has been the only medical doctor serving several remote Native communities in Alberta, Canada, and she teaches other doctors about Native health issues.

Fall 2014 “Celebrating 25 Years” Resource Guide

August 14, 2014

In 1989, the American Indian Higher Education Consortium (AIHEC) collaborated with Paul Boyer to establish a journal that would allow tribal colleges and universities to share information with each other and with other organizations and institutions. Tribal College Journal of American Indian Higher Education (TCJ) was the end product. Over the past 25 years, the publication has evolved from a spartan black-and-white newsletter, to a full-color magazine with a variety of departments and feature articles. Some aspects of TCJ have remained the same. Boyer launched the column, “On Campus” as a regular department of tribal college news items—and it has appeared in every issue of TCJ since. Other elements of the journal have changed; there have been myriad departments that have come and gone, and the layout and graphics have transformed tremendously.

Six Navajo students win $5000 scholarships

August 13, 2014

Lesley Eldridge and Sheridan Winston Cowboy have a few things in common. Both are members of the Navajo Nation from Gallup. They are in their early 20s and recently graduated from the University of New Mexico. They plan to pursue their education in health care, then apply that knowledge toward helping other Native Americans. Cowboy and Eldridge are also two of six New Mexican recipients this year of $5,000 Diverse Scholars Initiative scholarships from the United Health Foundation. All six are Navajo.

Gipp named representative of Indian college fund

August 12, 2014

The chancellor of the tribal college in Bismarck has been named as a representative of a scholarship program that is part of a $3.4 billion government settlement with Native American landowners.

UTTC Receives Grant for Workforce Programs

July 31, 2014

North Dakota has more than 20,000 job openings, like welders or electricians. The state’s Department of Commerce is working to fill those positions by granting funds to tribal colleges. UTTC received more than $1 million in grant money. The department says it’s looking forward to using those dollars during the school year.

Hoeven Announces $255000 in Grant Funds for UTTC Minority Business Center

July 24, 2014

Senator John Hoeven today announced the Minority Business Development Agency (MBDA), part of the U.S. Department of Commerce, has awarded $255,000 in grant funds to the United Tribes Technical College (UTTC) to deliver strategic business consulting and deal-making services to eligible minority business enterprises to encourage job creation and retention.

American Indian College Fund and United Health Foundation Award $100,000 in Scholarships

July 23, 2014

The American Indian College Fund (the College Fund) announced that $100,000 in scholarships have been awarded to 18 academically excellent students in partnership with United Health Foundation’s Diverse Scholars Initiative, which has provided nearly $2 million in scholarships this year through partnerships with organizations like the College Fund. The Diverse Scholars Initiative aims to increase diversity in the health care workforce by supporting promising future health professionals.

Tribal – NASA Project To Teach About Climate Change

July 23, 2014

The Salish Kootenai College is one of four tribal colleges or universities, nationwide, to receive a grant from NASA to develop climate change curriculum. The grants come from NASA’s Minority University Research and Education Project, and range from $413,000 to $1,009,000.

Dr. Johnny Jones Installed as President of Little Tribal Priest College

July 21, 2014

Winnebago, NE – Dr. Johnny D. Jones was inaugurated as the 15th President of Little Priest Tribal College on June 14, 2014. This was the first presidential inauguration that Little Priest Tribal College performed as it is a new ceremony to Tribal Colleges and Universities (TCU’s). Little Priest Tribal College students, faculty, staff, alumni, and friends as well as the Winnebago Tribal Chairman were in attendance to commemorate this event.

Blackfeet teens tackle outdoor challenges

July 20, 2014

A group of young Blackfeet and members of the Montana Wilderness Association spent the week on the Rocky Mountain Front, but this trip was more business than leisure. Eight Blackfeet youth and two team leaders spent five days camped out in the breath taking wilderness of Badger Two Medicine helping maintain area trails. The trip was a partnership between the Montana Wilderness Association and Blackfeet Community College’s Native Science Fellows Program.

CMN’s Theatre Production Discusses Tribal Enrollment

July 20, 2014

The College of Menominee Nation (CMN) invites the public to an original one-act play staged in the Norbert Hill Center Auditorium in Oneida, by students in the College’s Summer Theatre Production course. The play, “Blood Quantum: Fifty Shades of Red,” is a comedy that discusses the origins and complications of using Indian blood quantum for tribal enrollment. It was written by CMN students Carol Brunette, Karen Cimicud, Yetsitsehewe Danforth, DJ Denny, Mason Powless, and Melissa Wilber in a playwriting course at CMN in the Spring semester 2014.

College of Menominee Nation – The Sustainable Development Institute

July 19, 2014

The Sustainable Development Institute (SDI) is dedicated to examining sustainability issues and applying them to the Menominee model of sustainable development.

Navajo Technical University’s Wellness Center Site of Navajo Presidential Forum

July 15, 2014

When the Navajo Nation Presidential Forum takes its traveling tour to the Navajo Reservation, it will stop in Crownpoint on July 21, 2014 at the Navajo Technical University’s newly constructed comprehensive wellness center. The forum will be the first event held in the 23,537-square-foot facility, which is expected to open its doors to students and the community permanently on August 30th uses and will include a multipurpose center and weight room, men’s and women’s locker rooms, and a two story gymnasium.

Blackfeet Community College Churning Out Chess Champions

July 12, 2014

Blackfeet Community College Churning Out Chess Champions July 14, 2014 | Vol. 10, No. 222 The Blackfeet Community College Chess Team won first place at the 2014 American Indian Higher Education Consortium National Chess Championships held this March in Billings, Montana.

Video Vault: Listen to Lakota Elder Talk About Education

July 12, 2014

Sinte Gleska University features this video on its Spotlight on Lakota Studies page, and we thought it was worth highlighting. Laura Black TomaHawk’s message about education is no less relevant today than it was when she spoke at Sinte Gleska University.

Cheryl Crazy Bull on Higher Education, Institutional Racism, and Tribal College Difference

July 11, 2014

Cheryl Crazy Bull, President and CEO of the American Indian College Fund, provided the keynote address for the 27th National Conference on Race and Ethnicity in American Higher Education in Indianapolis, Indiana. She addressed institutional racism against Native Americans in higher education; the value of a tribal college education in eliminating barriers to Native people in achieving a higher education; and her own inspirational journey through higher education as a Lakota woman.

Dr. Elden Lawrence, former SWC president and scholar, passes on

July 9, 2014

Dr. Elden Eugene Lawrence (Dakota), former president of Sisseton Wahpeton College (SWC, Sisseton, SD) passed away this past Fourth of July. He was 77.

San Carlos Apache Nation, ASU Reach Agreement For New Tribal College

June 30, 2014

Arizona State University has entered an agreement with the San Carlos Apache Nation in southeastern Arizona to develop a new tribal college. This is the first partnership of its kind for both the university and the tribe.

Law Enforcement Students Graduate to Serving Our Communities

June 28, 2014

Law enforcement personnel are there to serve and protect communities, but a retiring workforce means many open positions. There are 61 new recruits are ready to take on the duty after graduating from the Fond du Lac Tribal and Community College on Saturday.

FPCC students in mentoring program

June 27, 2014

Fort Peck Community College is excited to announce our participation in the National Science Foundation Sustainable Building Research and Mentoring Program. This year’s students and mentors come from Haskell University, Pine Ridge Reservation in South Dakota, and here on the Fort Peck Reservation.

Youth the focus during President’s visit to Standing Rock

June 27, 2014

President Barack Obama’s million-megawatt smile shined brightest for children and young people on his visit to the Standing Rock Dakota/ Lakota Nation. Upwards of 2,000 tribal members gave the President and First Lady Michelle Obama a warm welcome June 13 in the dance arbor of the tiny village of Cannon Ball for the community’s annual Flag Day Celebration.

Fort Peck Tribes Mourn Death of one of Their Founders

June 25, 2014

The Assiniboine and Sioux Tribes of the Fort Peck Reservation were saddened by the death of Tribal Executive Board vice chairwoman Annette “Ann” Lambert, Friday, June 20. Lambert, 62, was in her second term on the board. She was reelected in October 2013. A prepared statement from the Fort Peck Tribes said Lambert dedicated her life to the service of her people, including as one of the founders of Fort Peck Community College, working for the National Congress of American Indians in Washington, D.C., as a 20-year volunteer member of the Tribes Higher Education board of directors, director of A&S Oil and Gas, as assistant to the tribal chairman, and managing a joint venture construction company which assisted in the construction of facilities on the Northern Border Pipeline which runs through the Fort Peck Reservation, various highway projects, and the construction of the Chief Redstone Clinic in Wolf Point.

San Carlos Apache Set to Establish a Tribal College

June 23, 2014

The San Carlos Apache Tribe has announced that it will partner with Arizona State University (ASU) in establishing its own tribally controlled college. The new tribal college will be the first Apache-controlled institution of higher education. “A tribal college operated by and for Apaches will help secure the future of the tribe, not just as a means for sustainable economic development, but as a critical institution to preserve our language, our culture, and our history,” stated tribal chairman Terry Rambler.

Financial Help Not Likely on Horizon for Tribal Colleges

June 22, 2014

When the president and first lady recently arrived by helicopter at the Standing Rock Sioux Reservation in Cannon Ball, North Dakota, they made history. President Barack Obama is the third sitting U.S. president to visit an Indian reservation in the past eight decades. The Obamas took part in a Flag Day ceremony and met with Dakota and Lakota nation youth during their June 13 visit. Addressing the crowd, Obama promised a renewed commitment to American Indian interests, with a particular focus on education. “Let’s put our minds together to improve our schools, because our children deserve a world-class education, too, that prepares them for colleges and careers. And that means returning control of Indian education to tribal nations with additional resources and support so that you can direct your children’s education and reform,” said Obama.

College Fund awards LLTC with three year $50,000 Traditional Arts Grant

June 21, 2014

The American Indian College Fund has awarded Leech Lake Tribal College with a three-year grant of $50,000 through a program designed to increase the intergenerational transfer of artistic and cultural knowledge and processes from elders to adults and children and to provide direct support for Native artists, while stemming the tide of lost and endangered cultural art forms in tribal communities. Leech Lake Tribal College was one of four selected, also selected were Oglala Lakota College, Turtle Mountain Community College, and Sinte Gleska University. Congratulations to them as well!

Northern Cheyenne women learn the lost art of brain-tanning buffalo

June 20, 2014

Clouds collect over Inyan Kara Mountain while a gentle breeze combs through the waist-high buffalo grass near the banks of Redwater Creek as six women from the Northern Cheyenne Reservation are elbow-deep in brains, tanning their first buffalo hide. “This makes your hands so soft,” one woman says to her college comrades and they all giggle.

Senator Murkowski Speaks on Native Language Programs

June 19, 2014

US Senator Lisa Murkowski spoke Wednesday at a committee meeting in Washington, DC about her Native American Languages Reauthorization Act of 2014. KDLG’s Thea Card has more. Senator Murkowski shared her personal connection in wanting to enhance Native language learning in Alaskan schools. She explained that when she placed her children in an immersion school in Anchorage, it was difficult to get respect and support from districts for those schools.

President of Oglala Lakota College Testifies Before Indian Affairs Committee

June 18, 2014

The Senate Indian Affairs Committee held a hearing this afternoon on the Native Language Immersion Student Achievement Act (S. 1948) and the Native American Languages Reauthorization Act (S. 2299). Mr. Thomas Shortbull, president of the Oglala Lakota College in Kyle, South Dakota, testified before the committee. – See more at:

American Indian College Fund Awards Grants to Preserve and Restore Native Art Forms

June 17, 2014

The American Indian College Fund has awarded four three-year grants of $50,000 each to tribal colleges and universities (TCUs) in the upper-Midwest through a program designed to increase the intergenerational transfer of artistic and cultural knowledge and processes from elders to adults and children. The grants also provide direct support for Native artists, while stemming the tide of lost and endangered cultural art forms in tribal communities. The program is funded by a grant from the Margaret A. Cargill Foundation.

San Carlos Apache & ASU Enter Historic Agreement to Establish New Tribal College

June 17, 2014

Arizona State University has entered into a historic agreement with the San Carlos Apache Tribe in southeastern Arizona that will bring a college to the tribal nation, as well as programs that benefit youth and emphasize healthy lifestyles.

Funding Discrepancies Mean Less Money for Students at Tribal Colleges

June 13, 2014

Dwight Carlston, 25, calls himself a statistic of the Navajo Nation. Raised by a single mother, he dropped out of college after his first semester. His struggle to stay in school is reflected in data from the National Center for Education Statistics that indicate American Indians are less prepared than any other ethnic subgroup for college and careers.

It’s Never Easy: Getting a College Diploma in Today’s America

June 13, 2014

Cheryl Crazy Bull, president of the American Indian College Fund, testified that a year at a TCU costs upwards of $3,000, students’ average income is $5,000 annually, and many have families to support.

UTTC Wellness Circle selected for public health award

June 10, 2014

BISMARCK (UTN) – The United Tribes Technical College Wellness Circle has been selected to receive the “Public Health Team of the Year Award” from the North Dakota Public Health Association. The award recognizes a team that has worked collaboratively on a unique, creative, or outstanding public health effort in the past year. The association singled-out the group’s work in establishing United Tribes as a tobacco-free college campus.

WILDCAT: Why Native Americans don’t want reparations

June 10, 2014

In this month’s Atlantic, Ta-Nehisi Coates makes a strong case for reparations for black Americans. But what about payment for the injustices endured by American Indians?

Blackfeet college adds nursing programs

June 9, 2014

Blackfeet Community College is hoping to make ripples — and maybe even waves — in the health and well-being of the tribe by adding two new nursing programs to its course offering.

The Ordway Announces 2013 Sally Award Winners

June 9, 2014

Elizabeth (Lyz) Jaakola is an Anishinaabe musician and educator from the Fond du Lac Band of Lake Superior Ojibwe. Her Indian name, “The lady who knows how to sing,” has provided the guidance for her life’s work. In addition, she earned both her Bachelor of Music in vocal performance and her Masters in Music from the University of Minnesota-Duluth. Her varied musical background helped prepare her for a career in music education and American Indian studies at Fond du Lac Tribal and Community College, where she is full-time faculty and coordinates the Ojibwemowining Resource Center.

Education secretary to SKC graduates: Pay it forward

June 8, 2014

PABLO – The U.S. Secretary of Education told the largest graduating class in Salish Kootenai College history on Saturday to appreciate the people who helped and encouraged them en route to their degrees. “And remember to pay it forward,” Arne Duncan said, “that investment people made in you.”

Lakota summer language program enters eighth year

June 8, 2014

After eight years, the Lakota Summer Institute is bigger than ever with more than 100 participants this summer. The institute is a joint venture between the Lakota Language Consortium and Sitting Bull College on the Standing Rock Reservation.

Lakota Language Making a Comeback

June 6, 2014

Native Americans have had to watch their culture slowly die off. A program at Sitting Bull College is taking steps to preserve the Lakota/Dakota heritage–and it is finding success. Ben Smith brings us the story of a tribe who is trying to save their tradition for future generations.

UTTC prof, students spruce up Skill Center

June 6, 2014

Two students and a professor at United Tribes Technical College are adding some color to the college’s Skill Center this summer.

U.S. Education Secretary Duncan to give SKC commencement address

June 5, 2014

PABLO – A member of President Barack Obama’s Cabinet will shower and dress in a Pablo gymnasium before delivering the commencement address Saturday at Salish Kootenai College. That’s because first, he’ll lace up some sneakers and play basketball with local kids attending a Nike basketball camp at nearby Two Eagle River School.

Ceremonies on May 31 Bring Alumni Count To More Than 900 Since CMN’s First Graduation

June 2, 2014

College of Menominee Nation graduates who participated in commencement ceremonies Saturday morning, May 31, bring the alumni contingent to more than 900 individuals since the College opened in January 1993.

Cankdeska Cikana announces College Fund Faculty of the Year

May 30, 2014

Cankdeska Cikana Community College (CCCC), recently announced that Vern Lambert, Sr. and Melody Volk as the CCCC’s recipients of the American Indian College Fund Faculty of the Year Award for 2014.

Tribal College Golfer Makes Collegiate History

May 30, 2014

The 20-year-old, a member of North Dakota’s Turtle Mountain Band of Chippewa, became the first athlete from the United Tribes Technical College (UTTC) to qualify for the National Junior College Athletic Association (NJCAA) Division II golf tournament.

Blackfeet BIA victim specialist works toward healing

May 23, 2014

Born and raised in Browning, Bremner studied at the University of Montana for a year while a young mother, then transferred back to Blackfeet Community College to complete an associate degree in criminal justice. Before taking the victim specialist position in 2010, she worked as a clerk and prosecutor with the Blackfeet tribal court and returned to UM to earn a master’s degree in sociology, Indian law and statistics.

Fort Peck Community College Celebrates Students’ Success At Graduation

May 22, 2014

Each of Fort Peck Community College’s 46 graduates serves as an example of how hard work and commitment translate into personal and academic success.

Critical Literacy Class Participates in Energy Research Project

May 20, 2014

Under the direction of College of Menominee Nation (CMN) instructor Mahrie Peterson, EDU095-01 students researched articles connected to energy use and climate change.

Education on the Fort Peck Reservation

May 20, 2014

Education for Native Americans started long before the 1800s, when our Native people roamed free on their own land. The elders of our people were the educators. They taught the young how to respect every living thing: the trees, the grass, the animals, and the person standing next to you. They all took care of and looked out for one another. It was their way of life.

North Dakota tribal leaders want sanctions over T-shirts showing Indian head logo, beer bong

May 19, 2014

BISMARCK, North Dakota — Tribal leaders are pushing for sanctions against any student who wore a T-shirt bearing a caricature of the University of North Dakota’s former Indian head logo drinking out of a beer bong.

SKC students engineer NASA satellite

May 19, 2014

PABLO – Salish Kootenai College in Pablo is a small tribal college with just over 1,000 students but despite the small size, a team of students and faculty are working on a satellite for NASA.

Chandlers use education to preserve their tribal culture

May 18, 2014

Observers say they endure criticism yet remain steadfast in their mission to provide a culturally relevant education at Aaniiih Nakoda College.

LCO College provides education to inmates

May 17, 2014

In its ongoing mission to serve the community, Lac Courte Oreilles Ojibwa Community College continued a jail education program with sheriff’s departments in Ashland, Sawyer and Bayfield counties and the LCO Halfway House this school year.

NIGA recognizes Native-focused programs with award

May 15, 2014

Also during the luncheon, IGT and NIGA presented the American Indian College Fund with a $25,000 check that will be awarded via the International Game Technology Tribal Scholarship Program to deserving American Indian students pursuing higher education at tribal colleges and mainstream institutions across the country.

SKC Nursing program gets rave review

May 15, 2014

The two-year program was the only one in the last two years in the state to be reviewed and get a great rave, while other nursing programs across the state received warnings.

Who Gets to Graduate?

May 15, 2014

There are thousands of students like Vanessa at the University of Texas, and millions like her throughout the country — high-achieving students from low-income families who want desperately to earn a four-year degree but who run into trouble along the way.

85 Bachelor’s Degrees & Over 100 Associate Degrees Given Out at Haskell’s Graduation

May 12, 2014

LAWRENCE, KANSAS — Last Friday, May 9, 2014 was a day students worked towards when they entered Haskell Indian Nations University. They celebrated the 2014 Haskell Indian Nations University graduation as eighty five bachelor’s degrees and over 100 associate’s degrees were presented.

Sitting Bull College Student to Cut Ribbon at NIGA Tradeshow in San Diego

May 11, 2014

Tonja Willard, a fourth-year business administration major at Sitting Bull College at Ft. Yates, North Dakota, was chosen for the honor of cutting the ribbon at the National Indian Gaming Association (NIGA) Tradeshow and Convention in San Diego, California on Tuesday, May 13. Willard will do the honors alongside NIGA Chairman Ernest L. Stevens Jr., a member of the Oneida Nation and a tribal college alumnus of Haskell Indian Nations University.

Homegrown: Leech Lake woman raising food sovereignty awareness

May 9, 2014

CASS LAKE — The Benny Tonce drum room at Leech Lake Tribal College resonated with multi-cultural energy Wednesday evening. Separated by 200 miles and a three hour drive, metro residents unified with members of the Leech Lake Band of Ojibwe over an element essential to all their lives — food.

Ilisagvik College honors 2014 graduates – The Arctic Sounder

May 9, 2014

This year’s Ilisagvik College Graduation Ceremony was held on April 25. The 19th commencement exercise for the college saw 11 associates degrees, 68 certificates and 19 GEDs awarded to students from around the state and country.

Haskell Student Athletes Use Military Experience to Excel in Sports

May 2, 2014

The shrapnel in PFC Chris Turley’s knee is a constant reminder that he answered the warrior’s call with honor, earning both the U.S. Army Commendation Medal and a Purple Heart for his tour as an Army radio operator for a scout team in Afghanistan.

Washington Primary students create xeriscape

May 2, 2014

Salish Kootenai College donated more than 100 Montana native plant starts to Washington Primary School in Hamilton, and the young students are planting them to create a “xeriscape.” “A xeriscape is landscaping that requires little to no watering, other than what Mother Nature provides,” said Washington first-grade teacher Karen Dowling.

Introduction to Cheyenne and The Dictionary

May 1, 2014

Cheyenne Dictionary Use dictionary Purchase the Cheyenne Dictionary

Alaska men sign three for 2014-15 basketball season

April 29, 2014

Silvas comes to Fairbanks from Tohono O’odham Community College in Sells, Ariz. The Tucson, Ariz., native is the first member of the Pascua Yaqui Tribe to earn a college basketball scholarship.

Spirit Lake Head Start now aligned with tribal college

April 29, 2014

The Spirit Lake Head Start program will be closing for the summer for reorganization and restructuring under the auspices of Cankdeska Cikana Community College. The college was asked by tribal government to take over management last year.

Arikara app aims to revitalize language

April 20, 2014

As an instructor of Arikara at Fort Berthold Community College, Kroupa said the college recently made the first-level course available online.

Pascua Yaqui basketball player’s success a symbol of hope for tribe

April 20, 2014

he bumpy road Ruben Silvas Jr. took to Fairbanks, Alaska, is a bit like the road to Tohono O’odham Community College, where Silvas started his college basketball career.

Alternative School Studies Weather at Oglala Lakota College

April 17, 2014

The Little Wound Alternative School went to the OLC science program sponsored by NASA again and had an awesome time studying weather. They learned about the Beaufort wind scale. After learning about wind and cloud formation the students went outside and in teams estimated wind speed and the types of clouds. Once back inside they compared their estimates to actual conditions. At the end the students got to create clouds in 2 liter pop bottles.

American Indian College Fund wins $500,000 grant for early education

April 17, 2014

The American Indian College Fund in Denver beat more than 1,000 organizations to win a piece of nearly $14 million of grant funding from the W.K. Kellogg Foundation.

Tribal research symposium a success

April 7, 2014

Guest speaker Dr. Ed Galindo, emphasized how environmental research brought him closer to his native roots Friday, at the second annual tribal research symposium at Cankdeska Cikana Community College (CCCC) in Spirit Lake.

College Fund to Support Environmental Science and Sustainability Programs, Fellowships…

April 3, 2014

Tribal colleges serve communities that face environmental issues such as degradation of water quality, energy development, depletion of natural resources, and agricultural management. A new Environmental Science and Sustainability Project funded by the American Indian College Fund through a $1.35 million grant will support tribal colleges and universities in select states by underwriting environmental science and sustainability programs of study and student internships; providing tribal college faculty with fellowships to earn advanced degrees in related fields; and offering fellowships for tribal college students majoring in relevant programs to complete their junior and senior years of college.

OLC Receives $125,000 Grant to Support its Civic Engagement Program

March 27, 2014

Oglala Lakota College President Thomas Shortbull announced that the OLC Vocational Education Department has received a grant of $125,000 from the American Indian College Fund. OLC was one of five Tribal colleges to receive this prestigious award.

NASA Announces 2014 Tribal College and University Awards

March 25, 2014

NASA’s Minority University Research and Education Project (MUREP) has awarded approximately $2 million in new cooperative agreements to three tribal colleges and universities (TCUs). These new agreements provide opportunities for TCU students, faculty and staff to engage in NASA-related science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) activities.

IAIA Dedicates Newest Building; Opens Largest Alumni Biennial Art Show

March 23, 2014

SANTA FE, N.M. – March 18, 2014 – Celebrating growth, the future and the breadth and depth of work by alumni, the Institute of American Indian Arts (IAIA) will open its new two-story building with a ribbon-cutting dedication ceremony and alumni art show at 1 p.m. March 26.

Native American to speak about global climate change

March 23, 2014

Daniel Wildcat, a Yuchi member of the Muscogee Nation, will speak on “Enacting Indigenuity in an Age of Global Environmental Crisis” at Albright Auditorium on the campus of Hobart and William Smith Colleges. Automotion In-Story His talk, part of the Melvin Hill Visiting Professorship Lecture Series, is free and open to the public. Wildcat is director of the American Indian Studies Program and the Haskell Environmental Research Studies Center at the Haskell Indian Nations University in Lawrence, Kansas.

Ho-Chunk Village keeps breathing new life into Winnebago

March 16, 2014

More homes were built elsewhere on the reservation last year. Construction need not be limited to Ho-Chunk Village, she noted. “We also added another three senior housing units in 2013. Those are small condos or somewhat apartment-style homes for the senior citizens. There were three units added in 2012. And I believe those are all filled,” she said. Jessen noted that Little Priest Tribal College, the Winnebago Tribe’s community college, built a classroom building in the village for residents to have additional access to college courses. It was finished last year. Some additional comm

Haskell student of year found ‘healing,’ inclusion on campus

March 15, 2014

On other campuses, Bobby Crow Feather always felt like he “stuck out.” The Standing Rock Sioux Tribe member is 30, gay, spent much of his youth in a small village in northern Saskatchewan and served in the Canadian army. When he arrived at Haskell Indian Nations University two years ago he’d just had a hip replacement.

FLYING: a trans-national cross-cultural print exchange

March 14, 2014

The USA prints included in the exhibition were created by the Wakanyeja Early Childhood Education Initiative partners and tribal college grantee teams from Alaska, Wisconsin, New Mexico and Washington in the United States.

Bemidji State to build teleconference system with regional tribal colleges

February 10, 2014

A Bemidji State University-led consortium of higher education institutions has won a $500,000 grant from the U. S. Department of Agriculture to expand distance learning and telemedicine opportunities for rural northern Minnesota residents. The grant will allow schools in the BSU-led Aazhoogan (Bridge) Consortium, which includes Northwest Technical College, Leech Lake Tribal College, Red Lake Nation College and White Earth Tribal and Community College, to build a network of high-definition video connections linking the five institutions. The Native colleges currently have no existing or functioning interactive distance learning equipment. The network will give students on those campuses access to industry-driven certification training, bachelor’s degrees and specialized associate’s degrees not available at their home colleges.

Building better homes in Indian Country

January 20, 2014

There’s no other house like it on the Oglala Sioux’s 2 million-acre Pine Ridge Reservation: Its walls are insulated by 18-inch strawbales rather than plastic sheeting, and its radiant-floor heating is much cheaper than the typical propane or electric. A frost-protected shallow foundation inhibits mold and is more energy-efficient than the damp basements common here.

College Fund Board President Attends White House Meeting for Student Opportunity

January 17, 2014

CROWNPOINT, NM – On January 16, 2014, Navajo Technical University President Dr. Elmer J. Guy attended a special White House event in Washington D.C. on increasing college opportunity for low-income and disadvantaged students.

SKC receives national award

January 8, 2014

WASHINGTON, D.C. — The Institute for Higher Education Policy (IHEP) announced recipients of its inaugural IHEP Champions of Access and Success Awards in December. Winners of the Institutional Champions of Access and Success Awards and Champion of Champions Awards include postsecondary institutions and individuals who have successfully advanced strategies that increase opportunity, persistence, and degree completion for low-income, first-generation, minority, veteran, and other underserved students. Recipients of the Institutional Champions of Access and Success Awards are being recognized for scaling and institutionalizing their access and success strategies.

Navajo Tech Awards First Degrees as a University

December 18, 2013

In spite of a snowstorm that swept the northern border of New Mexico and Arizona, Navajo Technical University awarded its first degrees as a university to over 50 students in a small graduation ceremony at the Chinle Community Center on December 13, 2013.

College Fund Mellon Faculty Ph.D Fellow Takes Leadership Role at Tribal College

October 3, 2013

Devils Lake Journal Azure steps into new responsibilities at Cankdeska Cikana Community College To look at the new Vice President of Academic Affairs at Cankdeska Cikana Community College you’d think he had been doing his job there for many years.

Navajo Technical College to host international consortium’s annual board meeting

July 29, 2013

A year removed from hosting its annual conference in Taiwan, the World Indigenous Nations Higher Education Consortium (WINHEC) will be convening for their annual board meeting at Navajo Technical College’s Crownpoint campus from August 4-6, 2013.

‘The Lone Ranger’: Johnny Depp’s Tonto proves divisive

July 15, 2013

Dr. Cheryl Crazy Bull quoted in Los Angeles Times article about the character Tonto in The Lone Ranger.

Navajo Technical College Now Trains Workers in Safety, Health Standards

July 7, 2013

Employers can now turn to Navajo Technical College to train their workers in Occupational Safety & Health Administration standards that ensure staff members are more knowledgeable about workplace hazards and employee rights. The college recently received certification to instruct training courses on the recognition, avoidance, abatement, and prevention of safety and health hazards in the workplace. The training is offered through either a 10-hour course intended for entry-level workers or a 30-hour course intended for supervisors or workers with safety responsibilities.

Diné college to close Kayenta, Ganado campuses

July 4, 2013

Due to the automatic federal funding cuts and lack of student enrollment, Diné College will be closing its doors at the Ganado and Kayenta branches.

Ethete student earns award for leadership

June 28, 2013

Hughes received the David M. Gipp Native American Leader Fellowship honor. Teresa G. Hughes, of Ethete, was selected to receive the David M. Gipp Native American Leader Fellowship award for 2013-14. The award was presented May 1 during a ceremony attended by college leaders and supporters from the Bismarck, N.D., community.

Salish Kootenai College Graduates First Tribal Historic Preservation Class

June 24, 2013

Salish Kootenai College in Pablo, Montana is now offering degrees in Tribal Historic Preservation. The instructor, Dr. Jeffrey Bendremer says, “It’s the first program of its type anywhere. I believe it’s historic.” Read more at http://indiancountrytodaymedianetwork.com/2013/06/24/salish-kootenai-college-graduates-first-tribal-historic-preservation-class-149961

Albert White Hat, preserver of Lakota language, dies at 74

June 23, 2013

Albert White Hat, preserver of Lakota language, dies at 74 Share to Facebook Share on Twitter Add to PersonalPost Save to Kindle Share via Email Print Article More Published: June 23 Albert White Hat, who was instrumental in teaching and preserving the endangered Lakota American Indian language and translated the Hollywood movie “Dances With Wolves” into Lakota for its actors, died June 11 at a South Dakota hospital. He was 74.

Traditional Native Games Conference & Competitions

June 21, 2013

The International Traditional Games Society was organized in 1997 but will hold its first Traditional Native Games Conference & Competitions from June 26-28 at Salish Kootenai College in Pablo, Montana. This will bring together many of the leading minds throughout Indian country and elsewhere to discuss the value of these games, the preservation of spiritual ties as shown through joy and play and the restoration of traditional games within tribes from both sides of the U.S.-Canada border. Read more at http://indiancountrytodaymedianetwork.com/2013/06/21/save-dates-traditional-native-games-conference-competitions-150009

More state funding coming to Navajo

June 20, 2013

Navajo Times – Another major victory in the budget approved by the state is that, for the first time, Navajo Technical College will be getting state support. “Since opening its two Arizona campuses in 2006, Navajo Technical College has shown retention and graduation rates that far exceed the national average and its students are entering the workforce with high-demand skills like computer science and engineering,” said Jackson. The state legislature agreed to appropriate $850,000 a year to help NTC to improve its Chinle campus. That is in addition to the $1.75 million that goes annually to Diné College.

AGC-NM builds on workforce development efforts in Gallup area

June 19, 2013

For more than a year, the Associated General Contractors-New Mexico Building Branch has been involved with partnerships to bolster the curriculum in Gallup-area schools to ensure graduates can fill open jobs. The branch has been working with the University of New Mexico’s Gallup campus and the Navajo Technical College to train students that will support work being done in the area by BNSF Railway Co. and the oil and gas industry. The latest efforts have resulted in industry-driven coursework that will be offered during the fall semester at UNM-Gallup.

New art meets old culture at Red Cloud

June 19, 2013

Native American art is much more than “long hair, feathers and sunsets,” says the curator of the annual Red Cloud Indian Art Show, on display now through Aug. 11. “There’s so much more to it,” said Mary Bordeaux of The Heritage Center at Red Cloud Indian School near Pine Ridge. “Contemporary Native art just isn’t long hair, feathers and sunsets.”

Oglala Lakota College students gear up for graduation

June 19, 2013

PHOTOS – Oglala Lakota College students gear up for graduation

Lummi Food Sovereignty Gets a Big Boost

June 14, 2013

Food sovereignty is a topic that is discussed more and more in Indian Country these days. Tribal leaders and members are realizing that they can’t be completely sovereign if they rely on outside sources for their food. That idea has prompted Northwest Indian College’s (NWIC) Cooperative Extension Department to implement food sovereignty programs at two of its reservation sites: Muckleshoot and Lummi. – See more at: http://alaska-native-news.com/general-news/8696-lummi-food-sovereignty-gets-a-big-boost.html#sthash.ZBwXE3rx.dpuf

Salish Kootenai College commencement celebrated June 8

June 12, 2013

PABLO — Yamncut drum played as Salish Kootenai College class of 2013 followed Linda King and Wilbert Michel into the Joe McDonald Health and Fitness Center for commencement on June 8. Jason Smith, former SKC graduate and current Director of Indian Affairs for Montana Governor Steve Bullock, offered graduates a “free fundamental formula for success.”

Salish Kootenai College names new president

June 12, 2013

PABLO –The Salish Kootenai College Board of Directors at SKC announced the selection of Robert DePoe III as SKC’s new president on June 5. On June 4, the final three candidates — DePoe, Sandra Boham and Steve DuPuis — were on campus for a public question and answer session that drew nearly 100 people. “Salish Kootenai College proudly announces the new president for SKC will be Robert DePoe III,” said Jim Durglo, Chairman of the Board of Directors. “The Board and executive team are looking forward to a long, successful, and prosperous future for SKC under our new president.”

Comanche Nation College Tries to Rescue a Lost Tribal Language

June 9, 2013

A two-year tribal college in Lawton, Okla., is using technology to reinvigorate the Comanche language before it dies out. Two faculty members from Comanche Nation College and Texas Tech University worked with tribal elders to create a digital archive of what’s left of the language. Only about 25 people nationwide speak Comanche, down from about 15,000 in the late 1800s, they estimate.

Graduation Rates Dropping Among Native American Students

June 6, 2013

US News & World Report Login Store Twitter Facebook Google+ Sections Special Reports Rankings education Home Colleges Grad Schools Best High Schools Online Education World Universities Graduation Rates Dropping Among Native American Students Latino and black students are gaining ground, but American Indians are slipping, a new report shows.

Putting the Culture Back in Agriculture: Reviving Native Food and Farming Traditions

June 2, 2013

Schools like the Southwestern Indian Polytechnic Institute, the Institute of American Indian Arts, and the Santa Fe Indian School – along with grammar schools, high schools, and non-profit programs – have developed agricultural education programs. The Traditional Native American Farmers’ Association helps farmers get back onto the land, hosts workshops on seed saving and agricultural techniques, and has a youth program.

Colleges must understand Native culture, speakers say at Pablo meeting

June 1, 2013

Missoulian- American colleges and universities that are serious about recruiting and educating students from Indian tribes will go beyond creating Native American studies programs and centers.

U.S. Education Secretary to Deliver College of the Menominee Nation Commencement Address

June 1, 2013

U.S. Secretary of Education Arne Duncan will deliver the commencement address during the College of the Menominee Nation’s commencement ceremonies beginning at 10 a.m. Saturday, June 1, in the Menominee Conference Center in Keshena, Wis. He will applaud graduates for their perseverance and congratulate those who have overcome challenges to become first-generation college students in their families.

United Tribes Graduates Honored

June 1, 2013

United Tribes Graduates Honored and What’s in Your Toolbox?

Forced cuts threaten to ‘rip apart’ Native American schools

May 31, 2013

Cutting counselors, trainers in Missouri On the shore of the Missouri River, Sitting Bull College is also feeling the pain of forced budget cuts. When the sequester looked like a reality in February, the college drew up a budget that would cut nearly 10% of all operating funds from the school.

Ilisagvik College honors 62 graduates at ceremony

May 31, 2013

Arctic Sounder – Ilisagvik College held its annual commencement exercises on April 26 at Ipalook Elementary School. This year saw a graduating class of 62 students. Seventeen associate degrees and 83 certificates were awarded. Just six years ago, the 2006-2007 graduating class received 37 awards, total. Ilisagvik College continues to strive to meet its mission of increasing the number of graduates that are well educated and trained to enter into the Alaskan workforce.

LCO College graduates honored at commencement

May 31, 2013

Sawyer County Record – Seventy-three graduates of Lac Courte Oreilles Ojibwa Community College were honored by faculty, family and guests at the Class of 2013 commencement ceremony Thursday, May 23 at the Pipe Mustache Auditorium.

Summer camp to feature virtual firearms simulator

May 31, 2013

BISMARCK (UTN) – United Tribes Technical College will host a criminal justice summer camp in July that features the college’s virtual firearms simulator. The camp is set for July 15-19, sponsored by the college’s Criminal Justice department. Invited are high school juniors and seniors from towns and cities in the region who are interested in the criminal justice profession.

Overcoming Addiction, Professor Tackles Perils American Indians Face

May 11, 2013

Dr. Patterson’s research focuses on intervention strategies for substance abusers in underserved populations, particularly American Indians. He has just finished teaching a graduate-level class on drug and alcohol abuse.

Haskell graduates ‘live it up’ at commencement ceremony

May 10, 2013

Haskell Indian Nations University student Tyler Levier, the American Indian College Fund Student of the Year at Haskell, addresses his classmates Friday morning during Haskell’s 2013 spring commencement in Coffin Sports Complex. Haskell Indian Nations University student Tyler Levier, the American Indian College Fund Student of the Year at Haskell, addresses his classmates Friday morning during Haskell’s 2013 spring commencement in Coffin Sports Complex. When they practiced their commencement ceremony earlier this week, Tyler Levier recalled Friday morning, the 2013 graduates of Haskell Indian Nations University were told to move quickly across the stage, to keep things moving. But as Levier spoke from that stage Friday, he sent a different message, with apologies to the Haskell administration.

Lawrence Journal-World Editorial: Haskell advance

May 7, 2013

Congratulations to Haskell Indian Nations University on gaining national accreditation for its teacher education program.

BCC Develops Montana’s First Native Language App

May 5, 2013

y blending the future of technology with the history of tribal language, Blackfeet Community College (BCC, Browning, MT) has developed Montana’s first Native American language application for smartphone users.

North Dakota Visitor Center Honoring Sitting Bull Set to Open

May 5, 2013

American Indian Alaska Native Tourism Association (AIANTA) Member Standing Rock Sioux Tribe will partner with Sitting Bull College for the ribbon cutting and open house of the highly anticipated Sitting Bull Visitor Center on May 15 from 11:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m./MST at the Sitting Bull College Campus in Fort Yates, North Dakota.

Shell offers support for education at Ilisagvik College

May 3, 2013

In addition to being Alaska’s only tribal college, Ilisagvik College is also a nonprofit organization, which means that the College needs community support in order to provide the great education and trainings that it does. “Though of course we would not exist without the vision and the support of the North Slope Borough,” commented Ilisagvik President Pearl Brower, “in recent years we have really tried to partner with more statewide organizations to increase our sustainability and economic diversity.”

Crows enjoy a look around newly purchased ranch

May 2, 2013

The Crow Tribe reclaimed a piece of its past Wednesday. The tribe took ownership of the 1,933-acre Hairpin Cavvy Ranch, which it purchased at auction in March for $989,400. Hundreds of tribal members came out Wednesday for a picnic and the opportunity to explore the grounds.

Winona LaDuke to speak at Fort Berthold

May 2, 2013

Winona LaDuke, author and executive director of Honor the Earth, which raises money for Native environmental groups, will make a public presentation at noon Monday at Fort Berthold Community College in New Town.

Haskell School of Education gains national accreditation

May 1, 2013

The School of Education at Haskell Indian Nations University has gained national accreditation, becoming the first teacher-education program at a tribal college to do so.

Sarah EchoHawk Takes Over at AISES

May 1, 2013

Sarah EchoHawk got her start in nonprofit work more than 15 years ago when she took a part-time job answering phones at the American Indian College Fund.

Haskell first tribal college to receive national education accreditation

April 30, 2013

The School of Education at Haskell Indian Nations University has recently been NCATE (National Council of Teacher Education) accredited. Haskell is the first tribal college in the United States to receive this type of accreditation.

Tribal college leaders praise workforce training grants

April 30, 2013

Tribal college leaders and lawmakers gathered in Memorial Hall on Tuesday to praise a bill that will provide workforce training grants for colleges.

Casino revenue protects Oklahoma tribal colleges from federal budget woes

April 26, 2013

Nationwide, tribal college and university leaders are concerned about how automatic federal budget cuts will affect their cash-strapped schools. But officials at Oklahoma’s tribal institutions expect the impact of the cuts to be minimal.

Community colleges help prepare students for a greener job market

April 26, 2013

Chicago poet Lisa Donahue is training for a new career as a solar equipment installer. The 27-year-old is the new president of the Santa Fe Community College solar club and is working on her associate degree in environmental technology.

Navajo Technical College Students Cook in National Sustainability Design Expo

April 26, 2013

Six Navajo Technical College professional and commercial baking program students combined their culinary talents with their innovative energy sustainable skills to compete the 2013 National Sustainability Design Expo at the National Mall in Washington DC last Friday and Saturday.

Ojibwe Tribes of Wisconsin Seek Ultimate Sustainability

April 26, 2013

The Ojibwe tribes of Wisconsin are working towards becoming a more sovereign nation. Lac Courte Oreilles Ojibwe Community College hosted it’s Fifth annual sustainable living fair to move that process forward.

Conference brings together Native American students, business leaders

April 25, 2013

For students who grow up on Indian reservations, going from high school to college isn’t always a priority. Or academics might not be their focus, says Don Wetzel Jr., student, families and communities coordinator for the Schools of Promise program.

Tribal Colleges contribute $ millions to economy

April 24, 2013

North Dakota TCs Have Positive Economic Impact on State BISMARCK (UTN) – Having five tribal colleges in the state means millions of dollars for the North Dakota economy. Last year tribal colleges generated $182 million in the state.

IAIA Honors Distinguished Alumni During 2013 Commencement

April 19, 2013

Continuing to fulfill its mission to empower creativity and leadership in Native Arts and cultures through higher education, the Institute of American Indian Arts (IAIA) will honor two of the most successful American Indian artists and authors at its 2013 commencement.

Fort Belknap Reservation, White Clay Language is Spoken

April 16, 2013

Fort Belknap Reservation is the only place in the world where the White Clay language is spoken. In addition to the uniqueness of the language, the White Clay Immersion School is unique because it is based at a tribal college: Aaniiih Nakoda College. Over the past 40 years, the tribal college movement has led the fight for educational self-determination among Indian people. The creation of tribal college-immersion school partnerships represents the next important movement for Indian education.

Tribal colleges contribute millions of dollars to North Dakota economy

April 15, 2013

Minot Daily News – Having five tribal colleges in the state means millions of dollars for the North Dakota economy. Last year tribal colleges generated $182 million in the state, according to a recently released report. That was the total impact of direct and secondary spending by the colleges and their students identified in a report commissioned by the North Dakota Association of Tribal Colleges.

Tribal colleges disappointed by workforce funding cut

April 14, 2013

Tribal college officials are disappointed by a lower appropriation for a Native workforce training bill before the state House. However, they still support Senate Bill 2218, saying it creates a plan that will lower unemployment on the reservations.

Readout of Secretary Napolitano’s Visit to Philadelphia to Announce Campus Resilience Pilot Pro

April 2, 2013

PHILADELPHIA – Secretary of Homeland Security Janet Napolitano today traveled to Drexel University to announce seven colleges and universities competitively selected to participate in the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Campus Resilience Pilot Program (CR Pilot). DHS will work with the seven selected colleges and universities to draw on existing resources, collaborate with federal, state and local stakeholders and identify new innovative approaches to promote campus resilience—directly supporting the goals of the President’s Plan to Reduce Gun Violence, and making educational institutions safer and more prepared.

Navajo Technical College strives to be first-ever Navajo ‘university’

March 27, 2013

The Daily Times – FARMINGTON — Navajo Technical College may be on its way to becoming Navajo Technical University.

Editorial: College of the Menominee Nation has positive impact

March 26, 2013

Green Bay Press Gazette – Last week in Ashwaubenon, members from almost a dozen tribal colleges and universities gathered for a consortium conference to discuss the future of education at Native American colleges. Representatives from universities and colleges in Wisconsin, Minnesota, Michigan and Nebraska came together as part of the Woodlands Tribal Colleges and Universities group to share experiences and focus on higher education. Close to 1,000 students participated in the event as well, which was held at the Radisson Hotel and Conference Center.

Native Presence Grows on Colorado College Boards

March 25, 2013

Indian Country Today – Ernest House Jr., Ute Mountain Ute, executive secretary of the Colorado Commission of Indian Affairs, has been named to the Board of Trustees of Fort Lewis College, a former Indian boarding school in Durango, Colorado, commission board members were told March 22. Read more at http://indiancountrytodaymedianetwork.com/2013/03/25/native-presence-grows-colorado-college-boards-148349

Navajo Technical College gearing up to acquire radio station

March 25, 2013

Radio Survivor – Associated Press reports that several prominent Southwestern tribes are well on the way to securing radio signals for their areas. These include Navajo Technical College of Crownpoint, New Mexico, which has convinced the Federal Communications Commission that its area deserves Tribal Priority consideration

Success Center keeps students on path to graduation

March 22, 2013

Arctic Sounder – Ilisagvik College, Alaska’s only tribal college, has worked tirelessly since its inception to educate and empower the Inupiaq people of the North Slope; to build its workforce and prepare new generations of competent professionals. While the college celebrates tremendous successes; steadily increasing enrollment, growing graduation numbers, and countless post-graduation success stories, Ilisagvik faces a challenge familiar to many minority-serving, post-secondary institutions – student retention.

In Montana, an Indian reservation’s children feel the impact of sequester’s cuts

March 21, 2013

Washington Post – The public schools on the isolated, windswept Fort Peck Indian reservation here are at the frontier of the federal sequester, among the first to struggle with budget cuts sweeping west from Washington.

Meet Richard Black Elk: Lakota Warrior, Proud Teacher for Little Wound School on Pine Ridge

March 15, 2013

Indian Country Today – Read more When he returned to South Dakota from Iraq, Black Elk earned a bachelor’s in Lakota Studies from Oglala Lakota College and decided to earn his teacher’s certification. As if fate smiled on his decision, a representative from Troops to Teachers visited his National Guard unit in Montana and left behind some literature. After looking through a brochure, Black Elk enrolled in the program.

1491er asks you to “Learn to Earn”

March 14, 2013

Dallas Goldtooth of the 1491s talks about the DeMaND program at United Tribes Technical College in Bismarck, North Dakota.

Federal budget cuts affect LCO College

March 14, 2013

Sawyer County Record – The automatic federal budget cuts known as sequestration will result in a 5 percent cut in federal grants for Lac Courte Oreilles Ojibwe Community College (LCO OCC) in the 2013-14 school year.

Fort Peck DeMaND workforce training programs available

March 14, 2013

Mike Dimas, the electrical line workers instructor at Fort Peck Community College in Poplar. Montana and student Jarred Williams speak about the DeMaND workforce training programs available.

Uses Knife wins NASA Internship, becomes NASA Ambassador

March 13, 2013

Native Sun News – RAPID CITY – Winning singing contests, art contests, being a model and an accomplished hoop dancer might be enough for some, but not for Delaena Rae Uses Knife, 27, of Eagle Butte, SD, who fully intends to reach her dream of becoming an astrophysicist. Uses Knife is looking forward to a summer internship with NASA and she has also been named one of five of South Dakota’s NASA Ambassador. “It’s a surreal moment for me,” Uses Knife said.

Cobell scholarship funding to be controlled by American Indian College Fund

March 12, 2013

Rapid City Journal – The American Indian College Fund will administer a student scholarship fund authorized by the Cobell Settlement, Secretary of the Interior Ken Salazar announced Tuesday.

Fond du Lac contributes $38 million, 459 jobs to economy

March 12, 2013

Northland Connection – A study estimates Fond du Lac Tribal and Community College generates an economic impact of $38 million. The college employs 459.

Legislation helpful to all of N.D.

March 9, 2013

Minot Daily News- The presidents of North Dakota’s tribal colleges are supporting SB 2218, which would provide $5 million for workplace training grants at the institutions.

Ilisagvik calls for summer campers

March 8, 2013

Arctic Sounder – Ilisagvik calls for summer campers

Tribal colleges introduce bill for $5M in grants

March 8, 2013

Minot Daily News – North Dakota tribal college presidents are expressing support for state legislation that would provide $5 million for workforce development grants at the colleges. The funding would come from the North Dakota Department of Commerce.

Tribal Colleges aim for workforce development grant

March 7, 2013

Dickinson Press – FARGO — The North Dakota Association of Tribal Colleges is hoping the state House will move forward with a $5 million grant to improve workforce development programs among the five schools.

http://diverseeducation.com/article/51722/#

March 6, 2013

Diverse Issues In Higher Education – Unless the stalemate over sequestration is resolved, July 1 will commence a dreary fiscal year for the nation’s tribal colleges and universities, according to school administrators and advocates.

Tribal College Students Went Knocking for Support on Capitol Hill

March 5, 2013

Native News Network – WASHINGTON – With federal budget cuts looming in early February, Northwest Indian College students headed to the nation’s capital to ask lawmakers face to face to support their education, a tribal education.

Sequestration Will Cause Tribal Colleges & Universities to Cut Staff and Reduce Programs

March 4, 2013

Native News Network – Sequestration Will Cause Tribal Colleges & Universities to Cut Staff and Reduce Programs

Native American students from Missoula learn about Montana tribes in SKC visit

March 1, 2013

Native American students from Missoula learn about Montana tribes in SKC visit March 01, 2013 9:45 pm • By Vince Devlin

Senate passes bill for tribal college grants

February 19, 2013

The North Dakota Senate unanimously passed a bill Tuesday that provides workforce development grant money to state tribal colleges. Under Senate Bill 2218, $5 million in grants would be divided among all of the tribally controlled community colleges in the state. The bill now goes to the House for consideration. The grant program would will be administered by the Division of Workforce Development within the North Dakota Department of Commerce.

Researchers do laser-guided scan of Judaculla Rock

February 15, 2013

Sloan STEM Fellowship student scanning an ancient Cherokee petroglyph to make learning Cherokee language “mystical and magical”.

Native American students from Missoula learn about Montana tribes in SKC visit

February 1, 2013

Missoulan – Native American students from Missoula learn about Montana tribes in SKC visit.

Racing To Save A Language

February 1, 2013

Lakota Language Nest, An Immersion School Reviving A Language On The Knife’s Edge Of Extinction By Dakota for the North Dakota Humanities Council

Retired NBA Coach Phil Jackson Sponsors Campaign for American Indian College Fund By José R. Ra

January 28, 2013

his week comes word that former basketball coach Phil Jackson will give one lucky fan the opportunity to spend a day with him in Los Angeles learning his basketball coaching secrets (airfare and hotel are included in the trip). Jackson has teamed up with online fundraising company Omaze for a fundraising campaign to support the Fund to raise money for Native student scholarships. Donors must complete entries for a chance to meet Jackson via the Fund’s Facebook page and website. The campaign will run through February 8, and donations aren’t required to enter.

Oklahoma’s Oldest Tribal College Takes Giant Step Forward in Accreditation Quest

January 26, 2013

Comanche Nation College (CNC), the first and oldest tribal college in Oklahoma, has reached a milestone in its quest for accreditation. On Nov. 1 the Board of Trustees for the North Central Association-Higher Learning Commission voted to grant Comanche Nation College “the status of candidate for accreditation,” according to a letter from NCA-HLC President Sylvia Manning.

Idle No More Brings Native Voices, Tribal Education to the Forefront

January 23, 2013

Like many Natives and our allies across our Grandmother Earth, Unci Maka, I have joined the Idle No More movement, attending round dance gatherings, praying for Chief Theresa Spence and her supporters, sharing the stories I hear and read and perusing news and opinion pieces. Like many indigenous people, I am acutely aware that our voices in the mainstream of American, Canadian and Central and South American societies are often unheard, and that we appear silent when in fact our voices are singing out with stories of our lives. Defining this movement is our responsibility. Each of us should learn about this movement and find our own place in it. We can add our voices to songs of our relatives and allies across the earth.

Tribal Colleges in NM Seek Scholarship Eligibility

January 22, 2013

ALBUQUERQUE N.M. — Tribal colleges in New Mexico want their students to have the same eligibility for the state’s lottery scholarships as students attending state colleges and universities. Tribal colleges also want the same so-called “dual credit” reimbursements that other public higher education institutions get from the state for courses that count for both high school and college credit.

NASA Aids Tribal School in Becoming Four-Year University

January 22, 2013

Navajo Technical College in Crownpoint, N.M. recently transitioned from a two-year college to a four-year university thanks to funding from NASA’s Minority University Research and Education Program (MUREP) Small Projects (MSP). In partnerships with the agency, students from Navajo Tech worked with two NASA centers in recent years supporting projects related to future space exploration.

Phil Jackson Volunteers for American Indian Fundraiser

January 22, 2013

Ever wonder what it would be like to spend a day with the Zen Master? Lakeside resident and legendary basketball coach Phil Jackson is offering a lucky fan the chance to hang out in Los Angeles and talk about his storied professional basketball career.

Sailor returns to Fort Berthold Community College to administer TREND Grant

January 17, 2013

Earlier this month, the Fort Berthold Community College (FBCC) welcomed Edna Sailor as the Trade Adjustment Assistance (TAA) Program-Data Coordinator. Sailor will be administering the Training for Regional Energy in North Dakota (TREND) program grant funds made available through the U.S. Department of Labor.

Northwest Area Foundation and American Indian College Fund Launch Tribal College Leaders in Inn

January 14, 2013

The St. Paul-based Northwest Area Foundation, which is dedicated to supporting efforts by people, organizations, and communities to reduce poverty and achieve sustainable prosperity, has made a two-year, $1 million grant to the American Indian College Fund in support of the Tribal College Leaders in Community Innovation Project.

Red Lake Band gets $21M to build new tribal college

January 14, 2013

The Red Lake Band of Ojibwe in northern Minnesota will receive more than $21 million in loans from the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Rural Development program. Red Lake will use some of the money to build a new, 42,000-square-foot tribal college to replace an older building that has limited classroom space and create room for technology equipment.

Combining hubs of knowledge Menominee tribal, college libraries merge

January 11, 2013

There is now one hub of knowledge in Keshena following the merger of the Menominee Public Library with the College of Menominee Nation library. The college, the Menominee Tribal Legislature and the Menominee County Board of Supervisors celebrated the merger Friday with an open house and discussion of what is to come in the three-story, 19,000-square-foot S. Verna Fowler Library.

Tribal Rep Creates Scholarship, Makes Education a Priority

January 7, 2013

When he was elected in June as the District 3 representative for the Leech Lake Band of Ojibwe, 30-year-old LeRoy Staples-Fairbanks III promised to make education a priority, and he’s done just that by creating a scholarship. On December 14, he presented a check toward the first installment of the LeRoy Staples Sr. and LeRoy B. Fairbanks Scholarship Fund—named in honor of his late grandfather and his uncle, key inspirations in his life—to Leech Lake Tribal College in Cass Lake, Minnesota. Read more at http://indiancountrytodaymedianetwork.com/article/tribal-rep-creates-scholarship-makes-education-priority-146705

In Your Words: North Slope Borough Mayor supports Uqautchim Uglua

January 4, 2013

On December 21, North Slope Borough Mayor Charlotte Brower presented Ilisagvik College President Pearl Brower a Proclamation of Support for the Uqautchim Uglua (language nest) Program.

Tribal college coming to Rapid City

December 21, 2012

The United Tribes Technical College of Bismarck — a college devoted to educating Native Americans — chose a suitably symbolic place to announce Thursday that it will open a new student center in downtown Rapid City. College officials came to the Lakota Nation Invitational sports and academic competition in Rapid City to deliver the news that it will open a new technical learning center on the National American University campus at 321 Kansas City St.

NTC graduates first RNs

December 20, 2012

All the late nights, long classes and stressful homework finally paid off for the first batch of students to graduate from Navajo Technical College’s new nursing program.

Tribal College Grads are Leaders United Tribes honors mid-year graduates

December 19, 2012

“Your graduation today is a modern-day rite of passage,” said keynote speaker Dr. Cheryl Crazy Bull at United Tribes Technical College. “Among all tribes we have certain times in our lives when we move to a next stage, and your graduation today is one of those.”

First cohort of NTC Registered Nursing students set to graduate

December 14, 2012

Navajo Technical College will be graduating its first cohort of Registered Nursing students Monday, December 17, 2012 at the Red Rock State Park auditorium in Church Rock, NM.

Program to place American Indian teachers in school leadership roles receives $1.2 million

December 14, 2012

A collaborative program between Montana State University and Little Big Horn College that is designed to train American Indian educators and improve schools on and near Indian reservations in Montana and several neighboring states has received a grant worth more than $1.2 million.

A State of Emergency for American Indian and Native Students

December 12, 2012

The recent release of Adjusted Cohort Graduation Rate data from the U.S. Department of Education was certainly shocking to the nation. But for American Indian, Alaska Native, and Native Hawaiian communities, the data just confirms that education for our Native students is in a state of emergency.

Efforts to Recruit American Indian Males to College are Working

December 10, 2012

When Dwight Carlston of Fort Defiance, Ariz., began his college career a few years ago, little did he know that he was doing a lot more than making his family proud by pursuing a college education. While setting an example for his family, Carlston, now a 25-year-old environmental science major at Navajo Technical College with a 3.8 grade point average, was also helping tribal colleges throughout the continent in their efforts to get more American Indian males on reservations to further their education.

Picture perfect: Lakota youth find hope with a camera

December 9, 2012

When Danielle Griffith’s college business class was asked to pick a topic for a public-service campaign last semester, the choice was simple. “Everybody in class just pinpointed it down to suicide. Every single student, that’s the one they chose,” she said. Griffith and the rest of Ahmed Al-Asfour’s Introduction to Business class at Oglala Lakota College collaborated with media professionals from the Black Hills chapter of the American Advertising Federation to fight the epidemic of youth suicide on the reservation by asking one question: “What does hope look like to you?”

Marketing staff added to Fort Berthold Community College

December 5, 2012

Vonnie Alberts and Vernell Buckman have been named to the staff of the Fort Berthold Community College in New Town to handle the college’s marketing, advertising and multimedia work. The college is expanding programs for current and future students to meet the needs of a population increase on and surrounding the Fort Berthold Indian Reservation.

Wis. board calls for increase in financial aid

December 5, 2012

MADISON, Wis. — The University of Wisconsin System and other college associations have endorsed a commission finding that calls for an increase in college aid in the next state budget. And Verna Fowler, the president of the College of Menominee Nation, said the commission’s recommendations would go a long way toward helping some of most challenged students. “In almost every measure, the Wisconsin students attending tribal colleges are the most disadvantaged of the disadvantaged in our state,” Fowler said. “… We continue to say that education is the best anti-poverty program there is.”

Tester leads effort to designate National Tribal Colleges and Universities Week

November 28, 2012

Senator honors Montana colleges for ‘opening doors’ across Indian Country Senator Jon Tester is leading an effort in Congress to designate this week National Tribal Colleges and Universities Week in honor of Montana’s seven tribal colleges.

Ilisagvik language nest program close to opening

November 24, 2012

Uqautchim Uglua (Inupiaq for language nest) is a new program getting ready to launch through Ilisagvik College. Its purpose is twofold. It will serve as a lab for Ilisagvik students working towards an Associate of Arts degree in Inupiaq Early Learning and provide up to 12 children from birth to three years of age with early immersion in their traditional culture and language. In its first year, which is scheduled to start in November of 2012, the program will only be accepting three-year-old children. By the start of the second year, the program will be opened to all children from birth to three.

“Getting to Know Cheryl Crazy Bull, the American Indian College Fund’s New Leader,”

November 23, 2012

“Getting to Know Cheryl Crazy Bull, the American Indian College Fund’s New Leader,” by Carol Berry, Indian Country Today, Nov. 23, 2012

Tribal Colleges Make An Effort To Return To Their Food Roots

November 21, 2012

Tribal colleges have made a push to grow and serve their own foods in efforts to promote food sovereignty. High in the hills south of Santa Fe, N.M., stands a greenhouse that Luke Reed hopes will help American Indians eat healthier.

Solving The Childcare Crisis In Rural Alaska

November 19, 2012

Finding quality, affordable childcare for young children can be a challenge anywhere in Alaska. It’s especially difficult in rural Alaska’s hub communities – where the cost of living is high and space is often hard to find. It becomes a factor in attracting professionals to jobs at regional health and other organizations. In the next installment of our series “Being Young in Rural Alaska” from the producers of Kids These Days, Anne Hillman takes a look at how some communities are trying to meet the challenge.

Author with N.D. roots writes novels about violence in Indian Country

November 17, 2012

Louise Erdrich does not gloss over the violence that plagues many American Indian reservations, including violence against native women and children. It is, in fact, a recurring theme in her novels, including her latest, “The Round House,” set on a North Dakota reservation in 1988, for which the North Dakota native and enrolled member of the Turtle Mountain Band of Chippewa Indians received a prestigious National Book Award this week. “But when you grapple with the complexity of the present in native communities, you are also facing a largely unknown history of trauma,” she said Friday in a telephone interview from her home in Minneapolis. That “historical trauma” is “coming down through generations of people who have been stripped of their culture, forced into boarding schools around the turn of the last century, mired in poverty, and breaking out of that is very, very hard to do.” “The Round House,” the second part of a planned trilogy set on the North Dakota reservation (the first, “The Plague of Doves,” was published to critical acclaim in 2008), is the story of a 13-year-old boy who seeks justice for his mother after she is brutally attacked. “But the book also is about the ongoing celebration of culture” in Indian Country, Erdrich said. “People only seem to get interested in native communities when something horrific happens,” she said, “and the beauty, spirit and vitality of the culture, the toughness of mind it takes native people to survive — that is something that should be celebrated.” At Spirit Lake, restoring values Erdrich, 58, said she is aware of recent developments at the Spirit Lake Sioux reservation, where federal officials, tribal members and others have alleged widespread abuse of children and a tribal child protection system that is broken. At the request of the tribe, the federal Bureau of Indian Affairs took over administration of social service programs involving children on Oct. 1, but critics insist little progress has been made. “I really can’t address Spirit Lake because I don’t have all the information,” she said. “But this book is about an issue that is part of that situation, a slow-burning conflagration of the spiritual laws that have governed native societies until the indigenous culture was stripped away. “We are grappling with how to restore the place and imbue ourselves with all that has been lost.” In accepting her National Book Award Wednesday night in New York, Erdrich said the novel “is a book about a huge case of injustice ongoing on reservations.” She delivered her remarks in both Ojibwe and English and said she wanted to honor “the grace and endurance of native women.” Speaking to reporters Thursday in Minneapolis, she said the prize “is an award for stories that are grounded here, about us. It belongs to the native community, to North Dakotans and Minnesotans.” On Friday, she said she is still “very happy” about the award, and she hopes the honor will give it a wider audience. She said she wrote the story “as suspense, in a way as a page-turning book, because I wanted to talk about problems that are very fraught with emotion and involve very complex legal issues. The book is about the difficulty in obtaining justice for victims of crime of sexual violence on reservations. The answers aren’t easy. “It’s set in 1988 but truer than ever today. Crimes of sexual violence against women are at epidemic proportions on reservations.” Hope, not despair The Tribal Law and Order Act adopted by Congress in 2010, which boosted law enforcement capabilities on reservations, “was a huge help” in countering violence stemming from poverty, drugs and alcohol, unemployment and hopelessness. Another piece of federal legislation, which would have allowed tribal courts to prosecute non-native sex offenders, was stalled in the House of Representatives. “That piece of sovereignty should be restored to tribes,” Erdrich said. “Tribal courts should be able to prosecute non-native sex predators. When they can’t, that adds a layer of instability and insecurity to the entire system.” She warns against generalizations about Indian Country and a focus only on what’s wrong, and she is “absolutely” more hopeful than despairing for the future. Every tribe in the country “has a unique culture, different trials and triumphs,” she said. On her home reservation, “the tribal college system has been a fantastic success. The Turtle Mountain Community College is a tremendous center of learning. “I am constantly humbled by the people I know who are working their hearts out in Indian Country,” Erdrich said, including her siblings. “My own family … they save lives. They’ve given their lives to Indian education and Indian health.” Erdrich was raised in Wahpeton, N.D., and her parents and several siblings live there. She said she will take her new award there “so we can all celebrate.” She also plans to take the award, a bronze statue, to the Turtle Mountain reservation. Through her novels and other literary work, she addresses the problems and challenges facing Indian people through stories of individual women, men and children. People in Washington D.C. who weigh decisions on such issues as funding for reservation law enforcement, health and education “need to see it comes down to the suffering of a child in North Dakota,” she said. “If we don’t look at it in terms of human suffering and just look at it coldly through costs … you need to ask, ‘What does it cost when someone becomes a purveyor of violence?’ It’s cost effective over the long haul if that’s the way you need to look at it.”

Navajo Code Talker receives BFA 60 years after having to leave KU

November 13, 2012

Chester Nez, 91, the last survivor of the original 29 World War II Navajo Code Talkers, received a Bachelor of Fine Arts from Kansas University on Monday in a recognition ceremony at the Lied Center pavilion. Code Talkers transmitted messages in a code based on the Navajo language that was never broken. Nez was a Marine serving in the Pacific Theater.

Native American students try to preserve tribe culture

November 11, 2012

Three Baylor University students visited campus last Wednesday determined to experience one must-do activity — rolling down the Indian Mounds. “We’re visiting LSU, and we’re told we had to roll down the hill,” said Kevin Cochran, referring to the University’s Indian Mounds. “How much trouble would we get into for jumping the fencing and rolling down the hill?”

LCOOCC recovers from devastating fire – Tribal College Journal

November 6, 2012

the tribal college is using the fire as an opportunity to rebuild from the ground up, to replace what was lost with a more cost-efficient space.

Educator Spotlight: Daniel Wildcat

November 4, 2012

Daniel R. Wildcat, Muscogee (Creek) Nation of Oklahoma, is the director of the Haskell Environmental Research Studies Center and dean of the College of Natural and Social Sciences at Haskell Indian Nations University in Lawrence, Kansas. After serving two years in the U.S. Army, Wildcat attended the University of Kansas where he received both his bachelor’s and master’s in sociology.

NAJA recognizes Native American Heritage Month in November

November 4, 2012

The Native American Journalists Association recognizes November as Native American Heritage Month and we are encouraging journalists everywhere to cover a Native American issue. Broader coverage of Native nations by the media means exposure of important topics for Native American people.

USDA Announces Investments in Tribal Land-Grant Colleges

October 29, 2012

Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack Tuesday announced that 21 projects in eight states have been funded through the Tribal College Initiative Grant program to make campus improvements, provide outreach and educational offerings. Janie Hipp, Senior Advisor to the Secretary made the announcement on the Secretary’s behalf while attending the National Congress of American Indians Annual Conference.

Federal Grant to Help Prepare More Native American Teachers in Wis.

October 26, 2012

A one million dollar federal grant awarded to the Lac Courte Oreilles Ojibwa Community College hopes to bring more Native American teachers into Wisconsin schools. With this grant, the LCO Community College and UW-Superior hope to launch a collaborative program to prepare more Native American teachers, including some proficient in the Ojibwe language.

New LCO College president sees bright future

October 25, 2012

As he was inaugurated as the eighth president of Lac Courte Oreilles Ojibwe Community College (LCOOCC), Ray Burns applauded the vision of people who started the college 30 years ago and spoke of an expanding role for the institution, which serves tribal reservations and surrounding communities in northern Wisconsin.

Native Sun News: Lakota Voice Project confronts youth suicide

October 23, 2012

Where do you find hope in a place where people do such a great job of hiding it? For Jason Alley and Karrissa Eifert of the Lakota Voice Project and a motivated Oglala Lakota College intro to business class, the answer was simple: Ask those who do not know how to hide it. So they asked the children.

Proposed wells draw controversy: Rancher, tribal member oppose drilling in Killdeer Mountains

October 23, 2012

Home to one historic battlefield site already, the Killdeer Mountains are the subject of a new North Dakota fight. This time, however, the battle is not between the U.S. Army and tribes of Native Americans, but rather between the oil industry and the people who live near and use the mountains, which begin about eight miles northwest of Killdeer.

Secretary Vilsack Announces Investments in Tribal Land-Grant

October 23, 2012

Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack today announced that 21 projects in eight states have been funded through the Tribal College Initiative Grant program to make campus improvements, provide outreach and educational offerings. Janie Hipp, Senior Advisor to the Secretary made the announcement on the Secretary’s behalf while attending the National Congress of American Indians Annual Conference.

Students pioneer NTC’s Navajo Leadership Studies certificate program

October 23, 2012

CROWNPOINT, NM – Amidst local government elections at chapter houses throughout the Navajo Nation, a handful of Navajo Technical College (NTC) students have begun their road to future elections by pioneering the Navajo Nation’s first Navajo Leadership Studies program – a 32-credit hour certificate program that was approved by the Higher Learning Commission (HLC) of the North Central Association of Colleges and Schools last fall.

USDA awards funds to tribal colleges in Dakotas

October 23, 2012

ISMARCK, N.D. | Several tribal colleges in North and South Dakota are receiving federal grants to make campus improvements and provide opportunities for outreach. The U.S. Department of Agriculture announced Tuesday that $3.3 million will go toward tribal colleges as part of the Rural Development Tribal College Grant program.

Leech Lake Tribal College: Student talks to Franken about awareness for American Indian history

October 17, 2012

“I knew right then and there I had to turn my life around,” he said. A bullet had entered his right shoulder and tore through his chest, collapsing his lung and shattering his left arm. His girlfriend, Angela Browneagle, encouraged him to consider his future and Goodman agreed. “Honestly, I just wasn’t on the right path,” he said. Goodman, now a second-year student at Leech Lake Tribal College, captured the attention of U.S. Sen. Al Franken Wednesday as the senator addressed students during a tour of the Leech Lake Tribal College campus.

Renewed Opportunity for Housing on the Pine Ridge Reservation

October 17, 2012

In a world too often shrouded from most of America, there’s a renewed perspective and promise of opportunity growing among its people. The Thunder Valley Regenerative Community initiative has inspired the Oglala Lakota Sioux tribe who inhabit the Pine Ridge Reservation ancestral lands in southwest South Dakota to act and plan for important things to come.

The Sioux-Premes: Pine Ridge Start-Up Business Shoots for the Stars

October 16, 2012

“This is as big as the moon landing,” said millworker John Romero, speaking of Sioux-Preme Wood Products, in Manderson, South Dakota. “It’s a giant step for the Pine Ridge Indian Reservation.” The start-up firm joins several new enterprises on the Pine Ridge, where unemployment tops 80 percent but economic development is slowly gathering steam.

Shanley to deliver MSU’s Berger Lecture on personal and religious perspectives on Indian life

October 15, 2012

James E. Shanley, recently retired president of Fort Peck Community College and a former president of the American Indian Higher Education Consortium and the American Indian College Fund, will deliver the 2012 Phyllis Berger Memorial Lecture at 7 p.m., Wednesday, Oct. 17, in the Hager Auditorium at Montana State University’s Museum of the Rockies. ://www.montana.edu/cpa/news/nwview.php?article=11534

Tribal colleges start campaign to end violence against women

October 15, 2012

Haskell Indian Nations University in Kansas, Southwestern Indian Polytechnic Institute in New Mexico and United Tribes Technical College in North Dakota are taking part in the “Restoring the Circle: Ending Violence and Abuse on Tribal College and University Campuses” campaign. The goal is to ensure that American Indian and Alaska Native women remain safe while pursuing their educational goals.

Helping Tribal College Students Excel in STEM

October 11, 2012

It’s shaping up to be a good year for students in Indian Country. For the first time in school history, students at Saginaw Chippewa Tribal College in Mount Pleasant, Michigan can register to take physics thanks to an upgraded laboratory. And at Leech Lake Tribal College in Cass Lake, Minnesota, students were able to take trigonometry for the first time last year. Funded and supported by USDA’s National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA ), both schools made improvements to bolster their students’ learning in the areas of science and mathematics.

Tribal Colleges Rank as Top Degree-Producers for Native Students

October 1, 2012

For several years, Diverse Issues in Higher Education magazine has listed the top schools that confer degrees to students of color. This year Diné College in Arizona, United Tribes Technical College in North Dakota, Oglala Lakota College in South Dakota, Little Big Horn College and Fort Peck Community College in Montana, Sinte Gleska University in South Dakota and Turtle Mountain Community College in North Dakota are among the top-ranked schools for conferring associate’s degrees; Haskell Indian Nations University in Kansas is among the top-ranked schools for conferring Natives with undergraduate degrees.

College’s Library Is Named in Honor of S. Verna Fowler

September 25, 2012

KESHENA, WI – Bernard (Ben) Kaquatosh, Chairman of the College of Menominee Nation Board of Directors, has announced the naming of the College’s academic library in honor of S. Verna Fowler, Ph.D. Dr. Fowler is the founding President of CMN, an accredited institution awarding baccalaureate and associate degrees and technical/trades diplomas.

National Guard dedicates Lakota helicopters

September 11, 2012

NTC adds fifth bachelor degree in three years with BA in Diné Culture, Language, and Leadership

September 5, 2012

On August 23, 2012, Navajo Technical College received notice of approval by the Institution Actions Council (IAC) of the Higher Learning Commission (HLC) to begin offering a Bachelor of Arts degree in Diné Culture, Language, and Leadership.

Native American Philanthropy: Giving in Humble Ways

August 30, 2012

Although we often hear about the challenges that Native Americans face in terms of poverty and reservation life, these individuals make significant contributions to the American economy and philanthropy. In 2010, Native Americans contributed $12 billion to the nation’s economy. Moreover, Native American businesses have increased 100 percent in the last 20 years. Often overlooked, Native Americans have great potential for philanthropic giving and a long tradition of it.