Indigenous-STEAM.org

About Ilisagvik College

In 1996, Iḷisaġvik College was officially established by the North Slope Borough, continuing the vision that began in 1986 when the North Slope Borough and the University of Alaska Fairbanks partnered to create the North Slope Higher Education Center.

Vision

To help build strong communities through education and training.

Mission

It is dedicated to serving its students and developing a well-educated and trained workforce who meet the human resource needs of North Slope employers and the state of Alaska.

About Dine’ College

Established in 1968 as Navajo Community College, it was later renamed Diné College. The Navajo Nation sought to create an institution of higher education that encouraged Navajo youth to become contributing members of the Navajo Nation and the world.

Vision

Our vision is to continuously improve our programs and services to make Diné College the exemplary higher education institution for the Diné People.

Mission

Rooted in Diné language and culture, our mission is to advance quality post-secondary student learning and development to ensure the well-being of the Diné People.

About Tohono O’odham Community College

Tohono O’odham Nation leaders and community members identified the need for a local college that could serve the needs of Nation members nearly half a century ago. In 1998, Chairman Edward Manuel established a task force to make the dream a reality. TOCC partnered with Pima Community College and offered classes starting in 2000, and achieved its own accreditation from the Higher Learning Commission (HLC) in 2005.

Vision

Tohono O’odham Community College’s vision is to become the Tohono O’odham Nation’s center for higher education and to enhance the Nation’s participation in the local, state, national, and global communities.

Mission

As an accredited and land grant institution, TOCC’s mission is to enhance our unique Tohono O’odham Himdag by strengthening individuals, families, and communities through holistic, quality higher education services. These services will include research opportunities and programs that address academic, life, and developmental skills.

About Nelson American Indian College

SAGU American Indian College was originally established on September 23, 1957, as All Tribes Indian Bible School.
1957: Founded as All Tribes Indian Bible School
1967: Renamed American Indian Bible Institute (AIBI)
1982: Became American Indian Bible College
1994: Renamed American Indian College of the Assemblies of God (AIC)
2016: Partnered with Southwestern Assemblies of God University (SAGU) to become SAGU American Indian College (now operating as Nelson American Indian College)
2024: March 1st, the institution officially transitioned to the name Nelson American Indian College.

Vision

“To be a distinguished Christian university that equips Spirit-empowered leaders with career and ministry skills by providing affordable education, hands-on training opportunities, and innovative academic programs.”

Mission

Nelson University-American Indian College is a Christ-focused and culturally diverse community dedicated to equipping both Native and Non-Native students for Christian Ministry, Marketplace Leadership, and Service to the world.

About California Tribal College

The California Tribal College is currently in development as an initiative to become the first 4-year Tribal College in the state. The state’s first independent and fully accredited tribal college is the California Indian Nations College (CINC), which was chartered by the Twenty-Nine Palms Band of Mission Indians in September 2017 and officially opened in 2018. Additionally, California previously had a tribal college known as D-Q University, which operated near Davis from 1971 until it closed in 2005.

Vision

The California Tribal College (CTC) vision is to empower resilient, self-sustaining learners who serve their communities as leaders by strengthening Tribal Sovereignty and Tribal Nations.

Mission

The primary mission of the California Tribal College is to provide relevant, high-quality workforce and post-secondary education to the tribal communities of California.

About California Indian Nations College

The first accredited, two-year tribal college in the state of California in nearly 30 years! The California Indian Nations College is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization.

Vision

California Indian Nations College (CINC) empowers students to advance Native American cultures, languages, and sovereignties to promote vibrant Native, local and global communities.

Mission

California Indian Nations College (CINC) offers a culturally-responsive academic curriculum rooted in Native American values and provides personalized support to advance the success of Native and non-Native students.

About Fond du Lac Tribal & Community College

The first accredited, two-year tribal college in the state of California in nearly 30 years! The California Indian Nations College is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization.

Vision

Fond du Lac Tribal and Community College offers a postsecondary education to honor the past, for those living in the present and dreaming the future, through a spirit of respect, cooperation, and unity.

Mission

The mission of Fond du Lac Tribal and Community College is to provide higher education opportunities for its communities in a welcoming, culturally diverse environment.

About Leech Lake Tribal College

Leech Lake Tribal College (LLTC) is a fully accredited two-year tribal college located in Cass Lake, Minnesota, on the Leech Lake Indian Reservation. Founded in 1990 by the Leech Lake Band of Ojibwe, LLTC grounds its curriculum in Anishinaabe cultural values and the Seven Grandfather teachings. [1, 2]

LLTC serves a small student body (around 150–250 students) with a low faculty-to-student ratio of roughly 6:1. About 95% of the student population is Native American.

Vision

To be recognized as a center of academic excellence that advances the Anishinaabe worldview and empowers life-long learners who are fully engaged citizens, stewards, and leaders.

Mission

Leech Lake Tribal College provides quality higher education grounded in Anishinaabe values.

About White Earth Tribal & Community College

White Earth Tribal and Community College (WETCC) was established on September 9, 1997 by the White Earth Tribal Council per Tribal Resolution #038-97-005. On October 7, 1997 in a two-room humble building in downtown Mahnomen, Minnesota the White Earth Tribal and Community College opened its doors to 14 tribal students. WETCC continued to grow over the years and as additional classes were added, various buildings in downtown Mahnomen were used to house classrooms.

Vision

Gaa-miinigoowizid Anishinaabe gibimiwidoomin niigaanakeyaa

We all are carrying into the future the way the Anishinaabeg was gifted.

Mission

White Earth Tribal and Community College is an institution of higher learning dedicated to academic excellence grounded in Anishinaabe culture, values, and traditions

About Bay Mills Community College

Bay Mills Community College (BMCC) was originally funded as a vocational program in 1981. It was subsequently chartered by the Bay Mills Indian Community on June 25, 1984, making it Michigan’s first fully accredited, tribally controlled college.

Vision

With learning as its central mission, BMCC prepares students to become productive self-confident and responsible members of an increasingly diverse workforce by providing them with academic, technical, work, and life skills needed for successful transfer into baccalaureate programs or directly into the workforce. By establishing itself as an effective partner alongside other academic institutions, private and public sector employers, and neighboring communities, BMCC will ensure its long-term viability and positive impact on the Upper Great Lakes region. BMCC will work to ensure the viability and sustainability of the language, culture, and way of life of the Anishinaabe people while promoting and emphasizing life-long learning for all students.

Mission

As a tribally controlled community college and land grant institution, the mission of Bay Mills Community College is to provide quality educational opportunities, promote research and facilitate individual development in an accessible, community-based, and culturally diverse environment that supports and maintains the Anishinaabek culture and language.

About Saginaw Chippewa Tribal College

Saginaw Chippewa Tribal College (SCTC) is a public community college located in Mount Pleasant, Michigan. In 1998, the Saginaw Chippewa Tribal Council adopted a resolution establishing a tribally controlled college and forming a governing Board of Regents. While the primary focus was to build a bridge between tribal members and higher education, the college was chartered as a public institution for all people in the community. 

With its founding in 1998, Saginaw Chippewa Tribal College joined the larger tribal college movement. In 2007 the Saginaw Chippewa Tribal College became an accredited higher education organization. This accomplishment moved the vision of the Tribal Council , to “enable Native Americans to achieve a significant position in the world’s emerging economy”, to a reality.

Vision

Saginaw Chippewa Tribal College is committed to expanding educational opportunities in a nurturing environment that embraces and integrates the cultural uniqueness of the Anishinaabek.

Mission

Saginaw Chippewa Tribal College is a tribally controlled land grant institution that reflects and promotes the unique culture of the Anishinaabek Community, designed with educational excellence to empower learners to reach their educational goals.

About Blackfeet Community College

In 1994, Blackfeet Community College became a 1994 Land Grant Institution established for the benefit of agriculture and the mechanical arts in accordance with the provisions of the Act of July 2, 1862 (12 Stat.503:7 U.S.C. 301 et seq.), commonly known as the First Morrill Act. The Morrill Land-Grant Acts are United States statutes that allowed for creating land-grant colleges in U.S. states using the proceeds from sales of federally owned land, often obtained from Native American tribes through treaty, cession, or seizure.

The 1994 Land Grant Institutions primarily serve Native American populations typically located in remote, underserved communities that lack access to higher education.

Vision

It is the vision of Blackfeet Community College to strengthen and enrich our Blackfeet Nation and universal community through quality education integrating the Nii-tsi-ta-pi World of Knowledge.

Mission

The purpose of Blackfeet Community College is to provide the Blackfeet Nation and our “Universal Community” access to quality educational programs that prepare students for achievement in higher education, meaningful employment, basic skills instruction, and continuing education while integrating the Blackfeet Culture and language.