Native American colleges offer tradition, academics

Patti Zarling, Green Bay (Wis.) Press-Gazette | USATODAY

Show Caption Hide Caption Native American college students compete, share culture Almost 1,000 Native American college students from around the U.S. visited Ashwaubenon this week for academic competitions and to share their culture.

14 states have 37 tribal-based colleges and universities

Some are remote and have as few as 100 students

The schools are accredited%2C teachers hold advanced degrees

ASHWAUBENON, Wis. — Deep in the north woods of Wisconsin, college students are studying to be nurses, teachers and accountants.

The College of Menominee Nation began 20 years ago as an alternative for both tribal and nontribal members seeking higher education. Today, the school enrolls about 600 students at its main campus in Keshena, Wis., and a branch in this Green Bay suburb.

Students who attend Native American colleges say they enjoy smaller class sizes and an appreciation for tradition and culture. Students from around the country who attend tribal colleges met this week at a conference here. The gathering allowed nearly a thousand students to test their knowledge and share school experiences.

"I feel like we get classes we wouldn't get in mainstream colleges," said student Melissa Wilber, who attends the College of Menominee Nation. "I like that I have tribal teachers that I feel you won't find in other schools. It feels like family."

The college is open to everyone, but about 80% of the school's population is Menominee, according to its website. Enrollment must be at least 51% Menominee for the school to maintain federal financing. In recent years, the school has attracted Muslims, Hispanics, Hmong and other minorities, said Donna Powless, a psychology professor at the school.

Powless also is a key member of the American Indian Higher Education Consortium, which began 40 years ago to serve as a collective voice for the tribal colleges and universities.

"I think sometimes they think it's safe," she said. "We work to make everyone feel comfortable."

This week, 11 members of the Woodlands Tribal Colleges and Universities group hosted the consortium conference here. The Woodland schools include 11 tribal colleges in Michigan, Minnesota, Nebraska and Wisconsin.

The Menominee tribe chartered its college in 1993, and Congress authorized it in 1996. Fourteen states have 37 tribal-based community colleges and universities, and many of them serve small populations.

"There are some colleges that serve 100 people," Powless said. "Some people might say, 'Why have something that small?' But often they are located in very isolated places, and there probably wouldn't be a place for students to college otherwise. The tribes saw a need."

Tribal schools also offer an opportunity for students to impart Native American traditions, she said.

"In some tribal schools, we might stop in the middle of the day to do a prayer," Powless said. "You can't do that in public school. If a student has an issue, we can talk about it.

"They want to know, 'How do you live traditional life and still do college?' " she said.

The average student age is 25, and many returning to school have families, jobs and other responsibilities, she said.

"We want to move beyond the stereotypes: They're skippers, alcoholics; all they want is families," Powless said. "They feel the judgment."

Native American students attending traditional colleges or state schools have not always been successful, she said.

"They can go a semester, and they tend to leave," Powless said. "So what tribal colleges offer is smaller class sizes and native teachers. There's a comfort level being with your own people."

She noted that she had a baby at 17 and attended college when she was 32.

"But I think generations coming forward are seeing more choices," Powless said. "They are seeing the world and going places. We want to encourage them with school.

"Sometimes you see students who went to a big college, and all the hope they had after high school is extinguished. They don't have enough money. They didn't feel comfortable. They had a family issue come up. We will help them through that."

The perception may be tribal colleges are "less than" other traditional higher education institutions because they are small, she said. But the schools are accredited, and teachers hold advanced degrees.

The setting is just right for Abran Chapo, who is studying business administration at Diné College on the Navajo Nation in Tsaile, Ariz.

"The college is right there on the reservation for me to attend. I don't need to go away to school," Chapo said. "It gives me options while I think about where I might want to go to complete my studies."

Doug Littlehat attends the College of Menominee Nation.

"The smaller class sizes mean teachers are paying more attention and getting to know us," he said. "Having the culture included and a part of the experience is important."