• Abstract and Figures
• Public Full-text

Commemorating 50 Years of Higher Education Excellence Diné College Commemorates its 50th Anniversary he Navajos have a long history of dedica- Diné College was the first college established by tion to education for their people. A few Native Americans for Native Americans. It set a days before his death in 1893, the great precedent for later tribally controlled colleges on Thead chief, Hastinn Ch’il Haajiin (Manuelito) said, or near reservations. Diné College remains the old- “My grandchild, education is the ladder. Tell our est. In the following decades, 38 similar colleges people to take it.” and universities have been founded by other Indian For the past five decades, the Navajos have allocat- tribes serving over 70,000 students and community ed a relatively large proportion of their efforts and members. resources to improving educational oportunities for A major milestone in the development of Diné their tribal members. College was its attainment of accreditation by the The Navajo Tribe took a momentous step toward North Central Association (NCA) Commission educational self-determination of Indians by es- on Institutions of Higher Education in 1976. From tablishing Navajo Community College (now Diné its humble beginings in Many Farms, Arizona in College) in 1968. This landmark institution was an 1968, Diné has grown to now offer 8 Baccalaure- innovative means to meet the long unmet postsec- ate degrees, 19 Associate degrees, and 11 Certifi- ondary educational needs of Native Americans. cates. Hastinn Ch’il Haajiin (Manuleto) 2 Diné College at 50 - Ahe’hee’! be built. While many of those elders vajo Nation government and the Navajo are no longer here, their contributions people to confront and fight our modern to the growth of the Navajo Nation will day monsters. always be remembered. As we look to the future there are Today, we have 8 bachelor degree, 20 many unanswered questions, but one associate degree and 8 certificate pro- thing is certain: Diné College will be grams, but that is not how we started. there, like we have been in the past, to In the last 50 years, our College has educate minds and arm our Navajo peo- grown in size and purpose. Our facul- ple with knowledge rooted in our Nava- ty has grown, our expertise has grown jo traditions. and our dreams have grown. We con- What are some of those ideas? One tinue to aspire to be the College that such area is the creation of a Diné Col- helps solve the challenges of our Na- lege of Law, a Navajo Sustainability Dr. Charles Monty Roessel vajo Nation. Institute, and a lab school to train Na- President of Diné College When our tribal college was first en- vajo immersion teachers. These are just visioned, it was to help educate our some ideas that the College is exploring. iné College is celebrating its people to find jobs and learn about Undoubtedly, there will be many more 50th anniversary in 2018. In their Navajo identity. It was hoped that as we pivot into our next 50 years. honoring our College, we are armed with this knowledge students Rest assured, a constant in the previ- Dalso exalting all of the students who would also help solve the challenges ous 50 years was a high quality faculty have graduated and attended our insti- facing the Navajo Nation. They were well-versed in their knowledge, teach- tution over the years. right. ing abilities and scholarship. To meet We further thank all the employees For example, in the early 1970s, the our goals, we will continue to rely on who have worked at the College. And Diné College Board of Regents com- our faculty to challenge and teach our finally, we say thank you to the Nava- missioned a study to explore alterna- students. Their commitment is matched jo Nation and our leaders who made tive revenues for the Navajo Nation. by our determination to be the best Col- these 50 years possible. The $8,000 investment in the study has lege in the country. One group of people that the College resulted in more than $2 billion gener- and the Navajo Nation will forever be ated by the Navajo Nation over the past indebted to are those Tsaile communi- decades. ty members who gave their land so the Throughout its history, Diné Col- first tribal college in the country could lege has been a partner with the Na- Tachinee Scott Founding Fathers Peterson Zah From Tuba City, Arizona, Tachinee Scott, At Rough Rock, Arizona, around 1970, two Peterson Zah was tribal chairman in 1983. Ph.D., professor emeritus at California of Diné College’s “Founding Fathers,” Dil- “Diné College is a place of importance State University-Northridge, taught biolo- lon Platero, member of the Education Com- when it comes to education on the Navajo gy at Diné College in 1972. “Anybody who mittee and Director of Rough Rock Dem- Nation,” he said. Chairman Zah was instru- goes there will get a good education. It is a monstration School, right, sits with Alan mental in the creation of the College’s Cen- positive thing that Diné College now offers D. Yazzie, Chairman of the Tribal Council’s ter for Diné Teacher Education. bachelor’s degrees.” Education Committee. 3 Navajo Leaders Recognize Diné Former Diné College President Returns For College’s 50th Anniversary Speaker Series The proclamation references the start of Diné College in 1968 as Navajo Community College. In 1971, reads the proclamation, the federal Navajo Community College Act authorized “grants to the tribe for the construction, maintenance and opera- tion of Navajo Community College and that it be designed and operated by the Navajo tribe to ensure that qualified Navajo and other applicants have ed- ucational opportunities.” When the College was called Navajo Community Dr. Tommy Lewis College, classes were conducted in mobile homes President of Diné College in Many Farms, Ariz. The College later moved to 1992 - 1999 Greg Bigman, President of the Board of Regents, Nation Nation President Russell Begaye, Board Tsaile. hen it came to making arrangements Member Theresa Hatathlie, Student Regent Felisha “Fifty years is quite an achievement,” President for the Navajo Community College/ Adams, and Diné College President Charles Roessel Begaye said upon signing the proclamation. “We’re Diné College Speaker Series, orga- hold the signed 50th Anniversary Proclamation. really proud to have a College of our own. “We still Wnizer Miranda Haskie, Ed.D, didn’t have to look he Navajo Nation Council declared 2018 hear the (Diné College) name all over the country, very far. One of their own is a member of the as a celebration of “The 50th Anniversary and it reminds us of our legacy and our commit- Board of Regents at Diné College. It was a de- of Diné College,” at the Jan. 23 Winter ment to move forward.” cision that Dilkon, Ariz., native Tommy Lewis, TCouncil Session. The timing of the 50th anniversary is significant, Ed.D, made instantaneously. A proclamation was signed by Nation Nation Roessel said. The College was founded on the cen- Lewis gave a talk Jan. 30 about the history and President Russell Begaye, Navajo Nation Speak- tennial anniversary of the Treaty of 1868. While the challenges of the College during the 1990s. He er Lorenzo Bates, Diné College President Charles Navajo Nation prepares to commemorate 150 years was president from 1993 to 2000 after Augus- Roessel and Interim Chief Justice of the Navajo Na- since its ancestors returned from Hwéeldi, Diné tine Martinez resigned the post. tion Thomas J. Holgate. College is honoring its past and preparing for the “Navajo Community College/Diné College Among those attending the signing were Greg future, he said. put a mark out there for everyone to recog- Bigman, Theresa Hatathlie, Felisha Adams, Nel- “We established the first tribal college press and nize,”Lewis told about 50 audience members. son BeGaye and Tommy Lewis of the Diné College began working on a history of the treaty at 100 “I am very privileged and honored to have been Board of Regents. years,” Roessel said. “One of the first books we here.” “This is an acknowledgement of the 50th anniver- published was about the Treaty of 1868.”The main Although Lewis left the president’s position at sary of Diné College,” Bigman said. “Diné College, campus of Diné College in Tsaile broke ground Diné College in 2000, he said he still has fond which was originally called Navajo Community in April 1973 and there grew five additional cam- memories of the College’s “people and leaders College, was an experiment to other Native Amer- puses after that in Crownpoint, Chinle, Tuba City, who were instrumental in serving Diné Col- ican tribes who started community colleges them- Shiprock and Window Rock. lege.” selves.” And the students and instructors who’ve graced the College over the years remain an im- portant part of what represents the core of Diné Attending Diné College College, Lewis said. The Diné College Office of Recruitment Lewis mentioned people like Robert Roessel, is often the first contact that prospective Yazzie Begay, Charlie Benally, Guy Gorman, students have with the College. Peter McDonald and Peterson Zah, among oth- ers, noting that Roessel was a founding member Our job is to help students get situated of the College and its first president. MacDon- and sent in the right direction for what is Publication Credits: ald, a former chairman of the Navajo Nation, needed at Diné College. Among our many put together the first Board of Regents at the functions, we visit schools and provide This publication was developed and College and was instrumental in securing some information, conduct campus tours, as- designed by the Dine College Office of of its early funding.

Load more

  12

Copy Link