Blackfeet Community College

Blackfeet Community College
Motto Remember Our Past ... Build Our Future
Type Native American tribal community college and land grant institution
Established 1974
President Dr. Billie Joe Kipp
Students 535
Location PO Box 819, Hwy 2 & 89 Browning, Montana, USA
48°33′11″N 113°00′34″W / 48.55306°N 113.00944°W / 48.55306; -113.00944 (Blackfeet Community College)Coordinates: 48°33′11″N 113°00′34″W / 48.55306°N 113.00944°W / 48.55306; -113.00944 (Blackfeet Community College)[1]
Campus Tribal College
Affiliations American Indian Higher Education Consortium;
American Association of Community Colleges
Website http://www.bfcc.edu/
Blackfeet tribal affiliation

Blackfeet Community College is a community college located on the Blackfeet reservation in Browning, Montana on the eastern side of the Rocky Mountains.[2] The Blackfeet reservation occupies an area of 1,525,712 acres adjacent to Glacier National Park, Lewis and Clark National Forest, and the province of Alberta, Canada.[3]

Campus

The BCC campus is located on the south end of Browning, the trade/service center for the reservation, just off Highways 2 & 89. The campus consists of thirteen buildings, which are used for administration, student services, academic affairs, vocational education departments, classrooms, various programs, and the library.

Mission & Vision

BCC's mission and vision are identified by the Blackfeet Tribe:

History

In October, 1974, the Blackfeet Tribal Business Council chartered the Blackfeet Community College by Executive Action; "...to provide post-secondary and higher educational services..." to the residents of the Blackfeet Nation and surrounding communities. The impetus for this action grew from early tribal efforts to provide an educational opportunity to its residents in a physically, climatically and culturally isolated area.

The Blackfeet Tribe, in its relationship with the federal government as a sovereign Indian nation, is recognized as a nation within a nation through treaties, laws and executive orders. In the late 1960s, federal programs and laws resulted from tribal efforts to promote the health, education and welfare of their people. The Indian Education Act of 1972 and Office of Economic Opportunity programs of the 1964 Act provided new resources for tribes to provide adult education. The Blackfeet Tribe took advantage of these programs in its quest to develop itself economically and promote self-sufficiency with the idea that the development of human resources is integral to the improvement of the Blackfeet Tribe.

In 1972, the Blackfeet Tribal Business Council established a 10-year comprehensive plan for the Blackfeet Nation. The needs and goals were identified through needs assessments and studies done in conjunction with the implementation of federal programs. The plan identified the need for a community college or vocational/technical school, new facilities and educational programs.

In December 1976, the Blackfeet Board of Regents, under auspices of the Blackfeet Tribe, entered into an agreement with Flathead Valley Community College of Kalispell, Montana, to offer extension courses on the reservation.

After the formalization of the Blackfeet Community College Charter and By-laws in 1976, the Extension Center courses at Browning continued to grow, with Department of Education, Title III funds (developing institutions), as the primary financial resource. The college grew rapidly in student population, motivating the college to seek the establishment of an independent institution. Planning and implementation of educational programs and services in this period provided the stimulus for the Blackfeet Board of Regents, college personnel and community members to move from programming to institutionalization.[4]

Former Presidents of Blackfeet Community College include Gordon Belcourt.[5]

Partnership

BCC is a member of the American Indian Higher Education Consortium (AIHEC), which is a community of tribally and federally chartered institutions working to strengthen tribal nations and make a lasting difference in the lives of American Indians and Alaska Natives. BCC was created in response to the higher education needs of American Indians. BCC generally serves geographically isolated populations that have no other means accessing education beyond the high school level.[3]

References

  1. ↑ "Blackfeet Community College". Geographic Names Information System. United States Geological Survey.
  2. ↑ Blackfeet Community College | bfcc.edu
  3. 1 2 3 American Indian Higher Education Consortium Archived June 14, 2012, at the Wayback Machine.
  4. ↑ Blackfeet Community College | History Archived April 15, 2012, at the Wayback Machine.
  5. ↑ Uken, Cindy (2013-07-16). "Gordon Belcourt 'leaves big shoes to fill,' says U.S. senator". Billings Gazette. Retrieved 2013-08-10.

External links

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