In this article, the author, who is the long-serving president of Sinte Gleska University, recalls his journey to the presidency and shares his hopes for the future. He stresses that educators nowadays are again challenged to redefine and restructure education at tribal colleges and within their elementary and secondary schools. These institutions…

Every year, faculty members publish hundreds of thousands of research papers in academic journals at the nation's colleges and universities. Almost none of these papers are written by tribal college and university (TCU) faculty. Is this good for TCU faculty because without the pressure to "publish or perish," they are able to focus entirely on…

In late 2009, the author first spoke with several tribal college students in Denver, Colorado, where they gathered to celebrate their achievements at the American Indian College Fund 20th Anniversary Gala. These students have unique interests and different goals, but they are united by two factors: (1) each one is a recipient of an American Indian…

When students graduate from a tribal college or university (TCU), everyone in the community celebrates. They recognize the sacrifices the students have made, juggling their responsibilities as students, parents, and community members. Many people have contributed to this success, including the tribal college presidents. Eight tribal college…

Each year thousands of Native students enroll at tribal colleges. Many say the close proximity to home is a draw for them. Others check out the facilities, and some might look over the staff roster and ask how many Native instructors work at the college. Several factors go into their decisions to enroll in a particular tribal college. For their…

Speaking at faculty orientation before Dine College's Cultural Center in August 2004, the late Robert Roessel, a founder of Navajo Community College, described hopes that tribal leaders of the 1950s and 1960s had envisioned for tribal colleges. Designing programs of higher learning that work from and advance Native knowledge remains a core…

Tribal colleges and universities (TCUs) have a recognized track record of preparing graduates for leadership. Perhaps not as well known, however, is the role they have played in growing their own leaders from student to tribal college president. This article presents a few stories of those people who have risen from the student ranks to lead their…

In this article, the author shares his experiences as a teacher in Dine College, a tribal American Indian college. He recalls how teaching there for seventeen years has brought him joy and frustration. He relates that a teaching approach he discovered over the years has helped him become an effective teacher. He also discovered that some of the…

In preparation for this issue, suggestions were sought from throughout the tribal college community of people who stand out as heroes. Some are featured elsewhere in this issue. In this article, some of the heroes who were identified were asked who they most admire. Some named tribal college presidents who have been involved for several decades;…

In this article, the author discusses what Native students have to say about teachers and good teaching. In an interview with the teachers of Native students and the students themselves, the teachers emphasized the importance of tapping students' intrinsic motivators--their need to feel self-determined, to satisfy their natural curiosity, to…

Tribal colleges and universities, in addition to providing our people with higher education, help to bridge the gap among cultures. The colleges sustain American Indian art forms through class and degree offerings that include traditional (shield making, drum making, arrow making, knapping, carving, masks, and pottery), contemporary (digital art,…

Underscores the importance of preserving the Navaho language. Discusses eight stages of linguistic strength and security. Recommends that parents speak Navaho to their children and that English be excluded from particular social interactions, such as social introductions, to create a linguistic bond among Navaho people and maintain cultural…

Bill Leap responds to questions regarding reasons for the disappearance of traditional languages, steps in and barriers to language renewal, the need for written language, the importance of understanding a community's culture when studying or teaching the language, and the roles tribal colleges and linguists can play in language preservation. (DMM)

Traces native language usage among three generations of a Lakota family, explaining one woman's decision not to teach her children Lakota to protect them from abuse at a boarding school and her descendants' efforts to learn and preserve their language. Offers a Lakota studies and language instructor's perspective on his students' hunger for their…

Offers recollections of boarding school experiences that encouraged students to think negatively about their own language. Highlights efforts at Sinte Gleska University to integrate language and culture in training Lakota linguists and teachers. Presents recommendations and warnings about Lakota language instruction in public schools. (DMM)