ALEXANDRIA, VA – The American Indian Higher Education Consortium (AIHEC) announced that its accredited Tribal Colleges and Universities (TCUs) membership received the prestigious, merit-based Carnegie Opportunity Colleges and Universities classification, which recognizes exceptional commitment to expanding student access and fostering strong post-graduation earnings outcomes.
“Tribal Colleges and Universities are cornerstones of their communities as economic drivers and local systems of support for students and families from all walks of life in some of the most remote locations in the country,” said Ahniwake Rose, AIHEC President & CEO. “Attaining this Carnegie classification is a well-deserved achievement, underscoring the outstanding work TCUs do in serving their communities and advancing student success every day.”
The AIHEC TCUs members receiving the highest student access and earnings classification as Opportunity Colleges and Universities include: Aaniiih Nakoda College (MT), Bay Mills Community College (MI), Blackfeet Community (MT), Dine College (AZ), Fort Peck Community College (MT), Haskell Indian Nations University (KS), Leech Lake Tribal College (MN), Little Big Horn College (MT), Little Priest Tribal College (NB), Salish Kootenai College (MT), Southwestern Indian Polytechnic Institute (NM), Tohono O’odham Community College (AZ), Turtle Mountain Community College (ND), and White Earth Tribal and Community College (MN).
According to the Carnegie Classification of Institutions of Higher Education, “Opportunity Colleges and Universities are institutions within the Student Access and Earnings Classification that can serve as models for studying how campuses foster student success. They provide higher than expected levels of access to low-income and underrepresented students, and their students experience strong earnings outcomes.”
