Cankdeska Cikana Community College facts for kids

Cankdeska Cikana Community College is a special kind of college in Fort Totten, North Dakota. It is located on the Spirit Lake Reservation. This college is open to everyone. It is also a tribal college, which means it helps students from Native American tribes. It is also a "land-grant" college. This helps with certain studies like farming and science.

The college is named after Paul "Little Hoop" Yankton. He was a Dakota man who bravely fought in World War II. His Dakota name was Cankdeska Cikana. The college is officially recognized. This means its degrees are valid and accepted.

College History

The idea for Cankdeska Cikana Community College started in 1965. Lake Region State College began offering a class in Fort Totten. Over time, the local tribe took charge of this program. They wanted to create more learning chances for their people.

In the 1970s, the tribe officially started Cankdeska Cikana Community College. The main goal was to offer higher education. This included classes to keep the Dakota culture and language alive. The Spirit Lake Dakota Nation officially approved the college in 1974.

The first group of students graduated in 1977. There were 5 students in that first class. By 2009, the graduating class had grown to 42 students. In 1994, the college received a special title. It became a "land-grant college." This happened along with 31 other tribal colleges. This title helps the college get support for important research and education.

As of 2011, Cankdeska Cikana Community College is one of only seven tribal colleges in the U.S. that offers a degree in tribal administration. This degree helps students learn how to manage tribal governments and services.

Sports at the College

The college has a basketball team. They play in a league called the Northern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference.