Kumeyaay Community College facts for kids
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| Type | Public community college |
|---|---|
| Established | 2004 |
| Address |
910 Willow Glen Dr. El Cajon, CA 92019
,
El Cajon
,
United States
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| Website | http://kumeyaaycommunitycollege.com/ |
Kumeyaay Community College is a special school in California. It's a public community college, which means it offers classes for people who want to learn new skills or get ready for a four-year university. The college was started in 2004 by the Sycuan Band of the Kumeyaay Nation. It is located on the Sycuan Indian Reservation near El Cajon.
Contents
Discovering Kumeyaay Community College
How the College Started
Back in 1971, a different college called D–Q University was founded. It was started by American Indian leaders like Jack Forbes and David Risling. D-Q University was a team effort between American Indian and Chicano educators. It was created during a time of big changes and protests in the late 1960s and early 1970s.
D-Q University was very important because it was the only American Indian college in California. It was also one of the first six American Indian colleges in the entire United States.
A New Campus on the Reservation
In the 1990s, a satellite campus of D-Q University was opened. This new campus was on the Sycuan Reservation. This happened because Kumeyaay Elder Hank Murphy and his wife Shirley Apple Murphy believed strongly in higher education.
Many different classes were offered at this campus. Students could learn about Yuman philosophy and Kumeyaay Bird Songs. They also had classes like English as a Second Language, Math, and Fire Sciences. Of course, they also taught the Kumeyaay language.
Challenges and a New Beginning
Later, D-Q University faced some problems, including money issues. Because of this, the Bureau of Indian Affairs stopped its funding. By 2005, D-Q University had to close down. However, there are now efforts to reopen D-Q University in the future.
Even when D-Q University was having trouble, plans were already being made at Sycuan to start a new college. This new college would be called Kumeyaay College. Dr. Florence Shipek, a historian who worked with the Kumeyaay and Luiseno nations for many years, had dreamed of a Kumeyaay College for decades.
She wanted a college that would help bring back the Kumeyaay language, culture, and way of thinking. She even wrote letters to all the Kumeyaay tribal leaders about this important need.
The Birth of Kumeyaay Community College
Since Sycuan was the only place in the Kumeyaay area offering college classes, it made sense for Dr. Shipek's collection of historical materials to go there. But to make her wishes come true, a Kumeyaay College had to be officially started.
In 2004, the Sycuan Tribal Council officially decided to create Kumeyaay Community College. This led to the college being founded and its first Board of Trustees being formed that same year. Dr. Shipek's collection was moved to the college in 2005. Today, it is a very important part of the Kumeyaay Community College Library and Archives.
Kumeyaay Community College has leaders from eight different Kumeyaay Nation Reservations on its board. In 2006, the college added more classes. They also partnered with Cuyamaca College to offer a Kumeyaay Studies Certificate. Now, students can even earn a new Kumeyaay Studies Degree through this partnership.
What You Can Study
Associate in Arts in Kumeyaay Studies
The college offers an Associate in Arts degree in Kumeyaay Studies. You can earn this degree through Cuyamaca College. This program helps students understand Kumeyaay history, culture, and heritage. It's a "multi-disciplinary" degree, which means it uses ideas from different subjects. These subjects include science, humanities, world languages, and history.
Through these classes, students will learn about the Kumeyaay Nation. They will also have chances to learn outside the classroom.
The classes you need to take for this degree include:
- Ethnoecology/Ethnobotany with a lab course (learning about how people and plants interact).
- Kumeyaay History (from ancient times to 1900, and from 1900 to today).
- Kumeyaay Arts & Culture.
- Two Kumeyaay Language courses.
Certificate of Specialization
Students can also earn a Certificate in Kumeyaay Studies. To get this certificate, you need to complete certain classes. You must officially ask for the certificate from the Admissions and Records Office by a specific date.
After finishing this program, students will be able to:
- Talk in the Kumeyaay language at a basic level in different situations.
- Understand Kumeyaay heritage, history, society, and traditions.
- Gain a better understanding and respect for a unique group of people.
