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 type of community college, which means it offers courses for people after high school. The college was started in 2004 by the Sycuan Band of the Kumeyaay Nation, a Native American tribe. They used money from their gaming businesses to build it. The college is located on the Sycuan Indian Reservation, close to El Cajon. It used to be known as D-Q University.
Contents
The College's Story
Early Days: D-Q University
In 1971, a college called D-Q University was started. It was founded by Dr. Jack Forbes, a Native American leader, and other important educators. D-Q University was a team effort between Native American and Chicano (Mexican-American) educators. They worked together 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 Native American college in California. It was also one of the first six Native American colleges in the entire United States.
A New Campus on the Reservation
In the 1990s, a satellite campus of D-Q University opened. This new campus was on the Sycuan Reservation. It was thanks to the vision of Kumeyaay Elder Hank Murphy and his wife Shirley Apple Murphy. They really believed in higher education for their community.
At this new campus, students could take many different classes. These included Yuman philosophy, Kumeyaay Bird Songs, and even the Kumeyaay language. They also offered English help and math classes.
Why D-Q University Closed
D-Q University faced some problems with funding. Because of this, the Bureau of Indian Affairs stopped providing money. By 2005, D-Q University had to close down. However, there are now efforts to reopen D-Q University. A new group of leaders is working to make it a strong school again.
Starting Kumeyaay Community College
Even as D-Q University was struggling, plans were being made at Sycuan. They wanted to start a new college just for the Kumeyaay people. Dr. Florence Shipek, a historian who worked with the Kumeyaay and Luiseno nations for many years, had dreamed of this for decades.
Dr. Shipek wanted her life's work and research to go to the Kumeyaay Nation. She wrote letters to all the Kumeyaay tribal leaders. She explained how important it was to have a college that would help keep the Kumeyaay language, culture, and ideas alive.
Since Sycuan was already offering college classes, it made sense for Dr. Shipek's collection to go there. But first, a Kumeyaay College had to be officially started. In 2004, the Sycuan Tribal Council voted to create Kumeyaay Community College. This led to the college being founded and its own Board of Trustees being formed that same year.
In 2005, Dr. Shipek's collection was moved to the new college. Today, it is a very important part of the Kumeyaay Community College Library and Archives.
Growing and Partnering
Kumeyaay Community College has leaders from eight different Kumeyaay Nation Reservations. In 2006, the college added more courses. They also teamed up with Cuyamaca College. This partnership helped them create a special Certificate in Kumeyaay Studies. Now, students can even earn a new Kumeyaay Studies Degree through this partnership with Cuyamaca College.
What You Can Study
Kumeyaay Studies Degree
Kumeyaay Community College offers an Associate in Arts degree in Kumeyaay Studies. You can earn this degree through Cuyamaca College. This program helps students learn all about Kumeyaay history, culture, and heritage. It combines different subjects like science, humanities, languages, and history.
Students in this program get to learn both in classrooms and at special places. They learn about the Kumeyaay Nation, who live in the East County region of San Diego.
The classes you need to take include:
- Ethnoecology/Ethnobotany (learning about how people and plants interact) with a lab.
- Kumeyaay History (from ancient times to the present).
- Kumeyaay Arts & Culture.
- Two courses in the Kumeyaay Language.
Certificate in Kumeyaay Studies
If you complete certain classes, you can also get a Certificate in Kumeyaay Studies. You need to apply for this certificate with the Admissions and Records Office.
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.
- Learn to appreciate and understand a unique group of people and their culture.
