Nebraska Indian Community College facts for kids

Nebraska Indian Community College (NICC) is a special kind of college. It's a public tribal community college with three campuses in Nebraska. These campuses are located in Macy, Santee, and South Sioux City. NICC helps students from the Omaha, Santee Sioux and Winnebago tribes, as well as others.

College History: How NICC Started

NICC began in July 1973. It was first called the American Indian Satellite Community College. It started with a special grant to help provide college education. This education was for people on the Omaha, Santee Sioux, and Winnebago reservations.

In 1979, NICC became a fully independent college. This happened after a law called the Tribally Controlled Community College Assistance Act was passed. This law helped tribal colleges get direct funding from the government. In 1994, NICC was named a land-grant college. This means it gets special support to offer education, especially in agriculture and engineering.

In 1996, the Winnebago tribe started its own college. It is called Little Priest Tribal College. It is open to students from all tribes.

What You Can Study at NICC

NICC offers different types of college programs. You can earn an associate degree in applied science, arts, or science. These degrees usually take about two years to complete. You can also get a certificate. Certificates are shorter programs that teach specific skills.

Here are some of the subjects you can study at NICC:

• Carpentry (working with wood)
• Business (learning how to run a company)
• Early childhood education (teaching young children)
• General liberal arts (a wide range of subjects like history and writing)
• Human services (helping people in the community)
• Native American studies (learning about Native American cultures and history)
• General science studies (learning about different areas of science)
• Paraeducator/pre-teacher certification (training to help teachers in classrooms)
• Alcohol and drug counseling (helping people with addiction)
• Business administration (managing businesses)
• Community counseling (helping people with personal problems)
• Entrepreneurship (learning to start your own business)
• Pre-nursing (getting ready for nursing school)

As of 2011, NICC was one of only seven tribal colleges in the U.S. that offered a degree related to tribal administration. This degree helps students learn how to manage tribal governments and organizations.

NICC Campuses and Resources

When it first started, NICC set up classrooms and offices in different communities. The main office was in Winnebago. NICC works hard to provide important cultural, educational, and social resources. These resources are especially helpful in areas that are far from big cities and don't have many job opportunities.

Each campus has a library. These libraries are building special collections of books and materials. They focus on the history and culture of each tribe and the United States.

How NICC is Managed

NICC is run by a group of eight people called the board of directors. In 1979, NICC and other tribal colleges worked together. They convinced the U.S. Congress to pass a law called the Tribally Controlled Community College Act. This law meant that tribal colleges could get money directly from the federal government. This helped NICC become a fully independent college.

In June 1981, a group called the North Central Association of Colleges and Schools (NCA) approved NICC. This approval, called accreditation, means that NICC meets high standards for education. It also means that the degrees you earn from NICC are recognized by other colleges and employers.

The college was given a special charter by each of the three Nebraska Indian Tribes. A board of trustees was then chosen to lead the college. This board had three members from each tribe. To show its new independent status, the board changed the college's name to Nebraska Indian Community College.

See also

• American Indian College Fund (AICF)