Saginaw Chippewa Tribal College facts for kids

Saginaw Chippewa Tribal College (SCTC) is a special kind of college in Mount Pleasant, Michigan. It's a public college for the Saginaw Chippewa people. The college started in 1998. It helps students learn and grow, while also keeping the Saginaw Chippewa tribal culture strong.

SCTC mainly serves the Isabella Reservation and the Mount Pleasant area. It also helps the Saganing Reservation. Even though it focuses on tribal culture, students who are not Native American can also attend.

The college offers different study programs. You can study Liberal Arts, General Sciences, Business, and Native American Studies. In Native American Studies, you can learn about the Ojibwe language and tribal laws. In 2023, SCTC teamed up with Central Michigan University. This allows students to get a degree in Elementary Education. The college also plans to offer four-year degrees in Native Studies in the future.

College History

In February 2003, SCTC got an important step towards being officially recognized. The Higher Learning Commission, a group that checks colleges, gave SCTC "Initial Candidacy" status. This meant the college was on its way to becoming fully accredited.

Later in 2003, the American Indian Higher Education Consortium (AIHEC) accepted SCTC as a member. This group supports tribal colleges. The next year, SCTC was named a land-grant college. This special title helps the college get support for its programs.

In 2005, the college received money from the US Department of Agriculture. This money helped SCTC buy 24 computers for students. Before this, they only had 12 computers. The college also made classrooms bigger to welcome more students. A new Learning Resource Center (LRC) was created. It added many helpful books and materials for students.

That same year, the college's environmental science program got more support. This helped them fix up their lab. They also created new science activities that connected to their culture. SCTC also started working more with local schools and cultural groups.

In 2007, SCTC became a fully accredited college. This was a big achievement! It means that credits from SCTC can be accepted by other four-year universities. This makes it easier for students to transfer. The college celebrated this milestone in October 2007.

In May 2009, the Tribal Council approved a plan for SCTC. They decided to share a science lab with the Education Department. This lab was ready for students in the 2009–2010 school year.

SCTC Logo Story

The SCTC logo was designed by Kathleen Hart, who was a student at the college.

The logo shows a turtle. In the middle of the turtle are the Great Lakes and the four main directions (north, south, east, west). This design comes from the Anishinabek creation story. In this story, the turtle carries Mother Earth on its back. The lines on the turtle's shell look like a medicine wheel. This wheel helps the Anishinaabe people find balance in their lives.

The letters SCTC are in the center of the logo. A star shows the college's location. There are seven eagle feathers. The eagle is a sacred bird for the Anishinabek people. The number seven is important too. It relates to the seven generations and the Teachings of the Seven Grandfathers. The students chose the colors turquoise and black for the logo.

College Campus

SCTC works with other groups to help its students. In 2005, it made agreements with the Saginaw Chippewa Tribal Library, Central Michigan University, and the Veteran's Memorial Library. This allows SCTC students to use their library facilities.

The college doesn't have its own cultural center or museum. Instead, teachers and staff use the Tribe's museum, called Ziibiwing. They also use the 7th Generation Cultural Center and other places. In 2007, SCTC set up a small library area for its students.

By 2018–2019, the SCTC Tribal Library site offered many different materials. These came from the Chippewa River District Library. SCTC also gives students access to the internet. They can use the EBSCO Host Academic search database. SCTC students can also use the Michigan eLibrary (MeL). This lets them find general information on many topics. Students also have full access to the Central Michigan University Park Library.

How the College Works

The SCTC is managed by a Board of Regents. This board has seven members and the college president. The Student Council President also attends all meetings. They represent the students, but they don't vote. The Board makes decisions about the college's rules and plans. The president is in charge of the college's daily activities. They make sure the Board's plans are carried out.

Student Council

The Student Council is made up of students. They have a President, Vice President, Secretary, Treasurer, and Sergeant-at-Arms. These leaders are chosen by students each year. All students at SCTC can vote. The council speaks for the students to the college leaders. They also plan fun social activities for students.

Help with Money for College

SCTC helps students get money for their education. This money comes from the government and other groups. In 2016, 90 percent of students received financial help.

• Federal Financial Aid: Students can apply for the Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). This includes the Pell Grant, which helps many students.
• Dreamkeepers Emergency Financial Aid Program: This program helps students who suddenly have money problems.
• American Indian College Fund Scholarships: These scholarships are for students who do very well in their studies. The American Indian College Fund (AICF) and SCTC review applications together.

Scholarships

Here are some scholarships students can apply for:

• Lilly Endowment, Inc: Woksape Oyate: "Wisdom of the People" Distinguished Scholar Award
• Women's Self Worth Foundation Scholarship
• Nissan North America, Inc. Scholarship
• National Indian Gaming Association (NIGA) Tribal College Scholarship
• IBM Tribal College Scholarship
• San Manuel Band of Mission Indians Tribal Scholarship

What Students Learn

Teachers and Staff

In 2022, Saginaw Chippewa Tribal College had seven full-time teachers. It also had seventeen part-time teachers. There were five main leaders and fourteen staff members. The college has a writing center to help students with their papers. It also has a part of the Saginaw Chippewa Tribal Library. The college has an active Land Grant office too. In 2014, there was one teacher for every 8 students. From 2017 to 2018, it was one teacher for every 7 students. This means students get a lot of attention from their teachers.

College Rankings

2017-2018 Rankings

Saginaw Chippewa Tribal College was ranked as the 21st most affordable school in Michigan. It was also the 194th most affordable in the Midwest. Across the USA, it was the 718th most affordable.

For business programs, SCTC was ranked the 566th cheapest business school in the USA. In 2017–18, SCTC had the lowest in-state tuition fees in Michigan. This means it was the cheapest college for students living in Michigan.