Saginaw Chippewa Tribal College facts for kids

Saginaw Chippewa Tribal College (SCTC) is a public college in Mount Pleasant, Michigan, United States. It is a special type of college called a tribal college. The Saginaw Chippewa Tribal Nation started the college in 1998.

SCTC mainly serves students from the Isabella Reservation and the Mount Pleasant area. It also helps students from the Saganing Reservation. The college focuses on keeping the Saginaw Chippewa tribal culture alive. However, students who are not Native American can also attend. SCTC offers degrees in subjects like Liberal Arts, General Sciences, and Business. It also has a special program called Native American Studies. This program teaches about the Ojibwe language and tribal laws. In 2023, the college started working with Central Michigan University. This allows students to earn a degree in Elementary Education.

College History

In February 2003, a group called the Higher Learning Commission gave SCTC "Initial Candidacy" status. This was an important step towards becoming a fully recognized college. In November 2003, SCTC joined the American Indian Higher Education Consortium (AIHEC). This is a group of tribal colleges.

The next year, SCTC became a land-grant college. This means it gets special support from the government. In 2005, money from the US Department of Agriculture helped SCTC. They bought 24 new computers for students. The college also made classrooms bigger for more students. They added a Learning Resource Center (LRC) with many helpful books. Students also became more involved through the SCTC Student Council. This support also helped the college's environmental science program. They improved the lab and created new science activities. SCTC also started working more with local schools and cultural groups.

In 2007, SCTC became a fully accredited college. This means other colleges will accept credits from SCTC. Students can easily transfer their credits to four-year universities. The college celebrated this big achievement in October 2007.

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

The SCTC Logo

A student named Kathleen Hart designed the SCTC logo. The logo shows a turtle. In the middle of the turtle, you can see the Great Lakes and four directions. This design comes from an 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 balance their lives. The letters SCTC are in the center, with a star showing the college's location. Seven eagle feathers are also part of the logo. The eagle is a sacred bird to the Anishinabek. The number seven is important. It relates to the seven generations and the Teachings of the Seven Grandfathers. The students chose the colors turquoise and black for the logo.

Campus Life

SCTC works with other organizations to help its students. In 2005, they made agreements with the Saginaw Chippewa Tribal Library. They also partnered with Central Michigan University and the Veteran's Memorial Library. This allows SCTC students to use these libraries.

The college does not have its own cultural center or museum. Instead, students and staff use the Tribe's Ziibiwing museum. They also use the 7th Generation Cultural Center. By 2018–2019, the SCTC Tribal Library site offered many materials. Students can also use the internet and online research databases. SCTC students have full access to the Central Michigan University Park Library.

How the College is Organized

A group called the Board of Regents manages SCTC. This board has seven members and the college president. The Student Council President also attends meetings. They represent the students but do not vote. The Board makes sure the college follows its rules. The college president manages the daily operations.

Student Council

The Student Council has a President, Vice President, Secretary, Treasurer, and Sergeant-at-Arms. Students vote for these leaders every year. All SCTC students can vote. The council speaks for the students to the college leaders. They also plan fun activities for students.

Help with Money for College

SCTC helps students get money for college. This is called financial aid. In 2016, 90 percent of students received financial help. Most of this money came from federal grants.

• Federal Financial Aid: Students can apply for the Pell Grant. This is money from the government.
• 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.

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 many part-time teachers and staff members. The college has a writing center to help students. It also has a branch of the Saginaw Chippewa Tribal Library. The college has a special office for its Land Grant programs. In 2017 to 2018, there was one teacher for every seven students. This means students get a lot of personal attention.

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 whole USA, it was the 718th most affordable. For business programs, it was ranked the 566th cheapest business school in the USA. In 2017–18, SCTC had the lowest in-state tuition fees in Michigan.