Salish Kootenai College facts for kids
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| Type | Private tribal land-grant community college |
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| Established | 1977 |
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Academic affiliations
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American Indian Higher Education Consortium American Association of Community Colleges Space-grant |
| President | Sandra Boham |
| Students | 850 |
| Location |
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U.S.
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| Campus | Rural |
| Nickname | Bison (Lady Bison) |
| Affiliations | Bitterroot Salish, Kootenai, and Pend d'Oreilles |
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Salish Kootenai College (SKC) is a special kind of college in Pablo, Montana. It's a private college that helps students from the Bitterroot Salish, Kootenai, and Pend d'Oreilles tribes. SKC's main campus is located on the Flathead Reservation.
SKC also has three smaller locations in eastern Washington state. These are in Colville, Spokane, and Wellpinit. About 1,207 students attend SKC. While anyone can go to SKC, its main goal is to help Native American people get a college education.
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History of Salish Kootenai College
Before 1978, SKC was part of another college called Flathead Valley Community College. SKC became its own college in 1977. It was created under the rules of the Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribes. This means it is a "tribal college."
In 1981, SKC became fully independent. It started running all by itself. In 1994, SKC was named a "land-grant college." This means it receives special support from the government to help with education and research.
SKC's Space Project
In 2015, students and teachers at SKC designed a small satellite. It was called a CubeSat. This satellite was successfully sent into space by NASA. It was the first time a tribal college had designed an operational CubeSat. The satellite's main job was to take pictures of Earth. It aimed to capture images with good detail from space.
Academics at SKC
SKC offers many different study programs. Students can choose from 17 programs that lead to a bachelor's degree. These are usually four-year programs. There are also 24 programs for an associate degree, which usually take two years. Plus, SKC offers 6 certificate programs. These are shorter programs that teach specific job skills.
Most of the programs at SKC help students get ready for a career. However, students can also study subjects like the liberal arts. This includes topics like history, literature, and science. They can also study Native American Studies, which focuses on the history and cultures of Native American people.
Partnerships and Community Focus
SKC is part of the American Indian Higher Education Consortium. This group helps tribal colleges work together. Their goal is to make tribal nations stronger. They also want to improve the lives of American Indians and Alaska Natives.
SKC was started to help American Indians get a higher education. Many of the people SKC serves live in areas far from other colleges. SKC gives them a chance to continue their education after high school.
Athletics at SKC
The sports teams at SKC are called the "Bison" for men's teams and "Lady Bison" for women's teams. They are not part of a big athletic league. However, they compete in special championships for tribal colleges.
The men's basketball team won the American Indian Higher Education Consortium Basketball Championships three times in a row (2005, 2006, and 2007). The women's team won twice (2003 and 2007). Both the Bison and Lady Bison teams also won the AIHEC championships in 2014.
Scholarships for Students
Scholarships are special funds that help students pay for college. Native American students can get scholarships through the American Indian College Fund (AICF). These scholarships help make college more affordable.
See also
