Red Lake Nation College Opens First-Ever Tribal College in U.S. City

College Hosting Grand Opening Celebration for Public on Thursday, June 6th, 2024

MINNEAPOLIS, May 24, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- According to Minnesota Compass, 44.2% of Minnesota's American Indian population resides in the Twin Cities. Yet until now, there was no tribal college in the Twin Cities that provided culturally based higher education to Native students. Red Lake Nation College (RLNC) is celebrating its grand opening of its Minneapolis site Thursday, June 6th, 2024, from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m., with music and social activities from 3 p.m. to 6 p.m. at 900 S. 3rd St. in Minneapolis, Minn. The event is free and open to the public.

With a new campus located in downtown Minneapolis, RLNC aims to fill a crucial void in higher education by offering an affordable, accredited higher education grounded in Ojibwe language and culture to Native American students in the heart of Minneapolis.

RLNC, an accredited two-year tribal college located on the shores of Red Lake in Northern Minnesota, has delivered courses through distance education to downtown Minneapolis students since 2021. The new site, completed in the spring of 2024, will provide state-of-the-art facilities and education services to support student success.

As a TCU in the Twin Cities, RLNC serves a unique market niche in higher education, focusing on Native communities while welcoming students of all tribal backgrounds through its open-enrollment policy. The college is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission and ensures rigorous academic standards and quality education delivery.

"Our grand opening represents a significant step towards providing accessible education to Native American communities living in urban areas," said Dan King, President of Red Lake Nation College. "By establishing our Minneapolis location, we are pioneering a new era of tribal college presence in major metropolitan centers, offering globally relevant courses steeped in Ojibwe culture to prepare students for success in the modern job market."

Attendees will have the opportunity to learn about the courses of study offered, career opportunities for graduates, and hear from President Dan King, a prominent business leader and a Hereditary Chief of the Red Lake Nation, about his vision for the college and the services it offers.

For more information about Red Lake Nation College or to apply, visit https://rlnc.edu.

About Red Lake Nation College—Red Lake Nation College (RLNC) was established in 2001 to serve the Red Lake Nation in Red Lake, Minnesota. In June 2024, RLNC is opening its second site, the first-ever urban tribal college site, in Minneapolis, Minnesota. Red Lake Nation College offers a range of certificate and academic degree programs designed to empower students and strengthen the Red Lake Nation community in a higher education environment that honors students' Indigenous identities.

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SOURCE American Indian College Fund