Commitment
Land acknowledgement means that we acknowledge the history that removed these lands we gather on from the Indigenous peoples. The Ute have always been in Colorado and are among the original inhabitants. Various parts also belonged to the Arapaho and Cheyenne, Apache, Comanche and Navajo. In all, at least 48 Tribal Nations have historical ties and have lived at times in what today is called Colorado.
Meeting students where they are
PCC is dedicated to actions that create meaningful opportunities for our Indigenous students and communities. One example is a project in which the Southwest Campus collaborated with the Southern Ute and Ute Mountain Ute Tribe’s higher education departments to create classes that could be accessed within the Tribal communities, taught by members of the community, and that served a community need.
They secured funding through the Racial Equity for Adult Credentials in Higher Ed (REACH) Collaborative – a national network of colleges sponsored through the Lumina Foundation and focused on increasing credential attainment among nontraditional students of color – and a grant from the Colorado Community College System.
Courses were developed in IT and computer skills, drone aviation, and construction technology. The construction trades course grew to include a diverse group of students, and they worked in conjunction with Habitat for Humanity to frame a house from the ground up in 2022. The Southwest Campus and Habitat for Humanity continue their partnership to serve learners and the local community’s housing needs.