Northwest Indian College:

Mission Statement

Through education, Northwest Indian College promotes indigenous self determination and knowledge.  

Goals:

  1. To provide excellent educational programs and services in a Native American college environment on reservations throughout the Northwest.
  2. To provide developmental and continuing education courses, certificate programs, associate and baccalaureate degrees to meet the academic, vocational and cultural needs of Native American communities.
  3. To provide educational programs and services using a variety of technological delivery systems to instructional sites on Native American reservations.
  4. To provide support services that assist students in achieving success in their academic, career, cultural and personal goals.
  5. To provide learning experiences that respect individual values, promote individual growth, and enhance and preserve the cultural traditions of Native American communities.
  6. To engage in research and provide technical support to tribal governments and organizations or employers consistent with available resources and community needs.

    7. Located on the Lummi Indian Reservation in Washington State, 20 miles from the Canadian border, Northwest Indian College is the only accredited tribal college in the states of Washington, Oregon and Idaho. NWIC grew from the Lummi Indian School of Aquaculture (founded in 1973), a single-purpose institution developed to provide a supply of technicians for employment in Indian-owned and-operated fish and shellfish hatcheries throughout the United States and Canada. In 1983 the Lummi Indian Business Council recognized the need for a more comprehensive postsecondary institution for tribal members, and the school was chartered as Lummi Community College, an Indian-controlled, comprehensive two-year college designed to serve the postsecondary educational needs of Indian people living in the Pacific Northwest. In June of 1988, Lummi Community College was approved as a candidate for accreditation by the Northwest Association of Schools and Colleges (NWASC), and on January 20, 1989, in acknowledgement of its wider mandate, Lummi Community College became Northwest Indian College.

    Northwest Indian College was granted full accreditation by the Northwest Association of Schools and Colleges effective September 1993. The College�s educational programs have been approved by the Veteran�s Administration, and the Washington State Higher Education Coordinating Board for the administration of financial assistance for eligible students, Northwest Indian College is a member of the American Indian Higher Education Consortium (AIHEC), the American Association of Community Colleges, and the American Council on Education

    The educational philosophy of Northwest Indian College is based upon the belief that the opportunity of post-secondary education must be provided within the Native American community. Northwest Indian College is committed to the belief that self awareness is the foundation necessary to achieve confidence, esteem, and a true sense of pride; to build a career; to create a �self-sufficient� life-style; and to promote life-long learning. It is also committed to the belief that a self-awareness program must include a study of Native American culture, values and history