Bay Mills Community College, the only accredited tribal college in Michigan, will receive nearly $3.5 million in grant funding from the U.S. Department of Education to establish a college of language and cultural development and education center, and for equipment upgrades to college facilities.

The funding is through the Tribal Controlled Colleges and Universities Program.

“Having cultural and language programs as well as the right educational resources is critical for tribal colleges like Bay Mills Community College,” said U.S. Congressman Bart Stupak (D-Menominee). “Statistics from the American Indian Higher Education Consortium show that Native American students who attend a tribal college and then go to a four-year college or university have a completion rate of 90 percent. Tribal colleges help students embrace tribal language and heritage as well as prepare them for mainstream culture and higher education.”

A grant of $1.5 million, combined with Community Development Block Grant funds, will go toward the establishment of a college language and cultural development and education center, referred to as the college’s West Campus. The former facility was destroyed in a fire in February, 2004. The new facility will be accessible to persons with disabilities and include new standard design features.

The programs designated in the facility will be committed to Native Studies and Ojibwe Language Education programs that preserve the language and life of indigenous peoples of the Great Lakes by proving adequate indoor/ outdoor classroom and activity spaces.

The second grant of $399,656 for five years, totaling $1,998,280, will be used over the next five years to equip and upgrade the college library, learning center, virtual college, main campus, the new west campus, faculty, staff, and administration with better technology.

Funding will also enable Web-based access to register online, billing, and obtaining grade information to assist students and faculty. Classrooms will receive technological upgrades.

“We are very thrilled to receive this funding,” said Bay Mills Community College President Michael Parish. “It will greatly improve our technology infrastructure and provide updated classrooms for our students.”