Pawnee Nation College in Pawnee, Okla., has been selected as a grant recipient of the Department of Commerce National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA)’s Tribal Broadband Connectivity Program. The grants, totaling more than $7.7 million nationwide, will help Pawnee Nation establish a student technology grant and computer lab.
“The computer lab will increase campus-wide internet services and equipment and expand the digital communications curriculum, which marks a huge milestone for Pawnee Nation College and its students,” said Pawnee Nation College President Michael Burgess. “Additionally, these new programs will further the success and education of generations to come. The grant provides an avenue for the school, which was once a symbol of cultural genocide, to become a beacon for continuous learning and progressing of a Native American community for future inclusion in America.”
Currently serving six tribes, Pawnee Nation is expected to be able to extend services to 16 tribes with this grant.
“Across the country, Tribal Nations have been disconnected from essential internet services for far too long,” said Alan Davidson, assistant secretary of commerce for communications and information. “These awards will allow Tribal communities to provide the necessary resources their members need to thrive in our evolving digital economy.”
