[Congressional Record Volume 157, Number 44 (Wednesday, March 30, 2011)]
[Senate]
[Page S1972]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




               40TH ANNIVERSARY OF OGLALA LAKOTA COLLEGE

 Mr. JOHNSON of South Dakota. Mr. President, I wish to speak 
today to honor the 40th anniversary of the founding of the Oglala 
Lakota College. In a society where education has been the cornerstone 
for generations, the Oglala Lakota College has been providing students 
with a high quality education in Indian Country for decades. Graduates 
have gone on to be extraordinary community and professional leaders 
working to improve the lives of all those around them.
  The Oglala Lakota College, headquartered in Kyle, SD, first opened 
its doors in 1971 with the goal of bringing hope to the people on the 
Pine Ridge Indian Reservation--home of the Oglala Sioux Tribe. This 
small college was a great risk when it began, as it was one of the 
first tribally owned and operated colleges in the United States, but 
the founders believed in the importance of bringing education to Indian 
country. Although the name of the school has changed, throughout the 
years the idea that the benefit of higher education is of vital 
importance to the community has stayed constant. Since its inception, 
the Oglala Lakota College has expanded course offerings to establish 
online courses and satellite classes, providing easier accessibility to 
students.
  From the very beginning, the Oglala Lakota College faced challenges: 
The faculty and students worked and studied in old building basements, 
worked around kitchen tables, and used old trailers as makeshift 
classrooms. The college finally moved to a group of government surplus 
buildings. Despite an environment ill-suited for education, the 
students and professors triumphed under the challenging circumstances, 
and today provide hope for the future of the students.
  In 1991, after years of educators striving to provide an education in 
a difficult learning environment, the school began a 10-year capital 
campaign to construct new buildings for the students.
  In 2005 and 2009, the Oglala Lakota College received grants from the 
Labor, Health Human Services and Education Appropriations Subcommittee 
to assist funding recruitment, curriculum development, and program 
infrastructure for the nursing degree offered by the Oglala Lakota 
College. More than 40 percent of graduates work at Indian Health 
Services hospitals, making the Oglala Lakota College the primary tribal 
college producer of health care providers for the Indian Health 
Service. In addition, in the past decade, Oglala Lakota College has 
received several grants to improve the learning environment on its 
campuses.
  The Oglala Lakota College has grown considerably since starting as a 
small community college. Today it is a thriving campus offering 
baccalaureate degrees--including a master's degree in Lakota 
leadership. Under the guidance of my good friend, President Tom 
Shortbull, the Oglala Lakota College increased its enrollment to 1,400 
students, a record number of students focusing on their goal to further 
their education.
  I congratulate the great legacy and triumphs over adversity of the 
Oglala Lakota College on the occasion of its 40th anniversary and 
commend the work and commitment, past and present, of the 
administrators, faculty, alumni and students. I wish them well in the 
upcoming year of observances and celebrations.

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