Tulsa Community College partners with Pawnee Nation College to expand education opportunities in rural Oklahoma

Tulsa Community College and Pawnee Nation College are partnering to bring more higher education opportunities to rural Oklahoma. The two schools signed a three-year agreement to help students in Pawnee and surrounding areas earn degrees while staying connected to their communities.

The presidents of Tulsa Community College and Pawnee Nation College made their partnership official on Friday.

Pawnee Nation College, which is new this year, needs administrative help from an institution that has been around for decades.

“TCC and PNC share a belief that every student deserves access to high-quality education, no matter where they live,” Leigh Goodson, president of Tulsa Community College, said.

Goodson says that only about 29 percent of young adults in rural areas enroll in college after high school, often because there are no schools nearby. Students in the Pawnee area will now be able to study environmental science, child development, and business administration at the new college, located in Pawnee’s former Indian Boarding School.

Pawnee Nation College President Staci Burns said this partnership is a moment she’s been looking forward to.

“We are making sure students have access to the resources, services, and recognition they need while remaining deeply connected to their identity,” Burns said.

This collaboration will last at least three years and will help Pawnee Nation College get closer to becoming accredited on its own. Currently, 10 students are enrolled at Pawnee Nation College, and the college hopes to expand during the spring semester.