Red Lake Nation College expands to Minneapolis, students feel sense of home
The new location is the first tribal college site in a major U.S. city.
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Community gathered to celebrate the grand opening of the Red Lake Nation College’s Minneapolis expansion on Thursday afternoon.
The lobby in the center of the building was filled with live music and chatter. Overhead, large windows let in overcast afternoon light. Flags from each tribal nation sharing geography with Minnesota hung high on the wall.
The $16.2 million site is located a block northeast of U.S. Bank Stadium and will serve at least 300 students. The college is open to students from all backgrounds — 95 percent are Native American and 85 percent are from the Red Lake Nation, according to Chief Dan King, the president of the two-year tribal college and a hereditary chief from the Red Lake Nation.
“I think Natives are oftentimes not used to high-quality facilities. Usually when you’re focused on survival, things like hope and excellence become luxuries,” said King.
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“We don’t want that to happen. We said, ‘We deserve excellent facilities.’ So, we strive for excellence in everything we do.”
King said the college purchased three side-by-side buildings in 2021 and began the planning process. After a year and a half of construction, the three buildings are now combined into one spacious location, with high ceilings, glass walls to see inside classrooms, and a rooftop patio.
According to King, the building was finalized and turned over to the school by the construction company on the same day as the celebration.
King said it was a natural step for the college to expand to Minneapolis. Red Lake Nation has about 16,000 citizens, with half living away from the reservation, many in Minneapolis. The college did a market study and found that 50,000 Native people live in the Twin Cities, noting a large potential population to serve.
All classes have a HyFlex option, which means students have the option to attend remotely, allowing for increased flexibility.
“We cater and tailor our whole program to Native Americans in higher education,” said King.
“We offer language, culture and pride in what we do here. So that’s worked into all classes. I like to say we’re in the people business. We build people up; we build up their confidence and their academic skills.”
Speakers at the event included the Red Lake Nation tribal council, State Sen. Mary Kunesh, DFL-New Brighton, Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey and students.
‘It felt like home here’
Summer May graduated this spring from the Red Lake Nation College and will be going to Augsburg University. She attended the college in Minneapolis in a smaller part of the building while the site was being built.
As May spoke to the crowd, she highlighted feeling represented in the curriculum as an Indigenous person.
“I was like blown away by just this entire institution and how much it felt like home here.”
The curriculum has Ojibwe language and history requirements, and the Seven Grandfather Teachings are core to the school’s value system.
Seven Grandfather Teachings – Ojibwe Values
Dabasendizowin - Humility
Debwewin - Truth
Zoongide’iwin - Courage
Gwayakwaadiziwin - Honesty
Manaaji’idiwin - Respect
Zaagi’idiwin - Love
Nibwaakaawin - Wisdom
Jedidiah Lyons recently finished his first year at the college. He said that having a “Native American twist” to the curriculum made him excited to go to college.
“Academics were never my thing,” said Lyons, who is from the Leech Lake Band of Ojibwe. “This last semester I made the president’s list. Got all As. Never in my life have I accomplished academic goals like that. And this place makes me feel comfortable enough and safe enough that I can do that — focus on my schoolwork.”
May, who is a citizen of the Red Lake Nation, credits the college and the Minneapolis location with helping her connect to culture.
“As a ‘city native’ — you know, quotation marks — it’s easy to not engage with our tribe or with our reservation because there's no incentive,” she said.
“It wasn’t until I came here and then I remembered like how it felt to be at home, to be with my people, to be with my like culture,” said May. “[Red Lake Nation College], just them being here as an institution, brought me back home. And I know it’s not just me but it’s like all of my … fellow peers and students as well, and so many other urban Natives who are down here like looking for a way to come back to their culture and their community.”
May’s words about the significance of the Minneapolis location are supported by others, including Eliza Washington.
“I didn’t grow up on the reservation. Being able to come somewhere where you feel welcome, you feel included — it’s just amazing,” said Washington, who is a member of the Leech Lake Band of Ojibwe.
“I was just telling somebody the other day, I was like, you don’t just feel welcome coming in here one time, you’re welcome every single time you come in here, and it’s truly amazing.”
