The Red Crow Community College was founded in 1986, under the
direction of the Blood Tribe Education Committee. In its early
development, Red Crow Community College (RCCC) was an adult
education centre, providing quality educational training
opportunities to students in the Blood Tribe. The initial programs
consisted of two high school courses (UCEPP), one University of
Lethbridge course, and a study skills component.
The college soon focused on expansion, however, to meet the needs of its
community, and in March 1995 Red Crow Community College became the first
Tribal College in Canada. The RCCC Board of Governors was
officially sanctioned by the Blood Tribe Chief and Council: this
signified the transfer of governance for adult, post-secondary,
continuing, community, vocational and technical education from the
Kainaiwa Board of Education to the RCCC Board of Governors.
Within 13 years, the Red Crow Community College evolved into a
complete post-secondary institution and currently offers diploma and
degree programs in partnership with Mount Royal College in Calgary
and the University of Lethbridge. Adult upgrading, continuing, and
community education still remains a critical focus of the
curriculum.
Red Crow Community College has grown from a single
classroom to the first tribally-controlled community college
in Canada. It is affiliated with the American Indian Higher
Education Consortium, an organization that involves 30 tribally
controlled colleges in the United States and Canada. RCCC also
helped found the First Nations Adult and Higher Education
Consortium (1997) of Canada with seven other First Nations
Institutions of Adult Higher Education.
