Diné College to participate and co-host the 2023 AIHEC Conference

Diné College to participate and co-host the 2023 AIHEC Conference

7 Feb 2023

TSAILE, AZ — After more than 2 years of the COVID-19 Pandemic the American Indian Higher Education Consortium (AIHEC) has been scheduled to take place in Albuquerque, NM on March 4 – 8, 2023. The AIHEC student conference this year is being hosted by the Southwestern tribal colleges and universities which includes Diné College. As part of being host, Diné College will be overseeing the competition category “Knowledge Bowl” along with 13 other academic personnel which includes center directors and one of the College’s microsite.

Every year prior to the COVID-19 pandemic the AIHEC holds a Student Conference, in which students from tribal colleges across the nation were encouraged to participate and represent their tribal college through various academic and non-academic competitions. Tribal College students, faculty, staff, and administrators will meet for a three-day competition. This conference is meant to create new and strong relationships within the AIHEC organization and among the Tribal Colleges’ staff, faculty, and students while working to demonstrate to the general public our dedication to the AIHEC mission. In the midst of 2020 Diné College was set to take part in the conference, however, the outbreak of COVID-19 caused the AIHEC board directors to cancel the conference out of caution and concern for the safety of all participants.

“We are excited to be returning back to hosting the student AIHEC competition this year, and also thrilled to still see the excitement from our students to compete and represent our Navajo Nation” said co-chair Velveena Davis. “This is an opportunity for our students to network with other tribal colleges and universities, and showcase their talent and academic skills within the competing categories. Although we want our students to walk away with winning these categories, the experience is in participating in the conference itself and getting to meet other tribal students from across the United States” Davis added.

AIHEC will be hosting several competition categories that students may be interested in competing in such as: knowledge bowl, math bowl, science bowl, traditional plants and herbs, and some non-academic competitions such as: hand games, chess, Mr. and Miss AIHEC. Diné College places strong focus on the Primary categories that are seen as Academic focus, and Secondary categories as Non-Academic focus.

Diné College completed their recruitment drive for the AIHEC competition, and as of today, 16 students have applied. A mix of 7 staff and faculty have been selected to serve as a coach for the conference.

As a postsecondary educational institution, Diné College awards Associate degrees, Bachelor’s degrees, Master Degree, and Certificates in areas important to the economic and social development of the Navajo Nation. To comply with the College mission, personalized instruction is guaranteed to each student because of the low student-faculty ratio. All are welcome to apply.

CONTACT US

Jazzmine D. Martinez, Marketing Assistant
Marketing & Communications
jdmartinez@dinecollege.edu
928-724-6694

Dillon Nopah, Videographer
dnopah@dinecollege.edu

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