Iḷisaġvik College

Iḷisaġvik College is the only tribal college in Alaska, in Utqiaġvik on the North Slope. It was federally recognised in 2007 as the 36th tribal college in the United States and is operated by the North Slope Borough.[1]

Overview

The college serves the North Slope, a region of about 89,000 square miles of Arctic tundra, and is reached by plane or, in winter only, by ice road from the Dalton Highway. It offers a bachelor’s degree in business administration, associate degrees, one-year certificates and adult education courses for GED preparation. As of fall 2023 about 70 percent of undergraduates were American Indian or Alaska Native.[1]

History

The college was developed in alliance with the University of Alaska Fairbanks beginning in 1986 and was incorporated in 1995. It moved into the former Naval Arctic Research Laboratory facility in 1995 and took over the Iñupiat Heritage Center in 1996, and the source lists founding as 1996 in its infobox and renaming in 1997 and again in 2005. It gained accreditation from the Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities in 2003, federal tribal college recognition in 2007 and land-grant status in 2008.[1]

Dental therapy programme

In 2020 its Alaska Dental Therapy Educational Program became the first programme in the United States fully accredited by the Commission on Dental Accreditation.[1]

Governance

The North Slope Borough, a home rule government of the Iñupiat organised in 1972, operates the college, and a 1995 borough ordinance incorporated it as a public, independent non-profit corporation.[1]

FAQs

Is it the only tribal college in Alaska? Yes.

Where is it? Utqiaġvik on the North Slope.

When was it accredited? 2003 by the Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities.

Sources

1. Wikipedia: Iḷisaġvik College

Editorially reviewed by Specialty Digest Editorial TeamLast reviewed November 14, 2026Researched and drafted with AI assistanceReport an issue