Indigenous people living in the Pikes Peak region can now access free education at Pikes Peak State College. In a new First Nations Promise Program announced Thursday, the college said members of federally recognized Native American tribes who live in El Paso, Teller or Elbert counties are eligible.
According to the school, funds from the program can be used to waive tuition and fees for students. And other assistance, like academic coaches, will help support students when they enroll.
The new program builds on pre-existing Promise Programs at the school. Pikes Peak State College already offers similar opportunities to graduates from participating schools in Colorado Springs. The Promise Programs cover remaining tuition and fees after any Pell Grants or other financial aid.
Pikes Peak State College is among several higher education institutions in the state introducing new measures to entice Indigenous students to enroll. A state law passed in 2021 requires all public Colorado universities to offer in-state tuition classification to students belonging to the 48 tribal nations with historical ties to Colorado.
Some universities have taken further steps, going beyond the state’s mandate. Fort Lewis College in Durango hasn’t charged tuition to its Indigenous students since 1911, due to the terms of the land transfer. Today, the college is among the only non-tribal colleges to have a majority Indigenous student population.
Metropolitan State University of Denver followed in Fort Lewis College’s footsteps in 2022 and waived tuition for those with tribal citizenship. And while the University of Colorado Boulder, the state’s flagship university, hasn’t adopted a similar policy, it has made moves to try to strengthen its relationships with tribal nations.
Editor's Note: Pikes Peak State College has an operating agreement with CPR, which manages KRCC. Pikes Peak State College has no editorial influence.
