Fort Lewis College (FLC) and San Juan College recently hosted the inaugural POWER Teaching Conference in Farmington, aimed at improving the higher education experience for Indigenous students.
A Crossroads of Tradition and Education
Located in the Four Corners region, Fort Lewis College in Durango, Colorado, and San Juan College in Farmington, New Mexico, serve a diverse population, including a large number of Native American students. With the Navajo Nation to the west and high-alpine mountains to the north and east, this unique landscape is symbolic of the challenge many Native students face—balancing their cultural traditions with the demands of a modern education system.
The POWER Teaching Conference provided an opportunity for educators across the Southwest to gather and address these challenges. The event focused on creating inclusive learning environments that honor traditional Indigenous knowledge while preparing students for academic and professional success.
Building Collaborative Approaches
The conference, held at SJC’s School of Energy, featured conversations in both English and Native languages. Educators, both Native and non-Native, shared strategies for supporting Native American students through culturally responsive advising, innovative financial aid solutions, and community-based learning approaches.
“We’re building a collaborative approach that makes sense for our students and our region,” said Michelle Bonanno, director of FLC’s Academic Hub. “Students make a big sacrifice by leaving their home communities to come here. We need to make that journey worthwhile.”
Addressing Barriers and Supporting Success
Presentations and workshops at the conference tackled key challenges Native American students face, including college preparation disparities, financial barriers, and the emotional difficulty of leaving home. A highlight of the event was a keynote address by Dr. Wendy Greyeyes, a Diné scholar and associate professor of Native American Studies at the University of New Mexico. She emphasized the need for education to connect Indigenous identity and community engagement, inspiring a new generation of learners grounded in their heritage.
A Regionally-Focused Partnership
The POWER Teaching Conference is part of a five-year initiative funded by a Title III Native American-Serving Nontribal Institutions (NASNTI) grant from the U.S. Department of Education. This initiative aims to create seamless educational pathways for Native American students, from high school to community college and eventually to four-year degrees.
Bonanno highlighted the importance of the FLC-SJC partnership, stating, “We have similar values in how we serve Native students, which helped us secure the grant. By embracing our role as a Native-serving institution and recognizing our unique place in this region, we’re better positioned to help our students achieve their higher education goals.”
Empowering Educators for Student Success
San Juan College faculty, including Stacy Wolfe, Assistant Professor in the OTA program, walked away with practical tools to better support Native students. Wolfe shared, "The sessions I attended helped me understand the strong preference many Navajo students have towards visual learning and storytelling. I now have tools that I can implement immediately in my classroom to improve my students’ success."
By fostering collaboration and cultural understanding, Fort Lewis College and San Juan College are empowering educators and paving the way for Native American students to thrive in higher education.
