Skip to main content
Add as a preferred source on Google

Diné College Breaks Ground on $7.4M Math and Science Building

  • By Matt Jones
  • 06/30/21

Officials at Diné College’s Shiprock south campus in Shiprock, N.M., celebrated a groundbreaking ceremony this week for a new, $7.4 million Math and Science Building. The ceremony at the nation’s first tribal college began with a traditional Navajo blessing before Navajo leaders and members of the Board of Regents dug their shovels into the dirt. Planning for the new facility began in 2014, and construction is scheduled for completion by March 2022.

“The most important thank-you goes to the citizens of the State of New Mexico, because they are the ones that voted for this $5 million bond,” said Diné College President Charles “Monty” Roessel. “They are the ones who said this is important … This building is about $7.5 million … $2.5 million came from the creativity, ingenuity, and commitment of the Board of Regents. When something is that important, we find a way.”

Diné College Math Science Building groundbreaking
Diné College President Charles “Monty” Roessel, Ed.D, holds the Planting Stick. The Planting Stick is believed to be the original stick used when the Tsaile (AZ) main campus was built in 1971.

According to James Tutt, Dean of the School of STEM, 43 percent of the college’s graduates are from the School of STEM. “Current census data shows that the primary focus of jobs on the Navajo Nation are in the field of STEM,” he said.

The new facility measures in at 17,116 square feet and will house the college’s math and science departments as well as classrooms, laboratories, a student commons area, meeting rooms, offices, and more. Funding came from General Obligation Bonds that state voters approved in 2018 and from Capital Outlay funds from the State of New Mexico.

“On behalf of the Navajo people, I congratulate the Diné College Board of Regents, Diné College President Dr. Roessel, and the students who will benefit greatly from the new math and science center—and, in turn, this investment in our students will benefit our Nation for many years,” said Navajo Nation President Jonathan Nez. “This new facility will serve to develop and advance the minds of our young Navajo people who are striving for careers in the Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math (STEM) fields. Expertise in the STEM fields is a very critical part of building our Nation and improving the quality of life for our Navajo people. I commend Diné College for empowering our students and for growing our own here on the Navajo Nation.”

About the Author

Matt Jones is senior editor of Spaces4Learning. He can be reached at [email protected].

Featured

  • Deferred Maintenance Issues Growing at Universities, Gordian Reports

    U.S. colleges and universities are falling increasingly behind on facilities maintenance and repair, according to Gordian’s 13th annual State of Facilities in Higher Education report. The deferred capital renewal burden has reached $156 per gross square foot, an 8% increase over the previous year.

  • South Carolina District Starts Construction on $50M Middle School Renovation

    The Aiken County Public School District in North Augusta, S.C., recently held a groundbreaking ceremony for the $50-million renovation and expansion of North Augusta Middle School, according to a news release. The project’s funding comes from the 2024 renewal of a one-cent sales tax approved by local voters.

  • Chartwells Launches Campus Dining Evaluation Framework

    Contract food-service management provider Chartwells Higher Education recently announced the launch of BLUEPRINT, according to a news release. The evaluation framework was designed to provide a data-driven and customizable roadmap towards optimizing campus dining services and, by extension, the student experience.

  • Moline-Coal Valley School District to Consolidate Two Schools into New Facility

    The Moline-Coal Valley School District in Moline, Ill., recently broke ground on a new elementary school that will consolidate the students and staff from two existing schools, according to local news. Robert Ontiveros Elementary School will serve as the new home for Lincoln-Irving Elementary School and Willard Elementary School.