By Wendy Burton
Phoenix Staff Writer
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Bacone College recently announced a first for their Division of Adult Education — students can now enroll and attend Bacone in Oklahoma City.
The Oklahoma City Indian Clinic and Bacone College recently partnered to offer nursing and general study classes at the clinic and online.
Other classes and courses are also or will be available depending on the number of enrollees.
Additionally, true to Bacone’s historical mission, Native Americans who are part of a federal or state recognized tribe can get up to a 35 percent scholarship.
Those students can join the Native American cultural clubs, mirroring those available at Bacone’s main campus in Muskogee, said Bacone President Rev. Dr. Robert J. Duncan Jr.
“Bacone’s strength has always been finding access to education for Native people,” Duncan said. “We think this is a great partnership because it serves the very people Bacone was founded to serve, in a totally new way and a totally new format.”
Steve Barse, community liaison at the clinic, is excited about the Native American aspect of the partnership.
“We’re very excited about this. We want it to be successful,” Barse said. “It puts an emphasis on the importance of Indian culture and the whole learning process, which is not your usual course of events. I think that’s a unique factor compared to other small colleges in this area.”
Eugene Blankenship, Bacone’s assistant vice president of institutional advancement, is working on beginning courses in other areas of the country as well.
“We have others in the works right now in Dallas and Albuquerque, and we’ll probably reach out to Phoenix, Arizona next.”
What to do
For adult education classes
• At the Oklahoma City Indian Clinic: Steve Barse, (405) 556-1665.
• At
Bacone’s Muskogee campus: Dana Orange, 683-4581.
Reach Wendy Burton at 684-2926 at wburton@muskogeephoenix.com.
