Navajo Nation president visits PCC to explore partnership opportunities

June 21, 2007

Navajo Nation president, Joe Shirley Jr., visited Pima Community College (PCC) to discuss a tribal initiative aimed at helping Navajo students enrolled in community colleges, universities or technical schools as part of an economic development strategy of the tribe.

Shirley met with Downtown Campus president, Dr. Johnson Bia, and student services administrators, to explore forming a partnership with PCC aimed at increasing the success of Navajo students, particularly those pursuing entrepreneurial and business education, through scholarships and other resources from the tribe. 

Shirley, currently in his second term as president of the largest federally recognized tribe in the U.S., toured the Downtown Campus facilities of PCC’s automotive, welding, machine tool technology, computer-aided drafting, and other programs, and met with Navajo students.

A follow-up meeting to identify a possible framework for the partnership initiative is planned to take place as early as the end of July.

PHOTOS AVAILABLE: For photos of the event, contact Joe Dolan, marketing and PR coordinator, (520) 206-4851.

PRESS CONTACT: Lynne Wakefield, Assistant Vice Chancellor of Marketing, (520) 206-4850.