Forty years later and big plans still ahead

Forty years later, the little college that could has plans to grow and serve 500 students.

In 1972, Maskwacis Cultural College opened its doors as a cultural education centre in Hobbema.

“It was a place to preserve and protect our language, history and culture,” says Patricia Goodwill-Littlechild, MCC president.

Two years later, MCC began its first academic program, the Bachelor of Education from University of Calgary. The first four teachers graduated four years later.

The college applied to the province for accreditation as a private post-secondary institution, which was granted in 1988. The accreditation meant the college was able to develop and deliver one year certificate and two-year diploma programs. Among those delivered was the Maskwacis Cree Language Instructor Program, which has provided techniques and tools to teach the Cree language in schools across Canada.

Maskwacis is also the only institution to have an accredited Indigenous Social Work diploma program. MCC has also brokered its program to Blue Quills First Nations College, Yellowhead Tribal College and Old Sun College at Siksika.

MCC has had its challenges over the years.

“We experience financial hardships as do the other institutions. However, this does not deter us from providing programs at home here in our community so that our students could succeed,” said Goodwill-Littlechild.

MCC offers the university diploma program, which leads to the B. Ed., General Studies and Indigenous Studies and more recently has brokered the Degree in Indigenous Social Work from the First Nations University of Canada in Regina.

According to Goodwill-Littlechild, the college intends “to provide as many degree programs to our students as possible. We have become partners with many universities from which we will broker the degrees.”

A new facility is also planned for the near future.

“MCC has a plan to build a 500 student facility within the next five years along with a students’ residence,” said Goodwill-Littlechild. “This was the vision of our Elders and the former administrators of this college. The current Board of Governors would like to have this dream realized.”

MCC will officially be celebrating its 40 year anniversary in November with a gala event.