High enrollment forcing Maskwachees college to find new building

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Maskwachees Cultural College needs a new building to keep up with the growing demand of students wanting to attend the post-secondary institution.

There were well over twelve hundred people applying to the institution last fall, says Rita Dillon, counsellor at the Hobbema-based college.

This year, 92 students graduated from the college. Altogether, the college has an enrollment of 400 with 1,200 on a waiting list.

Vern Thompson, dean of academic studies, says the college is coping with the over-enrolment by holding outreach classes in facilities from Hobbema's four bands.

Negotiations for a new building are under way. If all goes well the students and staff could be looking at a new building within one year, says Walter Lightning, the dean of cultural

studies.

With hopes of a new building in the not-too-distant future, Thompson believes the college could accommodate 200 more students.

Sandra Omeasoo, a second-year student enrolled the university/college entrance preparation program says the college has an advantage over other institutions in enticing Native

students.

"We don't have to travel out. We have more contact with the professors," noted Omeasoo.

Omeasoo has taken four university courses in her first year and three more this term. She says if there were more course selections, she would keep attending.

"It's right in our home area, I think that's where we should be educated," says the mother of four.

Native students have been attending Maskwachees Cultural College since 1974. In those earlier days, classes were taken from the basement of an old medical building, according to

Lightning.

Today, the college occupies an old residential school on the reserve.

"It's very dingy and very old. The facilities aren't the greatest. It gets cold sometimes, too hot other times," says Omeasoo.

"It's a bit crowded, but we all fit in there."