November 16, 2009 –
MAYETTA: The Education Department has been busy this fall offering educational courses for the Prairie Band Potawatomi Nation (PBPN) and in researching scholarship opportunities.
This week the department, along with the Prairie Band Casino & Resort (PBCR), is sponsoring a 45-hour Directions in Organizational Leadership course that is being taught byWashburn University. Students are enrolled in five day and half class sessions, and when the course is completed in December will receive a professional certificate from Washburn. Next week, another collaborative course called Management & Leadership Skills will be offered and is already full. That course is geared for first-time supervisors and managers and will be taught by a trainer from National Seminars through Rockhurst University’s ContinuingEducation Center. The courses are being taught in the PBPN Government Center training room and at the Prairie Band Casino & Resort Convention Center.
Both courses were advertised on the PBPN email system and filled up fast. Kristen Aitkens, Director of Education for the PBPN, said that the department was really pleased to see the high response. “It shows that there are a lot of people that want to advance their careers in to management positions and these courses are offering an avenue where workers don’t have to quit their jobs to go to school full time.”
Other computer workshops were also recently offered by the Education Department in Microsoft Excel and Microsoft Access and were taught by instructors from Kaw Area Technical School of Topeka.
Aitkens also wanted to point out that the department is continually posting educational opportunities on their webpage that can be found on this site. For example, College Horizons, a pre-college workshop for Native American 10th and 11th graders, is the latest posting and can be found under scholarship and resources.
Overall, the Education Department manages six programs designed to meet the educational needs of all tribal members including Adult Education, Adult Vocational Training, Higher Education Undergraduate, Higher Education Graduate, Student Services (K-12), and Johnson O’Malley. The department is located on the lower level of the Government Centerand provides a computer lab for the PBPN that is available from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Monday through Friday.