May 21, 2010 –
MAYETTA: Prairie Band Potawatomi Nation (PBPN) has selected Friends Universityas the preferred education provider for the tribal community. As part of the agreement, the university will provide adult education programs at the associate, bachelor and graduate levels to tribal members.
The Tribal Council reported that they are very pleased about the new partnership with Friends University and are looking forward to working with the university to offer and develop programming options that meet their tribal members’ educational needs.
“Friends University will offer the Bachelor of Business Management program at the tribe’s facilities by fall 2010,” said Pam Pennington, vice president of Marketing and Strategic Growth. “We are very excited about this opportunity to provide bachelor degree-completion and graduate education to Prairie Band tribal members, Casino employees, and local residents either onsite at the Government Education Center, at the Friends University Education Center in Topeka or through online programs.”
Friends University became the approved provider in February. The PBPN Tribal Council credits Friends University staff in Topeka and Wichita for working closely with tribal leadership to make the proposal successful.
The Prairie Band Potawatomi Nation will be the first tribe in Kansas to partner with a university to provide an onsite classroom for their tribal members to obtain higher education. Tribal members living on the common land or within the local area will now have the opportunity to complete a degree program on the common land. Classes will not be restricted to tribal members, PBPN employees or casino employees. These classes will be open to any degree seeking student in the surrounding area. Information will soon be available on the education and children program link of the tribe’s website, http://www.pbpindiantribe.com.
About Friends University
Friends University is an independent, comprehensive, liberal-arts University based inWichita with permanent locations in Topeka and Lenexa. Founded in 1898, theWichita campus provides a non-denominational Christian environment for traditional-age and adult students. The university has offered programs for adult students inTopeka since 1993.