Thanks to a new grant, Navajo Technical University in Crownpoint, New Mexico will offer students broadband for advanced opportunities.
WASHINGTON, D.C-Navajo Technical University (NTU) has been awarded $667,909 by the National Science Foundation to improve broadband connectivity for Native students, expanding access to educational opportunities and workforce training throughout the region.
NTU is the country's largest tribal university, offering academic and research programs to students across Navajo Nation, particularly in the science, technology, education, and math (STEM) fields. But uneven Internet access has long hampered effective classroom instruction and prevented successful participation in distance and online learning programs. This grant, which will fund upgrades to NTU's network speeds and bandwidth, ensures students' access to an increasingly interconnected global research and education community. It will also serve as a blueprint for other tribal universities and colleges to embrace similar technological improvements in the future.
"Closing the digital divide for Native communities is an educational and economic imperative for New Mexico and Indian Country," said Tom Udall, vice chairman of the Senate Committee on Indian Affairs. "Building reliable broadband for Native students increases access to vital educational, research and training opportunities. By improving bandwidth and connectivity, Navajo Tech will enhance student participation in programs that are critical to training the next generation of Native leaders for in-demand careers at national laboratories and high-tech industries."
