BROWNING, Mont. – Residents in and around Browning have long contended with lack of access to qualified healthcare professionals and services on the Blackfeet Reservation. However, the recently opened $7.5 million Health Science & Education Building at the Blackfeet Community College (BCC) offers a long-term solution to help address these challenges.

Architect's rendering of the new Health-Science-Education-Building at Blackfeet Community College (Courtesy BCC)
Architect's rendering of the new Health-Science-Education-Building at Blackfeet Community College (Courtesy BCC)
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This new facility will advance training opportunities for Native American nursing and education students to meet increasing healthcare and education needs locally and throughout Montana. On Monday, Nov. 5, from 2 to 4 p.m., BCC will hold a special ceremony to name the new building in honor of Elouise Cobell, also known as Yellow Bird Woman, the late tribal elder and posthumous awardee of the Presidential Medal of Freedom.

“We believe that investing in quality health science education addresses the root cause of so many of the health disparities we see on the Blackfeet Reservation,” said BCC Interim President Carol Murray. “The new Health Science & Education Building replaces overcrowded and outdated facilities, creates capacity for more students, and attracts the faculty we need to train the next generation of healthcare professionals. It also brings us one step closer to expanding from a two-year to a four-year degree program in Education and Nursing.”

BCC will name the new building Oahtkwii Piiksakii Iikohkon-Yellow Bird Woman Lodge in honor of Cobell, the late Blackfeet tribal elder, banker and rancher who was the lead plaintiff in the groundbreaking class-action lawsuit that challenged the U.S. government’s mismanagement of Native American trust funds. In 2015, Montana Gov. Steve Bullock proclaimed Nov. 5 of each year as Elouise Cobell Day in honor of Cobell’s birthday.

Dignitaries expected to speak at the Naming Ceremony include Blackfeet Chief Earl Old Person, Blackfeet Tribal Business Council Chairman Tim Davis, BCC Board of Trustees Chairman James McNeely, BCC Interim President Carol Murray, Elouise Cobell’s son Turk Cobell, Blackfoot speaker and former POW Marvin Weatherwax Sr. and others.

With the support of BCC partners, BCC secured financing for the new $7.5 million Health Science and Education Building with the help of First Interstate Bank and an innovative federal program, New Markets Tax Credits, through the community-based nonprofit lender, MoFi. The New Markets Tax Credit programs help incentivize economic development projects in low-income communities around the country. MoFi works with investors to turn tax credits into cash, and then uses that cash to fund catalytic development projects.

“The opening of the Yellow Bird Woman Lodge represents the best of this community,” said Dave Glaser, President of MoFi. “We are thrilled to help finance a project that will create jobs, new facilities and, more importantly, pave the way for a brighter, healthier future for the people of Browning.”

Blackfeet Community College

BCC
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Blackfeet Community College opened in 1974 under a charter by the Blackfeet Tribal Business Council. BCC offers 2-year degrees in areas including General Associates Degree, Blackfeet Language Studies, Business and Information Technology, Education and Health, Psychology and Human Services, General Liberal Arts, Math and Science, as well as Workforce Training opportunities.

MoFi

MoFi is a nonprofit community development lender that provides loans to individuals, businesses and communities. MoFi believes that access to responsible, flexible capital is a fundamental right, and that everyone should have equal access to the capital needed to create individual stability, business success and community prosperity. MoFi operates across the Northern Rockies with offices in Missoula, Bozeman and Boise, and in the last decade has provided nearly $500 million in financing to hundreds of borrowers. Learn more at www.mofi.org.

 

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