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$2.9 million grant awarded to ¶Ù¾±²Ôé College to expand broadband services

¶Ù¾±²Ôé College was established in 1968 and currently has five branches in Arizona and New Mexico.
¶Ù¾±²Ôé College
¶Ù¾±²Ôé College was established in 1968 and currently has five branches in Arizona and New Mexico.

Earlier this month, 91°µÍø reported on the lack of broadband access to tribal communities. Now ¶Ù¾±²Ôé College on the Navajo Nation is among four other minority driven colleges receiving millions in federal grants to expand their internet-service programs.

The U.S. announced the grant will be one of the first coming from the

The money will go towards providing internet access, equipment, and to hire and train technology personnel.

In a press release, Deputy Secretary of Commerce Don Graves called the country’s minority serving colleges and universities bedrock learning centers that have been left behind in access to affordable high-speed internet.

U.S. Senator Mark Kelly, D-Ariz., said ¶Ù¾±²Ôé College students will get access to new laptops, mobile hotspots, printing kiosks and professional training.

This program is part of President Biden’s initiative which aims to expand affordable high-speed internet.

The will provide $65 billion in funds to expand high-speed internet to communities across the U.S. But for many rural tribal communities, broadband access is still a problem.

Jeanette DeDios is from the Jicarilla Apache and ¶Ù¾±²Ôé Nations and grew up in Albuquerque, NM. She graduated from the University of New Mexico in 2022 where she earned a bachelor’s degree in Multimedia Journalism, English and Film. She’s a former Local News Fund Fellow. Jeanette can be contacted at jeanettededios@kunm.org or via Twitter @JeanetteDeDios.
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