Abstract: Whether our Nation contends with the endurance of our first tribally controlled college, local control of education or the push to establish a State Education Agency, our engagement with education began far before the Treaty of 1868 was negotiated. The education of our people has propelled the Navajo Nation to think more strategically and carefully about merging the past with the future. Diné College is an example of this ability to blend two worlds and not be confined to just one. In the keynote address, I will discuss the rise of the Tribally Controlled Schools Act and its meaning for the Navajo Nation. I will announce the revitalization of the Navajo Community College press and its significance for the future of Diné Research.
Biography: Dr. Charles Monty Roessel is the 17th president of Diné College. He has a background in K-12 education at the national and local level. In addition, he has been a Navajo business owner, a community development organizer, a photographer and a journalist. He received his doctorate from Arizona State University, masters from Prescott College and undergraduate from the University of Northern Colorado. Roessel has published widely in journals, books and magazines. He is from Round Rock, Arizona.