The Cherokee Nation, a sovereign tribal government, is committed to protecting its inherent sovereignty; preserving and promoting Cherokee culture, language, and values; and improving the quality of life for the next seven generations of Cherokee Nation citizens. Today, the Cherokee Nation is the largest tribe in the United States, with more than 430,000 tribal citizens worldwide. Over 141,000 Cherokee Nation citizens reside within the tribe’s 14-county reservation in northeast Oklahoma. The tribal government provides a multitude of services to its citizens and communities, including health and human services, education, employment, housing, economic and infrastructure development, environmental protection and much more. With more than 11,000 employees, Cherokee Nation and Cherokee Nation businesses are one of the largest employers in northeastern Oklahoma and have an annual economic impact of more than $2.16 billion on the Oklahoma economy.
Carl Albert State College received a tremendous gift from the Cherokee Nation to fund a grant to enhance the Child Development Program. This gift from the Cherokee Nation will help provide expanded offerings and capabilities in this academic area, particularly in virtual delivery formats, so more Cherokee students, families and childcare workers may have accessible means for growth and enrichment. This goal will be achieved through the creation and implementation of innovative virtual child development classrooms/labs. These classrooms/labs will provide multi-level opportunities for students to learn and obtain the necessary skills to work with children from infancy through preschool age. CASC is excited for the possibilities this project will create for the students and communities and is honored to aid Cherokee Nation in continued growth and prosperity.