Tohono Oʼodham Community College
Tohono Oʼodham Community College (TOCC) is a public tribal land-grant community college in Sells, Arizona. TOCC's student body is 88 percent American Indian/Alaskan Native. Tohono Oʼodham Community College serves approximately 216 students (61 percent female; 39 percent male). The college's faculty and staff is 57 percent American Indian, half of whom are Oʼodham. Although it is a public institution open to students of all backgrounds, the school maintains a deep connection to the Tohono Oʼodham culture. As a tribal college, TOCC places a special emphasis on not only serving the educational needs  of its local residents, particularly the Tohono Oʼodham Nation, but also preserving and transmitting the Oʼodham Himdag (cultural way of life). As part of their curriculum, all students are exposed to the Himdag, which encompasses a wide array of traditional beliefs and practices of this native group. History. TOCC was founded in 1998 when the Tohono Oʼodham Nation chartered TOCC in Sells, Arizona. The tribe's career center formerly provided associate degrees and a variety of certificates. TOCC began accepting students two years later, with classes accredited through an intergovernmental agreement with Pima County Community College District in Tucson, AZ . TOCC was fully accredited by the North Central Association of Colleges and Schools in February 2003. The following year, the college was designated a land-grant college alongside other tribal colleges originally designated in 1994. Academics. TOCC offers students the opportunity to earn associate degrees in liberal arts, business administration, and science and numerous certificates. Partnerships. TOCC is a member of the American Indian Higher Education Consortium (AIHEC), which is a community of tribally and federally chartered institutions working to strengthen tribal nations and make a lasting difference in the lives of American Indians and Alaska Natives. TOCC was created  in response to the higher education needs of American Indians. TOCC generally serves geographically isolated populations that have no other means accessing education beyond the high school level.