From left, Patrick Blackwater, Francetta Begaye, Nicholas Begaye, Cheryl Crazy Bull, Deborah Dennison, Winifred Jumbo, Sterling Walter, and Amberia Tolino

Diné College was officially honored by the American Indian College Fund for its exceptional work as a recipient of the inaugural 2026 Strategic Enrollment Management Planning (SEMP) Committee of the Year. The formal recognition took place during the TCU Capacity for Student Success Conference hosted at Sitting Bull College in Fort Yates, North Dakota. The award celebrates the college’s outstanding planning, alignment, and implementation of various enrollment initiatives made possible through the Cultivating Native Student Success (CNSS) grant.

The prestigious award highlights the SEMP Committee’s comprehensive operational reach, extending impactful frameworks from all locations to the main campus. These include the Shiprock branch campus, Crownpoint center, Window Rock center, Tuba City center, Newcomb microsite, Aneth microsite, and Tsaile campus. A core pillar of this recognized growth is Diné College’s flourishing dual credit program, which has successfully accelerated student enrollment, broadened access, and strengthened academic transitions for high school students across all institutional campuses and sites.

“We are incredibly pleased with the committee’s profound dedication, meticulous planning, and innovative practices in driving enrollment and defining student success at our institution. This recognition highlights how our extended campuses and the dual credit program are collaborating to build sustainable institutional growth and meaningful community commitment,” stated Winifred Jumbo, director of external campuses and principal investigator for the CNSS grant. 

By prioritizing the strategic goals of institutional access, holistic integration, and campus health and wellness, the SEMP initiatives ensure students, faculty, staff, and administration share a unified, culturally rooted comprehension of student success. During the conference, Diné College led multiple critical presentations showcasing their institutional methodologies. Presentation topics included higher education marketing, culturally inclusive activities, dual credit enrollment management frameworks, and agile adjunct faculty teaching models. The group also featured unique cultural components, including a traditional blue corn mush demonstration.

Moving forward, Dr. Deborah Dennison, president of Diné College is excited to support all upcoming initiatives, including the finalization of the comprehensive SEMP and the rigorous deployment of key enrollment indicators to secure long-term academic excellence. 

The institutional delegation attending the conference and accepting the award alongside President Dennison included Patrick Blackwater, acting provost; Winifred Jumbo, director of external campuses; Francetta Begaye, dual credit program director; Nicholas Begaye, Window Rock center manager; Sterling Walter, Newcomb microsite manager; and Amberia Tolino, Window Rock center office coordinator.