Leech Lake Tribal College recently shared a congratulatory message for the Class of 2025 on social media, along with photos celebrating their achievements. The post highlighted the graduates’ journey of perseverance, growth, and strength.
LLTC encouraged its graduates to step into the future, carrying their knowledge with pride, their dreams with courage, and their culture with honor.
The college also featured the profile of a 2025 graduate in a recent issue of The Bemidji Pioneer, a news site based in Minnesota.
Teddi Wind, a law enforcement major at Leech Lake, expressed her reasons for choosing LLTC, praising its supportive environment and caring staff.
On campus, she served as president of the Student Senate and previously held the role of tribal liaison.
Teddi considers her college graduation one of her greatest accomplishments, though she faced a significant challenge when her daughter went missing in Bemidji in the fall of 2021.
In the interview with The Bemidji Pioneer, she discussed the challenges of relearning how to live after this ordeal.
She hopes to help others going through similar struggles.
According to the U.S. Department of the Interior – Indian Affairs, American Indian and Alaska Native people face a disproportionate risk of going missing, and they represent a significant portion of such cases.
Native Hope, a former outreach initiative of St. Joseph’s Indian School, highlighted that many urban Native Americans fall into a “pipeline of vulnerability,” which includes people of color, individuals experiencing poverty, those coming out of the foster care system, and others lacking support or resources.
Janeen Comenote, the executive director of the National Urban Indian Family Coalition, noted that while a portion of this population is middle class, housing and homelessness remain significant challenges.
The spring 2025 edition of IQ Magazine featured LLTC student Joanne Paquette, who is gaining practical experience in construction and electrical work.
This program, supported by an Initiative Foundation grant, addresses housing shortages and workforce development in the community. It empowers students to build homes on tribal land, ensuring they graduate with valuable skills and job opportunities.
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