What Little Big Horn College is like

What it's like

Little Big Horn College is a tribal land-grant community college centered on the Crow Indian Reservation in Montana, with a student body that is 95% Crow Tribal members. The institution prioritizes accessibility through open admissions and tailors its academic offerings to regional economic opportunities. The campus emphasizes sustainability and cultural preservation, including recent investments in renewable energy and a new cultural center designed to showcase Indigenous perspectives.

Academic feel

LBHC offers six associate of arts and three associate of science degree programs, plus seven one-year certificate programs, structured around employment and economic development opportunities in the Crow Indian Reservation area. Curricula focus on education, business, Crow studies, agriculture, office and technical work, and infrastructure. Research activity spans sociology, geography, ecology, engineering, environmental planning, and archaeology.

Social life

The college supports men's and women's basketball teams competing in the National Junior College Athletic Association region nine. A Health and Wellness Center provides fitness and wellness programming including weight training, yoga, aerobics, and nutrition education. Governance is conducted by a board of trustees elected from districts within the reservation, reflecting tribal self-determination.

What you should consider

The college is designed for adult learners seeking accessible pathways to credentials and economic mobility in the intermountain region. Crow Tribal members and members of other American Indian tribes comprise 98% of enrollment. The open admissions policy welcomes any adult with a high school diploma or GED, making it accessible to non-traditional and working students.

Strengths

• Strong commitment to sustainability and renewable energy, including a 45-kilowatt photovoltaic system and a goal of achieving carbon neutrality on campus.[1]
• Curriculum directly aligned with regional economic opportunities and community needs in the Crow Indian Reservation area, covering education, business, agriculture, and infrastructure.[1]
• Active research presence across multiple disciplines including ecology, geography, archaeology, sociology, and environmental planning.[2][3][4][5][6][7]

Traditions

• Tribal governance through a board of trustees elected by districts within the reservation, ensuring community voice in institutional direction.[1]
• Partnership with the American Indian Higher Education Consortium, connecting LBHC with a network of tribally and federally chartered institutions serving geographically isolated American Indian populations.[1]

Recent news

In 2021, LBHC received a $100,000 grant from the Institute of Museum and Library Services to build a new cultural center and museum, with planning emphasizing exhibits constructed and interpreted by Indigenous people and expanded use of the Crow language. In 2016, the college installed a 45-kilowatt photovoltaic system on its Health and Wellness Center to advance its goal of carbon neutrality, partially funded by grants from the U.S. Department of Energy.