Northland Pioneer College to break ground on first permanent campus in Navajo Nation

By Donovan Quintero | Jul 17, 2025 | Education |

KAYENTA

After decades of operating out of borrowed spaces, Northland Pioneer College’s Kayenta Center is getting a permanent home here.

President Buu Nygren signed a lease agreement on June 30 with Kayenta Township, authorizing the construction of a new NPC facility within the Kayenta Industrial Park. The milestone clears the way for a $9 million project that local leaders say will reshape access to higher education in the region.

“This project has been years in the making,” said Geraldine Laughter, the economic development manager for Kayenta Township. “NPC has always been a part of our community, and this new facility strengthens that bond by providing a permanent home for higher education in Kayenta.”

The new center will mark the first brick-and-mortar college facility in the Navajo Nation. It will include science and health classrooms, a computer lab, a library, and a small business conference room to support local economic development. Leaders say it will allow students to complete full degree programs without leaving the community – a major change for those who previously traveled up to three hours for required lab work.

“For more than 40 years, Northland Pioneer College has … (provided) access to higher education by operating from various locations throughout the community,” Laughter said. “As more students seek opportunities to learn closer to home, NPC has continually risen to meet those needs.”

To read the full article, please see the July 17, 2025, edition of the Navajo Times.

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