Higher Education

Physical Address:
1608 SW 9th St
Lawton, OK 73501

Mailing Address:
PO Box 908
Lawton, OK 73502

Phone:
(580) 699-7218

Fax Number:
(580) 492-4017

Hours of Operation:
Mon - Fri: 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.

Mission

The Comanche Nation Higher Education Department's mission is to provide support and guidance to Comanche tribal members in obtaining their educational goals.

Services

College Scholarship Program

The Comanche Nation Scholarship Program provides financial assistance to Comanche students attending accredited institutes such as colleges/universities and pursuing a Bachelor/Master/doctorate or two-year program. To qualify for the scholarship, the student must be an enrolled member of the Comanche Nation, be approved for admissions by an accredited college, need financial assistance, and give reasonable assurance they will be successful in completing a four-year college degree program.

Job Placement & Training Program 

The JP&T program is designed to assist eligible tribal members attending long-term/full-time training in programs offered by the state vocational schools approved by the tribal/federal contract. The JP&T program provides financial assistance & vocational counseling for a school period of at least nine (9) months, not to exceed twenty-four (24) months. To qualify for the long-term training program, students must be an enrolled member of the Comanche Nation, 18 years of age or older, a high school graduate or GED/certified, obtain a current photo ID, and provide all requested documents required to complete an application. The Direct Employment program offers financial assistance to tribal members who retain new and permanent employment. The Relocation program provides financial assistance for tribal members who must relocate for permanent jobs. Stipend checks may be provided for students who meet the application requirements. To qualify for the Direct Employment/Relocation program, students must be an enrolled member of the Comanche Nation, 18 years of age or older, a high school graduate or GED/certified, obtain a current photo ID, be unemployed for six weeks, obtain permanent employment, cannot have applied for assistance within the last six months or received aid from the DE program or the BIA within the previous three years, and must provide all requested documents required to complete an application. The Associate in Applied Science program is for students seeking a two-year degree in an applied sciences field. Emphasis is placed on courses that enable the student to focus on specialized academic interests, allowing immediate employability upon graduation. To qualify for the scholarship, a student must be an enrolled member of the Comanche Nation, be approved for admission by an accredited college, need financial assistance, and give reasonable assurance they will successfully complete a college degree program. The scholarship amount depends on the number of credit hours the student is enrolled in and is offered to qualified applicants.

Adult Education

• Short-Term Training Program -  assists eligible tribal members who attend technical schools and certificate programs with financial assistance for tuition, books, supplies, and exam fees.
• GED Program - This eight-month course and the corresponding curriculum are based on the four Common Core modules in the Oklahoma State General Education Development Exam:  Math, Language Arts, Science, and Social Studies.   
• The GED I class is a foundational course, whereas the GED II class is a testing preparation course with a rigorous testing schedule to achieve educational goals in timed increments. Both courses provide a curriculum for critical thinking and graphic skills to correctly interpret more advanced non-text questions for all four Common Core modules.
• Both the GED I and GED II class semesters start with four months of Language Arts and Social Studies and end with four months of Math and Science.  Each three-hour class session is Monday-Thursday, for a total of twelve hours per week.  Individuals interested in the GED Program must complete the following application process:
  • Higher Ed GED application:  for class seats, course supplies, Acellus access, GED Testing Service guidance and resources, the four common core module curriculum, and teacher instruction.
  • Needs Assessment:  this survey determines remote learning equipment needs and DOK (depth of knowledge).
  • Workforce Classroom Training Application:  to pay for GED testing fees and determine stipend assistance eligibility.
  • TABE Test Score:  this placement test score determines that the policy-required Language Proficiency Standard is met. 
• GED Instructor Jackie Holder, BA, MCJ, will teach all Language Arts and Social Studies.  GED Instructor Quanah Karty, BS, will teach math and Science subjects.  Due to COVID-19, all GED classes are only being offered remotely at this time. 
  • Elders Computer Course (42 years and above) - Specialized classes in Basic computer skills provide a comprehensive learning environment for enrolled tribal members to gain a working knowledge of computers and their applications.
  • Career Development Class - Provides students with the opportunity to provide a foundation for academic readiness, career planning, and job readiness.