Wileety Native American College builds community through tribal leadership
Sacramento State program centers Native students through culture and community
Wileety Native American College at Sacramento State provides students with an education grounded in tribal leadership, traditional knowledge and community, according to reporting from Underscore Native News and ICT. The college opened in September 2025 and allows students admitted to Sacramento State to pursue a minor in Native American studies with an emphasis on tribal leadership alongside any university major. The inaugural cohort included 34 students.
The college was established after a 2018 campus survey found Native American and Black students reported the lowest sense of belonging and retention rates, according to Underscore Native News and ICT reporting. Inaugural Dean Annette Reed, a citizen of the Tolowa Dee-ni’ Nation, said the college aims to create a place where Native students feel supported and connected to community. Students also receive faculty mentors and participate in a cohort model designed to strengthen relationships on campus.
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