College of Menominee Nation Expands Public Digital Access in Keshena

The Community Technology Center, located on the Keshena campus of the College of Menominee Nation, offers public Wi‑Fi and computer access alongside a schedule of digital literacy classes aimed at community needs. Funded in part through a grant from the U.S. Commerce Department, the CTC functions both as an access point for broadband and online services and as a training hub that provides instruction on email, video calls, online job searching, and other essential digital skills.

The center’s programming is designed to serve multiple local constituencies. Elders receive tailored support to use communication tools and online services that can reduce social isolation and improve access to health and benefit information. Small business owners gain assistance with digital tools that support marketing, customer contact, and online transactions. Students and job seekers can leverage the CTC’s computers and classes to complete applications and strengthen workforce-ready skills. The space is also available for broader community education programming that the college coordinates.

Public access to reliable internet and basic digital skills has become a foundational element of economic and civic life. For Menominee County residents who face limited home broadband options, the CTC provides a practical alternative for completing job searches, accessing government services, participating in remote learning, and maintaining social connections. The college frames the CTC as a continuing resource for workforce development and small business support for tribal members and neighboring communities, signaling a long-term institutional commitment rather than a one-time service.

The federal Commerce Department grant that helped create the CTC illustrates the role of targeted federal investment in expanding local broadband access and digital training capacity. At the local level, such investments intersect with institutional responsibility: community colleges and tribal colleges are positioned to translate funding into sustained training, outreach, and resource coordination. Access points like the CTC also influence civic participation by enabling residents to obtain election information, submit forms, and engage with public processes that increasingly rely on online platforms.

As communities across rural Wisconsin continue to confront the digital divide, the Community Technology Center on the College of Menominee Nation campus represents a concrete example of how coordinated funding and local institutional effort can expand access, strengthen workforce pipelines, and support small businesses and elders in navigating an increasingly online public sphere.