Colin Ben

Colin Ben is a citizen of the Navajo Nation from Shiprock, New Mexico. He is Taábąąhá (Water’s Edge Clan) born for Táchii’nii (Red-Running-Into-The-Water Clan). His maternal grandfather is Tódích’íi’nii (Bitter Water Clan) and his paternal grandfather is Áshįįhí (Salt People). Colin is an Assistant Research Professor and Lead of the online Master of Arts in Indigenous Education program in the School of Social Transformation. He is also the Associate Director of the Center for Indian Education at Arizona State University.

As a qualitative scholar, Colin’s research examines American Indian student experiences relating to access and persistence in higher education. His research is grounded in Critical Indigenous Research Methodologies that explore intersections of race, equity, gender and nation-building. Previously, Colin was the Assistant Dean for Diversity at the University of Utah Graduate School, Program Coordinator with the McNair Scholars Program (TRiO program) at Westminster College, and the Program Manager of the Native American Congressional Internship Program in Washington, DC via the Udall Foundation.