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Four members join UAAAA board of directors
On Sept. 22, more than 50 attendees logged in via Zoom for the annual Alumni Assembly. Outgoing Alumni Association board members Drew Cason, B.A. ’13, B.S. ’13; and Charles Gunther, B.A. ’91; were bid farewell at the end of their terms. Four new board members were voted in to take their place and fill existing vacancies: Virginia Groeschel, B.S. ’06, M.S. ’20; Pearl-Grace Pantaleone, B.A. ’14; Stephanie Schuman, A.A. ’14, B.B.A. ’15; and Lonnie Ridgeway, B.A. ’18. Additionally, updates were provided from enrollment services, scholarship funds, Seawolf Athletics, Chancellor Cathy Sandeen and her Cabinet.
Listen to the first episode of Seawolf Voices
Introducing Seawolf Voices, a podcast series where UAA alumni discuss the role education played in their journeys. Its first guest is journalism alumnus Wesley Early, B.A. ‘16, former editor, producer and reporter for Alaska Public Media in Anchorage, and current news director for KOTZ in Kotzebue. In the first episode, Early talks about his favorite stories, how UAA prepared him to enter the field and his experience establishing a journalism presence in Kotzebue from the ground up. https://soundcloud.com/alumniuaa/seawolf-voices-1-wesley-early
More than $170K raised during Giving Day
Thanks to approximately 500 donors, over $170,000 was raised during the first-ever Giving Day benefiting UAA students and programs. The event was part of a larger UA Giving Day initiative that raised more than $670,000 across the University of Alaska system. This “49 hours for the 49th state” effort saw a tremendous outpouring of generosity, seeing gifts of all sizes from alumni, students, parents, community partners, new and returning donors and more from across 35 states. These donations — combined with those from other individuals and matching and challenge donors — will have a lasting impact on the lives of students. Gifts were made to scholarship, program, excellence and research funds in areas ranging from engineering, health, business, arts and sciences, career and technical education, as well as the Consortium Library, ANSEP, our community campuses and athletics.
PBS show Molly of Denali wins Peabody Award
PBS television show Molly of Denali, on which teaching alumna Princess Daazhraii Johnson (Neets’aii Gwich’in), M.Ed. ’17, serves as creative producer, was selected for a George Foster Peabody Award in the children’s and youth category in June 2020. The animated adventure-comedy follows the exploits of resourceful 10-year-old Molly Mabray in the fictional village of Qyah, Alaska. Premiering in July 2019 on PBS KIDS, the show is the first nationally distributed children’s series to feature an Alaska Native lead character. Additionally, Indigenous and Alaska Native people fill much of the show’s cast and talent behind the scenes.
Two grads awarded Foreign Language Assistantship
Since 1962, Fulbright Austria, in conjunction with the Austrian Federal Ministry of Science and Research, has placed more than 140 Americans in Austrian teaching assistantships each year. The United States Teaching Assistantship (USTA) Foreign Language Assistantship to Austria is operated under the auspices of Fulbright Austria and was created to not only provide Austrian youth with opportunities to learn different languages but to also promote cross-cultural education. For the 2020-21 academic year, the USTA Foreign Language Assistantship to Austria honor goes to German alumna and president of UAA’s Chronicles of Yarnia knitting and crocheting student club Molly Johnson, B.A. ’19, and fellow German grad and fall 2019 commencement speaker Rose Kruger, B.A. ’19.
Rasmuson Foundation awards seven alumni
The Rasmuson Foundation announced this year’s recipients of the annual Individual Artist Awards. Twenty-five artists, including five UAA alumni, will receive project awards of $7,500. Ten artists, including two UAA alumni, will receive $18,000 fellowships. One artist, Tlingit master carver Wayne Price, will receive the $40,000 Distinguished Artist award, recognizing creative excellence and artistic achievements in a career spanning several decades. Now in its 17th year, the Individual Artist Awards program supports arts and culture by putting money directly into the hands of artists. It is one of several grant programs and initiatives managed by the Rasmuson Foundation to promote a better life for Alaskans. Congratulations to all the award recipients, including the following members of the UAA family: Ed Mighell, A.A. ’87, B.S. ’91, B.F.A. ’05; Holly Mititquq Nordlum, B.F.A. ’04; Don Rearden, M.F.A. ’05; Sara Loewen, M.F.A. ’12; Levi Werner, B.F.A. ’19; Bryce Nicolasa Fredrick, B.F.A. ’19; and Will Dowd, B.A. ’16.
