A New Day at UAA

As the light returns to Southcentral and we turn the corner anticipating warmer days ahead, I am optimistic for what’s on the horizon at UAA. The last two years significantly changed our lives. The pandemic brought unseen challenges to the forefront but we collaborated as a university community across many departments to provide a support network, and together with our resilient students, cleared paths to their degrees and certificates. Now, our commitment to student success continues.

Whether students are pursuing a certificate, associate, baccalaureate, a master’s degree or beyond at UAA, one of our university’s core values is to offer affordable and accessible higher education.

We learned that scholarships make UAA and our community campuses accessible and affordable. From large grants and scholarships at the state level, like the Alaska Higher Education Investment Fund, valued at more than $400 million, which pays for the Alaska Performance Scholarship, needs-based Alaska Education Grants, and the medical program, WWAMI, to smaller UAA scholarships aimed at encouraging students to stick with their programs or return to school.

In April 2020, the university unveiled the 49th Finishers Scholarship, created for Alaskans who either earned college credit from another institution or started a degree program at UAA and never finished. These scholarships, along with many other needs-based ones, helped students throughout the pandemic either come back to school to finish their degrees, encouraged local high school graduates to dip their toes into higher education or provided relief for students who struggled to keep up with coursework during virtual-only learning periods.

This fall, students in our residence halls will be awarded a $1,000 housing scholarship to reduce their housing fees in the fall 2022 and spring 2023 semesters. This scholarship is intended to ease their housing financial burden and allow them to have an on-campus living experience surrounded by a supportive community of students and UAA staff.

For nonresident students looking to upskill or explore new subjects, UAA will offer a new discount for distance learners this fall. Non-resident students who choose to take online classes will pay in-state tuition. The discount equates to a savings of about $7,000 per semester for students taking a full-time course load.

The future is uncertain regarding the ongoing pandemic and world events. But what we know is that UAA will continue to be a place of opportunity for students just beginning their journeys into higher education or on a new career path.

Clearing paths of opportunity for our students is at the heart of what we do at UAA, and is what inspired me to step into the role of chancellor nearly one year ago. I am proud to have joined UAA where an incredible group of individuals is committed to student success. Despite challenging circumstances, faculty and staff have gone above and beyond to ensure UAA students have greater opportunities in life and work. The result will be a brighter future for UAA students and for Alaska.

Sean Parnell signature
Sean Parnell signature
Sean Parnell, Chancellor