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Current UAA student JC Schoonmaker and former UAA student Hailey Swirbul represented the U.S. on the Nordic Ski Team during the 2022 Winter Olympics in Beijing. (Photo courtesy of UAA Athletics)
Four Seawolves compete at the 2022 Olympics in Beijing
In February 2022, four Seawolves traveled to Beijing to compete in the 2022 Winter Olympics. Making their Olympic debuts were current student JC Schoonmaker and former student Hailey Swirbul on the U.S. Nordic Ski Team. Physical education alumna and former Seawolf skier Casey Wright, B.S. ’19, represented Australia, and natural sciences alumnus and former Seawolf hockey player Mat Robinson, B.S. ’09, played for Canada. This was the second Olympics for Wright and Robinson. Also in Beijing was natural sciences alumna Zuzana Rogers, B.S. ’99, a sports physical therapist who served on the U.S. Nordic Ski Team medical staff.
A Project PAK team arrives in a rural Alaska community to administer free health screenings to Head Start students. (Photo courtesy Leah Coffman)
Students administer free health screenings in rural Alaska
In March 2022, students from UAA’s pharmacy and nurse practitioner programs flew to Pilot Station and Akiak to administer free health screenings to dozens of Head Start students and residents. This trip was the first of two planned to rural Alaska communities each year, referred to as Project Partnership for Alaska’s Kids (PAK). Founded in 2012, the need for Project PAK arose due to difficulties finding health screenings in rural Alaska, where communities are remote and health care resources are limited. In order for Head Start programs to maintain funding, they must comply with certain standards, including one that requires every child enrolled to undergo a comprehensive health screening within 90 days of entry into the program.
UAA rolls out COVID tracking tool for all Alaskans
In January 2022, UAA helped usher a tool into Alaska that aids in the fight against COVID-19. Alaska COVID Exposure Notification Express, or ENX, is a free, anonymous service on your smartphone. It works by using secure phone-to-phone Bluetooth codes to keep a log of when your phone is near other ENX-enabled phones, and alerting users who were near those who enter a positive COVID-19 status into their phone. Developed by Apple and Google, public health professors Jennifer Meyer and David Parker, and Kenrick Mock, computer science professor and College of Engineering dean, were part of the team that helped enable ENX in Alaska. Enable ENX on iPhone by turning on “Exposure Notifications” in your settings and following the prompts. Android users can find the app in Google Play or in phone settings.
Mark your calendars: Giving Day 2022 is Nov. 2-3
In November 2021, UAA alumni turned their communities green and gold with shared pride from almost every state and outside the country. Part of a larger UA Giving Day initiative that raised over $300,000 for UAA and over $1 million across the University of Alaska System, nearly 300 alumni donated more than $80,000 to UAA’s campuses, colleges and programs — 70 more alumni and $31,000 more donated compared to Giving Day 2020. For 2022, we hope you, your company or your professional organization will get creative with us to make #49HoursForAlaska an even bigger success. With your support, UAA students from all campuses are able to write their amazing stories. Contact Samantha Sink, annual giving officer, at sksink@alaska.edu to get involved with Giving Day.
Arlene Schmuland, head of Archives and Special Collections and professor of library science, looks through photos from the recently donated Ted Stevens ANCSA sub-collection.
Ted Stevens ANCSA papers available to the public
In December 2021 during the 50th anniversary of the Alaska Native Claims Settlement Act (ANCSA), the Ted Stevens Foundation, in honor of the late senator and his work on the historic legislation, donated the first in a series of papers, dubbed the ANCSA sub-collection, to the UAA/APU Consortium Library. Consisting of six banker’s boxes collecting memos, photos and memorabilia spanning Stevens’ 41-year career, the initial donation was gathered from more than 4,800 boxes and is the first submission of what will eventually be the entire Ted Stevens collection, which will eventually be made available for public viewing in the Consortium Library.
