UAA Alumni Spirit Spring/Summer 2025
Index
FEATURES
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Years in the making, a partnership between UAA and the Anchorage School District prepares high school students for their future careers by inviting them to the Anchorage campus for an immersive tour tailored to their professional aspirations.
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Over the course of 18 months, Fulbright Arctic Initiative Scholar and public health practice alumna Mariah Seater will be traveling to Iceland to research family justice centers in the Arctic with the hopes of applying her findings to Alaska communities.
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As the passenger air service development manager for one of the busiest cargo hubs in the world, international studies and languages alumnus Erik Peterson works to make the Ted Stevens Anchorage International Airport an integral stop for passengers as well.
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Drawing from his history education and debate experience, Erik Pederson lobbies for semiconductors on behalf of Samsung in Washington, D.C., culminating in his involvement in the signing of the landmark bipartisan CHIPS Act by President Joe Biden in 2022.
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Placing ethics at the forefront, the new McLaughlin Lab is recruiting graduate students for the 2025-26 academic year with a mission of prioritizing students and local communities.
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Consortium’s real-world labs in Anchorage and Fairbanks simulate cold climate conditions to evaluate optimal heat pump performance.
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Meet this year’s Alumni of Distinction: Alumni of Achievement Maria Bourne, Alumni Humanitarian E. Ingrid Goodyear and Alumni Emerging Leader Iuliia Chepurko.
DEPARTMENTS
ON THE COVER
From the Editor
This edition of Spirit celebrates alumni who embody that forward-looking mindset, including an international studies alumnus who imagines new connection opportunities for travelers at one of the world’s busiest airports, to a public health practice alumna embarking on a research journey to the other side of the world as part of a Fulbright initiative, and a history alumnus whose lobbying work for Samsung culminated in the signing of a revolutionary bipartisan semiconductor bill.
Farewell, and thank you, Seawolves
From high school to higher ed
College ready, career ready, life ready — that is the motto of the Academies of Anchorage, an initiative launched in 2024 by the Anchorage School District (ASD) designed to provide students with structured career-themed pathways. In development since 2022, the goal of the academies is to ensure students graduate high school with a clearer understanding of their professional interests and opportunities, whether they pursue higher education, vocational training or enter the workforce directly.
Seeking Neighborly Advice
Anchorage, a veritable ice land, has a lot in common with Iceland. Both regions contend with harsh winters and geographic isolation. However, one significant area where they diverge is in their approach to addressing family justice issues such as domestic violence. In Iceland, family justice centers serve as comprehensive support hubs for survivors, offering medical care, legal assistance, law enforcement and social services all in one place. Meanwhile, Alaska’s approach is fragmented, with victims often having to navigate a complex web of separate services, if such services exist at all.
Catching Connecting Flights
Strategically located at a virtual halfway point between North America and Asia, the Ted Stevens Anchorage International Airport is the third busiest cargo hub in the world. But while cargo has long been the airport’s primary strength, Erik Peterson, B.A. International Studies and Languages ’14, hopes to make Alaska’s largest city an integral stop for passengers as well.
Lobbying for the future
History alumnus Erik Pederson may lobby for tech giant Samsung in Washington, D.C., but his Seawolf spirit remains strong. In a recent interview, Pederson reflected on his journey, crediting UAA with providing a surprisingly enduring foundation for his career navigating the complexities of Capitol Hill.
“I recently had an opportunity to sit down with some folks from UAA in D.C.,” Pederson shared, “and I was surprised at just how clearly I remembered many of the professors that I had there, and some of the classes they taught.” He emphasized the lasting impact of those formative educational experiences, stating, “I learned from some really outstanding professors.”
Making Science a Better Place
The McLaughlin Lab launched last semester at UAA, with principal investigator Jess McLaughlin, Ph.D., assistant professor in the Department of Biological Sciences, placing ethics at the forefront. McLaughlin is recruiting graduate students for the 2025-26 academic year and is actively thinking about how to prioritize students and local communities.
Meet the 2024-25 Alumni of Distinction
UAA’s Office of Alumni and Community Engagement and Alumni Association were pleased to welcome spring by announcing the latest Alumni of Distinction. The three distinguished alumni were honored for their contributions in their fields and communities at the UAA Alumni of Distinction Celebration on Tuesday, March 18, which saw nearly 150 graduates and supporters pack the Fine Arts Building Recital Hall on the Anchorage campus to reconnect with their hometown university while raising donations to benefit UAA programs and scholarships.
UAA and LG Partner on Cold-Climate HVAC Research
The Consortium for Advanced Heat Pump Research, the groundbreaking partnership between UAA and LG Electronics Inc. (LG), has opened state-of-the-art, real-world-simulated labs to conduct comprehensive studies on cold-climate HVAC and heat pump solutions.
Class Notes
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1993
Lens on Campus
Once a Seawolf Always a Seawolf
Your #SeawolfNation network is over 71,000 alumni strong! Stay connected and take advantage of your status as a UAA alum. Here’s how to stay informed and involved with UAA:
Stay up to date on events and opportunities by following the UAA Alumni Association on Facebook, LinkedIn, and Instagram. Connect with fellow Seawolves and be part of the conversation!
magazine staff
EDITOR
Matt Jardin, B.B.A. ’10
WRITERS
Becca Brado
Keenan Britt
Matt Jardin, B.B.A. ’10
Catalina Myers
Michelle Saport
GRAPHIC DESIGNER
Brett Rawalt
STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER
James Evans, B.A. ’16
UAA ALUMNI ASSOCIATION BOARD OF DIRECTORS
Clare Baldwin, B.A. ’20, M.P.A. ’23
Jacob Chambers, B.B.A. ’14, M.B.A. ’19
Shareen Crosby, B.A. ’00
Jenny Di Grappa, B.S. ’14, C.T.1. ’14
Ada Ejike-Maduakor, M.S. ’10
Tuan Graziano, B.B.A. ’23
Daniel Hart, B.S. ’10
Jessica Jacobsen, B.S. ’13, M.S. ’19,
Board President
Leila Kimbrell, B.A. ’02, C.T.2. ’02
Lessie Kincaid, B.S. ’13
Jeannette Levine, B.B.A. ’13
Tana Skye Nevada, B.B.A. ’16, Board
Vice President
Pearl-Grace Pantaleone, B.A. ’14
Jason Richards, B.S. ’11
Molly Gray, Ex-Officio,
Interim Director of Alumni and
Community Engagement
UAA OFFICE OF ALUMNI AND COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT
907-786-1942
seawolf.forever@alaska.edu
uaa.alaska.edu/alumni
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