Inspiring Young People to Succeed In College and Beyond
New York Life Insurance Pledges $450,000 to UA Bridging Programs
Shehan Stickwan, 15, is from the small rural Alaskan village of Craig, which has a population of 1,171. During the summer of 2009, Shehan came to the University of Alaska Fairbanks (UAF) to participate in the Alaska Summer Research Academy (ASRA) which provides middle and high school with an intensive, two-week residential learning experience in science, engineering or liberal arts. Shehan’s exposure to college through ASRA was so inspiring that she hopes to attend the Rural Alaska Honors Institute (RAHI) next year. RAHI is a bridging program that helps ease the academic and social transition between high school and college.
“This is exactly what we hope to see,” said Denise Wartes, director of RAHI. “We know that early exposure to college through ASRA, then attending RAHI will help students from rural towns build confidence, establish relationships and learn about academics and college life."
Historic Gift Impacts Today and Tomorrow
ConocoPhillips Endowment Will Support Science and Engineering
April 2008 was a historic month for the university and the state. ConocoPhillips Alaska, Inc. pledged an unprecedented $15 million to UAA, marking the largest single corporate gift the university has ever received, as well as the largest gift the company has ever made in Alaska.
“This gift is an excellent example of university/community partnerships. ConocoPhillips knows that the university’s mission to provide education, training and research helps to develop Alaska’s economy. Our efforts to expand the number of engineers and scientists will help employers hire locally,” said UAA chancellor Fran Ulmer.
Gift to benefit Alaska’s workforce
Chevron Donates $1 million to the University of Alaska
Chevron announced a $1 million donation to the University of Alaska Anchorage (UAA). The funds will support UAA’s Alaska Native Science and Engineering Program (ANSEP), as well as the Process Technology, Instrumentation, and Computer Electronics programs located at UAA's Kenai Peninsula College (KPC) Kenai River Campus in Soldotna. This marks the largest single corporate gift that KPC has received in its 44-year history.
Chevron is proud to have maintained oil and gas operations in the state of Alaska for more than 50 years, and has recently increased its activity within the state, both in the Cook Inlet and on the North Slope. With this increase comes the need for a larger workforce, particularly in the fields of engineering, process technology and instrumentation. "Chevron is committed to supporting the communities where we work," said John Zager, general manager for Chevron's Alaskan operations. "We believe in recruiting and training locally, and we want to be an active contributor in helping to grow Alaska's workforce for the future."
