The Power of Scholarships
Thanks to donor generosity, students’ lives are changed by scholarships that help reduce financial barriers and make educational goals attainable. The University of Alaska Foundation awards more than $6.2 million in scholarships annually across the University of Alaska Anchorage, the University of Alaska Fairbanks and the University of Alaska Southeast.
In the past few years, the University of Alaska has made it an overarching priority to improve the scholarship experience for students. Last October, UA adopted a more student-friendly scholarship management system, called AWARDED, to provide faster and more efficient selection and awarding. The new system also helps to facilitate improved scholarship communications and updates.
- Scholarship Dollars Awarded: $6.36M+
- Number of Scholarships Awarded: 2,984
- Students Awarded Scholarships: 2,292
There are many heartfelt reasons behind the start of a scholarship at the University of Alaska, including the story of Richard and Rachel Kacsur who have been on a quest to help students stay in school with less financial burden.
The Kacsurs never imagined they would have the opportunity to support students at the University of Alaska Fairbanks. It had been over 50 years since Richard returned from Army service, and he had attended UAF for only a short time before pursuing other opportunities.
Decades later, after retiring from the school district, Richard worked in Lowe’s electrical department where he met an exceptionally bright young coworker who was pursuing an electrical engineering degree while supporting himself. The Kacsurs admired the student's grit and intellect and were disappointed to learn that financial strain drove the student to abandon his studies. The Kacsurs offered to help the student financially, but Richard’s young coworker declined.
Later, at an estate planning seminar hosted by the University of Alaska Foundation through the Osher Lifelong Learning Institute, the Kacsurs learned about Qualified Charitable Distributions from an IRA. The seminar turned out to be timely as, soon after, Richard inherited his sister's sizable IRA. The Kacsurs’ disappointment in not being able to help Richard’s coworker stay in school became their inspiration when they realized they could use the gift from his late sister to help students. Richard and Rachel worked with their IRA custodian and the UA Foundation to endow a scholarship with their QCDs and, as a result, will now forever benefit UAF electrical engineering and computer science students facing financial hardship.
When sharing their story with the UA Foundation Board of Directors in May, Richard said, “A person should never be denied a productive education just because of money. It is the best investment that I know of.” All smiles, Richard and Rachel finished sharing their story with the board saying, “This is way bigger than anything we could have thought of on our own.”
Photo: From left to right, Denise Thorsen, associate dean of academics, UAF Department of Electrical & Computer Engineering, and donors Rachel and Richard Kacsur visit one of the College of Engineering and Mines labs.
Story for the UA Foundation 2026 Annual Report
busy and important time in my life… It reminds me that I am not alone in this journey and that there are people who truly believe in students like me.” – Jordanna David, UAF student
“Because of others' generosity, I was able to fully immerse myself in the rigors of the 2025-2026 academic year without the constant weight of financial ‘what-ifs’ hanging over my head…Your support means more to me than just a tuition payment; it shows that my goals are worth pursuing.” – Lucy Bennett, UAS student
“The possibility of me finishing even one semester, let alone getting so close to graduation, was not guaranteed in the slightest as it was too much of a financial burden. Now, the finished degree is actually on the horizon and I have a chance to work in accordance to my ability and develop further.” – Viktoriia Antonchuk, UAA student
“As a nontraditional student balancing multiple responsibilities, that support has made a meaningful difference in my ability to stay committed to my academic goals.” – Sean Demello, UAS student
“Because of other’s generosity I was able to complete college without debt!” – Samuel Banks, UAF student
“Because of your generosity, I am able to pursue my long-held dream of becoming a nurse while remaining
in Alaska and preparing to serve the community where I grew up.” – Frankie Urquhart, UAA student
“Because of the scholarships I have received, I have been able to continue my path towards receiving my Master's degree... As a mother of four, it has been a stretch to pay for tuition while also unable to contribute to the family income while taking my courses, including full-time student teaching. I am so much looking forward to putting my passion and skills to use in a way that our society very much needs.” – Anonymous, UAS student