Shaping Tomorrow
for uaf

momentum for UAF

At UAF, our students pursue excellence through transformative experiences. Students are at the center of every area of the university’s expertise, from Arctic research, to Alaska Native and Indigenous programs, to entrepreneurship, workforce development, and hands-on, personalized learning. Your support makes their success possible.

The For Alaska campaign has highlighted the generosity of our donors, the commitment of our alumni, and the potential for our students. We know you have many choices when it comes to giving. Thanks for choosing UAF.

—Chancellor Dan White

UAF stories of Impact

Large group of RAHI student in a green field posing for a photo
College Preparation Program Helps Transition Between Rural High Schools and Urban Colleges
Economy
Education
Research
Workforce

Denise Wartes served as a pillar for the Rural Alaska Honors Institute for 33 years, first as an assistant and then as the program manager until her retirement in 2019. A very passionate advocate, Wartes started with RAHI in 1989, six years after its inception, and saw multiple generations of lives changed through the 6-week program that welcomes rural and Alaska Native students to attend a college preparation program on the University of Alaska Fairbanks’ Troth Yeddha’ Campus.

The Rural Alaska Honors Institute fosters student success, providing youth with an experience that blends academia, community involvement, outdoor recreation, and preparation for the transition between rural high schools and urban colleges. Each cohort typically brings together 50 students from across rural Alaska in the summer following their junior or senior year of high school. Students get a headstart of up to 10 credits over six weeks in subjects that have historically included Indigenous Cultures of Alaska, biomedical research, math, process technology, writing and more.

The Rural Alaska Honors Institute depends on private support and partnerships, with about sixty-percent of program expenses funded by outside donors – including individuals, Alaska Native Corporations and industry partners. Recognizing this, Wartes, together with her late husband, Mark, established The Denise and Mark Wartes Rural Alaska Honors Institute Endowment, which is the only endowment dedicated to RAHI. The endowment primarily supports scholarships and also allows for flexible spending; it can provide direct program support when not used for scholarships. Wartes intentionally made that decision, wanting the fund to be as open as possible to meet the program's critical needs. 

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A Native student working on a piece of Indigenous woodworking art
Honoring a Legacy by Supporting Students with a Concentration in Native Art
Economy
Education
Research
Workforce

Alaska Native artist Ronald Senungetuk was a sculptor, silversmith and woodcarver of international acclaim. Born in the village of Wales, Senungetuk began his career at the University of Alaska Fairbanks as an art professor in the early 1960s. In 1965, he established the Alaska Native Arts program and became the director of the Native Arts Center. In 1977, he was promoted to chair of UAF's Department of Art, a position he would retain until retiring in 1986. UAF paid tribute to the impact of Senungetuk and his career by honoring him with emeritus status upon his retirement and with an honorary doctorate of fine arts in 2015. In 2020, he passed away at the age of 86.

The Ron Senungetuk Art Endowed Scholarship was established by Turid Senungetuk and the family to honor her husband's legacy at UAF. The scholarship supports undergraduate or graduate students with a concentration in Native Art. UAF, a pioneer in Native Arts education, offers a Master of Fine Arts degree in Native Arts, a distinction shared by only a few universities in the U.S. It is also the sole school in Alaska to offer a Bachelor of Fine Arts in this field.

The Native Arts Center provides a forum for visiting Alaska Native artists and offers studio space equipped with Indigenous and contemporary tools. Senungetuk was a world-renowned artist but considered the Center one of his most outstanding achievements. Since its inception, the Center has been instrumental in paving the way for higher education for rural Alaska Native artists.

Current Department Chair and Professor of Native Art, Da-ka-xeen Mehner, greatly appreciates the Senungetuk family's generosity in supporting students. Financial support makes a lasting impact, enabling students to further their education and craft. Mehner noted how forward-thinking it was for the family to not restrict the scholarship to Native Art majors, but to open it to students with a concentration in Native Art.

The Ron Senungetuk Art Endowed Scholarship was awarded for the first time in 2023-24. The inaugural recipient was Christopher Ehlers. Ehlers developed his passion for wood carving after taking Native Art classes at UAF. Ehlers’ work is highlighted in these images.

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Students studying in the Arctic
A Decade of Impact: How Generosity is Fueling Research and Industry in Alaska
Economy
Education
Research
Workforce

A proponent of research, Richard Nyman was known for his integrity, generosity and kindness. Originally from Michigan, Nyman was a long-time Alaskan. He knew the work being done at the University of Alaska Fairbanks' Institute of Northern Engineering was critical to Alaskan industries and often spoke fondly with his wife, UAA alumna Jan Blanchard ’93, of his UAF memories. 

Nyman’s remarkable journey included studying mining briefly at UAF in the 1950s. After working in heavy equipment and contributing to the construction of ice roads across the North Slope, he founded Nyman Equipment and was considered a leading contractor for the seismic oil exploration on the North Slope.

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UAF students paddling in canoes
The UAF Climate Scholars Program: Where Creativity and Science Meet to Save the Planet
Economy
Education
Research
Workforce

As the northernmost research university in the nation, the University of Alaska Fairbanks is at the forefront of climate change research, a commitment that is evident throughout many areas. The University of Alaska Fairbanks is pioneering a new path with the Climate Scholars Program, a unique initiative housed in the Honors College. The first of its kind in Alaska and the United States, the program stands out for its interdisciplinary approach, bridging the arts, humanities, and sciences. And it captures the attention of more than just prospective students.

University of Alaska Fairbanks alum Linda Schandelmeier '71 serves on the program’s advisory council. She and her husband, John Davies '70, '75, who also served as a UA Regent (2015-2023), established a scholarship to support students in the program. Their reasoning, as Schandelmeier explained, was the belief that “the incredible students in this program will become leaders in developing innovative solutions to address climate change. They are motivated and driven to create the change our world needs right now. I feel like I am doing a small part to address the climate crisis and am grateful that we have teachers and students doing real work to that end.” 

Davies noted, “It feels good to be able to give back to a school that has given so much to us, we are excited to be able to help support students who are also focused on a wide range of climate issues, including food security, because we see these students as future game-changers in addressing this existential threat to our world.”

The program offers undergraduate students experiential learning opportunities focused on climate change, many of which take place outside of the traditional classroom. For instance, Climate Scholars have conducted studies at the Bonanza Creek Long-Term Ecological Research site or participated in NASA’s eclipse-tracking balloon project. Connecting students with leading research experts prepares Climate Scholars for in-demand careers in climate change, from clean energy development, to policy making, to advocacy and education.

Of all the challenges facing humanity and the world, rapid environmental change has the attention of today’s students. The fast-growing program at UAF has nearly 300 participants and is expected to eventually reach 1,000. 

University of Alaska Fairbanks Provost and Executive Vice Chancellor Anupma Prakash said the gifts from Schandelmeier, Davies and other program donors have been awe-inspiring. “Saying that we are grateful doesn't completely cover it. It is meaningful to know that what we’re doing is inspiring people who care about students to give back in this way.”

The success of the Climate Scholars Program is not solely measured by its rapid growth. Prakash said it’s also reflected in the students leaving with the feeling that they have the skills and opportunities they need in order to make a meaningful difference.

Photo courtesy Dirk Rohrbach

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A massive skeleton of a bowhead whale on display in a museum
Bringing a Vision to Life: the UA Museum of the North Bowhead Whale
Economy
Education
Research
Workforce

The University of Alaska Museum of the North attracts more than 85,000 visitors annually. UAMN’s mission combines research and teaching, and it boasts one of the largest marine mammal collections in the world, even larger than the Smithsonian Institution National Museum of Natural History. 

This is a story of a long-standing vision, starting with a bowhead whale that was harvested in Utqiaġvik in 1963. Its skeleton was subsequently donated to the museum and its skull  put on display in the museum's Gallery of Alaska in 1984. Displaying the entire articulated skeleton had long been a museum goal. Ultimately, it was made possible thanks to a significant gift from the Bill Stroecker Foundation in 2018. 

Stroecker, a Fairbanks local who passed away in 2010, ardently supported the University of Alaska Fairbanks and UAMN. The foundation he established through his estate gifted nearly $1M to the museum, allowing the meticulous bone-by-bone cleaning and restoration of the skeleton to begin in 2020. The 42-foot skeleton, which is the length of a bowling lane and weighs close to one ton, also required structural modifications to the ceiling of the museum's lobby. Mounting the skeleton to the steel armature and suspending it from the lobby ceiling took months of work, culminating in the grand opening in June, 2021.

"Bill Stroecker cared passionately about Fairbanks and the things that brought our community together," said UAF Chancellor Dan White. "The Stroecker Foundation made the bowhead whale display in the UAMN possible, and now the whale has become a centerpiece for the museum that meets Bill's vision for lifting up our community. I am so grateful for the Stroecker Foundation's continued support of UAF."

Museum Director Patrick Druckenmiller emphasized the uniqueness of the exhibit saying, "a single gift from the Bill Stroecker Foundation made possible the most jaw-dropping exhibit in the museum: a fully articulated bowhead whale skeleton suspended from the museum atrium, the only display of its kind in North America. When visitors first enter the museum, they are immediately greeted and awed by the size and beauty of this specimen."

Thanks to its placement in the multi-story lobby, visitors to the museum can view the skeleton from above, below, and from the right side. The skeleton is accompanied by interpretive panels that emphasize the important role bowhead whales play in both Alaska Native culture and marine ecosystems.

"This gift exemplifies alignment between a donor's vision and the museum's goals, creating a truly win-win relationship for all."

Druckenmiller delved into the significance of the bowhead whale, sharing that "bowhead whales are denizens of the Arctic Ocean and are a keystone species of marine ecosystems. They are equally important to the spiritual and cultural health of Inupiat people, who rely on bowheads as a critical food resource. The goal of this exhibit is to highlight the connections between the natural and cultural significance of this remarkable species in a singular, captivating exhibit. It is highlighted in Family Day events, in docent-led school tours, and adult education offerings. It is also seen by visitors from all corners of the globe, most of whom will never visit the Arctic to see the animal in its natural setting."

Druckenmiller added, "Philanthropic giving is central to our museum's success, and the Bill Stroecker Foundation gift highlights how generosity is converted into impact. In many instances, private giving makes possible exhibits and programming that are otherwise very difficult to fund through conventional sources. This gift exemplifies alignment between a donor's vision and the museum's goals, creating a truly win-win relationship for all."

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voices of UAF

In many instances, private giving makes possible exhibits and programming that are otherwise very difficult to fund through conventional sources.
Patrick Drunkenmiller
Director, University of Alaska Museum of the North
It feels good to be able to give back to a school that has given so much to us…
John Davies '70, '75
UA Regent (2015-2023)
You are truly helping the future of Alaska and there are few worthier investments.
Olivia Carroll
Rural Alaska Honors Institute graduate, 2018, in gratitude to ConocoPhillips Alaska

Eight Years of Collective Generosity for UAF

Each gift reflects the unique tie that donors, alumni and friends have to UAF. Donors determine what their gift supports and, as a result, countless areas of student success, workforce, economic development and research received gifts.

$167m raised
11,599
Total Donors
5,380
First-Time Donors
266
New Funds
106
New Endowments
139
New Scholarship & Student Aid Funds