For Brittany Vo, the decision to pursue a Rural Development degree through the College of Indigenous Studies at UAF was a natural next step after earning a B.A. in Business Administration from UAA in 2022. Inspired by Indigenous instructors and looking for a program focused on Indigenous leadership, she found her calling in Rural Development.

"I took a couple of classes at UAA where I had Indigenous instructors, which was life-changing. I heard really great things about UAF and looked into the programs and found the Rural Development program. I read that it focuses on Indigenous leadership, which is something I wanted to grow."

Now working as a Program Manager at Cook Inlet Tribal Council, Brittany has found that her coursework has directly supported her leadership development and career growth.

"This program has helped me and provided me a lot of skills and insight from my peers who work in different fields. I really enjoyed all the discipline I had to learn. I’m hoping this experience will provide me more opportunities to find myself in new levels of leadership."

For students currently studying Rural Development, Brittany emphasizes the importance of peer support, applying coursework to real-world projects, and keeping track of learning experiences.

"If you’re working on a project or research, be intentional about consistently applying what you’re learning. Also, always document activities you do in the community and personal life to bring back to your portfolio. Taking notes in class will help when it comes time to apply key concepts to your academic, community, work, and personal life."

Brittany’s journey reflects the power of education in building confidence, leadership skills, and new opportunities for Indigenous professionals through the College of Indigenous Studies.

Student Spotlight: Kate Pashby

Graduate student, Kate Pashby will be graduating this spring with an MA in Indigenous Studies. Kate Pashby is a member of the Huachichil Nation, whose traditional homelands are in northeastern México. Kate was born in San Jose, California, and received a Bachelor of Arts in anthropology from American University in Washington DC in 2016. They have been living in San Luis Potosi (Potosee), México for the past two and a half years while studying the significance of caves in Huachichil culture. The title of Kate’s thesis is “Places of life, places of death: caves in pre-Hispanic Huachichil conscience in Northern Méxıco”.

When asked about the value of the Indigenous Studies program, Kate said, 

"It allowed me to live with my community and apply what I learned, instead of needing to go away to study. I was able to conduct my thesis research year-round while still taking classes."

Kate has also published numerous poems, including a poetry chapbook called “a shelf of my ancestors,” which is inspired by Kate's work to repatriate their ancestors' remains from a US museum to the Huachichil Nation. Article and photo submitted by Dr. Chris Cannon.

For Jessica Shaw, pursuing a Master’s Degree in Rural Development through the College of Indigenous Studies was both a personal and practical decision. She saw education as a stabilizing force in her life and wanted a program that directly connected to life in rural Alaska and tribal communities.

"Taking Rural Development M.A. courses helped me have the confidence to find work and actually apply concepts of rural development in my day-to-day work. It created the drive I needed to push hard and continue forward even when things were really challenging!"

Jessica credits her Rural Development courses with helping her build the confidence to pursue tribal administration work, where she successfully managed tribal projects, governance functions, and grant writing for five years. Today, she continues to serve her community as a Behavioral Health Aide at Tanana Chiefs Conference, applying both her B.A. in Psychology and M.A. in Rural Development to assist people in achieving personal development goals.

For current students, Jessica encourages perseverance, adaptability, and self-trust:

"Finish what you start, even if it takes a while. The path is not always linear, and that’s okay. Don’t be afraid to cut new trails—it’s necessary sometimes. Ask for help when you need it, and keep an open mind. Many things will happen that you don’t control, and those are learning opportunities. RD students are on this trail for a reason—it’s not by chance."

Jessica’s journey is a testament to the transformative power of education in strengthening leadership, problem-solving, and dedication to rural Alaska through the College of Indigenous Studies’ Rural Development program.

Joel Isaak: Advancing Dena'ina Language and Cultural Preservation

Joel Isaak's family is from Yaghenen, "the good land," now briefly known as the Kenai Peninsula. His grandmother was from the village of Point Possession, and he was born and raised in Kahtnu (Kenai, Alaska). His journey into language learning began when he reconnected with Dena'ina material culture as a BFA Sculpture student at UAF. Learning and teaching Dena'ina material culture led him to Elder Helen MacLean, with whom he began a master's apprenticeship in 2010.

Together, they have worked on documenting material culture and language, including a project with the Smithsonian Arctic Studies Center to document Helen's style of moose hide tanning. They have also collaborated with the Kenaitze Indian Tribe on numerous publications, including a pocket audio dictionary with accompanying recordings.

After earning an MFA in Sculpture from Alfred University in 2016, Joel enrolled in the Indigenous Studies Ph.D. program at UAF, which he completed in December 2024. The same semester he began his doctoral studies, he also started working for the Alaska Department of Education and Early Development. His Ph.D. research supported his work on the Dena'ina language and the development of a culturally based approach to teaching reading. The program helped him refine both his language skills and his writing about the Dena'ina language.

Joel now serves as the Director of Culture and Language Preservation for the Kenaitze Indian Tribe, where he continues to apply the skills he gained through the UAF Indigenous Studies program.