Grant Award for Empowering Indigenous Students for Success

The College of Indigenous Studies is the recipient of a Margaret A. Cargill Philanthropies grant for our project titled "Cultivating Wellness and Resilience: Empowering Indigenous Students for Success".


The project aims to address existing challenges for Alaska Native students pursuing a postsecondary education by establishing an Indigenous Wellness Outreach program. In 2018, the UAF Native Student Union wrote a formal letter to the Vice Chancellor V requesting, “a licensed counselor/social worker (preferably Indigenous) who is also culturally knowledgeable about Alaska Native peoples, communities and ways of life”. 


In 2021, CIS welcomed an Indigenous Wellness Outreach Coordinator who provides a safe space to address, process, and manage challenges faced by Alaska Native students. By instituting a holistic model at UAF that honors Indigenous traditions and values, Alaska Native students are given opportunities to connect with their rich culture, utilize their own unique healing practices, and participate in traditions that promote individual and community wellness. Modeled after this successful initiative at UAF's Troth Yeddha’ campus in 2021, this program delivers culturally competent counseling and support services to Alaska Native students.


The project expands upon this original initiative by incorporating hiring an Indigenous Wellness Advocate, rural outreach, collaboration with Alaska Native elders, and resources for wellness events, the program aims to create a supportive environment that integrates Indigenous traditions and values into the college experience. This effort addresses the crucial need for culturally sensitive wellness support, working towards a more inclusive campus environment and fostering a cultural shift towards respect, diversity, and inclusion within the university community.

Bristol Bay Campus Student of the Year: Kolt Garvey

Kolt Garvey completed every solar training that the Bristol Bay campus has hosted. He has come to those classes with a commitment to learning and contributing to a positive campus environment. He has gone above and beyond to support the classes through contributing his time and in some cases tools to the campus programs. Kolt is now applying what he learned at the campus to teach new solar students while continuing his studies with the campus and accelerating solar education in Alaska through his advocacy. Kolt's dedication to learning and working in Western Alaska makes him an extraordinary Bristol Bay Campus student.


Piece submitted by Pearl Foster, BBC

College of Indigenous Studies celebrates Class of 2024 at five commencements 

The University of Alaska Fairbanks College of Indigenous Studies celebrated students at five commencement ceremonies this May. CIS students walked at our Troth Yeddha' (Fairbanks), Chukchi (Kotzebue), Northwest (Nome), Kuskokwim (Bethel) and Bristol Bay (Dillingham) Campus'. 


Congratulations Class of 2024!


View the Class of 2024 photo album

UAF to offer two new Athabascan language courses this fall

The Alaska Native Language Center at the University of Alaska Fairbanks will offer two new Native language courses for the fall 2024 semester.


The center will offer Lower Tanana-Benhti Dene/Athabascan, which has not been taught at UAF in more than 20 years. The beginning-level class will allow students to explore one of the Athabascan languages spoken in Alaska. Instructor David Engles of Minto learned the language from his elders and remembers speaking and listening to it daily as a child.


The second language, Upper Tanana Dene/Athabascan, will be offered via two courses this fall. The language was offered for the first time in 20 years with an introductory course in the spring 2024 semester. A new fall course will add the next level of language instruction and is designed for students who complete the introductory course. Bruce Ervin, assistant professor of language and culture, will teach the class. Ervin is originally from Northway, where he learned the language from his elders. He has taught at UAF since 2022 and incorporates traditional crafts and visuals into his teaching.


Read the full press release

Regents approve UAF College of Indigenous Studies

Members of the Iñu-Yupiaq Dance Group pose in the Wood Center after their workshop during the 2023 Indigenous Peoples Day, a community event hosted by the College of Indigenous Studies. From left are Alliyah Nay, Naatanii Mayo, Cavelila Wonhola and Sonni Shavings.

The University of Alaska Fairbanks College of Rural and Community Development is now the College of Indigenous Studies. The University of Alaska Board of Regents unanimously approved the name change at its May 23 meeting in Anchorage.

“As a leading research university in the Arctic, UAF is committed to integrating Indigenous knowledge with Western science to address global challenges,” said Charlene Stern, UAF’s vice chancellor for rural, community and Native education, earlier this week. “Becoming the first-ever College of Indigenous Studies in the nation within a public university is a huge step forward for us and for advancing the positioning of Indigenous education within academia at large.”

Read the full press release

The UAF Bristol Bay Campus helps prepare the next generation of fishermen in their Crew Class 

The class provided education to local and indigenous youth about their fishery so they too can invest in the industry. Students learned about safety, vessel maintenance and repair, knot tying, net mending, and fish picking, including a discussion of fish quality and the importance of proper handling and care.


Many students shared that they appreciated the hands-on emphasis of the training and were going to use the skills immediately in their fishing operations. They also earned 4 college credits!”


Read the full article


Piece submitted by Pearl Foster, BBC