Gearing Up for UA Giving Day 2026: March 24-26

The College of Indigenous Studies (CIS) is getting ready for UA Giving Day 2026, and we’re excited to share what’s ahead. On Tuesday, March 24 at noon through Thursday, March 26 at 1 pm, our CIS community will come together to support students, celebrate culture, and strengthen programs that serve more than 160 communities across the state.

This year we are featuring a series of exciting giving challenges, announced by the dean and our campus directors soon. Every gift, no matter the size, helps open doors for students who are working hard to build brighter futures for themselves and our Alaska communities.

Here’s a look at the CIS funds in this year’s spotlight:

College of Indigenous Studies Support - Supporting this fund means investing in the next generation of leaders grounded in rural Alaska and Alaska Native culture, community values, and Indigenous leadership practices.

Rural Alaska Honors Institute (RAHI) - For more than 40 years, RAHI has welcomed rural and Alaska Native high school juniors and seniors to campus for six transformative weeks of learning, growth, and connection. Gifts to RAHI help sustain this powerful, tuition‑free opportunity.

Strengthening Alaska’s Native Languages - This support fuels scholarships, community workshops, teaching materials, documentation efforts, and more. Every gift helps preserve and revitalize languages that carry generations of knowledge and identity.

Festival of Native Arts - Each spring, the Festival of Native Arts (FNA) brings together dancers, artists, elders, and community members for a celebration of culture and connection. FNA is a beloved statewide tradition planned and led by UAF students. These gifts support performers, workshops, and hands‑on cultural learning.

CIS Regional Campuses & Programs
Bristol Bay Campus Support
Chukchi Campus Support
Kuskokwim Campus Support
Northwest Campus Support
One Health Program Support
Rural Student Services Support

Join Us March 24-26 by giving to the above spotlights on the UA Giving Day site, following us on social media, and helping us spread the word!

Newsletter Contents

Success Stories

Rooted in Purpose: How a CDFS Degree Deepened 25 Years of Head Start Service

Creativity, Skill, and Community in BBC's Fur Ruff Making Class

Gallery: The 52nd Festival of Native Arts in Photos

CIS in the News

Employee Updates

Faculty Promotions

Veronica Plumb

Carrie Stevens

Upcoming Events

Detangling Wilderness with Tia Tidwell & Julianne Warren | March 7

Northwest Campus 50th Anniversary Alumni Night | April 4

Our Events Calendar

Opportunities

Deadline Soon: Arctic Leadership Initiative

SURVEY: One Health Knowledge, Perceptions and Priorities Among Alaskan Young Adults

SALE: 20% off Books + Tees from the Alaska Native Knowledge Network

ANLC to Publish Indigenous Retelling of Classic Kipling Story

Story by Lillian Maassen, Editor, Alaska Native Language Center

In 1893, Rudyard Kipling published a story about a place “away and away in the Bering Sea”: Saint Paul Island, Alaska. Entitled “The White Seal,” this story was the only one in Kipling’s famous The Jungle Book to take place somewhere other than India, and it depicted a harshly beautiful landscape populated by charismatic fur seals – and villainous “Aleut” hunters who slaughtered them for sport. Though this depiction was purely a figment of Kipling’s imagination (he never visited Saint Paul), the story enjoyed widespread success and remains among the most enduring portraits of the remote Alaskan island.

“The White Seal” is due an update, and one is coming in the summer of 2026. The Alaska Native Language Center (ANLC) will publish an Indigenous retelling of Kipling’s story, adapted into a young adult chapter book and renamed Sergie and the White Seal. In this version, the titular white seal meets an Unangan boy with newfound shamanistic abilities, and the two team up to fight the evils of overfishing in the vulnerable Bering Sea ecosystem. It recharacterizes the fur seals and the Unangan not as mortal enemies, but as equal partners in stewardship of their lands and seas. A brief foreword gives the historical context of Kipling’s alleged “seal killings,” explaining that the Unangan people were forced to meet seal quotas every year under threat of dire punishment by the Russians and, later, the Americans; and a glossary gives the meanings and pronunciations of over 60 Unangam Tunuu words and phrases that appear throughout the text.

Co-authors Garrett Iĝayux̂ Pletnikoff and Hannah Atsaq Zimmerman are the founders of Tukuuludaa Bering Sea-Based Design and Education Center, a nonprofit dedicated to showcasing traditional and modern Bering Sea artistry and building a sustainable future for coastal Western Alaska. With Sergie and the White Seal, their goal is to decolonize the widely beloved story through the retelling, and to paint a new portrait of Saint Paul Island for audiences to enjoy – this time on Unangan terms.

Pletnikoff and Zimmerman’s efforts are already receiving global attention. Sergie and the White Seal is set to headline the 2026 Arctic Arts Summit this June in Umeå, Sweden. Sámi artists Rebecca Tornberg Båanta and Mikael Berglund will illustrate the book and adapt it into an animated short film, premiering at the Summit, and an art installation will showcase the story’s characters as soft sculptures made with traditional Saint Paul Island materials and methods. An audiobook is in the works for release in the fall of 2026, supported by The Ursa Major Fund and produced by Midnight Sound Studios. The Kipling Society has voiced strong support for the book, with Secretary Mike Kipling contributing an introduction that explores the imperialism inherent in his legendary relative’s storytelling. They also plan to advertise the book in their spring edition of the Kipling Journal, and to preorder copies for the Kipling Library in Hertfordshire, England.

You can preorder Sergie and the White Seal now, or find it on ANLC’s online bookstore in May 2026.

Deadline Soon: Arctic Leadership Initiative

The Arctic Leadership Initiative (ALI) is a University of Alaska-wide program preparing students, faculty, and partners to lead across disciplines, cultures, and communities — from science and policy to Indigenous knowledge and public service. Applications are due on March 16 for five funded opportunities — visit the ALI site to learn more!

Please see the ALI site for information on the 5 funded opportunities below:

2026-27 Student Cohort

The ALI Student Cohort is a year-long, immersive opportunity for UA undergraduate and graduate students who want to engage seriously with Arctic policy, governance, and leadership. The program is open to advanced students from any discipline who are curious, committed, and eager to learn by doing.

$1000 stipend upon successful program completion (Spring 2027)
Application deadline: March 16, 2026
Awards announced: April 27, 2026

Postdoctoral/Early Career Faculty Fellowship

This 2-year fellowship is designed for scholars who want to pursue ambitious Arctic-related research while playing an active role in mentoring students, shaping interdisciplinary programs, and engaging with communities and decision-makers across Alaska and the broader Arctic. Each selected fellow will receive an $80,000 fellowship annually for up to two years, for salary, benefits, travel, and other expenses.

Application deadline: March 16, 2026
Final selections announced: April 27, 2026
Eligibility: PhD in a relevant field; documented faculty and departmental support

2026 Arctic Engagement Awards

These competitive awards are designed to help UA faculty, staff, postdoctoral researchers, and graduate students launch or grow initiatives that strengthen Arctic research, deepen community and policy engagement, and create meaningful opportunities for student involvement. Awards of up to $20,000 will support activities ranging from Arctic research and fieldwork to curriculum development, public engagement, and strategic partnerships, both within Alaska and across global Arctic networks.

Application deadline: March 16, 2026
Awards announced: April 27, 2026
Award size: Up to $20,000 | 4-6 projects funded

President’s Arctic Professors

ALI invites nominations from each UA university for the next cohort of UA President’s Arctic Professors, a two-year appointment recognizing faculty who exemplify and advance the University of Alaska’s Arctic mission. Faculty wishing to be considered should consult with their respective dean/director and Provost.

Nominations due from Provosts: March 16, 2026
UA President review: by April 15, 2026
Final Selections Announced: Early May 2026
Term Begins: July 1, 2026

Ambassador Travel / Residency Awards

To support Arctic thinkers, researchers, and advanced students in representing UA and the state’s leadership in Arctic and Northern issues at national and international venues. These awards are designed for active ambassadorship. Individual awards ranging from $1,000-$5,000, with up to $10,000 available for exceptional residencies or invitations. Funds will be distributed through UA travel processes; recipients may use Concur to charge allowable costs.

Next deadline: March 16, 2026
Applications will be reviewed three times per year (March, July, November)

Submit full proposals to ua-ali-info@alaska.edu

Learn more & apply

Bethel’s ANSEP Acceleration Academy Director Alex Bernard Chosen for Pathfinder Award

Each year, students nominate UAF staff members who have made immense contributions to their academic success to receive the Pathfinder Award. Established in 2012, this award recognizes one outstanding University of Alaska Fairbanks staff member who exemplifies compassion and dedication to Alaska Native and rural student success. The award is open to all UAF staff, including those at branch campuses, and is announced each year during the Festival of Native Arts.

This year, the Pathfinder Award was given to Mr. Alex Bernard, Director of ANSEP's Acceleration Academy in Bethel, Alaska, announced on Saturday, February 28 during the final evening of performances.

"I saw so many of my peers walk into his office feeling overwhelmed or upset, and leave a little later laughing or feeling lighter.”

Students who nominated Mr. Bernard described a mentor who goes far beyond the job description, with a special understanding of each and every one of his students that can only be attained by authentically caring. One student shared, “He is someone you can go to for anything….I saw so many of my peers walk into his office feeling overwhelmed or upset, and leave a little later laughing or feeling lighter.” Students are grateful for Mr. Bernard’s way of meeting students where they are and helping them move forward with encouragement and clarity: “When I had ambitious ideas, he didn’t just tell me to ‘go for it.’ He took the time to ask thoughtful questions and helped me figure out a realistic process for reaching those goals. That kind of guidance made a real difference for me.”

We are grateful to Mr. Bernard for his exemplary dedication to student success, and we congratulate him on this well-earned recognition. Though there is one ultimate recipient for this award every year, we also thank every UAF staff member who shows up for students every day.

Bristol Bay Campus Students Bring Rural Alaska’s Voice to Juneau

Story by by Kathy Kysar, Assistant Professor of English at Bristol Bay Campus

Ten UAF–Bristol Bay Campus students traveled to Juneau January 19–23, 2026, for an immersive look at Alaska’s legislative process, despite weather challenges that turned their arrival into an adventure of its own. Due to significant winter delays, the group arrived on four separate flights over two days, with the final student touching down Wednesday evening. Instructors Mike Davis and Kathy Kysar quickly condensed and reorganized the schedule to ensure every student still gained meaningful face‑to‑face time with lawmakers, resulting in a hectic but highly impactful week.

Before departure, students met online to learn how Alaska’s Legislature works, practice 2–3‑minute elevator speeches, and identify issues affecting their home communities, from education funding and erosion to rural transportation, energy costs, and local media access. They also learned how to address legislators, tailor messages, and prepare testimony.

During the week, compressed due to travel delays, students met with nearly half of all House and Senate members, along with staff, commissioners, and lobbyists. They observed committee meetings, discussed bill workloads and limits, and saw firsthand how legislative priorities emerge. Legislators praised the group for bringing rural Alaska’s perspectives directly to the Capitol, emphasizing how helpful it was to hear community‑level stories connected to policy.

Students refined their elevator speeches continually, adjusting to fast-paced hallway conversations and short office visits. Topics ranged from Power Cost Equalization and renewable energy projects to the Alaska Marine Highway System and the need for stable school funding. Several students noted that the experience demystified government and made public testimony feel far more approachable.

One memorable moment came on Thursday evening, when the class hosted a traditional foods potluck for legislators and staff. Students brought dishes from their home communities—foods that represented Dillingham, Aleknagik, Unalaska, Twin Hills, Nome, Kotzebue, and even West Africa. The shared meal created space for deeper conversation and cultural connection, helping lawmakers better understand the places and people the students represented.

Following their return, students met again on January 29, February 12, and 26 to reflect on the experience, talk through final assignments, and discuss how to stay involved in civic life. Many planned letters to editors, follow‑up meetings with legislators, or conversations with local leaders. Others emphasized the importance of accessible information in rural Alaska and expressed interest in improving communication between communities and policymakers.

Instructors Davis and Kysar noted that despite the travel challenges, the week succeeded in its core mission: helping students see that their voices matter in shaping Alaska’s future. Students returned home with strengthened advocacy skills, deeper political understanding, and renewed confidence in speaking up for their communities.

Explore more Success Stories

CIS in the News

Villages Destroyed and a Hunger for Home
by Julia O'Malley for The New York Times

Featues DANSRD alumna Kelsey Ciugun Wallace's efforts to support those displaced by Typhoon Halong.

Read the full story (link)

Woven Peoples and Places: Where are our future energy leaders?
by Adriana Northcutt for the Juneau Empire

Includes the UAF Bristol Bay Campus's Sustainable Energy Program.

Read the full story (link)

‘Sergie and the White Seal’: an Indigenous retelling of a classic Rudyard Kipling story
by Josiah Pike for Alaska's News Source

Covers the Alaska Native Language Center's upcoming publication.

Read the full story (link)

Festival of Native Arts honors victims of Typhoon Halong
by Anna Lionas for the Fairbanks Daily News-Miner

Features the dedication of this year's Festival of Native Arts.

Read the full story (PDF)

Page updated

Report abuse