Honors College and Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion

We want you to not just feel welcome at UAF — we want you to feel you belong here. We are committed to fostering a community in which everyone feels a genuine sense of acceptance. The UAF Honors College acknowledges historical boundaries and blindspots in making our community of scholars more inclusive for all students.

On this page, you will learn more about our current and future diversity and inclusion initiatives. We work to update this page with resources for and communicate opportunities available at UAF for students, staff, and faculty to learn more on issues of diversity and inclusion.  

The Honors College takes an active approach to ensure that the College closely mirrors the University of Alaska Fairbanks' commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion. The phrase inclusive excellence is a great way to describe the value we hold true. A philosophy of inclusive excellence means that we think about issues of equity and inclusion in everything that we do. Whatever stake or role you have in the Honors College, we invite you to join us in our commitment to and role-modeling of inclusive excellence.

  • We are committed to a diverse pipeline of students as shown by
    • Increasing access to the Honors College for students traditionally underrepresented
    • Providing equitable access to a wide range of opportunities, including scholarship programs such as U-RISE Alaska, Nanook Brotherhood 
    • Ensuring that all students experience authentic development in their college career
    • Working directly with high school pathway programs to create relationships for the recruitment of highly qualified students early

  Making Excellence Inclusive

U-RISE Alaska Scholars

Undergraduate Research Initiative for Student Enhancement (URISE) program at the University of Alaska Fairbanks is a scholarship program funded by the National Institute of General Medical Sciences (NIGMS) at the NIH. The goal of the URISE program is to increase the number of well-prepared underrepresented (UR) students who matriculate into high caliber Ph.D. or combined M.D.-Ph.D. programs in the biomedical sciences and eventually go on to research careers. This program addresses the need to reduce the disparity in the number of individuals from underrepresented backgrounds in biomedical research careers.

The long-term goal of this program at UAF is to prepare graduates to be leaders in biomedical research by improving their preparedness for Ph.D. programs. This program is specifically designed for sophomore who students who are interested in learning about research careers and in becoming academically prepared for them. During the scholarship, URISE scholars receive partial tuition and fees support as well as a generous monthly stipend. The URISE scholarship also cover in part the students' participation in research experiences in funded laboratories and/or at scientific conferences.

 

 

Students majoring in biology, biochemistry, chemistry, chemical engineering, mathematics, physics, and psychology are eligible to apply for the U-RISE Alaska program. Each year interested students will apply during the spring semester of their sophomore year. The URISE Program Steering Committee will then select applicants to participate in the program based on the criteria below:

  1. Strong commitment to matriculation into either a PhD or MD/PhD program in biomedical sciences upon completion of the Bachelor degree and strong commitment to a research career in biomedical sciences.
  2. U.S. citizen, noncitizen national or permanent resident.
  3. Full-time sophomore with selected major
  4. Overall GPA of at least 3.0
  5. Submission of two letters of recommendation
Apply for the URISE Scholarship

 

 

Nanook Brotherhood Scholarship

UAF Vice Chancellor for Student Affairs Keith Champagne launched the Nanook Brotherhood Project (NBP) in 2018. The project included the establishment of a local chapter of the national Student African American Brotherhood (SAAB) organization and works to improve the educational outcomes for students of color at UAF. NBP's goal is to get more students of color going to college, getting good grades, graduating and finding jobs in their field.

UAF's SAAB Brother To Brother chapter (B2B), is open to students of all ethnic backgrounds and serves as a gateway to formal and informal support systems on campus, but beyond any institutional efforts, the B2B is its own safety net and accountability system. According to James Little, a founding member and petroleum engineering major. “We are going to push each other. When someone believes in you, that is powerful. That pushes you.”

Members of SAAB and Brother To Brother chapters nationwide also work with students in local K-12 schools to encourage college attendance. Several of the UAF chapter’s founding members said professional role models — students of color who earned college degrees — were rare when they were in high school. NBP is here to reinforce positive rolemodels, rethink institutional systems and support young people of color.

Recipients are members of the Nanook Brotherhood Project (NBP) and the Brother 2 Brother Student Organization. Scholarship and leadership opportunities available for students of all backgrounds who support diversity, inclusion and equity in relation to social justice and are committed to academic excellence. Students are welcome to join the Nanook Brotherhood Project even if they are not awarded a scholarship.

Download Nanook Brotherhood Handout
Apply Here for the Nanook Brotherhood

 

Scholarship details:

10 students will be selected for award amounts of $2,000 split between fall and spring semester.
 1 student will be selected for the award amount of $5,000 split between fall and spring semester.

Apply online at Academic Works:

Submit the application through AcademicWorks. Priority will be given to students that apply by August 12, with selected students notified on August 20. 

Essay question: 

In 500 words describe how the Nanook Brotherhood Project Scholarship will assist you in the pursuit of academic excellence while supporting efforts of diversity, inclusion and caring at UAF and beyond?

Scholarship Eligibility:

  • New or returning UAF degree-seeking bachelor degree-seeking students taking classes online or in-person

  • Full time enrollment

  • 3.0 cumulative GPA at UAF or the previous school attended

  • Meet UAF’s Satisfactory Academic Progress Policy

  • FAFSA completion recommended

  • Demonstrated commitment to diversity, inclusion, equity and caring.

  • Demonstrated commitment to community engagement and volunteer service.