RAHI Graduation Ceremony Recognizes Student Success

Submitted by Jim Kowalsky
Phone: (907) 474-6886
07/08/03

The Rural Alaska Honors Institute will pay tribute to the accomplishments of nearly 60 students at a graduation ceremony on Friday, July 11. This summer’s six-week college preparatory program is the largest in its 21-year history.

UAF alumnus Kyan Olanna of Shishmaref, a recent graduate of the Yale Law School, will be the keynote speaker. Olanna is one of nearly 170 students who, after participating in RAHI, have gone on to earn a baccalaureate, associate or graduate degree. Many RAHI alumni have joined Alaska’s professional workforce with many more in the postsecondary pipeline.

The program is aimed at rural and Alaska Native students who have completed their junior or senior years of high school and who have earned at least a 3.0 grade point average. Requested in 1982 by the Alaska Federation of Natives, RAHI emphasizes a challenging university curriculum and a residence program to acquaint students with college life and expectations.

"We attempt to build a supportive community in which students participate in a rich academic setting, earn a university transcript with eight or more university credits and develop a long-term supportive network of peers, staff and instructors," said program director Jim Kowalsky.

The program curriculum includes university courses funded in part by the National Science Foundation, National Institutes of Health and UAF’s Alaska Natives Into Psychology project. Courses in writing for college make up the centerpiece of the program while instruction in computers, Alaska Native dance, swimming and study skills round out the college preparatory residency. RAHI is sponsored by UAF’s College of Rural Alaska.

A public reception will follow the graduation ceremony at 3 p.m. in the Brooks Building Rural Student Services Gathering Room.

CONTACT: Jim Kowalsky or Denise Wartes at (907) 474-6886, toll free at 1-800-478-6886, e-mail fyrahi@uaf.edu or visit the RAHI website at http://www.uaf.edu/rahi for more information.

RAHI 2003 Student List

Terra Abbott /Nome
Preston Alexander /Minto
Colleen Aluska/Toksook Bay
James Anaver II /Kwigillingok
Tawnie Attla/Huslia
Nathan Ayotte/Valdez
Bert Bamford/Bush near Kobuk
Jessica Bartman/Manokotak
Rainy Abloogalook-Billy/Ketchikan
Jodi Boyd/Metlakatla
Xyanne Bullard/Shishmaref
Kendri Cesar /Juneau
Tonya Christensen/Napakiak
Eliza Coyle/Mountain Village
Ashana Delkittie/Nondalton
Jana Demoski/Galena
Roy Elie-Wolkoff /Kodiak
Carmaleeda Estrada/Angoon
K Rae Fancher/Bethel
Tisheena Frank/Arctic Village
Jessica Friend /Kwigillingok
Jadelyn Gloko/Manokotak
Carolyn Gould/Unalaska
Jessica Hunt /Emmonak
Joel Hunt /Emmonak
Jackie Isaac/Kasigluk
Jolene Jackinsky/Newhalen
Joshua Jackson/Kake
Brittany Jensen/Pedro Bay
Lisa Kangas/Ruby
Virginia Lincoln/Toksook Bay
Sarah McCarr/New Stuyahok
Cherish Maldonado/North Pole
Estelle McGinty/Nulato
Matthew Mercier/Barrow
Jonathon Morris/Noorvik
Cassandra Nashookpuk/Point Hope
Pauline Nay/Kotzebue
Miriam Ohman/Tununak
Kateri Okitkun/Kotlik
Samuel Otton/Koyuk
Karen Peters/Emmonak
William Pfeifer Jr./Ketchikan
Sung Pi/Kotzebue
Robert Rickson Jr./Pedro Bay
Shandara Sam/Huslia
Ali Sheikh/St. Mary’s
Clifford Shellabarger/Kiana
Jed Smith/Whale Pass
Andrew Sommer/Galena
Sonia Stevens/Unalakleet
Thecla Ulroan/Chevak
Ella R Upicksoun/Point Lay
Erling Ursin/Port Lions
Virginia Waska/Nunapitchuk
Sheena Whitley/Manokotak
Jared Williams/Klawock