Peter selected to lead UAF rural, community, Native education
July 25, 2014
907-474-7902
907-460-4750
7/25/14
University of Alaska Fairbanks alumnus Evon Peter has been selected to serve as the new vice chancellor for rural, community and Native education at UAF.
Peter was selected from a field of 21 applicants after a national search. He will start Monday.
“It is exciting to join the dynamic teams of administrators, faculty and staff throughout UAF and the College of Rural and Community Development. I am thrilled at the opportunity to support and help build upon the strong legacy of excellence in academic and technical programs,” he said. “As we approach the UAF centennial, I envision expanded community partnerships, broadened incorporation of local and indigenous knowledge into the academic and technical programs, and a thriving and supportive learning environment for all of our students.”
Peter graduated from UAF in 1998 with a bachelor’s degree in Alaska Native Studies. He is currently completing the final requirements for a master’s degree in rural development. He began his professional career in 1998 as the coordinator for the UAF Yukon Flats Center and since then served in a variety of leadership positions in Native organizations and nonprofits. His consulting firm, Gwanzhii, LLC, provides strategic planning, program development and other services for private and public organizations.
As vice chancellor, Peter will be responsible for guiding UAF’s rural and community education initiatives, promoting the inclusion of indigenous knowledge in university programs and advocating for Alaska Native education. The position is also responsible for the College of Rural and Community Development, which includes all of UAF’s rural campuses and sites, as well as the UAF Community and Technical College.
Peter has a strong commitment to rural and Native education and he understands the important role of community colleges in meeting the workforce development needs of rural and urban Alaska, said Chancellor Brian Rogers.
“I was contacted by people from all over the state who were enthusiastic about his candidacy and felt he was the right person to succeed Bernice Joseph,” Rogers said. “I am excited about the opportunity to work with him, as I have watched his career over the last decade and know of his commitment to Alaska and the circumpolar North.”
ADDITIONAL CONTACTS: Mike Sfraga, search committee co-chair, 907-474-2600 or msfraga@alaska.edu. Mary Pete, search committee co-chair, 907-543-4502 or mpete@alaska.edu. Evon Peter can be reached via Grimes or via Izzy Martinez at 907-474-5860.
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