Nominations open for Pathfinder Award

February 6, 2019

The annual Pathfinder Award goes to a staff member who possesses a high degree of ethical standards, compassion and dedication to the academic success of Native Alaska and other students from rural Alaska. Since 2012 the Department of Alaska Native Studies and Rural Development has awarded seven UAF staff members the Pathfinder Award. This award was established by DANSRD to honor retiring employee Kay Thomas for her selfless dedication and highly effective academic guidance. With her commitment to the belief that rural Alaska and Alaska Native students deserve equal opportunity and any necessary support to access education at UAF regardless of background, her legacy of student successes have reached more than 2,000 students, extending over several generations.

Do you know a current UAF staff employee who exemplifies that same excellence and commitment to rural students? What is your story and experience working with this person? As a UAF student or employee, you have the opportunity to nominate an individual to receive the 2019 Pathfinder Award for their dedication to the success of students from rural Alaska. The selected recipient will receive a $500.00 cash award!

The deadline for nominations is Friday, Feb. 15, at 5 p.m. Read more about the nomination process at https://www.uaf.edu/dansrd/awards/. Submit nomination letters to sljones19@alaska.edu or uaf-dansrd@alaska.edu.

Past recipients of the Pathfinder Award:

2012 Kay Thomas: DANSRD — Troth Yeddha’ Campus (Fairbanks)
2013 Gabriele Russell: Academic Adviser, RSS — Troth Yeddha’ Campus (Fairbanks)
2014 Agnes McIntyre: Emerging Scholars Coordinator — Kuskokwim Campus (Bethel)
2015 Kacey Miller: Student Services Manager — NW Campus (Nome)
2016 Sarah Andrew: Adult Learning Programs Manager — Bristol Bay Campus (Dillingham)
2017 Olga Skinner: Academic Adviser, RSS — Troth Yeddha’ Campus (Fairbanks)
2018 Angela Rutman: Tribal Management Program Coordinator — Interior Alaska Campus (Fairbanks)