RAHI celebrates 37th class of graduates

July 10, 2019

Photo by Caity Tozier. Students participating in the 2019 Rural Alaska Honors Institute gather at the University of Alaska Fairbanks.

The Rural Alaska Honors Institute will host a graduation ceremony at 1 p.m., July 11, at the University of Alaska Fairbanks.

The ceremony will be held in Schaible Auditorium and livestreamed at media.uaf.edu.

Fifty rural and Alaska Native high school students, representing more than 30 communities across the state, graduate after six weeks of academics and on-campus living at UAF this year. They explored fields such as writing, library sciences, process technology, chemistry, business, math, recreation and, for the first time ever, Alaska Native languages. Six students also gained hands-on experience working on two different projects with UAF researchers.

UAF photo by JR Ancheta. Lillian “Jing” O’Brien, Hailey Wilson and James Vuong take samples at Tanana Lakes as part of a RAHI research project.

Their weekends included hiking the 8.7 miles from Angel Rocks to Chena Hot Springs, rafting in Denali and volunteering at Calypso Farms.

Since its inception in 1983, RAHI has prepared more than 1,950 students for the rigors of higher education. Graduates have gone on to obtain 929 degrees and 187 certificates from not only from the University of Alaska but also other institutions such as Harvard, Yale and Brown universities, Dartmouth College and the universities of Notre Dame and California, Berkeley.

RAHI is supported by the University of Alaska, the UAF College of Rural and Community Development and the UAF Biomedical Learning and Student Training program. Community sponsors include Wells Fargo, New York Life, Alyeska Pipeline Service Co., Arctic Slope Community Foundation, First National Bank of Alaska, ConocoPhillips, Ravn Alaska and various private donors. RAHI students attend at no cost and have travel expenses paid.

UAF photo by JR Ancheta. Alexis Rexford, Andrew Cyr, Sean Conwell and Jenna Stringer examine samples at Tanana Lakes as part of a Rural Alaska Honors Institute research project.

The 2019 RAHI participants included Erik Attla, Fairbanks; Gabriel Miller, Ninilchik; Glenn Balanza, Utqiagvik; Tory Nassuk, White Mountain; Alexia Bankston, Utqiagvik; Sadie Newton, King Cove; Elena Basargin, Fritz Creek; Savannah Nieshe, Ketchikan; Alani Chase, Northway; Lena Norton, Noatak; Draven Clavette, Dillingham; Lillian “Jing” O’Brien, Wrangell; Sean Conwell, Unalaska; Juliana “Julie” Osgood, Utqiagvik; Logan Copper, Tok; Bridget Oviok, Point Hope; Chiara Demientieff, Bethel; Ebony Oviok, Point Hope; Stephanie Eakin, Kotzebue; Max Pyles, Kodiak; Amyaa Edwards-Davis, Utqiagvik; Alice Sage, Buckland; Ruth Finau, Glennallen; Cortland “Cort” Stewart, Metlakatla; Ariel “JR” Go, Unalaska; Jenna Stringer, Utqiagvik; Adele Hagevig, Douglas; Dorcas Swan, Deering; Willow Jackson, Kake; Mistelle Titus, Healy; James John, Kipnuk; Katelyn Tocktoo, Nome; Grace Keller, Valdez; Alleri Tungul, Unalaska; Angelina Kimoktoak, Koyuk; Kayla Villamor, Unalaska; Tara Kirk, Kotzebue; James Vuong, Unalaska; Eli Knapp, Big Lake; Madelin “Mady” Weeks, Kenai; Erik Kohrt, Fairbanks; Whitney “Olivia” Wilcox, Sitka; Leisha Lozano, Kongiganek; Hailey Wilson, Unalaska; Katelyn Marks, Fairbanks; Timothy Zibell, Noorvik; Jalaya Duarte, King Cove; Mackenzie Fousel, Ketchikan; Robin Masterman, Bethel; Alexis Rexford, Gambell; and Ellie Martinson, Nome.