Rural Alaska Honors Institute celebrates class of 2022

The University of Alaska Fairbanks will celebrate the achievements of the Rural Alaska Honors Institute Class of 2022 on July 14 with a hybrid in-person and virtual graduation ceremony.

RAHI's Class of 2022 will graduate after six weeks of academics at UAF's Troth Yeddha' campus in Fairbanks. Each of the 52 students enrolled in up to 11 college credits in fields such as writing, library sciences, process technology, chemistry, math, Alaska Native studies, social work, biology, health, research and education. Their weekends have been spent exploring Interior Alaska through hiking, canoeing, rafting and volunteering.

Students will share virtual research presentations from 1-2 p.m. on July 13. The 40th annual RAHI graduation ceremony will be in-person in the Reichardt Building’s Pearl Berry Boyd Hall on July 14 from 1-2:30 p.m. To join in person, please RSVP by July 12. To watch the ceremony virtually, register for the Zoom link or join Facebook live.

Since its inception in 1983, over 1,800 students have completed RAHI. Alumni have gone on to earn more than 1,250 degrees from the University of Alaska and a variety of other institutions around the U.S. and beyond.

The 2022 RAHI graduates include: Shane Angnaboogok (Fairbanks), Keisha Askoak (Newhalen), Samuel Bass (Craig), Kyra Chunhui Billings (Barrow), Dorothy “Dot” Callahan (Nome), Carrina Campbell (Gambell), Devlyn Campbell (Wrangell), Glenyll Rey Casia (Unalaska), Monica Christopher (New Stuyahok), Franchezca Chezca Correa (Ketchikan), Marissa “Mars” Crabtree (Chugiak), Devin Craggette (Kotzebue), Dave Andre Custodio (Barrow), Nevaeh Demientieff (Nenana), Steven Dilts (Ketchikan), Maia Elkins (Delta Junction), Elijah “Eli” Gust (New Stuyahok), Adrianna “Adri” Hamilton (Shageluk), Jessup Hanson (Ketchikan), Eliana Hatch (Chistochina), Dacota Heakin (Eek),  Kevinn “Murph” Hendrickson (Mountain Village), Elliott Hinz (Fort Yukon), Serena Hotch-Mattson (Gustavus), Elicia Jones (Noatak), Darren Kalmakoff (Perryville), Wilson Kanuk (Bethel), Layla Kashatok (Kwigillingok), Koen Kohrt (Fairbanks), Aralye Lie (Nome), Bonnie Marriott (Fairbanks), Carey Matthias (Kotlik), Flora Nanuk (Scammon Bay), Joerenz Nobleza (Barrow), Ce'Anika Palacios (Glennallen), Laura Peterson (Mountain Village), Rochelle Peterson (Mountain Village), Brenna Scholten (Nome), Mary Simeon (Bethel), Kaylee Simon (Scammon Bay), Brooke Singson (Barrow), Darryl Smith (Wrangell), William “Will” Tomeo (Denali Park), Halina Valdivieso Hanna (Healy), Karina Jaylene Villamor (Unalaska), Lilly Walton (Noatak), Justina Wassillie (Napaskiak), Kelsey Wharton (Eek).

RAHI students attend at no cost, thanks to support from Alyeska Pipeline Service Co., Arctic Slope Community Foundation, UAF’s Biomedical Learning and Student Training program, ConocoPhillips, First National Bank Alaska, Jack Kent Cooke Foundation, Saltchuk, Tanana Chiefs Conference, the UAF College of Rural and Community Development, the University of Alaska, and private donors.

ADDITIONAL CONTACT: Brianna Pauling, 907-474-6886, b.pauling@alaska.edu