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I started my academic career here at UAF as a first-generation college student in fall 2012. My best experiences at the university happened to be while being a member of the university’s honors program and while participating in the Office of Undergraduate Research and Scholarly Activity’s program. In 2017, I earned my B.S. in biological sciences with a concentration in cell and molecular biology and a minor in anthropology. For a time, I lived in London, where I graduated at the top of my class with an M.Sc. in cancer biology from Kingston University. It was here that I was able to indulge my love to travel and experience other cultures before coming home to Alaska. Now I hope to put my academic and research experiences to good use for Student Support Services as an advisor to first-generation and limited-income students and students experiencing disabilities who are pursuing a degree in a STEM field.

Misti Hopkins is currently coordinating the Student Support Services Emerging Scholars Academy and is a SSS Classic Advisor. She is the former UAF North Star Middle College Coordinator helping roll out a new high school on the UAF campus. As the former I-AC Upward Bound Program Manager and Academic Coordinator, she worked closely with college-bound students at Effie Kokrine Charter School and Lathrop High School and spent several weeks off grid with them at Howard Luke's Spirit Camp each summer for five years. She also oversaw I-AC's National Science Foundation Gaalee'ya STEM Project. She worked for the Fairbanks North Star Borough School District Alaska Native Education Program in four elementary schools as a Cultural Liaison and taught kindergarten and 5th grade at Fairhill. She began her time in Fairbanks in 2006 as a Development Director for Volunteers in Service to America (VISTA) where she implemented the AmeriCorps Summer of Service program. Her Bachelors of Science in Business Administration with a focus in Management and minors in Sociology and English from Appalachian State University have been beneficial in her work in the education field. She grew up at Fort Bragg in North Carolina as a military dependent with her family roots in the Blue Ridge Mountains of SW Virginia, where her grandparents were farmers and coal miners. Her mom was a first generation college student at Radford University and her family has now been transformed through their educational pursuits. She is a mom to a UAF senior and Barnette Magnet School student.

I am extremely excited to be a part of Student Support Services (SSS) as the Program Specialist. I moved to Fairbanks in 2012 from Texas and my time here has been amazing. My first experience with TRIO as a first-generation college student was participating in their Fall 2019 Emerging Scholars Academy (ESA) which helps students prepare for college and allows great opportunities to meet new people and explore Alaska. After ESA, I began working student jobs on campus. I became a Spanish tutor for the UAF Foreign Language Department while also being a student tutor for SSS and helped students with writing and/or foreign language classes. I received my bachelor's in Linguistics with a Spanish minor in May 2023. Outside of my professional life, I enjoy learning languages and more about graphic design, watching international TV shows/movies, listening to music, and making stickers for fun. I can’t wait to meet you and help you on your journey throughout UAF and beyond! 

My name is Tim Murphrey, and I am a 30+ year Fairbanks resident who began my adventure with UAF in the summer of 2000. I earned my BA in English with a minor in Alaska Native Studies in 2003, then dove right into my Masters program with the School of Education, earning my M.Ed. Since then, aside from teaching high school, I have worked for UAF in many different capacities. In addition to being an adjunct writing professor with UAF/CTC and the Rural Alaska Honors Program, I served as the Program Manager and Academic Advisor for the Eileen Panigeo MacLean House (Rural Student Services) for ten years, recruiting and advising students from across the North Slope and rural Alaska. I am excited about bringing my many years of experience to Student Support Services and helping our team serve UAF’s students.

It seems like I have been part of the UA system since before the polar caps started to melt, or as some folks might say, since time immemorial. With a deep background in labor-intensive industries including commercial fishing, hard-rock mining, timber, construction, and bartending, my foray into academic life began as the quintessential non-traditional student: a first-gen, low-income, single-parent. Some of my first college courses were held at Islands Community College in Sitka some years before it merged with UAS. It was another ice age before my GED became a B.A. in Anthropology and Creative Writing in 2011 (UAS), followed by an interdisciplinary M.A. in Arctic & Northern Studies in 2015 (UAF). During my time as a UA student, I also worked as a TA, RA, library assistant, and student success behavioral health program coordinator. I spent many years serving on community projects addressing homelessness, hunger, domestic violence, sexual assault and food insecurity.

I am forever curious about the intersections and the spaces between culture, nature, and the big existential questions. I love kids, dogs, and am happiest by the sea, but also enjoy exploring science, technology, the arts, and a wide range of creative endeavors.

It is a great privilege to work with the Student Support Services team here at the Troth Yeddha’ campus supporting our amazing TRIO students. I look forward to helping you to navigate your own exciting journey!