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On Jan. 11 and 12, Ïã¸ÛÁùºÏ²Ê×ÊÁÏ held the first annual Alaska Native Values in Modern Governance gathering. Hosted by the College of Business and Public Policy and College of Arts and Sciences, the two-day inaugural training event featured 28 sessions delivered by 21 speakers hailing from Alaska Native corporations, nonprofits and village and tribal councils.

Themed around reaffirmation, the latest issue of Ïã¸ÛÁùºÏ²Ê×ÊÁÏ’s premier publication profiles alumni who have reaffirmed their connections to their communities, including the president of Enstar Natural Gas, the winner of the Alaska Artistic License Plate Competition, and Ïã¸ÛÁùºÏ²Ê×ÊÁÏ's latest recipient of the Fulbright U.S. Student Program grant.

On Wednesday, Dec. 13, the Ïã¸ÛÁùºÏ²Ê×ÊÁÏ honored individuals with the Meritorious Service Award and Honorary Degree during a special ceremony in advance of fall commencement.

Describing herself as always having been a helper, fall 2023 graduate student commencement speaker Cass Pook was inspired to return to school by her mother and her social worker sister, who passed away in 2011. With her Master of Social Work, she will continue serving her community through her ongoing work with the State of Alaska Department of Family and Community Services.

In this episode of Seawolf Voices, professional piloting alumnus and professional Santa Claus Dan Bale talks about his childhood watching planes take off from the New Orleans airport runway, why you need a strong poker face when playing with children, and recounts a lovely Christmas story that perfectly encapsulates his roles as a pilot and as Santa.

For Bay Alabdulbaqi, student commencement speaker for Ïã¸ÛÁùºÏ²Ê×ÊÁÏ's fall Class of 2023, college has been a journey of discovery and transformation. She sees the speaker opportunity as a way to "express gratitude and be a mentor for other students" — the perfect culmination for her undergraduate experience.

In mid-November, Ïã¸ÛÁùºÏ²Ê×ÊÁÏ students with the Warm Wear Bags project donated 400 tote bags full of winter gear and personal essentials to Brother Francis Shelter and Clare House.

Ïã¸ÛÁùºÏ²Ê×ÊÁÏ alumna and associate professor Holly Martinson hopes the new Biomed U-RISE program "lights a fire" in Alaska's research community by empowering undergraduate students with lab experience, mentorship and financial assistance. Martinson and co-PI, Professor Tracey Burke, welcomed the first cohort this academic year and will soon open applications for cohort two.

In this episode of Seawolf Voices, business alumnus and Native Student Services director Jason Hotch talks about transitioning from working in business to education, resisting the need to rush things unless you absolutely want to, and making education more equitable for everyone.

Premera Blue Cross Blue Shield of Alaska is supporting a new video campaign with the Ïã¸ÛÁùºÏ²Ê×ÊÁÏ (Ïã¸ÛÁùºÏ²Ê×ÊÁÏ) to encourage people to pursue careers in behavioral health, which includes care for mental health conditions and substance use disorders.