Dear Seawolves,

It’s an exciting time at UAA! The campuses are vibrant with activity as students return for the start of the fall semester and a new year of possibilities. At UAA, our faculty and staff are ready to put students first, transforming lives through education, opportunity and innovation. Our community partners play an important role in helping us deliver on that mission, and I’m proud to highlight just a few examples of these meaningful collaborations.

While many students and faculty enjoyed a well-deserved summer break, our campus remained a hub of activity. Thousands of young learners participated in summer education programs, including more than 700 high school students in the Summer Engineering Academies. Similarly, UAA welcomed participants in the Della Keats Summer Program, which continues to guide students, especially from rural Alaska, into health care careers. Additional camps in athletics, business and STEM outreach through the College of Arts and Sciences helped inspire the next generation of leaders and problem-solvers.

In the coming weeks, we will celebrate two major building renovation projects that will increase our capacity to educate students in high-demand health careers. The newly renovated Sally Monserud Hall will double the number of graduates in key allied health fields and support expanded cohorts in nursing and medical education. Meanwhile, significant upgrades to the Health Sciences building in Bethel will grow our rural nursing program, furthering access to healthcare education in communities that need it most.

We’re also proud to share that UAA’s enrollment is on the rise. This fall, we’ve seen a 5% increase in headcount and 8% in credit hours, reflecting growing trust in our programs and the strength of our student support systems. Graduate student enrollment alone rose by 47%, and first-time undergraduate enrollment increased by 10%. These numbers represent lives changed and futures built right here at UAA.

Our College of Arts & Sciences continues its successful lecture series, recently featuring Bill Nye the Science Guy, with simulcast opportunities reaching small towns across Alaska. The college also launched a new M.S. in School Psychology, expanded K–12 outreach and welcomed over 10,000 visitors to the UAA Planetarium.

We also celebrated important milestones in student support. A new endowed scholarship will be awarded in perpetuity to students served by the UAA Multicultural Center. Another scholarship, created by an anonymous donor in 2009, has now awarded over $4 million to more than 1,000 students. This is a powerful testament to the enduring impact of philanthropic gifts.

Alaska has been on the world’s stage this summer, and UAA has been at the center of it. U.S. Secretary of Transportation Sean Duffy visited our Aviation Technology Center, highlighting our role in building Alaska’s aviation workforce. During his visit, Atlas Air renewed its scholarship program, further empowering students to pursue careers in aviation.

We also celebrated a remarkable achievement in aerospace science: a NASA sounding rocket launched in June carrying a payload designed by UAA and Mat-Su College students. Their experiment aimed to measure Earth’s mass, an ambitious and inspiring example of student innovation and collaboration.

Many of the projects highlighted in this issue showcase our growing work in building strong relationships between UAA, industry leaders and community partners to accomplish some of our biggest goals. These efforts reflect a shared commitment to creating meaningful, long-term impact for Alaska’s future.

As we begin this academic year under the theme “Together into Tomorrow,” we are reminded that our progress is only possible because of you. Your support is a catalyst for transformation, and your belief in our mission helps us build a stronger, more resilient future for UAA and the communities we serve.

Thank you for being part of this journey.

Warmly,

Cheryl Siemers