What inspired you to donate to the College of Arts and Sciences Excellence Fund?

"It was actually a lecture I listened to from Dennis McMillian, the founder of The Foraker Group. In the lecture, he talks about how he and his wife realized that they needed to make the most impact on the causes they care about by designating a portion of their earned income each year to things they were really passionate about. After a lot of discussion and negotiating with myself, Walker and I committed to giving ten percent of our earned income each year to causes we care about as well as designating three causes that were really important to us in our will. We outlined the top three causes that we wanted to make sure would receive a portion of our estate, one of those being the University of Alaska-Anchorage College of Arts and Sciences, my alma mater, and my spouse’s alma mater, the Technical School and the Aviation Center. I am very passionate about helping with the fundraising activities every year for the University of Alaska College of Arts and Sciences."

You mentioned earlier that you are still connected with a group of friends that you had met when you were in the College of Arts and Sciences and how you are still very connected. How impactful was your undergraduate experience, and how have these lasting friendships impacted your life to this day?

"I am incredibly lucky that the girlfriends that I had going into University, also ended up being honors students with me. We became roommates and remained connected ever since then. We have a groupchat with the six of us where we talk back and forth and chat multiple times a day about things that happen in our lives, things that we care about. All of those experiences we carry with us from our time at university, which is really fascinating and exciting and joyous. It's funny, as I work here in Juneau, I run into people who I went to University with all of the time! It’s neat to be able to have those relationships and connections, and to be able to say “Oh I remember when we started the recycling club,” which now is a program at the University. I don't know many other individuals who have that strong of a network of people that they have carried with them for the past 20 years. "

You talked about staying connected to this group of friends, and also about giving to the College of Arts and Sciences. How do you stay connected with the CAS and UAA communities?

"I am an event based donor, so I enjoy the breakfasts and the galas that I have attended through the system as it keeps me connected. Working in a legislative office, we get access to great interns each year. I was especially excited that two years ago we had Alex Jorgenson, another proud UAA College of Arts and Sciences alumnus from the Political Science Department, as our intern. It was neat to see his rise and his experience at the university, particularly with government and the opportunities to advocate for funding for the university. I am very excited because I think there is a lot of opportunity and it's gonna be really neat as we keep moving forward. I hope more and more young people look towards the government and realize that they have a unique position particularly in a state this size to make a high impact in this particular space."

What would you say to others who are considering donating to the College of Arts and Sciences?

"I think it's really important, particularly for me, to understand the unique relationship between the state and the university. It doesn’t negate the fact that we all need to invest in ensuring that there is a high-quality, well-funded institution of higher learning. It is important that it is informed by Alaskans, led by Alaskans, and it is for Alaskans. The nature of our state is very different than the lower 48, and I cannot expound enough about the quality of education received from the University of Alaska Anchorage. Whenever I am on campus and I run into faculty, they immediately say my name correctly, we engage with each other, and we have a great deal of a conversation. The relationships that I made on campus have existed well past my tenure at UAA and continue to inform and impact who I am, navigating this world as no longer a young adult- more mid-level career adult. We just don't have those relationships in other institutions. It is critical and important to me to make sure that the university that led me and allowed me to be who I am, where I am right now, continues to receive a significant portion of the resources that my spouse and I earn, because the University of Alaska made that possible."

 

Thank you for sharing with us, Löki!