The UAA Office of Alumni Relations and the UAA Alumni Association are pleased to announce the recipients of the 2022 UAA Alumni of Distinction awards. These three distinguished UAA alumni will be honored for their outstanding contributions in their chosen fields and communities at the university’s annual Alumni of Distinction Celebration Banquet on Friday, March 31 at the Lucy Cuddy Hall on UAA’s Anchorage campus.

Alumni Emerging Leader
Marie-Sophie Boggasch
B.S. Aviation Technology ’16, M.S. Interdisciplinary Studies ’20 
Women’s gymnastics head coach at UAA

Originally from Germany, Marie-Sophie Boggasch came to Anchorage in 2012 when she was recruited to UAA as a student-athlete. After graduating and working in Alaska’s aviation industry, Boggasch returned to UAA as a gymnastics coach. In that time, she helped lead fundraising efforts to save Seawolf gymnastics from elimination, raising more than $900,000. Read more about Boggasch >>

Alumni Humanitarian
Maggie Winston
A.A. General Program ’13, B.A. Psychology ’15
Program director at Independent Living Center 

When Maggie Winston was 21, she was diagnosed with idiopathic transverse myelitis, leaving her without the use of her arms and legs. Since then, Winston has become a fierce advocate for expanding services for people with disabilities through her work on various boards, councils, nonprofits, and her current position as director for independent living programs at the Independent Living Center in Kenai. Read more about Winston >>

Alumni of Achievement
Kenneth McCoy
B.A. Justice ’96
Division chief diversity, equity and inclusion officer at Providence 

As division chief DEI officer at Providence, Kenneth McCoy promotes culturally-competent patient-centered care across the organization in Alaska and Puget Sound. Before joining Providence in 2022, McCoy retired from a 27-year career with the Anchorage Police Department, starting at the patrol level before culminating as chief of police. Read more about McCoy >>

For more information, contact Alumni Relations at 907-786-1701 or seawolf.forever@alaska.edu, or visit uaa.alaska.edu/alumni.