Rainey Spurlock first enrolled at UAA when she was 13, taking classes at Mat-Su College alongside her grandmother. Now, at 17, the communications major and undergraduate commencement speaker for the spring Class of 2026 is likely UAA's youngest-ever graduate.
One of the most enduring metaphors for America is the melting pot — where different experiences come together to create something stronger. For Lt. Cmdr. Sam Krakower, interdisciplinary studies alumnus and graduate student hooding ceremony speaker for the spring Class of 2026, that metaphor reflects both his academic journey and professional path.
Anchorage’s history is unique. From a stop on the gold rush route, a tent city, a military town and now a hub for the state’s transportation, tourism and government, the city has gone through many iterations, and history alumnus David Reamer is something of an expert on the topic.
At the ripe age of 25, civil engineering alumnus Gus Schumacher has already competed in two Winter Olympic Games: first in Beijing in 2022, then in the 2026 Milano-Cortina Games where he walked away with a silver medal.
April 8 is National Zoo Lovers Day, and what better way to celebrate than by getting to know alumni Sam Lavin and Erica Quiett, who serve as the curator and husbandry assistant at the Alaska Zoo in Anchorage?
