UAA College of Arts & Sciences - Dean's Dispatch, Issue 6

March 2023, Issue 6

Dear Alumni and Friends,

Philanthropy and support for UAA is transformative for our students. In this issue of the newsletter, we express our gratitude for our supporters and highlight the impact this support has on our programs, our amazing students, and our college as a whole.

On April 28th, we will host the second annual CAS Celebration of Students to recognize our students and their wonderful accomplishments. At this event, one student from each department will receive a scholarship funded by our many generous donors. The financial support is a great benefit to our students, as is the feeling that they receive knowing someone believes in them enough to support them financially. The CAS Excellence Scholarships are funded by our excellence funds, and donations to these funds, both small and large, allow us to give meaningful scholarships to our students. I want to thank the many supporters of our excellence funds, especially many first-time donors that contributed during UA’s Giving Day last month. Our donors include many faculty and staff who give to UAA in order to provide financial support for students. In this issue, you can read more about Professor Sondra Saginoff-Stuart and why she gives back to her department, Alaska Native Studies.

The College is fortunate to have many endowed scholarships that are designed to produce scholarship funds each year. We interviewed CAS student Sarah Baktuit, recent recipient of the Paul G. Landis Art Endowed Scholarship, about the importance of this scholarship to her studies and her plans to give back to UAA as an alumna to support students like her. We also spoke with Drew Cason, an engaged alumnus of CAS. Drew supports the college financially as well as through service and finds both to be personally rewarding.

I am immensely grateful for the generosity of our community and corporate partners. One way in which this generosity has emerged is through the development of our new Occupational Endorsement Certificate in Event Production. This unique program was created by faculty in partnership with the Alaska Center for the Performing Arts to fill a community need that provides students valuable experience and training to support the arts at UAA, in Anchorage, and beyond. Financial support for the development of this certificate was provided by First National Bank Alaska. Students receiving this OEC in Event Production will support shows happening on campus, like those being put on by Perseverance Theater in our Fine Arts Building. Partnerships between UAA and the community are vital to the success of our students and also provide many benefits to our community.

If these stories pique your interest and you would like to share your time, talent, or treasure, we would love to connect. Once again, thank you to our many supporters. I hope to see you at the CAS Celebration of Students or our many other events this spring.

Best,

Dr. Jenny McNulty, Dean

Student Spotlight:

Sarah Baktuit

Art Department

Sarah Baktuit is a CAS Student in the Art Department. Sarah shared with us about her educational pursuits and how the financial support of the scholarships has impacted her education.

"The support I have gotten over the years made going to college a possibility for me. Because of the scholarships, I am confident that I will finish my education and be set up for success as a professional artist in Alaska.”

Faculty Spotlight:

Sondra Shaginoff-Stuart

Alaska Native Studies

Sondra Shaginoff-Stuart sat down with us to discuss her time at the university, her decision to give back to the Alaska Native Studies Department, and why giving back is important to her.

"Supporting the university, supporting the college, supporting a department? It has lasting impacts. I think people forget that the university is in the center of this community and that it supports the community.”

Alumni Spotlight: Drew Cason

"For me, it makes sense for alumni to give back. You go through a place, you feel grateful for that experience and that investment in you. When you are in a phase of your life where you can give back, giving back to those investments made in you just makes sense. But it is also an investment in my future, because I plan on living and working in Alaska for the rest of my life.”Donating to the university is one way I can help make my community pleasant and prosperous.”

OEC in Event Production and Partnership with ACPA

The College of Arts and Sciences, in partnership with the Alaska Center for the Performing Arts (ACPA), developed a new Occupational Endorsement Certificate (OEC) in Event Production.

"Because of the training and the education, people who come out of the program will feel confident that they've received the level of training that's going to make them an excellent partner in the work that has to happen.” - Codie Costello, Alaska Center for the Performing Arts