The College of Health Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Justice (DEIJ) Committee was
established to address systemic barriers, promote social justice, and create a culture
of inclusivity that supports the success of all students, staff, and faculty of the
college. Through shared values of respect, accountability, and cultural humility,
as well as our commitment to DEIJ initiatives, we strive to create greater cohesion
across our college to deliver and promote the health and well-being of the communities
we serve.
We acknowledge and honor the ancestral lands of the Dena'ina, Ahtna, Alutiiq/Sugpiaq,
and Eyak/dAXunhyuu Peoples on which the UAA College of Health campus resides in Southcentral
Alaska. We recognize the importance of DEIJ principles, both in our community and
in the ways in which we approach health and well-being. We commit to working in partnership
with Indigenous communities to promote health equity and cultural humility, and to
recognize the unique knowledge and contributions of Indigenous Peoples to health and
holistic healing.
Student research assistants taught a 15-week course on healthy living to older adults in the community. Three of those students recently presented at the Gerontological Society of America conference and shared results from a Health Aging Lab project that received funding from the National Institutes of Health.
Nicole Blue has been part of the Seawolf Women’s Volleyball team since 2020. She’s a champion both on and off the court! The senior is pursuing her Bachelor of Science in Health Sciences with a focus in Speech Language Pathology. Blue shares some highlights from her time at UAA.
Rural Alaskan communities are seeking grant funding to address health risks related to climate change. Associate Professor Micah Hahn from the Institute of Circumpolar Health Studies spoke to Alaska Public Media about her team’s efforts to help communities create climate adaptation strategies.
The Housing Action Summit in Anchorage featured a week of events that draw attention to Anchorage’s housing crisis. Faculty and staff from across UAA spoke to Alaska’s News Source about barriers some students face, including food insecurity and homelessness.
Several Alaska state legislatures joined the annual Master of Public Health in Public Health Practice symposium to celebrate with faculty, alumni and nearly 40 students from the program.