ALUMNI PROFILE: Daniel Hjortstorp, Associate of Arts '09, PWSCC

Going to college is hard enough, but imagine going to school in another country.  You are out of your element--you have to learn how to speak another language, get adjusted to the culture shock and make new friends. In 2006 Daniel Hjortstorp did just that. He and his father moved from Sweden to Alaska.

But how did he choose Alaska? In love with the outdoors, Hjortstorp thought Alaska would be a great place to live. He heard and read stories about Alaska, and it had always fascinated him. He found himself living about 40 miles from Valdez and decided to try Prince William Sound Community College (PWSCC), one of UAA's four community campuses. "Community colleges are a great place to start. Its small size and low student-teacher ratio made it more comfortable for me."

Hjortstorp earned an Associates of Arts, general program, degree in 2009 at PWSCC. "Nowadays, people need a type of degree to get around and for me it was also a good way to improve and learn English." In high school, Hjortstorp took English, so he knew the basics. At PWSCC he took basic classes, or GERs, including oral communications and English courses. "Everything [in English] took longer to read. It is hard to get proficient at a language unless you are using it daily, so classes and talking to people in school really helped me progress my English."

At PWSCC, Hjortstorp said he had multiple people that helped him in his journey to adjust in America, as well as inspire him to finish his degree. "I had a lot of people help me, so how long of a list do you want? Do you want the entire list?" he said laughing.  But he wasn't joking. "Two people that helped and inspired me, Suzanne McCarthy and Dawn Caynor, [both] became good friends to me almost like moms. But you must know that there were many faculty, teachers and friends I owe a lot of thanks to." Both women work at PWSCC. Hjortstorp said many encouraged him to apply for scholarships, and because of that, he was able to make it through PWSCC without loans.

He said that he couldn't imagine starting college in a larger community. "With a larger campus, I would of felt lost and confused. In larger cities, the atmosphere is different. It seems like you have to meet standards, wear the right brand names etc., but here you can be who you are, with holes in your Carhartts and all." Hjortstorp is getting a taste of living a larger city life right now. He's attending UAF to get his bachelor's degree in civil engineering. He said he's always been interested in science and physics, but has an extreme love for the outdoors. "I love hunting, fishing, trapping and firewood cutting. Basically, anything with nature and the outdoors. That is why Alaska sounded like a land where a boy's dreams could come true."

Hjortstorp has been working as a Wildland Firefighter during the last couple of summers, which requires very physically demanding work. He said they often work 100-120 hours per week throughout the summer. "After working like that, school becomes a treat." When asked what advice he would give to people who come from a different country to Alaska or the U.S. he said, "Nothing is impossible. It's just a matter of where you put your time and how much you're willing to put aside and sacrifice in order to reach your goal. I think that holds true for grades, as well as most other things in life."