Support a Seawolf: Scholarship recipients thank the alumni community
by joey |
roceeds raised at Green & Gold Gala benefit student scholarships at UAA. Read on to hear the impact of the Alumni Association scholarship. (Image by Brett Rawalt)
Green & Gold Gala is a black-tie citywide soirée. It's a chance for alumni to return to campus, to reconnect with their alma mater and to celebrate three high-achieving Alumni of Distinction. It's also an opportunity for residents of Anchorage-a city with an affinity for flannel-to dress up for a glamorous night on the town. Above it all, though, Green & Gold Gala is a unique event that contributes mightily to student scholarships at UAA.
Since debuting in 2010, Gala has raised nearly $330,000 for the UAA Alumni Association scholarship endowment. As budgets tighten and costs rise, the scholarship has provided a valuable lifeline for dozens of students in the past five years. This sixth installment-held at the Alaska Airlines Center on Sept. 26-will provide further support to UAA's future alumni.
The Alumni Association Scholarship has quadrupled its levels of giving since just last school year. Recently, the fund provided $1,000 scholarships to 12 students. This academic year, though, the Alumni Association board opted to double both numbers-the fund now provides $2,000 scholarships for 24 students, an annual total of $48,000 in support. This gift is made possible by the generous support of Green & Gold Gala. To purchase tickets or sponsorships, please contact Alumni Relations at 907-786-1942.
Four high-achieving students from each college receive the Alumni Association scholarship annually. Here are just a few of their amazing stories.
Amy Nalesnik
Amy Nalesnik is a sophomore education major raising two kids under age 5. "From my husband, my children and myself, we thank you from the bottom of our hearts," she said. (Photo by Philip Hall / University of Alaska Anchorage)
Being a full-time college student is a serious undertaking. But then again, so is raising two kids under age 5. Now imagine combining the two.
Amy Nalesnik, a sophomore majoring in early childhood education, is balancing her academic ambitions with her young family-a position familiar to many UAA students.
"As a mother of two young children, college seemed out of reach for me because of the financial burden it would have on my family," she said. "Supporting a family of four with just my husband's one income has been challenging, and the thought of having to pay off my school debt for years to come was discouraging. Despite the apprehension I had about our finances, I decided to take the leap and enroll full time in school."
Thanks to the Alumni Association scholarship, she can breathe a little easier. "Learning that some of that financial burden was eased was some of the best news I have ever received," she said. "Having a degree and becoming a teacher is my dream and I am able to live it because of programs like yours. Going to UAA makes me proud in the eyes of my children and that alone is reason enough to continue giving it my all."
After graduation, Amy will find herself teaching young minds in the classroom. As for the two young minds she and her husband are raising at home, she plans to teach them the value of giving.
"The scholarship has eased much of the financial stress for my family," she said.
"From my husband, my children and myself, we thank you from the bottom of our hearts."
Annika Flynn
With the help of the Alumni Scholarship, first-year biology major Annika Flynn can "focus on the most exciting part of a university-learning." (Photo by Philip Hall / University of Alaska Anchorage)
Ask a young kid about their future career and expect to hear a familiar chorus of responses: Firefighter! Astronaut! Firefighting astronaut!
As for Annika Flynn, she thought a little differently. "As a young child, I promised myself that I would ultimately have a career in a science field that involved wearing a lab coat," she said. Now, thanks to the Alumni Association scholarship, "I'm one step closer to achieving that dream."
Annika-who also interns at a neurocognitive brain center in Anchorage-is just starting her first semester at UAA. "The wide variety of classes here is awesome," she said. This fall, the biology major-who has already purchased that lab jacket-is studying everything from protons to Plato. "Chemistry is always fun and math is always... math," she laughed.
She's a first-generation college student, and the new journey has been exciting for both her and her parents. Every day she drives back home to Girdwood and tells her parents about her day, entertaining their questions about an education system they didn't experience. "My parents and I have both had the amazing opportunity to learn alongside each other about the extraordinary programs that UAA has to offer," she said.
Thanks to the support of the scholarship, Annika can alleviate a bit of the cost of higher education and, as she says, "I can focus on the most exciting part of a university-learning!"
Nicole Willson
"I cannot express how much this UAA Alumni Association Scholarship means to me," said English major, Spanish Club president and linguistics intern Nicole Willson. (Photo by Philip Hall / University of Alaska Anchorage)
She credits the scholarship with allowing her the breathing room to explore her interests. With more than 50 areas of study, she had plenty of disciplines to dive into at UAA. Rather than take an express train to graduation with the English department, Nicole now has time to explore her secondary interests-economics and Spanish-"at a deeper level," she said. That opportunity has proved incredibly valuable.
"What I have learned about myself in the process is that I simply love to learn about anything and everything-and that I want to share this love with others by becoming a teacher."
Currently, Nicole is a Spanish tutor on campus, president of La Tertulia Spanish Club and a linguistics research intern. She studied in Spain this summer and, after graduating in spring, she hopes to teach English in a Spanish-speaking country for a year before returning to the States for graduate school. The end goal-a professorship in linguistics or law.
"If it weren't for the academic, emotional and monetary support from my UAA community, I never would have learned enough about myself to decide on my career path. And considering my career choice-and the long road of tuition bills, student fees and unending book lists ahead-I cannot express how much this UAA Alumni Association Scholarship means to me."
Help support these and future students. Tables, tickets and sponsorships are still available for Green & Gold Gala on Sept. 26. Purchase your ticket online or call the Alumni Center at 907-786-1942.
"Support a Seawolf: Scholarship recipients thank the alumni community" is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License.
