The hometown edge

Kari Sellars always knew she was going to college, and she always knew the where. UAA, of course. But it was the "what" that stumped her. What was she going to study?

"I always knew from the start that I would be going to college, and that I would be going to UAA," said Sellars, B.A. Journalism and Public Communications '02, "but I had no idea what to do once I got here."

Sellars, a first-generation college student who grew up in Eagle River, said that her parents brought her to campus to help her register for classes once she graduated from high school in 1996, but after that, she was really on her own to figure out the "what" in her life. It wasn't until a friend casually mentioned that she thought Sellars should look into UAA's journalism program that the "what" finally clicked for her.

"I found my home and I knew that this was exactly what I wanted to major in," said Sellars. "I had no idea about the career field and what you could do with a journalism degree."

Travel Alaska

Sellars' first job after graduating was for a yearbook company that took her all over the state to teach high school students how to design their school's yearbook using the archaic PageMaker, the software precursor to Adobe's InDesign.

To put herself through college, Sellars worked as a travel agent, and after her stint at the yearbook company, she returned to the travel agency to help develop their website and online booking site.

From there, she spread her wings at Visit Anchorage and for eight years helped small businesses in the tourism industry develop marketing and advertising plans.

She learned a lot about tourism in Alaska, making connections all over the state, which led to her next gig at a local boutique public relations firm, where she sharpened her writing skills and learned how to pitch story ideas to local and national media.

One of the firm's clients was the coveted Alaska Seafood and Marketing Institute (ASMI). "I got to do lots of cool stuff like pitch stories to food bloggers, and we sent them seafood and encouraged them to write stories about Alaska's seafood," she said. "We also pitched stories to TV shows like Top Chef."

The agency world is cutthroat and ASMI moved onto new representation, and Sellars jumped to another agency for a year and a half before coming across an opportunity she couldn't pass up - a chance for her to return to her alma mater.

Coming full circle

"My love of food, which stemmed from ASMI and my communications, public relations, all of those skills, prepared me for this career," said Sellars of when she accepted the job of marketing manager for NANA Management Services (NMS), which oversees UAA Seawolf Dining and Catering.

Sellars' job combines a little bit of everything she's learned over the course of her 17-year career. She does everything from marketing, communications and public relations, to developing campaigns, media purchasing, event planning and social media.

She was also instrumental in helping UAA Seawolf Dining and Catering launch their new website and an advertising campaign, makings sure students, faculty and staff were aware that NMS is focused on sustainability and providing organic options for students on campus. 

"I developed the campaigns promoting the $2 Taco Tuesday when we had Caliente, and we now have the $5 burger at Union Burger, which is a monthly event," Sellars said. She said it was great to see results from her marketing efforts as students took advantage of the Union Burger deal. "It was really fun to see that."

Sellars even had her hand in the design process of some of the university's eateries, from developing the logo and color scheme for the Mexican-style Caliente, which was replaced with Union Burger, to the redesign of the Creekside Eatery in the Gorsuch Commons.

"I feel really blessed; I've gotten to do some really cool things, and a lot of it solely has to do with Alaska," said Sellars, reflecting on the different industries she's worked in. "And now I've gotten to go back to my college and be involved with the students, faculty and staff, and making sure the story of our partnership is being told."

Of all her jobs, she's felt the most at home back on campus where it all started. She likes working for NMS because it's a local company where it's easier to take their clients' feedback and make changes. As sustainable products became more available, UAA Seawolf Dining and Catering has made the switch from plastic cutlery to compostable, and has also removed plastic straws from campus. She said students are looking for vegan options and she's now working with the culinary team to find solutions and offerings that students want. For her, being able to pivot quickly in response to local trends and student needs makes her feel like she's making the biggest impact.

"NMS is really cool because we're a local company; we're here on the ground when changes need to be made - we do it," she said.

Hometown advantage

When Sellars first started pursuing her degree in journalism and public communications, she thought she'd be a reporter with a beat chasing down local stories. But as her resume became more diverse in different sectors of Alaska's industries, she realized just how flexible her degree is.

"Just having those classes in communications and public relations, and really understanding messaging, all of that has helped," said Sellars. "There is also something to be said for being a born and raised Alaskan."

Staying in Alaska has served Sellars well and has provided her with a career that's been full of opportunity. She's happy to have been part of Alaska's growth and development over the last few decades, and is excited to see what happens in the future as the state and economy continue to evolve.

"I think being Alaskan and having that degree from UAA really put me on the top of the list," said Sellars smiling. "This girl's legit, she knows her town."

Written by Catalina Myers, UAA Office of University Advancement