Rural Alaska Honors Institute will celebrate 43rd graduation
By Kristin Summerlin | UAF on Comments Off on Rural Alaska Honors Institute will celebrate 43rd graduation
Photo by Deandra Nicholai
Members of the RAHI Class of 2025 pose for a group photo to mark the start of their Angel Rocks hike on June 7
The Rural Alaska Honors Institute will hold its 43rd annual graduation July 10 at 1 p.m. in Schaible Auditorium on the University of Alaska Fairbanks Troth Yeddha’ Campus. The ceremony will stream live on Facebook.
RAHI, a competitive program offered by the UAF College of Indigenous Studies, lets rural and Alaska Native students discover what it’s like to attend college.
For six weeks this summer, students lived in dorms on the Troth Yeddha’ Campus in Fairbanks while taking up to 10 college credits. They learned about writing, library sciences, process technology, chemistry, anthropology, Alaska Native cultures and language, research, leadership and education. On weekends, students explored Interior Alaska through hiking, canoeing and camping.
Since its founding in 1983, more than 1,900 students have graduated from the Rural Alaska Honors Institute. Alumni have earned more than 1,400 degrees from the University of Alaska and other institutions around the U.S. and beyond.
RAHI students attend at no cost, thanks to support from Alaska Airlines; The Alaska Community Foundation; the Alaska IDeA Network of Biomedical Research Excellence; Alyeska Pipeline Service Co.; ConocoPhillips; Donlin Gold; First National Bank Alaska; the Sustaining Indigenous and Local Knowledge, Arts and Teaching grant; the Alaska Technical Vocational Education Program; the Drumbeats Alaska Consortium; the University of Alaska Fairbanks; and other private donors.
The RAHI Class of 2025 includes: Kiera Angnaboogok (Eagle River), Angela Ayuluk (Chevak), Bea Bagley (Unalaska), Tia Christopherson (Naukati Bay), Max Derr (Juneau), Davaloree Echuck (Goodnews Bay), Justine Erickson-Bradney (Bethel), Joseph Hauptman (Kenny Lake), Makenzie Heckman (Pilot Station), Neva Horton (Nome), Alec Jackson (Anchorage), Joyce Jones (Akiak), Rayla Kaganak (Scammon Bay), Rhea Kanuk (Bethel), Shanella Kashatok (Eek), Luke Kokeok (Shishmaref), Bryce Langlie (Bethel), Lucas Marks (Anchorage), Joshua McCall (Delta Junction), Myrica Meierotto (Two Rivers), Rae Meyer (Delta Junction), Kiara Michel (Nulato), Andria Moses (Fairbanks), Lila Moses (Fairbanks), Ana Nick (Kasigluk), Donald Olson (Golovin), Nevaeh Opferman (North Pole), Mandi Oyagak-Mwarey (Hydaburg), Lilly Pader (Ketchikan), Eileen Panigeo (Anaktuvuk Pass), Kierra Peck (Glennallen), Chris Phelan (Delta Junction), Tilissa Sam (Arctic Village), Kivé Shannon (Nome), Halena Slats (Chevak), Canek Sosa (Petersburg), Wyatt Stein (Utqiagvik), Dajah Stephens (Anchorage), Zamara Ticket (Selawik), Minh Vo (Ketchikan), Summer Walls (Sand Point) and Rivera Wilson (King Cove).
