UAS to provide scholarships to Alaska Native and rural students in science and math through National Science Foundation grant

This National Science Foundation award will provide 22 scholarships to help academically talented, financially challenged students attend UAS.

Juneau, Alaska

Date of Press Release: December 4, 2020

The University of Alaska Southeast (UAS) and University of Alaska Anchorage (UAA) have received a $650,000 competitive award from the National Science Foundation to provide scholarships for Alaska Native and rural students to pursue 4-year STEM degrees at UAS. This 5-year grant award is the product of a collaborative effort between UAS and UAA faculty and staff, led by UAS Professor of Biology, David Tallmon, and UAA Assistant Professor of Education Policy and Director of the Center for Alaska Education Policy Research at the Institute for Social and Economic Research, Dayna DeFeo.

This National Science Foundation award will provide 22 scholarships to help academically talented, financially challenged students attend UAS. Students can use 2-year or 4-year scholarships to pursue a bachelor’s degree in Biology, Marine Biology, Environmental Resources, Environmental Science, Fisheries, or Math. Scholarships recipients will work 1-on-1 with faculty mentors to develop coursework and future career plans as soon as they arrive on the Juneau campus. A new college readiness course will provide first-semester students with academic skill building tools, exposure to local faculty research projects, as well as internship and career opportunities. Research efforts to be conducted by UAA’s Dr. Dayna DeFeo will identify the student services, opportunities, and interactions that increase student retention and graduation rates. This information will then be disseminated to peer universities to improve the university experience for incoming students, especially those from underserved backgrounds.

“It feels good to share some positive news with UAS students, the community, and Juneau during these difficult times.” said UAS’ Tallmon. “We pursued this grant to provide scholarships that will increase university access for underserved students at a time when tuition increases and funding cuts have combined to increase barriers to university attendance. And, it never hurts to bring in grant dollars that will filter through Juneau when so many sources of local income have been shut off.”

“Most of all, I am excited about the opportunities this brings to students on the UAS Campus – in scholarships, in mentoring relationships, and in student services,” DeFeo continued, “This project is a great chance to collaborate across campuses in the UA system to do what’s best for students. We will identify student supports that provide the greatest student retention, graduation, and employment rates and share our findings across UA and beyond.”

Prospective UAS STEM students can apply for these scholarships this winter when they apply to UAS. The application deadline is February 15. The scholarship recipients will receive support in time to enroll for Fall Semester 2021 at UAS. For information about scholarship applications, visit the Financial Aid website or contact the Financial Aid office at UAS at 907-796-6255.