UAS Students and Áakʼw Tá Hít Shine Bright

The University of Alaska Southeast welcomed the University of Alaska Board of Regents to the Juneau Campus for their September. meeting

Juneau, Alaska

Date of Press Release: September 11, 2024

The University of Alaska Southeast welcomed the University of Alaska Board of Regents to the Juneau Campus for their September meeting. The Regents, UA President Pitney, UAS Chancellor Palmer, UAF Chancellor White, UAA Chancellor Parnell, and other senior UA leaders gathered at the UAS Recreation Center September 5-6.

As host, UAS enjoyed the opportunity to feature our amazing students and the new state-of-the-art Áakʼw Tá Hít science building for the Regents. Áakʼw Tá Hít translates to House at the Head of Áak’w (Bay) and is the first UAS building to receive a primary name in Lingít.

Madelynne Brehmer, a second year student in the UAS Outdoor Studies Program, opened the Board meeting with an outstanding performance of the National Anthem. Madelynne is from Fairbanks and hopes to start a music club at the Juneau campus.

Four UAS students were then invited to share their UAS experiences with the Board of Regents. To help recognize the opening of Áakʼw Tá Hít, the four students were selected from the Department of Environmental Science.

Elizabeth Bruch, a 4th year student from Fairbanks who is majoring in both Environmental Science and Math, remarked, “My professors really care about me, and we get to know one another. It’s very nice to be able to learn in that sort of environment. They get to know what I’m interested in, and then really help me get a deeper understanding of those interests.”

Randy Brannan moved to Juneau from Arizona seven years ago to work in construction and is now starting his 4th year at UAS majoring in Environmental Science with a Chemistry minor. “The smaller class sizes really helped me to talk more with my professors, to get a lot more guidance and direction for where I wanted to go with this degree, and that has been hugely beneficial. I’ve had the opportunity to work as a chemistry tutor in the Learning Center helping my peers. And then I’ve also recently started working at the USGS Juneau Field Office, which is going to lead into a permanent position after graduation,” said Brannan.

Soren Thompson, born in Juneau, is a 3rd year student pursuing a degree in Environmental Science. About UAS, Thompson remarked, “Right off the bat I was really impressed by the access to research opportunities here, even as a freshman in biology and chemistry and environmental science classes.” After describing some of his research activities using drones and collaborating with international visitors, Thompson added, “It was this whole big experience that really showed me what it was to do field work and work in science, and go through all these different opportunities to really figure out what I wanted to do.”

Finn Finnegan, a 4th year Environmental Studies Major from Colorado spoke about the UAS’s close knit community and course flexibility. “The variety of different classes that are offered here, and the different routes that programs can take, and the flexibility has really allowed me to shape my education in a way that works for me and supports my goals for my education,” said Finnegan.

All four Environmental Science students hope to remain in Juneau after graduation, Brannan even hopes to return to UAS one day as a faculty member.

UAS Chancellor Aparna Palmer remarked after the meeting, “To hear students share their talents and stories with us at the Board of Regents meeting was very special. They are each so amazing!”

UA Regents were invited to tour Áakʼw Tá Hít, UAS’ new center dedicated to environmental science research and student learning on the shores of Auke Bay. The facility also provides an additional home to the Alaska Coastal Rainforest Center, water and soil ecology lab and a forest ecology, glaciology, geophysics lab, and geographic information systems (GIS) faculty. “I was impressed,” remarked Regent Colligan.

UAS will host a Grand Opening Event for Áakʼw Tá Hít on Friday, September 20. The event is free and open to the public. A ribbon-cutting celebration will be held from 3:00 p.m. to 3:30 p.m., followed by an Open House with refreshments and guided tours from 3:30 p.m. to 5:30 p.m.

The UA Board of Regents two-day meeting was catered by the local Breeze In cafe and supported many members of Juneau’s outstanding visitor services industry.

The University of Alaska Southeast is a leading institution for higher education in Alaska, offering a range of academic programs. UAS is committed to innovative teaching, rigorous scholarship, and the development of engaged citizens who contribute to the well-being of their communities, from local to global.

The University of Alaska Board of Regents is an 11-member volunteer board, appointed by the governor and confirmed by the Alaska Legislature. Members serve an eight-year term, with the exception of the student regent, who serves a two-year term. The Board was established through the Alaska Constitution and is responsible for University of Alaska policy and management through the university president.