Why was Alaska a good fit for your project? Though my thesis work took place in California, my research was heavily focused on the Western stock of Steller sea lions. Alaska was the perfect place for me to understand more completely what the decline of the Western stock meant, not just to the ecosystem, but…
Tori Norrell
Invasive species in Alaska waters are focus of grad student’s work on Smithsonian project
Invasive species in Alaska waters are focus of grad student’s work on Smithsonian project APU graduate student Danielle Verna, MSES ’13 and a Graduate Fellow with the Smithsonian Environmental Research Center, is working with a team of SERC scientists studying ways that marine species hitch a ride in the ballast water of oceangoing ships. “Given…
From Mali to APU
By Amadou Sarr Starting at APU this year, my goal is to achieve something that I can be proud of; I want to be a role model for my children. I believe education leads to the kind of wisdom that we all need in our lives. Education makes a difference. At the beginning of the…
My Life’s Path Goes Through APU
By John Yakanak In August of 2011, I was released from the hospital after having been treated for a neurological disorder that left me without the ability to walk and talk. After the countless hours of therapy and relearning, I decided to apply the learning habits I acquired through therapy and go back to school….
Forever Learning – Helping through Human Services
By Ruby Stewart I am a mother, grandmother, and great grandmother. I am also a proud retired combat veteran, having serving 22 years in the Army. At first in my life I thought I wanted to be a secretary; that was in middle school. In high school, I wanted to be a teacher. I could…
Why I Came to APU from California
By Amorette Castillo It all started when I was a junior in high school, and I started to show interest in applying to colleges. I was living in South Pasadena, California, and had previously lived in Pomona. I am Mexican-American, and I was going to be the first one in my family to attend college…
Living One Day at A Time
by Edward D. Mockta I chose to attend APU to focus on health services administrator, since other colleges and universities in Anchorage did not offer this major. I am a working father of three and married. I not only wanted to gain more skills to advance in my career, I also wanted to be a…
Homer and Homeward-Bound Essays
Kristin Vantrease is from Homer. She came to APU as a transfer student, wanting to bring closure to her prior studies that had been scattered across disciplines like Outdoor Studies, Religion Studies, and Literature. She also wanted to focus on her passion for writing – and the experiences she has gained beyond school as a…
September Block: The Yukon
The Yukon September 1 – September 20 This September Outdoor Studies at Alaska Pacific University did something different. Sixteen of us, twelve students and four instructors, paddled 500 miles of the Yukon River. We were on the river for 20 days. Consumed more than 700 lbs of food, presented more than fifty classes, and read…
APU undergrad earns a spot in NSF geophysics research program
APU undergraduate Sam Friedman,’13, is among advanced student scholars selected for a National Science Foundation summer program focusing on geophysics. Friedman joined 30 other student researchers taking part in the internationally competitive Summer of Applied Geophysics Experience in Santa Fe, NM. A graduate of APU’s Early Honors program, Friedman is completing a BS in Earth…
