Discover Active Learning
On November 1, Alaska Pacific University (APU) senior Rachel Fritz walked to the stage to welcome the attendees of Mental Health Awareness Day. Fritz aimed to change how Alaskans talk about mental health. “The organization of today’s event means a lot to me, honestly. It means that this campus [APU] is putting mental health first….
How long have you been a guide? How long of that has been on Denali? I started my guiding career in 2012 as a canoe guide in Connecticut on the small rivers there, but I didn’t start doing any climbing or mountain guiding until 2014. I started guiding on Denali in 2015, as an apprentice…
What does your role at APU entail? I like to think of my role as the “Sweeper” in soccer. I fill in where is needed as well as work on special projects. One of the projects I will be working on is to establish a research center at APU that helps to provide opportunities for…
Each summer, Alaska’s mature salmon turn on their internal homing devices and return to their origin waters to finish out their life journey. But as the number of reds returning to the waters near the Alaska Native village of Nanwalek continues to ebb, it’s also drawn the return of community collaborators: APU’s Fisheries, Aquatic Science,…
Dr. Jessie Downes joins APU as the new Assistant Professor of Nursing and Director of the Nursing Programs. She is a registered nurse, and her graduate studies in nursing focused on healthcare systems leadership. Jessie brings clinical, management, and professional education/training experience in both public and Alaska Tribal health systems to our new programs. Most recently,…
Laura Hudson, BSN, MBA is now fulltime at APU, serving as Assistant Professor of Health Services Administration. Laura has taught in the MBA program for several years, and last year, in addition to assisting with the development of the RN-to-BSN program, she began working on the self-study process for nursing program accreditation. Prior to joining…
Alaska Native elders and renowned artists, Joe and Martha Senungetuk, have been named the inaugural Elder Artists-in-Residence for the heARTS Healing Center and Studio at Alaska Pacific University. From November until June, the couple will use the art room in Atwood Center as their studio and mentoring space for any student, staff, or faculty member…
When Desirae Roehl moved to Anchorage from King Cove in the Aleutians in 2008, she was looking for new opportunities. She had had a job at her tribal office doing environmental outreach — a role that had her crafting a recycling program, doing assessments, and educating the community on environmental causes — that she enjoyed….
The largest annual gathering of Native peoples in the United States will kick off with an event in Atwood Center on Sunday, October 15th. Spearheaded by local motivational speaker and performer, Samuel Johns, the event prior to the start of Alaska Federation of Natives Convention is called Decolonizing the Dream: Honoring our Sacred Mothers and…
Growing up in Yakutat, a Southeast Alaska village of just over 600 people, basketball was everything for Sharnel Vale. The sport kept locals active, created camaraderie, and unified the town. “Basketball is the lifeblood of rural communities,” Vale said. “Half my time growing up was spent in the gym playing or practicing.” Her love of…
