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,…
APU Spotlight
Meet Jessie Downes, APU’s New Director of Nursing Programs
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,…
Meet Laura Hudson, New Assistant Professor of Health Services Administration
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…
New Elder Artists in Residence Program to Teach Art and Culture
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…
One Woman, Two Degrees (Soon to be Three, Plus a Certificate)
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….
Activist to Host Community Event in Atwood to Kick Off AFN
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…
Sharnel Vale: APU Student, ANTHC Employee, Community Builder
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…
Q&A with LeeAnn Garrick, APU’s Board of Trustees Chairperson
LeeAnn Garrick’s path to becoming the first Chairperson of the new Board of Trustees formed as a result of the APU-ANTCH partnership was an unconventional one. Raised in Petersburg, she came to Anchorage for high school and college at UAA, where she received three degrees (Bachelor’s and Master’s in English and a Master’s of Public Administration)….
Photo Club Spends Spring Break on the Beach … of Utqiagvik
While spring breakers throughout the U.S. headed south in search of warmer climes this month, APU’s Photo Club went north. Way north. For part of their break, eight students went to Utqiagvik (the city formerly known as Barrow) to work on their photography prowess. It’s not the first time the club has traveled to colder locales…
APU Student Becomes Alaska’s Only Certified Chess Coach
When it’s Jonathon Singler’s move, he sits back and surveys the chess board. He may imagine moving his knight two squares vertically and one square horizontally. He may consider moving his queen diagonally across the board. He may debate moving the rook back to better defend the king. But beyond that, he’s thinking of…
