Celebrating Our 2012 Graduates

We celebrated 61 graduates at the Doyon Foundation 2012 Graduation Reception held Thursday, May 10. Among our 2012 graduates were 48 college graduates, 13 high school graduates and even one Head Start graduate! Visit our Facebook page to see photos from the event.

More than 50 students and supporters attended the event, which was held at our building in Fairbanks. Attendees heard an inspiring keynote speech from Maurine Isaacson, a University of Alaska Fairbanks student who graduated with a bachelor’s of business administration, and who is also the Foundation’s new scholarship program manager! You can view a transcript of Maurine’s speech on our website.

We also heard a motivational message from our alumna speaker Sarah Obed, currently serving as Doyon, Limited’s government relations director. Sarah’s speech is available on our website, as well.

Geri Simon, Doyon Limited’s senior vice president of administration, and Charlene Ostbloom, Doyon’s human resources training and development manager, also spoke before we recognized our 60+ graduates, and heard introductions from several in attendance. Following the presentation, attendees enjoyed some light refreshments.

If you’re graduating from high school, college or a vocational program this year, it’s not too late to complete our short 2012 graduate questionnaire at http://fs8.formsite.com/doyonfoundation/form9/index.html. Respondents will be featured in a special graduate edition of the Doyon Foundation e-newsletter. (Check out last year’s edition here on our website!) We’ve extended the deadline to this Friday, May 18.

 

Last Chance – Complete our Graduate Questionnaire!

Are you graduating from high school, college or a vocational program this year? It’s not too late to complete our short 2012 graduate questionnaire at http://fs8.formsite.com/doyonfoundation/form9/index.html. We’ve extended the deadline to this Friday, May 18!

Respondents will be featured in a special graduate edition of the Doyon Foundation e-newsletter. (Check out last year’s edition here on our website!)

If you’d like to be included, please be sure to complete the questionnaire by 5 p.m. this Friday, May 18. We hope to hear from you soon. Thank you!

 

Say Hello to Foundation’s New Admin Assistant

We invite you to say “hello” to Doyon Foundation’s newest employee – Sommer Stickman, who joined us as an administrative assistant in April.

Sommer is the daughter of Colleen and Charles Stickman, and the granddaughter of Dorothy Sommer and the late Freddy Sommer, Sr., and Mary Dinah Stickman.
She has three siblings, Adele, Charles and Michael.

Sommer is originally from Nulato, Alaska. A graduate of Nenana High School, she now attends the University of Alaska Fairbanks, where she is interested in the field of education.

A recipient of the Foundation’s basic and competitive scholarships, Sommer said she looks forward to giving back as a Foundation employee.

“As both a student and a Doyon shareholder, I’m very excited to work with Doyon Foundation to help with future education. I’ve always believed in helping students further their education, and I’m glad I will be part of a team that focuses on doing this,” she said.

Prior to joining the Foundation, Sommer worked for Tanana Chiefs Conference as both an administrative assistant and a special projects assistant. In those positions, Sommer planned, coordinated and facilitated annual trainings and conferences for employees and clients, and performed everyday office functions to keep the department organized.

Outside of work and school, Sommer enjoys sports like basketball, volleyball, running and snowboarding, learning about her culture, and participating in cultural activities such as beading, sewing, hunting and fishing.

 

Foundation Welcomes New Scholarship Program Manager

We are pleased to welcome a new member of the Doyon Foundation staff! Maurine Isaacson started work as our new scholarship program manager in March 2012.

Maurine is the daughter of Maurice and Josephine McGinty, and the granddaughter of Patricia Ekada and the late Leo and Anita Demoski.

Originally from Nulato, Alaska, Maurine graduated from Andrew K. Demoski High School. She will graduate from the University of Alaska Fairbanks with a bachelor’s degree in business management in May 2012.

Prior to joining Doyon Foundation in March 2012, Maurine worked at Fairbanks Native Association for six years.

“I am definitely looking forward to assisting students with such a fundamental part of their education. Working with students in general is what I love to do,” said Maurine, who is a past and current Doyon Foundation scholarship recipient.

In her spare time, Maurine volunteers as a math tutor and volunteer at Fairbanks Montessori School. Maurine and her husband, Don, have two children, Cole and Cruz.

 

2011 Annual Report Now Available Online

Want to meet the Doyon Foundation board and staff, as well as a scholarship recipient, alumna, donor and volunteer? Wondering about the types of scholarships we offer and how much we awarded last year? Interested in finding out about the Doyon Foundation Alumni Association? Want to hear about our fundraising efforts and highlights from the past year?

All of this – and much more – is included in the Doyon Foundation 2011 annual report, available now on our website!

We chose “Nee Ts’ee Neeyh” as the theme for our 2011 report. We found this theme very fitting, as it means “we all give or help” in the Koyukon Athabascan dialect. You’ll read many stories demonstrating this throughout the annual report.

Get your copy now at www.doyonfoundation.com!

 

Doyon Foundation Student Profile: Felisha Cooper

Felisha Cooper already has one degree and will complete her second this month – all without ever stepping foot in a classroom. Felisha, a Doyon Foundation scholarship recipient, was able to do this through the University of Phoenix Online.

“I chose to do my higher education completely online because I wanted to be able to work full time, and still have a flexible schedule. The major benefit from doing it online was being able to get it done quickly and at my own pace,” she said.

Felisha, who is originally from Galena and now lives in North Pole, will be complete with the coursework for her second degree – a bachelor’s in business administration – on April 30 and graduation is planned for late June in Arizona. She obtained an associate’s degree in business two years ago.

But don’t expect her to stop there. Felisha, who works as a program assistant with the Fairbanks Alcohol Safety Action Program at Fairbanks Native Association, already has plans to work on a degree in criminal justice.

“My goal for the future is to learn as much as possible, even if that means to obtain one or two more degrees,” she said.

Although she’s eager to continue her education, it hasn’t always been an easy journey. Felisha says the biggest challenge was not having instructors or counselors she could talk to in person.

“It was all through e-mail, and a few phone calls. This has definitely been the hardest part, because there were times where I really needed help, but I would not get a response for another day or two,” she said.

“The advice I would give to other students regarding furthering their education online is to be prepared not to have someone that you can actually meet with for questions.”

The other challenge she faced was finances.

“I have come to realize that furthering your education can be very expensive, and with the help of the Doyon Foundation, it has definitely made a difference. When I go for my next degree, I hope to have the support of the Doyon Foundation again,” said Felisha, who is the daughter of Richard Esmailka and Christine Cooper, and the granddaughter of the late Edgar “Sam Billy” Esmailka, the late Wilhelmina Yaska, Paddy Yaska, Claude Cooper and Jean Keogh.

 

UAF RSS March 2012 Reach Out Newsletter

Click here for UAF Rural Student Services March 2012 Reach Out Newsletter.

 

Graduating This Year?

Are you graduating in 2012? We want to hear from you! Each year, we celebrate our graduates in a special graduate edition of the Doyon Foundation e-newsletter. (Check out last year’s edition on our website!)

If you’d like to be featured in this year’s graduate e-newsletter, please take a few minutes to complete a short questionnaire at http://fs8.formsite.com/doyonfoundation/form9/index.html.

High school, college and vocational training program students are welcome to participate. Just please be sure to complete the form by the deadline of Friday, May 4, 2012.

Questions? Contact us at foundation@doyon.com or 907.459.2048. Thank you!

 

Doyon Foundation Student Profile: Sarah Walker

Doyon Foundation scholarship recipient Sarah Walker is a first-generation, low-income college student – but neither of those facts have kept her from pursuing her goals.

“I try not to look at things as challenges, just things that I have to work on or get done,” she shared.

Sarah is in her second year at the University of Alaska Fairbanks (UAF), where she is double majoring in Alaska Native studies and rural development with a Yup’ik minor.

It’s a place she’s worked very hard to get to. After she got her acceptance letters and chose UAF, Sarah spent the entire summer mowing lawns, gardening and tree trimming, washing cars and picking up trash to make money. In the fall, a friend lent her money to pay for unexpected school fees and Sarah got a job, working at night after long days at school to pay the friend back and to help out with her family’s expenses.

Sarah worked as an intern in Doyon, Limited’s communications department in summer 2011 and is currently working for the Department of Alaska Native Studies and Rural Development as the student coordinator for the Festival of Native Arts. She was recently recognized with the fall 2011 UAF Exceptional Student Employee Award.

In addition to her personal hard work, several organizations, including Doyon Foundation, have helped Sarah financially.

“The support I receive from Doyon Foundation is great! If it wasn’t for the Foundation, I don’t believe I would have been able to attend college. I greatly appreciate the financial support and the student dinners that are put on, too,” she said.

On top of a very busy school and work schedule, Sarah manages to find time to serve as president of two student organizations, Native Alaskan Business Leaders and Festival of Native Arts, as well as participate in numerous cultural and academic student groups.

Learning about and celebrating her Alaska Native culture is very important to Sarah, who is Yup’ik and Inupiaq. It’s one of the reasons she chose to move from her home state of Washington to attend UAF.

“I returned because I love Alaska and how rich all the Native cultures are up here,” she said.

After graduating, which she expects to do in summer 2014, Sarah hopes to attend graduate school and law school, where her main concentration will be on the Alaska Native Claims Settlement Act.

“Never stop learning and never let anything get you down; we’ll all reach our goals someday,” advises this hard-working, inspirational student, who is the daughter of Terry and Doretha Walker, granddaughter of Franklin and Lena (Crane) Amouak, and great-granddaughter of Oliver and Olga (Waska-Mike) Amouak.

 

Doyon Foundation Student Profile: Audrey George

Doyon Foundation scholar Audrey George has a bright future in law enforcement. She was one of 15 students who graduated from the University of Alaska Fairbanks Community and Technical College Law Enforcement Academy in November 2011.

Doyon Foundation scholarship recipient Audrey George graduated from the University of Alaska Fairbanks Community and Technical College Law Enforcement Academy in mid-November. Pictured with George (center) at the graduation ceremony are Scott Jones, Doyon Universal Services director of training and background investigation (left), and Tonya Garnett, Doyon Foundation scholarship program manager (right).

Originally from Nulato, Audrey is the daughter of Joyce George and the late Victor George, Jr. She is the granddaughter of the late Fred Stickman, Jr. and the late Christine Demoski, and Victor George, Sr. and the late Gertrude George.

Audrey decided to attend the academy because “I wanted to work for Doyon Security either on the pipeline or on the North Slope.” She got her wish. Upon her successful completion of the academy, Audrey was offered a position as a Doyon Universal Security officer at the ConocoPhillips Kuparuk site, where she is currently working.

The 13-week academy is offered twice a year and provides students with basic police training for Interior and rural municipalities in preparation for the Alaska Police Standards Certification.  Participants who successfully complete the program will be eligible for employment with any of the approximately 21 state enforcement agencies or 43 municipal police departments within Alaska.

Audrey encourages students who are interested in attending the academy to “stay focused, study hard and don’t ever give up.”

Audrey was the Doyon Foundation’s fall 2011 Law Enforcement Academy scholarship recipient. The funds are provided by the Alyeska Pipeline Service Company, Alaska Native Program. A $7,500 scholarship will be available for the spring 2012 Law Enforcement Academy. For more information, contact the Doyon Foundation at 907-459-2048 or foundation@doyon.com.

 

Doyon Foundation Student Profile: Tiana Woods

Tiana Woods, a 2011 graduate of Effie Kokrine Charter School, has big plans for her future and a good idea of how she is going to get there.

“I am dedicated to building a successful future for myself by focusing on all the logistical steps to make my goals attainable,” said Tiana, who is from Fairbanks, Alaska.

Ultimately, Tiana wants to become a pediatrician, first serving in the Peace Corps and then returning to practice medicine in her home state. She plans to attend the University of Alaska and work toward a pre-medical undergraduate degree in science, with a minor in art. She’s also interested in participating in the WWAMI medical school program and then pursuing her doctorate overseas through a study abroad program.

Tiana has already gotten a taste of college by taking classes at the University of Alaska Fairbanks (UAF) through her school’s early college program. She said she is grateful to Doyon Foundation for the funding she received to pay for her classes, as well as for the essay-writing and scholarship workshops the Foundation has offered.

“I am thankful for the opportunities they have provided to help me navigate my future,” she said.

Tiana is active and involved in her school and community, participating in activities such as Upward Bound, Rural Alaskans Honors Institute, FNA JOM potlatch dance group, Native Youth Olympics, Student 2 Student, Key Club, Youth Multi-Cultural Awareness, Future Educators of Alaska and others – all while maintaining her honor roll standing. She said that cultural activities have also played an important role in her life. Most recently, Tiana joined the Athabascan dance group at UAF “as one of the ways to balance culture while pursuing my academic goals.”

“My balance of school, cultural and community service activities has helped form me into a well-rounded person,” she said.

One of the biggest challenges Tiana said she has faced during her high school career has been finding cultural balance as a Native student in an urban environment. “To overcome this challenge I have actively sought opportunities to practice culture and challenge myself academically. By grounding myself culturally, I have developed a strong foundation to pursue my goals,” she said.

Tiana counsels other students to “Live life by your own definition of success and don’t believe people when they say you aren’t capable of accomplishing your goals. Always push yourself to your full potential. I would also suggest developing your own set of standards so you are not susceptible to giving into others’ standards that don’t reflect your values or goals. I have also found that smiling and keeping a good sense of humor helps you to address success and hardship in the best possible way.”

Tiana is the daughter of Phyllis Attla from Huslia and Jerry Woods from Manley Hot Springs, Rampart and Tanana. She is the granddaughter of Shirley Vent from Hughes and George Attla from Huslia, and Judy Woods from Tanana and the late Walter Woods from Rampart.

 

Doyon Foundation Alumna Profile: Lisa John Paul

Doyon Foundation alumna Lisa John Paul just may be the next “Ice Road Trucker.”

Originally from Shageluk, and currently living in Anchorage, John Paul graduated from Northern Industrial Training in July 2010 with a Class A Commercial Driver’s License (CDL). She joined the National Guard in August, and will soon be leaving for 16 weeks of training in Missouri. After she completes her training, she plans to work as a truck driver.

“I will be training to be a truck driver for 10 weeks and since I already have my Class A CDL, I am that much further ahead. I am thankful that Doyon helped me to pay for my training and obtain my CDL,” John Paul said. “I love driving big trucks and look forward to a rewarding and exciting career.”

John Paul said her biggest challenge was making the transition from “a stay-at-home mommy to a working mommy. It is the hardest sacrifice I have had to make in my life. I believe that you need to follow your heart and dreams and that is what I hope to instill in my children’s heart and soul. If I can accomplish my dreams for myself and my family, then I believe my children will understand my decision one day. So, when it’s their turn to jump and fly, they won’t hesitate.”

“I would like to say to everyone that it is never too late to make a change in your lives,” John Paul said. “I have been through a lot in the past 10 years and have learned a lot from my mistakes and my accomplishments. I have fallen so many times, at times I thought I would never be able to get back up. I have learned that no matter how hard it is, you must get up because everyone must fall sometimes. The harder you fall, the stronger and better balanced you are the next time. Always have faith in yourselves and Jesus, and never give up on your dreams.”

John Paul is the daughter of Sarah A. Hatzis, Steve Hatzis and Arnold Painter, and the granddaughter of Sarah and Eluska John, Sr. and Mona and Arthur Painter.

 

2011 Graduate Yearbook

Congratulations to the class of 2011! Meet this year’s graduates in the 2011 edition of the Doyon Foundation graduate yearbook, now available on our website. Are you a 2011 graduate who would like to submit your graduation information? Or do you have a correction to the information in the yearbook? Please send updates to foundation@doyon.com or call 907.459.2048.

 

2011 Graduates Celebrated at Reception

A total of 85 Doyon Foundation students graduated from college, a vocational program or high school this spring. Foundation staff, board members, alumni, students and special guests gathered to celebrate their accomplishments at a graduation reception held on May 12 in Fairbanks. See the graduation reception album on Facebook for photos from the event.

The reception opened with a welcome by Doris Miller, the Foundation’s executive director, who shared highlights from the Foundation’s past year. Audience members also heard comments from alumni speaker Joy Huntington, graduate speaker Jessie Bergman-David, and Robin Renfroe, vice president of human resources and shareholder relations at Doyon, Limited. The reception concluded with recognition of the 2011 graduates and introductions by the 11 graduates in attendance.

Several graduates expressed their heartfelt gratitude with Doyon Foundation donors.

“Thank you for making it possible for me to get my degree in applied business. Class of 2011 rocks!” said graduate Violet Huntington.

“Your contributions helped me achieve my goals. Thank you!” said Geoffrey Bacon, who received a bachelor’s of arts in industrial and labor relations at Cornell University.

This year, Doyon Foundation staff also assisted with the distribution of red sashes to University of Alaska Fairbanks graduates. The sashes, made by the Chancellor’s Advisory Committee on Alaska Native Education, signify graduating Alaska Native and Native American students, and celebrate both their academic accomplishments and heritage.

For more information on the 2011 graduates, watch for the special graduate edition of the Doyon Foundation e-newsletter, which will be distributed later this month.

 

Seeking middle school student profiles

The State of Alaska does outreach and early awareness to promote higher education. They are currently recruiting students who will be in 6-8th grade this upcoming school year to profile in their middle school newspaper highlighting students from around the state with their college and career aspirations. They need more students from the Interior to include in their Fall 2011 edition of the newspaper! They just need a brief questionnaire from students, a good quality photo, and a parent permission form (all attached) for submission to the paper, which is distributed statewide. Here is a link to a previous edition of the paper to give you an idea of what the layout is: http://akadvantage.alaska.gov/LinkClick.aspx?fileticket=NORRd2SjXNY%3d&tabid=154&mid=572. They need all materials back no later than August 1st, but the sooner the better!

Feel free to contact Helena with any questions.

–

Helena Jacobs

Community & Outreach Liaison

Alaska Commission on Postsecondary Education

phone 907.269.7973 | fax 907.269.7991

akadvantage.alaska.gov

Promoting access to and success in education and career training beyond high school.

Call for What’s Your Story 2011_2012.doc

WYS Middle School Questionnaire 2011.pdf

2011 Youth Model Release.pdf