As a Kenaitze Tribal member and CIRI direct descendant I am lucky to receive scholarship funding for my educational journey at University of Alaska Fairbanks. When deciding what university I wanted to attend I chose UAF because living in Washington and working full-time while attending school I do not get the opportunity to attend school in Alaska, but being an e-campus student has been an amazing path and being a student of UAF helps me feel more connected to my culture and UAF offers classes on Alaskan Native language, the economy of rural Alaska, Alaskan Native Corporations, Law, Governance, and Politics as well as other Alaskan Native knowledge such as: Cultural Resources, and Expression, Health, Wellness, and the Environment. 

I am pursuing a Bachelors in Business Administration with two minors/focuses of Marketing and Alaskan Native Studies, I always look forward to the annual friendship potlatch in Washington every year as well as all finishing my degree next spring, which would not have been possible without The CIRI Foundation scholarships, so thank you to CIRI for supporting my educational journey, I am a very proud descendant and love being connected to my culture while living in the lower 48.

The attached photo of me is from my wedding day on September 16th 2023, my cousin Sandy Wilson from Kenai Alaska, who works for the Salamatof Tribe handmade my husband and I medicine pouches from salmon skin and beads that we wore for the whole wedding day and I will cherish them for my whole life.