University of Alaska Southeast Northwest Coast arts showcase draws dozens of entries
The University of Alaska Southeast hosted a Northwest Coast Student Art Showcase Saturday.
It featured student artwork created during the Fall 2019 semester at the Juneau campus. The show included about 45 pieces of artwork from UAS students, and some works from associate professor of Northwest Coast art and Tlingit artist Wayne Price.
The display included paddles, food trays, spoons, paintings and Ravenstail weaving.
The event also featured the one-hour documentary “Journeys to Adäka,” a story about seven indigenous artists who look to the past for the strength to overcome a legacy of hurt, becoming cultural giants and leaders in the process.
More than 75 people attended the event where they mingled with artists, getting a chance to discuss the art and the journey they took to create during the semester.
Program offers art and museum studies scholarships
Sealaska Heritage Institute is offering scholarships to students majoring in art and museum studies under a program operated in partnership with the University of Alaska Southeast and the Institute of American Indian Arts in New Mexico.
SHI, a nonprofit that protects and promotes Alaska Native arts and culture, is offering 2020 scholarships to undergraduate students who are pursuing art and science degrees with a focus in studio arts, performing arts, cinematic arts and technology, or creative writing. The scholarships are also available to undergraduate or graduate students who are pursuing a degree with a concentration in museum studies and a focus on one or more of the following: Collections care, exhibit design, exhibit fabrication and conservation.
The program is part of a larger effort to support an Alaska Native arts associate degree or certificate at UAS and a studio arts and museum studies degree at IAIA.
“The scholarship program is also part of our goal to make Juneau the Northwest Coast arts capital and to designate Northwest Coast art a national treasure,” SHI President Rosita Worl said in a press release.
Scholarships are available to Alaska Native students, and preference will be given to students enrolled at UAS or IAIA.
The application deadline is Jan. 3, 2020.
Alaska Pacific University launches national search for new president
Alaska Pacific University President Robert Onders announced last Thursday that he will step down when a successor is recruited and ready to take his place.
Onders, who has helmed the private university for three years, told university leaders and colleagues that he plans to stay involved with APU in a new capacity.
“It has been an honor to have had the opportunity to serve as APU’s President,” Onders said in a press release. “I am looking forward to continuing to support APU’s mission by transitioning to a different role that will focus on growing our health-related programs, research and community engagement activities, and health-related legal advocacy projects.”
Onders made the announcement at a meeting of APU’s Board of Trustees, which immediately made plans to begin the search for a new president. The board has formed a Presidential Search Subcommittee to oversee the recruitment and selection process, with members representing the Board of Trustees as well as the university’s staff, faculty and student body, and a member from the community at large. The position will be posted on the APU website at www.AlaskaPacific.edu.
“The Board of Trustees would like to thank Dr. Onders for his continuing service to Alaska Pacific University,” APU Board of Trustees Chair Ethan Schutt said in a statement. “During his tenure, Dr. Onders helped revitalize APU as it grounded itself in its roots, following the vision of founder Peter Gordon Gould that Indigenous leaders are trained and educated to stay in Alaska. Meeting the needs of rural Alaska’s workforce needs has been a driving motivation for Dr. Onders, and our APU community is immensely grateful for his leadership.”
