Continuing in the Iñupiaq tradition of sharing, Iḷisaġvik College is pleased to announce that it will be extending its tuition waiver program to all qualified Alaska Native students for the spring 2018 semester. College president Dr. Pearl Brower, in making this announcement, stated, “We Iñupiat believe in sharing our good fortune. We have been fortunate enough on the North Slope to have an accredited college in a Native community where Native students can feel comfortable and supported as they pursue their post-secondary education. As the only tribal college in Alaska, I feel it is very important that we throw our net as widely as possible so that all Alaska Native students have a chance to enhance their future by acquiring the knowledge that comes with higher education.”

Dr. Brower went on to point out that many Alaska Native students live in small villages with very limited economies that would make paying any level of college tuition prohibitively expensive. This results in many young people missing out on their future because they can’t afford the education they need to create that future. Iḷisaġvik’s waiver program not only eliminates that concern but also provides its students with a tight-knit community that understands their values and cultures in a way not always possible in larger settings. Iḷisaġvik also offers a robust distance education program that allows students to take courses right from the comfort of their own home.

Iḷisaġvik’s board of trustees fully supports and encourages the college to pursue this course of action as one that is totally in keeping with many Iñupiat values. To be eligible for the tuition waiver, applicants must meet certain criteria outlined in the application. Dr. Brower encourages Alaska Native students, no matter where they live, to look to Iḷisaġvik to provide them with a first rate education, support and assistance in a culturally sensitive manner, and a brighter future than they might have had otherwise.