Alaska Pacific University

Future entrepreneurs took center stage at JA Biz Camp Alaska's Shark Tank Pitch Contest! Students showcased the business plans they developed throughout the camp, competing for start-up funding and presenting to a panel of local business leaders. APU was proud to be represented by our MBA Program Director Lincoln Garrick who served as one of the judges. Congratulations to all the young innovators who shared their ideas and creativity!

Read Alaska Humanities Forum President & CEO Kameron Perez-Verdia's interview with APU MBA Director and Associate Professor of Business Lincoln Garrick for his monthly leadership column with Alaska Business Magazine.

Lincoln's column explores common traps for leaders like disconnectedness and rigidity, and goes in-depth with Alaska leaders to learn how they stay aligned with their values. In this interview, he and Kameron explore greed, and how the Forum prioritizes impact over growth.

"I grew up in Utqiaġvik, formerly known as Barrow, in a community with roots going back thousands of years, where survival depends on each other, and where community isn’t an idea, it’s a necessity. That experience shaped how I think about leadership, purpose, and sustainability. It taught me that success isn’t about accumulation; it’s about whether people and communities can thrive together...

There’s a real temptation, especially in the nonprofit world, to equate success with growth, bigger budgets, more programs, more visibility. But growth without depth is a kind of drift. You can look successful on paper while slowly moving away from your purpose.

At the AKHF, “enough” means we are resourced to do our work well, take care of our people, and show up meaningfully in communities across Alaska. Beyond that, more isn’t automatically better—it can become a distraction."

Catch Forum President & CEO Kameron Perez-Verdia's interview with APU MBA Director and Associate Professor of Business Lincoln Garrick for his monthly leadership column with Alaska Business Magazine. Lincoln's column explores common traps for leaders like disconnectedness and rigidity, and goes in-depth with Alaska leaders to learn how they stay aligned with their values. In this interview, he and Kameron explore greed, and how the Forum prioritizes impact over growth.

Full article at https://digital.akbizmag.com/issue/may-2026/doing-good-by-being-good-greed/

Today we recognize , a day honoring the end of slavery in the United States and celebrating freedom, resilience, and the ongoing pursuit of justice.

At APU, we reflect on this history and reaffirm our commitment to equity, belonging, and learning rooted in respect for all people.

📸: Tim Kelly

🎓 Congratulations to the newest graduates of APU’s Alaska Native Executive Leadership Program (ANELP)!

Over the course of the program, these leaders strengthened their skills, expanded their networks, and deepened their commitment to serving Alaska Native communities. Their dedication to leadership, collaboration, and creating positive change will have a lasting impact across Alaska.

We celebrate this achievement and look forward to seeing how these graduates continue to lead with purpose in their organizations, communities, and beyond.

🤝 Building the future of Indigenous health research in Alaska.

Since 2019, the Alaska Indigenous Research Program (AKIRP), a partnership between Alaska Pacific University and the Alaska Native Tribal Health Consortium, has been strengthening capacity for culturally responsive and respectful health research that serves Alaska Native and American Indian communities.

What began as a shared vision has grown into a network of 634 students, researchers, health professionals, and scientists from Alaska, across the U.S., and around the world. Together, they are advancing research grounded in community priorities, respect, and Indigenous ways of knowing.

🌱 The first stop of the Alaska Resilience Farms Road Show was a success!

Our crew traveled to Iliamna and Newhalen to work alongside community members in creating two community gardens and helping Elders with projects at their homes. It was an incredible week of shared knowledge, teamwork, and community care.

A special chin'nan (thank you) to Evelynn Trefon, the local Garden Champion, for coordinating the visit and helping make this work possible. We’re also grateful to her children and all of the community youth who showed up ready to dig, build, learn, and lend a hand. Your hard work and enthusiasm made a lasting impact!

Together, we're growing more than gardens—we're growing connections, skills, and stronger communities across Alaska. 🌿

Your classroom can be the Arctic, the desert, the mountains — or almost anywhere in the world. 🌎✈️

Through Study Away opportunities at Alaska Pacific University, students can spend a semester or more exploring new ecosystems, cultures, and communities while staying on track toward graduation. With partners like EcoLeague, National Outdoor Leadership School, and University of the Arctic, APU students can study everything from Arctic policy in Scandinavia to wilderness leadership in remote landscapes.

At APU, education goes beyond the classroom because some of the best learning happens out in the world.

Learn more: https://ow.ly/w1cO50Z5pjG

📸 Joss Woodhead, Tim Kelley, Prescott College, Vidar Mathisen, and Mary Claire McCarthy

What does food sovereignty look like in Alaska? 🌱

The story of Alaska Resilience Farms is rooted in reciprocity, relationship-building, and community resilience. Through partnerships, Knowledge Exchanges, and shared resources, this initiative is helping strengthen local food systems while honoring Indigenous knowledge and stewardship practices. Read how APU and its partners are growing a more resilient future for Alaska. 💚

📖 Read the story: https://ow.ly/kUVt50Z5PtT

Have a short story, poem, or essay you want reviewed by professionals? Curious about what graduate school at Alaska Pacific University is like? Want to meet others in the professional writing scene in Anchorage?

Join us for MFA for a Day with the Alaska Pacific University Master of Fine Arts in Creative Writing program! Attend one day — or as many as you’d like — and receive feedback on your writing from our talented MFA cohort and award-winning faculty recognized at both the state and national level.

Come write, learn, and experience graduate-level creative writing at APU.

Rain, wind, cold camps, and unforgettable experiences — APU students just returned from a month-long Block expedition in Prince William Sound.

Throughout the course, students built leadership and expedition skills while learning navigation, natural history, and how to camp and travel through challenging coastal conditions. By the end of the trip, students also earned their American Canoe Association Coastal Kayaking Instructor certification.

At APU, Block courses create opportunities for immersive, hands-on learning that push students beyond their comfort zones and into real-world adventure.