THE IMPACT OF CORPORATIONS ON EDUCATING YOUTH: A STUDY OF THE RURAL ALASKA HONORS INSTITUTE

Betty M. E. “Liz” Ross
Denise Wartes
University of Alaska Fairbanks
ABSTRACT
A study of the Alaska business community and higher education reveals interesting
phenomena. Alaska Native students have more obstacles to overcome than does the average
student. There are remote areas that do not have the luxury of outside resources; therefore, rely
on the community. The journey of the Alaska Native has changed dramatically with the aid of the
Alaska Federation of Natives (AFN) community and the University of Alaska Fairbanks (UAF).
The AFN founded the UAF Rural Alaska Honors Institute (RAHI) in 1983 to bridge the gap
between the lack of resources and academic excellence. RAHI understands the importance of
indigenous knowledge from various remote regions and ensures students have a community
support system that will lead to academic success. This study will provide details on how business
needs help guide higher education. The study will reveal how collaboration of Native
corporations and rural community needs influence higher education. The importance of
continuing education, corporate needs, and community sustainability lead to RAHI. Findings
from 29 years of community engagement with the RAHI program showed how a corporation, a
community, and a state can influence the motivation for curriculum geared to lifelong learning.