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Dannielle Carlson hired as UAS Alaska Native Student Success Specialist

April 1, 2022

Dannielle Carlson, UAS alumni class of 2017 and Rural Admissions Counselor for UAS is assuming a new position at the University of Alaska Southeast. In her new role, Carlson will engage with students, counselors and advisors, and communities with a focus on Alaska Native student success. 

This position supports the University of Alaska system Alaska Native Success Initiative (ANSI) and the UAS priority of attracting and retaining Alaska Native students and community engagement.

UAS takes pride in having the distinction of Minority Serving Institution (MSI) and Native American Serving Non-Tribal Institution (NASNTI) status based upon its twenty percent (20%) Alaska Native student enrollment.

Carlson brings exceptional experience to this role. “My personal background as a first generation, rural, Alaska Native university student at the University of Alaska Southeast has greatly contributed to my six years of success in my previous position as the Rural Admissions Counselor and will continue to aid in my success as the new Alaska Native Retention Specialist.

I am Unangax (Aleut) from Sand Point, Alaska where my family still resides. I received my Bachelor of Liberal Arts in Social Science and Communications from UAS in 2017. I have been working directly with rural Alaskan students and communities across the state of Alaska since the fall of 2016. I have readily accepted the challenge to recruit students here to UAS and look forward to a new challenge to retain these students and see them not only succeed here at UAS but thrive.” 

Carlson will graduate with her Master of Arts in Rural Development from the University of Alaska Fairbanks in May. Her graduate research focuses on barriers in postsecondary education for Alaska Native and Rural Alaskan students. This research has only expanded her expertise and further fueled her passion to better the education system.

“I am passionate and driven to make higher education a more safe, welcoming, and equitable space for Alaska Native and Rural Alaskan students. I am honored to have been offered such an important position at UAS to do this work. I look forward to the possibilities that lie ahead,” she remarked.

UAS Chancellor Karen Carey added, “Ms. Carlson is the right person, at the right time, for this position.  Her work as a UAS recruiter has been outstanding and I know she has the knowledge and skills to ensure success for all Alaska Native students.”