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Rural Alaska Honors Institute to host graduation ceremony

The University of Alaska Fairbanks Rural Alaska Honors Institute will honor RAHI students at a graduation 
ceremony on Wednesday, July 11, at 1 p.m. in the Schaible Auditorium with a public reception to follow at 
2:30 p.m. outside the Brooks Building.

The 60 graduates come from 31 Alaska communities. Among them are seven second-generation RAHI graduates: 
One or both of their parents also went through the program.

The graduates spent six weeks living in UAF residence halls, building their academic skills and learning 
firsthand about college life. They earned up to 10 college credits.

Organized in 1983 at the request of the Alaska Federation of Natives, RAHI aims to help increase college 
success for rural and Alaska Native students. Hundreds of RAHI graduates have gone on to earn graduate, 
baccalaureate and associate degrees. Many have joined Alaska's professional workforce and many more are 
pursuing postsecondary education.

This year’s graduation keynote speaker, Sarah “Sherry” Obed, is a 1996 RAHI alumna from Minto and Fairbanks. 
She is government relations director at Doyon Limited. She earned a bachelor’s degree in American Indian 
studies from the University of Washington and a master’s degree in public policy from the University of 
Michigan.

RAHI sponsors include several UAF departments, New York Life, Wells Fargo, the National Institutes of 
Health-funded Alaska BioPrep and INBRE programs, the Department of Education’s Future Educators of Alaska, 
the National Science Foundation-funded Alaska EPSCoR program and The Boeing Corporation.

ADDITIONAL CONTACT: Denise Wartes, RAHI director, at 907-474-6886 or 800-478-6886 or rahi@alaska.edu.