Iḷisaġvik College Purchases Campus Site from UIC
Iḷisaġvik College President Justina Wilhelm (left) reaches a purchase agreement for a campus site with her predecessor, UIC President and CEO Pearl K. Brower.
Photo Credit: Iḷisaġvik College
Alaska’s only tribal college is advancing a long-sought goal of developing a new campus. Iḷisaġvik College reached an agreement with Ukpeaġvik Iñupiat Corporation (UIC) to purchase a 15-acre site. The campus is near Samuel Simmonds Memorial Hospital, closer to central Utqiaġvik than the current location at the defunct Naval Arctic Research Laboratory just north of town.
As the primary landowner in Utqiaġvik, UIC shares the college’s commitment to investing in educational opportunities, workforce development, and long-term community infrastructure for the North Slope region.
Centralized and Purpose-built
“Iglaurugut suvunmun! We are moving forward!” says Iḷisaġvik College President Justina Wilhelm. “This moment has been decades in the making, guided by the vision of our past presidents and trustees who believed in the vision of a new campus for Iḷisaġvik.”
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May 2026
One of those past presidents of the college is UIC President and CEO Pearl K. Brower. “Iḷisaġvik College has played such an important role in my life and in the lives of so many families across the North Slope,” she says. “Having served at the college for many years, I’ve seen firsthand how education grounded in Iñupiaq values can create opportunities for our people and strengthen our communities.”
The new campus will replace the college’s current network of aging leased facilities with a centralized, purpose-built environment. Planned priorities for the campus include student-centered learning environments, flexible and adaptable spaces, improved technology and connectivity, sustainable infrastructure that reflects stewardship of the land and resources, and expanded opportunities for workforce training aligned with regional priorities.
“This campus represents not only physical growth, but a lasting commitment to our students, our culture, and workforce development across the North Slope. We cannot express our joy and gratitude enough,” Wilhelm says.
Brower adds, “Seeing this vision for a future campus move forward is incredibly meaningful because it represents an investment in future generations of students, in our culture, and in the long-term strength of our region. UIC is proud to partner with Iḷisaġvik College on a project that will have lasting impact for decades to come.”
With the land purchase agreement complete, Iḷisaġvik College will continue advancing into the architecture and design phase. A timeline for construction was not announced.
