Events and Highlights

$25M gift to bolster rural- and Indigenous-focused medical training in Alaska

A group of people on stage wearing white doctor coats

WWAMI, a University of Washington medical school program that serves five western states, including Alaska, recently received a $25 million endowment for scholarships to increase the number of physicians in rural and Indigenous communities.

College of Health team delivers critical speech and hearing screenings in rural Alaska

Four people with luggage smiling in front of a bus

A team of College of Health faculty and students from the ÀÖ²¥´«Ã½ recently traveled to Bethel and two nearby rural communities to provide free speech, language, and hearing screenings.

College of Health programs support overdose response in rural Alaska

Four people smiling on a small plane

Lynn Troyer, an academic advisor for the School of Nursing at the ÀÖ²¥´«Ã½, traveled to Bethel as part of the Alaska-Rural Community Overdose Response Project (AK-RCORP).

ÀÖ²¥´«Ã½ Center for Alcohol and Addiction Studies co-sponsors the Pathways to Recovery Conference

A man and woman lead a presentation in front of their audience

In May 2026, the Center for Alcohol and Addiction Studies (CAAS) proudly co-sponsored the Pathways to Recovery Conference hosted by the State of Alaska’s Office of Substance Misuse and Addiction Prevention (OSMAP).

Dr. Virginia "Jenny" Miller retiring after 18 years with ÀÖ²¥´«Ã½

Woman with white hair and glasses in a pink blouse smiling

Professor of Public Health Dr. Virginia "Jenny" Miller is retiring after 18 years with ÀÖ²¥´«Ã½

Alumna and professor wins national Future Leaders Award

Jessica Ross stands on a stage. She is holding a microphone and wearing traditional Indigenous clothing. Behind her is a projector screen that reads "The Teachings of Qengaga Yey."

Jessica Ross, an alumni of ÀÖ²¥´«Ã½'s dental hygiene program and current assistant professor in the Department of Human Services, was recently honored with the K. Patricia Cross Future Leaders Award. The award recognizes emerging leaders in higher education who demonstrate a commitment to innovation, equity, and community engagement.

A career of service and teaching: Dr. Jean Snyder named Alaska Family Physician of the Year

A black and white portrait depicts Dr. Jean Snyder smiling.

Dr. Jean Snyder’s career in family medicine has spanned decades, continents, and nearly every corner of patient care. Now, after years of serving communities across Alaska and beyond, she has been recognized as the Alaska Family Physician of the Year by the Alaska Academy of Family Physicians.

From classroom to courtroom: ÀÖ²¥´«Ã½ opens the John E. Havelock Trial Simulation Center

Students engage in a trial simulation in the new Havelock Classroom. One student stands at the podium and speaks into the microphone. On either side, students sit at the prosecution and defense tables. Audience members observe from the gallery area behind them.

With the recent opening of the John E. Havelock Trial Simulation Courtroom, students now have access to a premier, experiential learning environment to master their craft. The courtroom will also serve as a community resource where Alaska’s legal professionals can hold practice trials and conduct continuing education and training.

Get to know Dr. Jay Butler, new dean of the College of Health

Dr. Jay Butler wears a suit and smiles at the camera against a dark gray backdrop.

As we step into a new year, we are excited to welcome Dr. Jay Butler as the new Dean of the College of Health. A veteran of the public health and infectious disease field, Dr. Butler also has years of experience working in Alaska’s unique health landscape. He’s excited to bring fresh energy to COH’s goal of expanding its capacity to meet community-based health needs and train the next generation of healthcare workers.

COH graduate student commencement speaker Stacy Brunquist: Special delivery

Stacy Brunquist stands in front of a wall of windows in the ÀÖ²¥´«Ã½ Spine. She is wearing a pink and white patterned shirt and smiling at the camera.

As a neonatal nurse practitioner at Providence Alaska Children’s Hospital and adjunct faculty member for the ÀÖ²¥´«Ã½ School of Nursing, Doctor of Nursing Practice alumna and graduate student hooding ceremony speaker for the fall Class of 2025 Stacy Brunquist weaves education into everything she does — training new caregivers, guiding parents learning to care for their newborns, and sharing knowledge with professionals from UtqiaÄ¡vik to Sitka.
College of Health News Archive