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Wednesday, January 31, 2018
Michele Yatchmeneff
Aleutian Islands, Alaska


Michele Yatchmeneff, Unangax (Aleut) from Alaska’s Aleutian chain, is many things, but a stereotype is not one of them. Practicing a traditional subsistence lifestyle that is common throughout rural Alaska, Michele has a first-hand understanding of the challenges many Alaska Natives face when pursuing STEM education and careers. Luckily for Michele, her small-town roots didn’t stop her big dreams, and she is now the first female Alaska Native faculty member at the University of Alaska Anchorage College of Engineering.
 
In a previous Student Success Story, Michele shared how ANSEP helped her on her way to earning a bachelor’s and master’s degree from UAA and eventually a doctorate degree in engineering from Purdue University. She realized that not everyone knew about and was able to take advantage of these opportunities like she did, though. Michele knew that Alaska Natives were significantly underrepresented in STEM professions because remote areas of Alaska often provide limited access to education. After conducting more research, she discovered that access wasn’t the only factor.
 
“I found that, in addition to academic college readiness, ANSEP provides a sense of community and emotional support that prepares students for higher education,” said Michele. “A leading factor in Alaska Natives pursuing STEM degrees is feeling a sense of belonging and acceptance.”
 
Michele set out on a mission to better understand the factors affecting students’ sense of belonging in a STEM environment and how best to encourage students and teachers to create a positive, encouraging environment where they can thrive.
 
“Many students and professors in my Ph.D. program treated me like a minority quota instead of a deserving candidate,” said Michele. “From there, I became incredibly passionate about finding a better way to help other Alaska Native students succeed in STEM education.”

Her hard work has not gone unnoticed. Michele was recently handpicked by the National Science Foundation to receive the organization’s prestigious Faculty Early Career Development Grant first for the UAA College of Engineering and again as a faculty member. The five-year, $500,000 grant will support research to determine the factors that lead to a sense of belonging in minority students pursuing STEM education.
 
Like many ANSEP students and alumni, Michele understands the added challenge presented by being away from home and just how overwhelming that can be. To put it into perspective, for many students from rural Alaska, there are more people at the university than in their entire village. As ANSEP has expanded, the program has introduced components like Acceleration Academy and then Middle School Academy to give students the experience of college life and exposure to STEM education from as early an age as possible.
 
“ANSEP creates a sense of community and honors our native cultures and traditions. That feeling of comfort and respect empowers students to excel and feel confident in any environment,” said Michele. “ANSEP helped me achieve my dreams and I hope I’m inspiring the next generation of STEM leaders, too!”
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Wednesday, January 24, 2018
Cody McIntyre
Tuntutuliak, Alaska


Growing up in Tuntutuliak, a village with fewer than 400 people, Cody McIntyre didn’t initially think college was going to be part of his future. Now, at age 20, he is well on his way to earning an undergraduate degree in civil engineering and has his sights set on earning a doctorate. 
 
In rural Alaska, finding and retaining qualified teachers for upper-level math courses is extremely challenging, and this meant that advanced curriculum was not available to Cody and his peers. That all changed when an ANSEP recruiter visited Cody’s high school to promote STEM education opportunities. After Cody was inspired to apply for ANSEP, he was accepted and attended Acceleration Academy in Anchorage the following summer. While taking college-level courses like algebra 2, calculus and trigonometry, Cody realized he could use basic engineering skills to improve his hometown.
 
Cody shared his dreams of bringing running water and advanced water treatment systems to his village of Tuntutuliak in his last Student Success Story, and we caught up with him to see where he is along the path of making those goals a reality.
 
Currently a junior at the University of Alaska Anchorage and an ANSEP University Success student, Cody still plans to earn a civil engineering degree to improve his community. However, he has a new way of approaching how he will do that. Through internships with ANSEP partner organizations and discussions with ANSEP alumni like Michelle Yatchmeneff, Cody’s dream has grown along with his education to bringing renewable energy to Tuntutuliak and other rural villages.
 
“I’m still in the research phase,” said Cody, “but my initial results show that a single wind turbine in a coastal town like Tuntutuliak could provide 45 percent of the community’s power. Through the combination of wind and solar power, I hope to provide renewable energy to rural communities across Alaska. From there, hopefully it will create a ripple effect resulting in Alaska relying entirely on renewable energy.”
 
As an ANSEP student, Cody enjoys working with other Alaska Natives who understand the challenges rural communities face. Cody believes together they can create real solutions that will positively impact their communities and the state as a whole.
 
“My favorite part about ANSEP is the community. When I thought about attending a school with a larger population than my hometown, it was intimidating. Having spent my summers at ANSEP, I knew I would be starting college with a network of friends, study partners and mentors. I met people who shared my goals and ambitions for a STEM education and were also passionate about celebrating and preserving our native culture. We are just one big family that is working toward the same goal – a STEM degree. We motivate each other, work together and share each other’s success. My relationships at ANSEP are simply lifelong friendships in the making.”
 
Cody, who plans to stay involved with ANSEP after earning his undergraduate degree, currently works as a Youth Peer Mentor for ANSEP Middle School Academy. In his role as YPM, Cody sets students’ sights on higher education from an early age, helps them understand what to expect and makes learning fun.
 
“Many of these students have never left home before,” said Cody. “At first they are shy and unsure of themselves. I comfort them by speaking Yup’ik, and we bond over our love of rural Alaska. By the end of the component, I am watching their faces light up as they build bridges, Arctic walls and complete other STEM challenges.”
 
Cody believes in ANSEP’s proven education model; and, in addition to helping his local community, he wants to help other students from rural Alaska gain access to STEM education.
 
“Herb Schroeder is my biggest inspiration. I hope to follow in his footsteps and earn my doctorate so I can help expand STEM education opportunities to students across the state, too,” said Cody. “ANSEP is changing the education landscape across Alaska, and I want to inspire more students to seek higher education like I did.”

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Wednesday, January 17, 2018
Joyell Acuna
Anchorage, Alaska


For as long as she can remember, Joyell dreamed of following in her uncle’s footsteps and becoming an engineer. An Athabascan who grew up in Anchorage, Joyell was unaware of the many STEM education opportunities available to her so close to home.
 
When she was a junior in high school, Joyell’s counselor opened her eyes to ANSEP and encouraged her to get involved with Acceleration Academy. There, she learned the thrill of engineering and gained access to endless career opportunities in Anchorage and across Alaska. The following year, she graduated high school and eagerly joined Summer Bridge, during which she started earning college credit and worked a paid internship for BP Alaska. In her last Student Success Story, Joyell shared how she felt ANSEP and internships like this were preparing her for life after college. We caught up with Joyell to find out what she is up to now.
 
ANSEP: When we last checked in, you were about to graduate from the University of Alaska Anchorage with a mechanical engineering degree. What have you been up to since then?
Joyell: I graduated in May of 2016 with a Bachelor of Science, but I decided to continue working toward my dream of higher education and earn my master’s degree. I began working fulltime at BP Alaska in June 2016, thanks to my internship experience there with ANSEP, but I’ve continued taking classes on the side. Now I’m only four college credits away from earning my graduate degree in mechanical engineering.
 
ANSEP: How has ANSEP helped you accomplish your goal of becoming an engineer?
Joyell: I’ve always been interested in engineering but wasn’t sure how to get my foot in the door. ANSEP helped me realize what engineers actually do every day and how the industry works as a whole. It was really amazing learning how many ways you can apply an engineering degree and seeing first-hand how human experience makes the oil industry work.
 
ANSEP: How did Summer Bridge help prepare you for your current job?
Joyell: ANSEP and Summer Bridge were instrumental in helping me land my first engineering job. My four summers interning with BP helped me network and learn skills that I still use for my job today.
 
ANSEP: What is the most interesting thing you learned during your BP internships?
Joyell: I met so many different contacts from different aspects of the industry, including drilling, pipeline and extraction. I learned so much from each of them, but now, as a pipeline integrity engineer, my job is ensuring safe operations throughout Anchorage. With so many friends, family and colleagues working on the pipeline, it’s an incredible feeling knowing my job helps keep them safe.
 
ANSEP: What are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced pursuing an engineering career?
Joyell: Many of the college courses were really challenging, and I had some semesters where I was especially busy and overwhelmed. ANSEP provided financial, emotional and peer support that helped me get through it. In addition to weekly recitations where I could ask questions about classes, ANSEP provided a network of people who shared similar challenges and provided support. Even after college, I am still close with many of my friends and think of ANSEP as a second family.
 
ANSEP: What is your favorite part of ANSEP?
Joyell: It is hard to pick just one. I really loved the balsa wood bridge build at Acceleration Academy because it was the first time I got to see with my own eyes how much engineering plays a role in everything we do. However, the recitations and community are probably the best part. Many of my friends are from ANSEP and work in the same industry. It is great watching them graduate and continue on to successful STEM careers just like me.
 
ANSEP: What excites you the most about your future?
Joyell: I like knowing how much I can do for my community with my engineering degree. I love living in Alaska – it’s my home, where I go fishing and berry picking, and have other family traditions. Through my current role, I am contributing to North Slope operations and making things safer for the people who share my love for Alaska.
 
ANSEP: Do you have any advice for current ANSEP students?
Joyell: When things get tough, take a breath, take care of yourself and remember that ANSEP is always there to help. Pursuing a STEM career is hard, but it isn’t a race. As long as you’re making progress, you’re on track!

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