School:  A. J. Dimond High School
Hometown: Anchorage
Class: Senior
Loves: His computer, MP3 Player, bike and camera.

Max Greenstein knows he’s going to college, and he knows what he needs to do to get there:  he’s saving his PFD checks and job earnings.  He’s taking a JROTC course, which he says “betters my leadership, organization, preparation techniques, and responsibility.”  Oh, and one more thing:  he’s not slacking off in high school.
 

Major: Undecided
Class of:  2010
UA Campus: Fairbanks
Hometown: Barrow
Loves: Nanook Basketball

Bobby grew up watching the Nooks play basketball and pictured himself playing for them.  And now?  He does.  Bobby takes the “athlete” part of student-athlete seriously as well, dishing out high praise for the faculty at UAF.  “The quality of education and the professors are top notch.  They give their time and effort 100% to teach their students.”  Bobby has some good advice for new students at UA:  “Getting involved in campus activities will help you meet new and fun people.”  That, and attending a few Nanook basketball games.

What is your favorite thing about UA?
The people being so nice.  On campus and in the community too, everyone is just so nice.

Major: Bachelor of Business Administration, Accounting Emphasis
Class of: 2008
UA Campus: Juneau
Hometown: Sheridan, Wyoming. “I’m a cowgirl at heart.”
Loves: Playing flag football in the rain

Because her dad was in the military, Julianna Patz’s family moved around a lot. When he retired, the family moved to Juneau. And when Julianna was deciding where to go to college and thinking about opening a coffee shop – her lifelong dream – she realized that she just wasn’t ready to leave. “After I finished my first year at UAS,” she says, “I opened a little restaurant called the Southeast Waffle Co. I still had a lot of classes that I needed to take to get my degree, and the fact that UAS is so close to my shop makes it really convenient for me to keep working on school while I run the business.” Online classes, too, keep her schedule flexible.

Your craziest Alaska experience ever? A deer hunting trip that turned into a hiking/sledding/rappelling expedition.

Major: English, with a minor in philosophy and dance
Class of: 2008
UA Campus: Anchorage
Born in: India, but raised in Anchorage
Loves: Trying new things, even if that means falling on your behind a million times the first time you try snowboarding.

Benaaz Irani calls running for student body vice president an “awesome experience.”  She and her running mate “spent many days campaigning and coming up with wacky ideas to win the election.  We made the most pathetic poster out of cardboard and hand-drawn lettering, and we put it on the corner of Lake Otis and 36th.  It was in our school colors, green and gold, and stapled to two goofy wooden sticks.  While putting up the poster, we ran out of staples, so we had to tape it.  Unfortunately, we also ran out of tape so ur sign was lopsided, wavy and looked absolutely goofy.”  But she was proud of it (and they got elected anyway).

School: Lathrop High School
Hometown: Fairbanks
Class: Sophomore
Loves: Meeting new people and traveling the U.S.

Johnathan Kenney’s reasons for wanting to attend college include the expected (bettering his education), and the not so expected: “To better serve this community as well as the other communities I might meet along my journey.” His preparation for college includes volunteering and equipping himself physically and spiritually. Johnathan expect that college will provide and opportunity to learn diverse studies and lead to a well-paying job.

Big crazy plan for college? Throw a campus party!
 

School: Juneau Douglas High School
Hometown: Juneau
Class: Senior
Loves: Meeting new people

Over the past four years, Alisha Mack has been a part of the Early Scholars Program, a course designed for Alaska Native and Native American students who show academic potential and plan to continue their education. Her goal is to become an RN, and she’s already working toward it by visiting college campuses, reading up on options in her high school’s career center, and readying her resumes, essays and letters of recommendation.
What’s your plan for post-college life? Having a family, settling down and working to help others get better.

School: White Mountain High School
Hometown: White Mountain, Alaska
Class: Senior
Loves: Meeting new and exciting people

On the one hand, Katya Wassillie knows that when she goes to college, a lot will be demanded of her: that’s why she chose to attend the Alaska Summer Research Academy and RAHI, along with a college success skills course via teleconference. On the other hand, though, she demands a lot out of college: “I expect that college will provide a major transition into maturity and adulthood. I think it will also help me to discover my strengths and weaknesses and find how to apply them to a lifelong purpose.”

What’s one thing you won’t be able to live without at college? A very loud alarm clock without a snooze button.

Graduated: May 2007
Degree: Bachelor of Business Management and Marketing
UA Campus: Anchorage
Hometown: Quito, Ecuador
Loves: Sushi and soccer

Fernanda Pena never saw herself as a sales representative. But after getting her degree in business, she thought what the heck – she had never done it before, so she might as well give it a shot. “I wanted to be a well-rounded professional,” she says, “and the best way to learn is by doing the job.” Turns out, she loves it. “The best thing is that no one day is the same… I innovate and create different sales presentations depending on the customer. I am never bored!”

How has college changed you? I am more open-minded, more confident in myself and the things I can do.