30th Anniversary

This year we are celebrating a special milestone: 30 years as Alaska’s only Tribal College. In 1996, Iḷisaġvik College was officially established by the North Slope Borough, continuing the vision that began in 1986 when the North Slope Borough and the University of Alaska Fairbanks partnered to create the North Slope Higher Education Center. They pursued a purpose powerful enough to transform a community and inspiring enough to shape future generations: to provide education and vocational training that would prepare local residents to take on key administrative, business, and political roles throughout the North Slope. By focusing on building local capacity, they aimed to ensure that the region’s leadership and workforce were rooted in the community itself.

 

From those early days, Iḷisaġvik has grown into a thriving Tribal College that continues to honor its founding vision while creating new opportunities for the future. What began as a mission to prepare local residents for leadership has blossomed into a beacon of education and culture, empowering students to learn, lead, and shape the North Slope for generations to come.

 

For more than three decades, Iḷisaġvik’s strength has come from community, from you.  To celebrate this milestone, we are planning a year-long series of events that will bring together students, alumni, partners, and community members. From open houses and community barbecues to a peer-to-peer campaign and special gatherings, these celebrations will highlight Iḷisaġvik’s impact and the people who make it possible.

 

March & April: 30th Anniversary Giving Campaign

August: Open House and Community BBQ

 

To participate or get more information, email the Director of Development, Serena Nesteby at serena.nesteby@ilisagvik.edu