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For the last three years Joel Potter has taken on the challenge of helping introduce local middle and high school students to some of the biggest questions in philosophy.

Joey Butcher always hits his target, whether he steps onto the battlefield as an infantry rifleman in U.S. Marines, or onto the stage as an Honors College music student.

In this episode of Seawolf Voices, creative writing and literary arts alumna and UAA Graduate School communications specialist Tiffany Creed talks about the many uses of a graduate degree, the real-world applicability of an interdisciplinary studies curriculum, and why you should never disqualify yourself from an opportunity.

Natural sciences alumnus J.C. Schoonmaker was an All-American skier for UAA, a World Cup medalist and, most recently, an Olympian (for the second time) at the 2026 Milano-Cortina Winter Olympics. He says UAA taught him the importance of working on a team, both in and out of the classroom.

When Artemis II launched for its flyby of the Moon in April 2026, UAA project management graduate student and cross country runner Drew Johnson played a role in the mission. As an arms and umbilicals engineer at NASA, he helps oversee everything connected to the rocket while it's sitting on the launch pad.

After decades of service, motherhood and reinvention, Trisha Jean Davis graduated from Kenai Peninsula College’s Kachemak Bay Campus as valedictorian at 79, proving it’s never too late to pursue an education.

As communications director for the Anchorage Assembly, Master of Public Administration alumna Allie Hartman strives to make local government accessible by inviting people into the business of the city.

Rainey Spurlock first enrolled at UAA when she was 13, taking classes at Mat-Su College alongside her grandmother. Now, at 17, the communications major and undergraduate commencement speaker for the spring Class of 2026 is likely UAA's youngest-ever graduate.

One of the most enduring metaphors for America is the melting pot — where different experiences come together to create something stronger. For Lt. Cmdr. Sam Krakower, interdisciplinary studies alumnus and graduate student hooding ceremony speaker for the spring Class of 2026, that metaphor reflects both his academic journey and professional path.

Anchorage’s history is unique. From a stop on the gold rush route, a tent city, a military town and now a hub for the state’s transportation, tourism and government, the city has gone through many iterations, and history alumnus David Reamer is something of an expert on the topic.