The rapid expansion of online teaching is now opening new opportunities for UA to attract students in rural communities and from outside the state. Fields like Arctic research, where UAF has long been strong, fisheries and new areas of research like renewable energy applications in small community power grids, are attracting students. Let’s look at how the market – Alaska students – is responding. Despite the pandemic, it appears student retention will be up from fall to the spring semester, and new student applications for the spring to the university are actually up 10% from last year, the university says. That’s a powerful signal of confidence. UA itself is getting more aggressive in marketing its ability to educate and train skilled professionals and workers. Forty thousand Alaskans are now unemployed, so it’s a great time to go back to school to upgrade skills.
