Dr. Janelle Vanasse is the President of Alaska Pacific University, located in Anchorage, Alaska. She has been a leader in education for more than 30 years, specifically at schools and institutions that prioritize Alaska Native education. Immediately prior to joining APU, Vanasse served as superintendent in Sitka. She also held a range of leadership roles in the Bethel area, including principal.

Throughout her career, Dr. Vanasse has elevated the educational experience for Alaska Native students. She believes that scholarship and leadership are enhanced when influenced by our authentic selves.

Dr. Vanasse holds a bachelor’s degree in special education from St. Cloud State University, a master’s degree in educational leadership from the University of Alaska Anchorage, and a doctorate in educational leadership from Gonzaga University. Her most recent academic work includes research about the power of cultural self-identity in college persistence.

Questions

• Janelle, Let’s start by talking about Alaska Pacific University. Can you do a brief profile of APU? I believe you have around 550 students. Tell me about your students and degree programs. What are some of the programs you are most noted for?
• With the school located in a state with a population of less than 750,000, you can’t depend on students coming from a 100-mile radius like schools located in states with millions of people. What attracts students to Alaska Pacific?
• I believe about 25% of your students are Alaska native students. In your opinion, how do high school native students and families perceive higher education, and what are the reasons they opt into or out of attending higher education?
• When we talked with you as we prepared for the show, you mentioned that the university is working toward becoming a tribal college. Can you tell us what a tribal college is and what its advantages are?
• You, like many other Alaskans I’ve known, seem to be adventurers. The Bemidji Pioneer, your hometown paper in Minnesota, interviewed you, and you talked about your career as an educator, which led you eventually to Bethel, Alaska. You first went to Fairbanks for a year and then you said to the paper: “When that didn’t feel like an adventure enough, I moved out to Bethel, Alaska, which is a rural, off-the-road community”. You seemed to have found what you were looking for. Tell us what you saw and how that experience attracted you to become President of APU.
• The school was established in the late 1950s, just before Alaska became the 49th state to enter the union. During these past 60-plus years, I imagine APU has established several partnerships that have benefited the school and the outside community. Can you tell us about a few of those partnerships?
• Why are small colleges and universities like yours important?