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KEF General Scholarships  are awarded to full and part time students with a cumulative GPA of 2.5 or higher who are enrolled in a degree seeking program through an accredited educational institution. Part-time students must be taking a minimum of two classes per term. This scholarship is merit based and the amount of the scholarship is dependent upon application score, cumulative GPA, and class standing. Current application is for the upcoming  fall, winter, and/or spring terms.

*KEF offers merit-based scholarships to Koniag Shareholders and Descendants. These scholarships are competitive and are scored by an independent scholarship review committee. Awards may vary depending on availability of funds. Applications must be submitted by deadline.

**Because KEF is a private nonprofit, IRS regulations require that all scholarship and career development funds must be sent directly to the institute where training is taking place.

Step-Up Scholarship

Opens December 15, Closes March 15

This one-time scholarship is designed for students who do not currently have the required 2.5 cumulative high school or college GPA. The student will have up to one academic year to bring their GPA into compliance in order to continue receiving funds through the KEF General Scholarship.

Criteria:

• Must be a Koniag Shareholder or registered descendant.
• Must be accepted into an accredited college.
• Must not have received a KEF General Scholarship in the last two years.
• Must be enrolled in at least two classes (6 credits) per term.

This scholarship is for students who either missed the March 15 deadline for the KEF General, or are only attending the spring term. Apply beginning August 1, the deadline is October 31 each year. The requirements will be similar to the KEF General Scholarship, however all applicants must provide a letter of recommendation.

The purpose of the Koniag Angayuk Scholarship is to identify and encourage Koniag students to become involved with Koniag and our subsidiaries. Koniag encourages our people to pursue their education and become familiar with Koniag, their Regional Native Corporation, and the employment opportunities that are available to them through Koniag’s family of companies. The program is designed to encourage and promote our future leaders.

Koniag established an internship/scholarship program to seek out Koniag’s best and brightest Shareholders and registered Descendants to intern in subsidiaries of Koniag.

Scholarship recipients are awarded an annual scholarship of $10,000 throughout their post-secondary education. This award allows the student to focus on his/her field of study and gain related work experience for a six- to 10-week period during the summer, while helping Koniag identify, cultivate, and encourage future leaders.

To qualify, students must be a full-time, sophomore or higher, have and maintain a minimum cumulative GPA of 3.0, agree to intern in any one of Koniag’s subsidiaries during the summer, and be willing to relocate for a period of six to 10 weeks during the summer months. During their summer internship, students will receive a wage, and Koniag will fund travel (to/from their home state to internship city), and lodging. Students will be responsible for the own food and transportation to/from their intern site from their lodging.  Students who successfully participate in the internship and meet eligibility requirements will receive renewed funding of $10,000 each year until graduation.

You may apply for this scholarship in conjunction with other KEF scholarships.

*Because KEF is a private nonprofit, IRS regulations require that all scholarship funds must be sent directly to the college.

Alyeska provides scholarship funding to organizations with the goal to provide partial monetary support to Alaska Natives for training, education, and internships that are needed in preparation for careers with Alyeska and on the Trans Alaska Pipeline System (TAPS) or other oil industry related jobs. This funding is strategically focused to increase the pool of qualified Alaska Native applicants in specific job categories.

Application Process:
The Alyeska program is an in-house matching scholarship. Students who qualify will be identified by KEF and notified individually if they are eligible. No additional application is necessary.

Other Opportunities with Alyeska Pipeline Service Co.:

• Alyeska Summer Internship Opportunities
• Alyeska Employment Opportunities*

Two recipients per year

Eligibility Requirements:

• Must be an enrolled member of the Native Village of Afognak
• Must be a high school graduate or GED equivalent by June 30 of application year.
• Be accepted to or attending an accredited vocational or college program.
• Must have and maintain a minimum of a 2.5 GPA or equivalent and make satisfactory academic progress as defined by the institution.
• Preference given to first-time degree-seeking and vocational students.
• Must meet all other KEF eligibility requirements

Application Requirements:

• Provide proof of enrollment
• One letter of recommendation
• Most recent transcripts
• Recent resume
• Recent headshot
• Essay

Special Essay Requirements:

The Native Village of Afognak Ag’wanermiut Liitut Award requires a two-part essay. (500 word minimum)

1) Include a description of your 1) Personal and family history and how you or your family is connected to the Native Village of Afognak, 2) community and/or family involvement 3) volunteer activities/awards, and 4) educational and life goals.

2) How would receiving this award impact you?

3) Select and answer one of the following three questions:

• What does Afognak mean to you?
• What does education mean to you?
• What does community mean to you?

*KEF offers merit-based scholarships to our shareholders and descendants. These scholarships are competitive and are scored for completeness by an independent scholarship review committee. Applications must be postmarked or time-stamped by deadline.

**Because KEF is a private nonprofit, IRS regulations require that all scholarship and career development funds must be sent directly to the institute where training is taking place.

For NVOPL Members Only

Three recipients per year

Rhea Mae Knagin, a founding member of the Native Village of Port Lions, was dedicated to serving her community. In honor and recognition of her service the Native Village of Port Lions Traditional Tribal Council established the Rhea Mae Knagin (RMK) Scholarship. The RMK Scholarship is designed to provide financial support to enrolled members of the Native Village of Port Lions (NVPL), who demonstrate scholastic achievement or interest in furthering their professional career. The RMK Scholarship is administered by Koniag Education Foundation (KEF) and all applications are reviewed by the KEF Scholarship Committee. Applications are scored based on criteria set forth by the Port Lions Traditional Tribal Council.  Applications are available beginning March 1st of each year and have a deadline of June 1st.

AWARD DETAILS

The RMK Scholarship offers three (3) awards: one (1) award for $1,000.00 – to the applicant receiving the highest total score and two (2) awards for $500.00 each – to two applicants receiving the second and third highest total scores, based on scoring criteria. Checks will be made payable directly to the institution.

Who May Apply

• Applicants must be an enrolled member of the Native Village of Port Lions
• Applicants must be a high school graduate or GED equivalent
• Have a minimum grade point average (GPA) of 2.5
• Plan to attend a university of vocational school in the State of Alaska
• Previous recipients of the Rhea Mae Scholarship are welcome to reapply

Application Requirements

1. Completed application – Incomplete applications will automatically be disqualified
2. Short essay describing who you are and your educational goals
3. Proof of tribal enrollment in the Native Village of Port Lions
4. One (1) letter of reference
5. Most recent high school or college transcripts (unofficial transcripts are accepted)
6. Proof of acceptance or letter from school stating you have applied
7. Applicant portrait with signed consent form

*Because KEF is a private nonprofit, IRS regulations require that all scholarship and career development funds must be sent directly to the institute where training is taking place.

AWARD DETAILS

The Margaret “Agnguarta” Roberts Memorial Scholarship is in honor) of the late Elder Margaret “Agnguarta” Roberts. The Tangirnaq Native Village recognizes and memorializes Margaret’s tireless efforts to showcase Alutiiq culture through language, dance, and wellness initiatives, as well as her advocacy in promoting education, vocational and career enhancement of our Tribal citizens. Margaret’s lifetime advocacy for the Alutiiq people will live on and help to guide future generations.

The Tangirnaq Native Village (TNV) Scholarship offers awards up to $4,000.00  per year for applicants.  Checks will be made payable directly to the institution.  Applications are open March 1st and have a deadline of June 1st annually.

Eligibility Requirements:

• Applicants must be a Tangirnaq Native Village Tribal Citizen.
• Applicants must be a high school graduate or GED equivalent by June 30.
• Be accepted by an institution that is an accredited college or university, trade school, or such other educational institution as the Committee may approve.
• Students are required to have and maintain a 2.5+ GPA and satisfactory academic progress as defined by the institution.
• Preference will be given to full-time students.
• Must meet all other KEF eligibility requirements.

Application Requirements:

1. Proof of tribal enrollment in the TNV.

2. Letter of Recommendation:

New applicants are required to provide one letter of recommendation (LOR)  which must be signed, dated, and less than one year old. The letter can be from an employer, teacher, coach, etc. but not a family member. The recommender should indicate how long they have known the applicant, how they know them, and speak directly to the student’s ability to successfully complete their degree program. Returning applicants (those who received this award the previous year) do not have to provide an LOR unless they are beginning a new degree program.

3. Essay:

• A brief description of your personal and family history and how you or your family are connected to Woody Island.
• Community and/or family involvement
• Volunteer activities/awards
• What are your long term goals? How will your educational experience help you to achieve them?
• If you have received this scholarship previously, share what you’ve learned during the past school year. For instance, what were your challenges or setbacks and how did you overcome them? What were your  triumphs or accomplishments?

4. Most recent high school or college transcripts (unofficial transcripts are accepted for application but must be followed up by official transcripts by June 30).

5. Recent resume.

6. Proof of acceptance or letter from school stating you have applied.

7. Recent headshot photo.

The Brent Parsons Memorial Scholarship will be awarded annually to one student majoring in Finance or Accounting with the highest combined KEF General application and GPA score. The student who qualifies will be identified by KEF and notified individually if they are eligible. No additional application is necessary.

There are few forces in the world with the potential to positively impact a community so much as a single experienced, passionate and dedicated leader. A person like this gives selflessly of their time and their energy, and influences everything they touch. Brent Parsons was such a man. To honor Brent’s memory and lasting impact to our Alutiiq people, Koniag and KEF are pleased to announce the Brent Parsons Memorial Scholarship.

Brent was a long-time partner in an audit firm and was integral in keeping Koniag a financially strong corporation. He drew on his vast knowledge of financial and accounting best practices to strengthen benefits for shareholders. Always a mentor, Brent worked with many of Koniag’s board members and staff to help them realize their own potential. And as a life-long learner and recipient of a KEF scholarship, Brent understood and valued education.

There is a quote from the artist Makoto Fujimura that goes, “generative paths lead to resourcefulness, patience, and general creativity in life. They lead to cultural – and human – thriving.” Brent walked a generative path in everything he did, and through this scholarship for Koniag shareholders and descendants in the fields of Accounting and Finance, Brent’s legacy will thrive for our students as they pursue their own educational goals. We know that Brent will be looking down and smiling as future generations receive degrees and achieve their fullest potential.

*Because KEF is a private nonprofit, IRS regulations require that all scholarship and career development funds must be sent directly to the institute where training is taking place.

Awarded annually to one student majoring in community service and/or civic duty field with the highest combined application and GPA score. The student who qualifies will be identified by KEF and notified individually if they are eligible. No additional application is necessary.

The Glenn Godfrey Sr. Memorial Scholarship is named in honor of Mr. Glenn Godfrey Sr., an Aleut political and social leader raised on Kodiak Island. Glenn Godfrey led an exemplary career with the State Troopers, from walking a beat to finding innovative ways to improve law enforcement in rural communities, and finally serving as Commissioner of Public Safety for the State of Alaska. At his retirement, after 32 years with the Department of Public Safety, Governor Tony Knowles said, “He has distinguished himself by his selfless dedication to public service, his commitment to protecting Alaska’s children, and meeting the unprecedented public safety challenges that followed September 11th.” 

Glenn was born and raised in Kodiak and joined the Alaska State Troopers in 1970. He served as a patrol trooper in Anchorage, Juneau, and Northway, where he was responsible for drug enforcement along the Canadian border. In 1978, he was promoted as post commander for Western Alaska in Bethel where he was instrumental in the development of the Village Public Safety Officer (VPSO) program. Godfrey was later assigned to the director’s office in Anchorage and was put in charge of the VPSO program, statewide search and rescues, and the Trooper’s Special Emergency Reaction Team. Godfrey went on to serve as chief of Rural Enforcement and deputy director of the Alaska State Troopers. Knowles promoted Godfrey to director of the Trooper Division in 1995 and he succeeded Ron Otte as Commissioner of the Department in August of 2000. Upon his retirement, he was appointed to Gov. Tony Knowles’s cabinet as the Commissioner of Public Safety. Mr. Godfrey was the first Alaska Native in both posts. Godfrey also served as chairman of Koniag Inc., the ANSCA regional corporation for Kodiak, and was named “Citizen of the Year” by the Alaska Federation of Natives in 1999. 

*Because KEF is a private nonprofit, IRS regulations require that all scholarship and career development funds must be mailed directly to the institute where training is taking place. 

This scholarship will be awarded annually to one student majoring in anthropology, history, Alaska Native/American Indian Studies, or other disciplines with a course of study of Alutiiq culture. The student who qualifies will be identified by KEF and notified individually if they are eligible. No additional application is necessary.

The Larry Matfay Cultural Heritage Scholarship is named in honor of Larry Matfay, an Alutiiq elder and the last chief of Akhiok. He freely shared his extensive knowledge of the Alutiiq culture to revitalize and renew our heritage and pride.

About Larry Matfay:
Larry Sava Matfay was born in 1907 in Akhiok, which was also the home of his parents, Pelagia Kejuk and Sava Matfay. Known as the last chief of Akhiok, he passed away in 1998. Mr. Matfay was a distinguished language and culture bearer, storyteller, trapper, reindeer herder, commercial fisherman, and community leader. He contributed to the revival of Alutiiq dance and to the exhibition project Looking Both Ways: Heritage and Identity of the Alutiiq People. [Last updated in 2006]

The Drabek Award of  $2,000 will be awarded annually to one student majoring in education, arts, and/or cultural studies with the highest combined application and GPA score. The student who qualifies will be identified by KEF and notified individually if they are eligible. No additional application is necessary.

Magnel “Maggie” E. Drabek was born in Afognak village in 1926 to Olga (daughter of Evdokia (Nekrasoff) and Peter Paul Naumoff of Afognak) and Louie Larsen (a fisherman and merchant marine originally from Alesund, Norway). Maggie was known for her fortitude, practical leadership, diplomacy, humor and creativity.

In 1947 she married Henry “Hank” Alvin Drabek of Springville, N.Y., after they met in Seattle, Wash., while Hank was decommissioning the aircraft carrier Bonhomme Richard after World War II. Together they raised two sons, Anthony “Tony” John and Alvin Lawrence. Hank was overseas for many years serving in the Navy during the Korean War. Regardless of where they lived, Maggie was always involved in community activities and recognized for her talents. For example, during their years living on the Coronado Naval Base in Southern California, she won numerous artistic awards for hat designs, publicity posters and costumes.

They returned to live in Kodiak after Hank retired from the Navy. Maggie worked for many years in the Kodiak school system as a cook and later as a teacher’s aide before retiring for health reasons. Prior to her work in Kodiak schools, she served as forelady for several prominent fish processors. Maggie’s family remembers when the 1964 earthquake and tsunami struck, the only household item she grabbed before heading for high ground was her “Big Ben” alarm clock so she wouldn’t be late for work the next morning. Ironically, while she had her alarm clock, the cannery she worked at had been washed away in the night, along with her house and all the family’s belongings.

When Maggie was a young, single woman living in Washington, she gave birth to a son who she was unable to care for at the time. Maggie made the difficult decision to give him up for adoption. Her son, Roger McCracken, now lives in Bellevue, Wash., and was reunited with his two brothers in 1998 after Tony’s search for Roger proved fruitful.

Maggie passed away in 1990. The memory of her as a loving mother, wife, friend, sister, aunt and daughter, as well as her passion for education and Alutiiq culture, lives on.

Career Development Grants (CDG) are designed to assist individuals who have chosen to further their education through non-degree seeking programs such as licensing and certification trainings, workshops, or other career advancing programs. These grants are merit-based, meaning how well you do on your application determines the amount of your award.

Award: Up to $1,000; multiple recipients per year. Limit of two (2) CDG’s per fiscal year, per student not to exceed a total of $1,000. No deadline; open continuously. Please allow up to 3 weeks for processing.

Who May Apply:
Koniag Shareholders and registered Descendants who wish to enroll in non-degree seeking, short term courses of study which will increase their opportunities for employment or job advancement.

Requirements: Any qualified student who is accepted to or enrolled in a career development course and can demonstrate how the training will assist the student in gaining employment or job security and/or advancement. Must meet all other KEF eligibility requirements. The program must be accredited or meet state or industry standards proof of program completion is required.

Required Documents for Career Development Grant
The following documents must be submitted for consideration of this scholarship award:

1) Essay: The purpose of the essay is to give the Executive Director more background information about you and your program. (Min. 500 words)

• • A brief personal and family history including how you or your family is connected to Kodiak Island.

• • Community involvement/volunteer activities.

• • Career and educational goals.

• • Benefit Statement: Explain how this training/course will improve your ability to find and/or improve current employment or help you advance in your career.

2) Recent Resume with employment history, volunteer/community service, awards/honors, and any additional education/training. (2 pages maximum)

3) Proof of Cost of Program: An invoice and/or cost of attendance from the school/training program.

4) A recent headshot photo.

Review Process:
The Koniag Education Foundation Board of Directors may appoint a committee or the Executive Director of KEF to select recipients of awards. Awards are based on the personal essay and completeness of information in the application.

Disbursement of Funds:
If awarded, applicant will be notified by email. The awarded funds will be sent directly to the recipient’s school/program and may be used for reasonable expenses in conjunction with the courses taken which the Executive Director determines as acceptable costs.

*Because KEF is a private nonprofit, IRS regulations require that all scholarship and career development funds must be sent directly to the institute where training is taking place.

The KEF Vocational award provides funding for Koniag Shareholders and registered Descendants who are non-degree seeking individuals enrolled in an accredited vocational or technical programs and training. Vocational Scholarships are merit-based, the amount of the award is dependent on the application score.

Award:   Up to $5,000 per fiscal year; subject to funding.
Deadline: No deadline, ongoing; Please allow up to 4 weeks for processing.
Requirements: Any qualified student who is accepted to or enrolled in an accredited or state or municipally recognized vocational school or program and:

• • Maintains a minimum cumulative GPA of 2.50 or the equivalent while in the program.

• • Demonstrates how the training will assist student in gaining employment or job security and/ or advancement

• • The program must be accredited or meet state or industry standards proof of program completion is required.

Required Documents for Vocational Scholarship

• • Essay: In this essay, include 1) a brief family and personal history including how you or your family is connected to Kodiak, 2) educational and career goals, 3) how this class will enhance your ability to find employment and/or improve current employment.

• • Proof of program cost: An invoice and/or cost of attendance from the program.

• • Recent Resume with employment history, school activities, volunteer/community service, awards/honors, additional education/training, 2 pages maximum.

• • 1 Letter of Recommendation (LOR): A LOR from a current/former employer, instructor, mentor or coach, who knows you well and can reflect on your character and potential. The recommender should detail their relationship to you, how long they have known you, and why you would be an ideal candidate for this scholarship. Letters from immediate family members are not accepted. LOR’s must be signed, dated, and not more than one year old.

• • Recent headshot photo.

Review Process: KEF’s Scholarship Committee reviews and scores all applicant applications. Scores are averaged to determine the amount of the scholarship awarded.

*Because KEF is a private nonprofit, IRS regulations require that all scholarship and career development funds must be sent directly to the institute where training is taking place.