Doyon Foundation is pleased to welcome Mark Holmgren as its new chief executive officer (CEO). Holmgren, who assumed the role on May 11, fills the position vacated by Sharon McConnell, the Foundation’s previous executive director.

“Mr. Holmgren has more than 20 years in executive-level leadership positions in the nonprofit sector,” said Dawn Dinwoodie, president of the Doyon Foundation board of directors. “He will be a real asset to Doyon Foundation and our staff.”

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Megan Hosken recently joined Doyon Foundation as an administrative intern. Before joining the Foundation staff, Hosken was employed with Information Insights in Anchorage, where she worked on the Alaska Home Energy Rebate Program.

Hosken, a 2008 West Valley High School graduate, plans to attend the University of Alaska Fairbanks, obtain a bachelor’s degree, and pursue a career in dental hygiene.

She is the daughter of Carl Demit, Jr. of Northway and Shelley Hosken of Tok. Her grandparents are Carl Demit, Sr. and the late Mable Demit of Northway, and Doug and Cheryl Hosken of Tok.

Hosken may be reached at 907.459.2048 or hoskenm@doyon.com.

Doyon Foundation’s ninth annual Morris Thompson Memorial Golf Classic will be held on June 18 – 19, 2009 at the Chena Bend Golf Course on Fort Wainwright in Fairbanks, Alaska.

This fun, annual event benefits the Morris Thompson Scholarship Fund, an endowed fund established by Doyon Foundation to benefit Alaska Native, higher education students studying business management and leadership.

There are many ways to support the Morris Thompson Memorial Golf Classic as a sponsor. For more information on the classic and sponsorship opportunities, view the informational sheet , sponsorship levels/sponsorship form , or tournament information .

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Or contact Greg Bringhurst at 1.888.478.4755 ext. 2049, 907.459.2049 or bringhurstg@doyon.com.

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The second Doyon Foundation alumni, family and student potluck was held in Anchorage on April 18, 2009. The event took place at the Native Student Services office at the University of Alaska Anchorage.

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Located in Troy, N.Y., Emma Willard School is the oldest girls’ school in the United States. The boarding school educates 310 girls in grades 9 – 12, and seeks to foster in young women a love of learning, the habits of an intellectual life, and the character, moral strength and qualities of leadership to serve and shape the world.

Believing that education is the pathway to true global understanding, the Shelby Cullom Davis family has selected Emma Willard School to participate in two groundbreaking pilot programs that further the school’s efforts to provide an empowering education to talented and motivated girls from across the globe.

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Rudolph “Rudy” Hamilton was recently selected as Doyon Foundation’s 2009 Educator of the Year. The award recognizes a Doyon shareholder who has proven their devotion to helping direct the future through education, by promoting Alaska Native education and supporting Alaska Native students. Hamilton was presented with the award at the Doyon, Limited Annual Meeting of Shareholders on March 20, 2009 in Fairbanks, Alaska.

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• June 18-19 – Ninth annual Morris Thompson Memorial Golf Classic, Chena Bend Golf Course, Fort Wainwright, Fairbanks, Alaska. To read more, click here.

Click here to view Samantha Smith's student profile.

Through Doyon Foundation’s Advanced College Credit program, high school students taking college classes are eligible for part-time scholarships, if their school district does not pay for classes. Students may receive scholarships covering the cost of their class, up to $400.

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The Doyon Foundation Alumni Association continues its intensive membership drive. When the association began last spring, there were 32 members on its roster. Currently, there are well-over 100 members in the association. Click here to see the full list of current members. To read more, click here.

The alumni association will now be hosting meetings on an as-needed basis. To sign up to receive meeting notifications and other alumni news, please contact Tracy Snow at inspire_consulting@yahoo.com to be added to the alumni e-mail list.

It has come to our attention that some alumni members are having a difficult time creating an alumni profile. Please note that alumni who already have a student or donor account do not need to set up a new account. Instead, they should contact the Foundation and ask to have the alumni role added to their existing account. Once the role has been added, alumni will be able to set up alumni profiles. To add the alumni role to your existing account, or for more information, contact Doris Miller, scholarship program manager, at 907.459.2050 or Doris Miller.

The Doyon Foundation Alumni Association is in the process of refining and expanding its student mentorship program, which was established as a way for alumni members to support current students. That support could range from offering math tutoring to helping a rural student transition to life on a college campus.

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Have an idea for a future “tips for student success” article? Want to share your own tips for success? We want to hear from you! Please e-mail your ideas to foundation@doyon.com.