Press Releases
Do I pay taxes on my scholarship funding?
With the April 15th deadline approaching to file income taxes, students may wonder
whether or not to declare their scholarship funding as income. Per federal tax regulations,
money received as a qualified scholarship is generally excluded from a recipient’s
gross income. Therefore, a scholarship recipient does not pay tax on their scholarship
funding. Please consult your tax advisor for additional information.
Short-Term, Vocational Funding Available
The Doyon Foundation reminds students that short-term, vocational funding is available
year-round, on a first-come, first-funded basis. This funding is specifically for
individuals who do not meet the criteria for part-time student status, but who want
to attend a short-term, vocational course. Students will receive funding equal to
the cost of the course, not to exceed $400, and may receive funding once per year.
For more information, contact Doris Miller at 907.451.2050 or by email
millerd@doyon.com.
Updates Requested From Past Scholarship
Recipients
In an effort to better track student success, the Doyon Foundation is requesting
updates from past scholarship recipients. To assist in this effort, please send
information on what school you attended, what degree(s) you received and when, what
field you are now working in, and where you are currently living. To submit an update,
contact Seeyaa' Charpentier at 907.459.2048 or by email
charpentiers@doyon.com.
New Alumni Association Web Site
The Doyon Foundation is pleased to announce the launch of the new alumni association
section of the Foundation Web site. In the new section, alumni can learn about the
association, create a personal account, read about other alumni, stay up-to-date
on association news, and find out about current opportunities to get involved!
Visit the new section today!>
Board Members Elected at Annual Membership Meeting
Two members were elected to the Doyon Foundation board of directors during the Foundation’s
annual membership meeting, held October 20 in Fairbanks.
Esther Combs was elected to retain the shareholder seat she has held since spring
2007, when she was appointed to fill the seat vacated by Sarah Sherry.
Victor Nicholas was also elected to fill the Doyon, Limited seat, a position
previously held by Josephine Malemute. Both board terms are for three years, expiring
in 2010.
Doyon Foundation welcomes Nicholas and Combs to the board, and extends its deep
gratitude to Malemute for her years of service.
Wanted: Student Photos
The Doyon Foundation wants your photos! The photos will be used to acknowledge students
in future e-newsletters and on the Foundation Web site. Please ensure you have permission
from the photographer prior to submitting the photo. To submit a photo, please email
it to
charpentiers@doyon.com or mail
it to Doyon Foundation, 1 Doyon Place, Suite 300, Fairbanks, Alaska, 99701.
Doyon Foundation Welcomes New Employee
Doris Miller hired as new scholarship program manager.
The Doyon Foundation is proud to announce that Doris Miller has recently been hired
as the Foundation's new scholarship program manager. Miller is a Doyon shareholder
from Dot Lake, Alaska.
In her new position, Miller will be working to raise awareness of the Foundation's
scholarship programs and new alumni association. She will also be providing students
with assistance throughout the scholarship application process.
"I look forward to working directly with the students and watching them achieve
their educational goals," said Miller. "I am available to assist them and I intend
to be one of their biggest supporters!"
Prior to coming to the Foundation, Miller spent 17 years working at Tanana Chiefs
Conference, where she was involved with various programs, including health services,
mental health and alcohol programs, and quality management and administration.
Doyon Foundation to Award $376,932 in Scholarships to
320 Students on Friday, August 3
This Friday, August 3, Doyon Foundation will announce the recipients of the 2007
– 2008 basic scholarships for the fall semester and competitive scholarships for
the fall and spring semesters. An awards ceremony and reception will take place
from 1 – 4 p.m. at the Doyon, Limited Chiefs Court at 1 Doyon Place in Fairbanks.
The ceremony will include a keynote address by Doyon alumna Tracy Snow, as well
as remarks from Doyon Foundation board president, Dawn Dinwoodie, and Doyon, Limited
chairwoman, Georgianna Lincoln. Media and the public are invited to attend.
During the ceremony, a total of $376,932 in basic and competitive scholarships
will be awarded to 320 Alaska Native higher education students. A total of 228 $800
basic scholarships will be awarded to full-time students for the fall semester,
and 40 $400 basic scholarships will be awarded to part-time students for the fall
semester. Additional basic scholarships will be awarded for the spring semester
later this year.
In addition, the Foundation will award 52 competitive scholarships, ranging from
$2,000 - $7,000, to full-time higher education students. Of the $178,532 in competitive
scholarships, half of the amount will be funded to recipients for the fall semester,
and the remainder will be funded in the spring semester.
“Through this scholarship program, we are making an investment in the education
of our youth, which we believe will ensure a strong, healthy future for all of us,
and reap benefits for many years to come,” said Sharon McConnell Gillis, Doyon Foundation’s
executive director.
Among this year’s competitive scholarships are awards from the Morris Thompson
Scholarship Fund, which honors the late Morris Thompson who retired as CEO of Doyon,
Limited in 1999, and the Rosemarie Maher Memorial Fund, named for the late Rosemarie
Maher who served as the Doyon, Limited president and CEO from 2000 – 2001. Also
included is a $2,000 scholarship, established by the Fairbanks Native Association,
to be awarded to a non-traditional student.
The Doyon Foundation scholarships are funded primarily through corporate and individual
donations, as well as fundraisers including the Morris Thompson Memorial Golf Classic.
“If it weren’t for the Doyon Foundation, more and more students would have to
choose less expensive options, which could mean not finishing their degree or not
attending school in the first place,” said Amber Kocsis, one of the 2006 – 2007
Morris Thompson scholarship recipients. “A donation of time and money to the Doyon
Foundation is an investment in Alaska’s workforce.”
Doyon Foundation was established in 1989 by Doyon, Limited, the Fairbanks-based
regional Native corporation for interior Alaska. Since inception, the Foundation
has served the educational and cultural needs of Doyon’s shareholders by providing
scholarships, as well as advocating for strong, healthy families and communities
by offering educational and cultural programs.
For more information, please contact Sharon McConnell Gillis, Doyon Foundation’s
executive director, at 907.459.2050 or gilliss@doyon.com,
or visit www.doyonfoundation.com.
May 14 Doyon Foundation Reception Celebrates Graduates,
Honors Shareholders
Doyon Foundation will host its first annual graduation reception on Monday,
May 14 from 3 – 5 p.m. at the Doyon, Limited Building Chiefs Court at 1 Doyon Place
in Fairbanks. Media and the public are invited to attend.
The reception will recognize the accomplishments of the more than 50 Doyon Foundation
students who are completing their higher education pursuits this spring. Among these
students are six graduates from Project ENHANCE (Encouraging and Nurturing Highly
Accomplished Native Certificated Educators), which worked to increase the hire and
first-year retention rate of certified Alaska Native and American Indian teachers.
Other students, from all over the state and country, are graduating with degrees
ranging from certificates to PhDs in fields including law enforcement, interior
design, civil engineering, journalism, nursing and environmental science.
The reception will feature keynote speaker, Beth Leonard, who is currently working
as a term assistant professor of Alaska Native Education at UAF, and will be receiving
a PhD in Alaska Native and Cultural Studies from UAF this month. As both an educator
and a student, Leonard understands the importance of education first-hand.
“It’s important to encourage young people to complete high school and go to college
or vocational school. Higher education benefits not only the individuals involved,
but also the larger Alaska Native community,” she said. The May 14 reception will
also honor past Foundation board member Shane Derendoff for his four years of service,
and Athabascan elder/author Catherine Attla, who will receive an honorary doctoral
degree during UAF’s upcoming commencement ceremony.
“The reception recognizes some outstanding shareholders who have already contributed
greatly to our region, as well as shareholders who are just embarking on their careers,
and who will undoubtedly do great things in the future,” said Sharon McConnell Gillis,
Doyon Foundation executive director.
Doyon Foundation was established in 1989 by Doyon, Limited, the Fairbanks-based
regional Native corporation for interior Alaska. Since inception, the Foundation
has served the educational and cultural needs of Doyon’s shareholders by providing
scholarships, as well as advocating for strong, healthy families and communities
by offering education and cultural programs.
For more information, please contact Sharon McConnell Gillis, Doyon Foundation executive
director, at 907.459.2050 or
gilliss@doyonfoundation.com,
or visit
www.doyonfoundation.com.
Doyon Foundation Board Approves New Scholarship Plan
The Doyon Foundation board of directors recently approved a new scholarship plan,
which will increase the amount of annual scholarships awarded by more than $250,000
during the 2007 – 2008 fiscal year. This fiscal year, the Foundation awarded approximately
$310,000 to Alaska Native students pursuing higher education. During the next fiscal
year, the Foundation expects to award $558,000 in scholarships.
“Our mission is to support our students in their quest for higher education, as
we know that education is the key to a successful future, not just for our students,
but for our region, our state and our nation,” said Sharon McConnell Gillis, Doyon
Foundation executive director.
“Over the past year, we have made a concerted effort to talk with our students about
what they need to succeed. We’ve heard over and over from students that the financial
burden of going to school is huge, especially as tuition continues to rise each
year,” added Dawn Dinwoodie, president of the Doyon Foundation’s board of directors.
“Supporting students with scholarships is core to our mission, and we are extremely
pleased to be able to do this. While these scholarships are not going to pay everyone’s
way, they will certainly make a difference.”
The main changes to the scholarship plan include:
- Basic scholarships doubled to $400 per semester for part-time students, and $800
per semester for full-time students. In addition to the fall and spring semesters,
students can also now receive funding for the summer semester.
- New short-term, year-round vocational funding now available. Vocation students who
do not meet the criteria for part-time student status may apply at any time throughout
the year to receive funding for vocational courses. Students will receive funding
equal to the cost of the course, not to exceed $400, and may receive funding once
per year. Funding is provided on a “first come, first funded” basis. A total of
$20,000 will be awarded during the 2007 – 2008 fiscal year; $10,000 will be awarded
July 1 – November 30, 2007, and $10,000 will be awarded December 1, 2007 – June
30, 2008.
- Competitive scholarship awards increased by $20,000. In addition to the 30 competitive
scholarships currently awarded, several new scholarships will be added, including
four $2,000 Natural Resources Health competitive scholarships; one $3,000 Morris
Thompson Native Language and Culture competitive scholarship; one $7,000 PhD Morris
Thompson competitive scholarship; and one $2,000 Morris Thompson Committee’s Choice
competitive scholarship.
“My family is not financially able to pay for my college, so I have to find ways
to do that through scholarships. The Doyon Foundation is helping very much,” said
Dorothy Walker, Doyon Foundation’s 2006 – 2007 Committee’s Choice $3,000 competitive
scholarship recipient.
Funding for the increased scholarships comes from a variety of sources, including
major corporate sponsor, Doyon, Limited.
“These scholarships would not be possible with Doyon, Limited,” Dinwoodie said.
“They significantly increased their contributions, and we are deeply grateful for
their support.”
Doyon Foundation was established in 1989 by Doyon, Limited, the Fairbanks-based
regional Native corporation for interior Alaska. Since inception, the Foundation
has served the educational and cultural needs of Doyon’s shareholders by providing
scholarships to Alaska Natives, as well as advocating for strong, healthy families
and communities by offering education and cultural programs.
For more information, please contact Sharon McConnell Gillis, Doyon Foundation executive
director, at 907.459.2050 or
gilliss@doyonfoundation.com,
or visit
www.doyonfoundation.com.