The University of Alaska Anchorage (UAA) now offers the first-ever minor in Alaska Native Business Management.
Since the 2014 fall semester, the new minor has presented students with an in-depth look at how Alaska Native corporations have diversified into successful state, national and global companies. The minor employs targeted education, hands-on training, research and technical assistance to grow the next generation of Alaska Native corporate and nonprofit leaders.
“As of 2015, UAA has over 2,000 Alaska Native and American Indian students,” says Sharon Lind, term assistant professor for UAA’s College of Business and Public Policy. “We have more Alaska Native students than any other university, so this program makes sense here.”
The Alaska Native Business Management minor is comprised of five required courses totaling 13 credits and an additional five elective credits that are focused on Alaska Native topics. Concepts covered in the required courses include Alaska Native corporation business practices, leadership and business management.
For the spring semester of 2016, classes will include Alaska Native Organizations; Indigenous Leadership; and Inside the Boardroom of an Alaska Native Organization.
The Alaska Native Business Management minor is targeted at undergraduate, bachelor degree-seeking students. The curriculum is valuable for anyone seeking to do business with Alaska Native organizations and is available to all UAA undergraduate students, regardless of their major.
“We have a strong interest in these classes by Alaska Native students,” Lind says. “Additionally, we are starting to see a very strong interest from our accounting students. Those majoring in accounting know they will probably start their careers in an auditing firm, and it is to their advantage to have knowledge in this area before joining that firm.”
To learn more, contact Sharon Lind at 907-786-4166 or sglind@uaa.alaska.edu.
