Augustine Hamner Assists Rural Alaska and Continues Education

Shareholder Follows Dream to Become Mechanical Engineer

Storyknife, November/December 2021 edition

“With the [CECI] scholarship I can continue my education not only to better myself but also help to make an impact on the youth of Alaska, to prove they can do anything that they put their minds to.” – Augustine Hamner, Shareholder Pursuing Mechanical Engineering

Augustine Manaq Hamner, with village ties to Chuathbaluk, has her heart set on mechanical engineering, and she’s already well on her way. Augustine currently works at ANTHC with the Alaska Rural Utility Collaborative (ARUC) as an engineering project manager. She helps ARUC provide adequate water and sanitation services to rural communities within Alaska—including a handful of Calista Region villages.

She graduated in May with a Bachelor of Science in Mechanical Engineering with a Minor in Math from the University of Alaska Anchorage (UAA).

“I would like to thank Calista for supporting me throughout my undergraduate degree and now with my graduate degree,” Augustine says.

She continues her education with her sights on a Master of Science in Mechanical Engineering from UAA.

“I had many ideas about what I wanted to be, a musician, a doctor, or something that pertained to math, but I never knew what I wanted to be exactly, until I stepped foot into the ANSEP building for the first time,” says Augustine. “From then on, I knew exactly what I wanted to be: a mechanical engineer.”

Application deadline for the 2022 Spring Term is due December 1, 2021.

Apply today! www.CalistaEducation.org

Augustine is the first in her family to finish college. She has been successful through ANSEP—or the Alaska Native Science & Engineering Program. She has interned with sponsoring companies like BP. Internships build connections and create relationships with people who can help in future endeavors.

Augustine’s advice for students still attending college is to join clubs and organizations—that’s how she met some of her closest friends.

“Enjoy the time you are in now! These years will fly by and there will be challenging times throughout your education, but make sure to have fun and do things that excite you,” she says.

With her work at ANTHC, she continues to follow her dream of engineering while providing support to rural Alaska. One part of realizing her educational goals is through the Calista Education & Culture, Inc. (CECI) scholarship.

“With the [CECI] scholarship I can continue my education not only to better myself but also help to make an impact on the youth of Alaska, to prove they can do anything that they put their minds to,” Augustine says.

Her parents are Grace Shifflett-Hamner and Robert Hamner. She was born and raised in Anchorage, though her dad’s family is from Chuathbaluk, and her mom’s family is from Shishmaref.

“Throughout the years I have realized how problematic education was in villages, due to lack of resources and teachers available to students and even adults in the village,” she says. “I plan to give back and help raise the standards of education for more students in less-populated areas of Alaska.”

Calista Education & Culture, Inc. Scholarship Opportunities

The mission of Calista Education & Culture, Inc. is to celebrate and promote Yuuyaraq, the traditional/cultural way of being in the Calista Region which inspires and encourages our people to achieve their dreams through education.

The scholarship program awards scholarships two times each year. The application deadline for the Fall Term scholarship is due on June 30, and the Spring Term scholarship application is due December 1. Apply today!