Nyché Skavaq Sivulluiqti Andrew, Empowering Our Shareholders
Storyknife, January/February 2026 edition
Nyché Skavaq Sivulluiqti Andrew, a Calista Shareholder with ties to Bethel, was recognized by Yale University this year for advocating, working and collaborating with staff to create a new certificate in Native and Indigenous Studies.
Nyché, who graduated from Yale, in Connecticut, in December, received the university’s James Andrew Haas Memorial Prize, one of several awards given to graduating students annually. In its announcement, Yale cited Nyché’s “intellectual achievement, strength of character, and fundamental humanity.”
Nyché graduated in December from Yale with a dual, fast-tracked BA/MA (both Bachelor of Arts & Master of Arts) program in Political Science and a certificate in Education Studies.
Nyché was recognized for her deep knowledge of the Federal Indian Boarding School program and its history in Alaska. She is recognized for “her scholarship, advocacy and leadership” which has transformed Yale, and has helped center Native and Indigenous ways of life into both the academic and community life on campus.
“It was very opportune to have three Indigenous professors to make the certificate a reality,” Nyché says. “Through showing the interest in students, the ability to teach Indigenous classes through Indigenous professors, and through the established classes, we had enough to show administration how the certificate would support itself.”
Nyché’s passion for education and Alaska Native knowledge stemmed from her parents and her experiences growing up with her family. “My parents always stressed education. Neither of my parents finished their college degrees, and because of that they really wanted that for me and my siblings,” Nyché says. “It’s awesome that my parents can say that all four of their children attained college degrees. It’s no doubt thanks to how much sacrifice, love and support they poured into us.”
In 2022, Nyché interned with Calista’s External Affairs team and one of her assignments included attending the National Congress of American Indians (NCAI) conference in Anchorage. This was the first NCAI conference in Alaska in 19 years, with over 1,500 people in attendance.
“I remember being in the room and listening to fierce Alaska Native voices that came in the form of Tribal administrators, lawyers, Elders and family,” Nyché says. “They were so knowledgeable and passionate in representing Alaska Native people.”
The NCAI conference followed the Yellen v. Confederated Tribes of Chehalis court case which targeted Alaska Native communities for non reservation based systems and was an effort to disqualify Alaska Native Corporations from CARES Act COVID relief funding.
“This moment was foundational to me even now,” Nyché says. “It became my example to point to as to why Alaska Natives deserve to have their voices heard, especially with our unique landscape of Tribal governance and organization. Of course, I would not have been in the room were I not a Calista intern, of which I am incredibly grateful.”
Nyché was born and raised in Anchorage. She is Iñupiaq from her mom’s side, Jacqueline Walluk, with ties to Nome. She is Yup’ik on her dad’s side, Tigran Andrew, with ties to Bethel. One of her fondest memories in Bethel growing up was spending summer fish camp with her grandpa John Andrew at 15 years old.
I remember being in the room and listening to fierce Alaska Native voices that came in the form of Tribal administrators, lawyers, Elders and family
Nyché Skavaq Sivulluiqti Andrew
“Papa made coffee with boiled river water and the grounds thrown right in—no filter. But somehow, it was the best coffee I’d ever had,” Nyché says. “My parents didn’t really let me drink coffee at that time, but my grandpa did. I remember one particular evening where we had dry fish around midnight. Then he started making more coffee and I asked him ‘why so late.’ He said, ‘if you have dry fish, you gotta have it with coffee!’ So of course, I did and when I got back home to Anchorage, I was getting headaches from my sudden lack of coffee!”
Nyché continues the undergraduate research she began on Indian boarding schools by working as an Indigenous Research Specialist for the Alaska Native Heritage Center. Her position is a partnership with the Princeton University Library in New Jersey.
Nyché oversees the digitization of archives related to the formation of boarding schools, early industries in Alaska and Alaska statehood at Princeton. This is just one of her projects on the formation of Indian boarding schools and the impact they’ve had on our people.
“My job is special to me. I can live in New Jersey and work for Alaska,” Nyché says. “Alaska has my heart. It makes me who I am, and working for Alaska feels like the natural thing to do. No matter where I go, I think about Alaska.”
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