ANCHORAGE, Alaska (KTUU) – Around 300 students gathered inside the Alaska Native Science and Engineering Program (ANSEP) building on the University of Alaska Anchorage campus Friday afternoon, as part of the kick-off event for the 29th annual ANSEP Celebration.
“We hold the celebrations each year to recognize the successes we’ve had over the past year, and also recognize the partners that have provided money for us to make this program happen,” said Matt Calhoun, the interim executive directive of ANSEP.
The event featured keynote speaker John Herrington, the first Native American to go to space.
“I couldn’t believe it,” said Isabella January, a 16-year-old junior from Bethel. “I was very excited to hear his stories about [being] in space and his journey.”
Herrington, who is a citizen of the Chickasaw Nation, kept his keynote speech short and sweet. He shared with the roomful of students, ranging from middle schoolers to college students, what led him to pursue a career as an astronaut. Herrington said he didn’t have a strong direction when he began college and that it took time to find his path.
“I found myself outdoors, spending time learning to rock climb, didn’t study in college, got kicked out of college for low grades,” Herrington said. “Ended up going to work in the mountains as a rock climber and worked with people who encouraged me to go back to school, become an engineer, put more into your life than what you’re doing right now.”
Herrington said he decided to return to college, and after earning a degree in applied mathematics, joined the Navy, which opened the door to study aeronautical engineering.
“I met really neat mentors that encouraged me to go down a path and that’s how I ended up in the Navy,” he said.
“Those people I watched on TV back in the 60s and 70s — I [was] in the same school, doing the same thing [as they were]. Why not me? Why can’t I be an astronaut?” Herrington recalled.
For January, who wants to be a neurosurgeon, hearing Herrington’s story is inspiring.
“It gave me a lot of hope to see somebody that successful,” January said.
Kalani Makaneole-Bragg,16, agreed with January. For him, it’s the representation that matters.
“I’m Native-Hawaiian, I’m a quarter Hawaiian, and it’s very rare that you find people of minorities inside of STEM or taking these great strides throughout history and it’s very motivating as a minority,” Makaneole-Bragg said.
ANSEP celebrations continued into Friday night at the Dena’ina Center, where ANSEP awards were passed out and Herrington presented a more in-depth keynote speech.
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