Doyon and two of its mineral exploration lessees recently donated $50,000 to GeoFORCE Alaska, a hands-on geoscience and Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) education program run by the University of Alaska, Fairbanks. This contribution supports rural Alaska and Alaska Native high school students who participate in GeoFORCE’s multi-year academic and field-based learning experiences.
GeoFORCE Alaska is a four-year academic experience focused on students from communities off the road system. Each summer, students travel to new regions to study geology and other STEM subjects in the field. The program emphasizes critical thinking, problem-solving and observation-based learning — often far outside of the classroom. Over the four-year program, students will visit and learn about geology at Denali National Park, Matanuska Glacier, the Grand Canyon, Zion National Park, Mt. St. Helens, Old Faithful, Yellowstone National Park, Dinosaur National Monument, and many other destinations.
“Doyon has been a long supporter of GeoFORCE, and we are very happy to volunteer time as well as financial support,” said Matthew Hanson, Resource Manager at Doyon, Limited. “Over the past 12 years, this program has given students from off-road systems a unique opportunity to explore the sciences. The participants of this program have an over 90% high school graduation rate, and a high percentage go on to higher education. It’s a fantastic program.”
As part of Doyon’s commitment to support opportunities for shareholder careers in the sciences, natural resources, and engineering, supporting programs like GeoFORCE ensures students are given opportunities early and can build confidence leading to academic success.
“It’s fun seeing them grow each year,” said Jaenell Manchester, a program mentor and GIS Analyst for Doyon. “I’m excited to return this year to help students connect what they’ve learned in Alaska about geologic processes with what they’ll see in the Southwest —traveling 200 million years into the past. I think GeoFORCE is such a great program, and I’m so happy that Doyon supports it.”
Doyon’s support for education is part of a larger effort to create regional opportunity. As mineral exploration agreements are signed on Doyon lands, education and scholarship contributions are built into long-term partnerships — benefiting the region and opening doors for future geologists, engineers, and land conservationists. To date, contributions from Doyon and its lessees have supported programs like GeoFORCE, the Alaska Native Science and Engineering Program (ANSEP), Alaska Resource Education, and the Doyon Foundation — totaling more than $210,000 and benefiting over 100 youths throughout the Doyon Region.
With consistent support from Doyon and its lessees, GeoFORCE continues to open pathways for rural Alaskan and Alaska Native students, helping to guide the next generation of scientists to continue protecting and caring for the land in the Doyon Region. For more information about GeoFORCE Alaska, visit www.geoforce.alaska.edu.
