01/16/2020
UAS was the starting point for this globetrotting UAS alumni couple, Arlo & Oksana Midgett.
“Our experience at UAS provided the confidence to step outside our comfort zone and led to the careers that support exploring the world,” said Arlo.
Through UAS professor-led class trips to Spanish speaking countries, Arlo and Oksana Midgett first met as undergrad students exploring Venezuela. These class trips ignited a deep passion for the language, travel, and learning about cultures unfamiliar to their own. They credit their experience at UAS for the skills and confidence they gained to become professionals in their fields and for the ability to set off independently on what became a three-year adventure around the world.
Originally from Russia, Oksana vividly remembers taking an accounting class from professor Janet Dye and knowing immediately that “this was the career path for me.”
“The intimate environment of UAS gave me an opportunity and guidance to discover what I really liked and wanted to do for a living, and the knowledge to get there.”
Right after getting her Bachelor’s in Accounting from UAS, Oksana was hired as an accountant and earned her MBA from UAS as well. She now works as a controller at Alaska Electric Light & Power.
Arlo graduated from high school in Ketchikan and earned a Liberal Arts degree at UAS while working as a student employee in the media services department. Gaining experience in his student role generated the interest and skills that he uses in his line of work as a publication specialist for the State of Alaska and has held a range of production, web, and digital media roles.
The experiential learning opportunities in Latin America with professor Rick Bellagh led Arlo to graduate from student, to student assistant, and finally adjunct professor leading Spanish trips for other UAS students. “UAS gave me the ability to step outside my shell and explore possibilities,” Arlo said.
