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PWSC - Prince William Sound College

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PWSC - Prince William Sound College

PWSC is a community campus of the University of Alaska Anchorage. PWSC is a one-of-a-kind institution of higher education located in Valdez, Alaska.

Prince William Sound College (PWSC) is a two-year accredited college in Valdez, Alaska, where learning goes beyond four walls into Alaska's stunning environment. The main campus, together with two extension sites in Glennallen and Cordova, are set amidst some of the country’s most breathtaking scenery and rich cultural history. PWSC is a part of the University of Alaska Anchorage. PWSC offers associate degrees and occupational certificates. PWSC Valdez campus Land Acknowledgement:
"The Prince William Sound College main campus in Valdez respectfully acknowledges that we live, work, learn, and operate on the traditional, ancestral lands of the Chugach Alutiiq/Sugpiaq people. These lands have been stewarded for thousands of years since time immemorial by the Chugach Sugpiaq and Ahtna people. The traditional name of this area in Sugt’stun, the language of the Sugpiaq, is Suacit, which means, “the people of the place that rises into view.” Suacit and the surrounding Prince William Sound villages provided a bountiful harvest for the Sugpiat, Ahtna, and Eyak people. Suacit played an integral role as an overland trade route that linked Interior Alaska to Prince William Sound. PWSC acknowledges the painful history of colonization and the resilience of the Chugach Sugpiaq who still live here today. Valdez is a unique community in that the Valdez Native Tribe serves all local Indigenous residents and is not specific to the Sugpiaq people. PWSC acknowledges the ancient and current Indigenous stewards of this land who reside here today. This land acknowledgment is important to the PWSC campus because too often Indigenous history is washed away, and we strive to include both the ancestral and the contemporary history of the Indigenous people in our region. Quyanaasinaq
Tsin'aen
AwA’ahdah
Thank you very much."

09/24/2026

Yesterday, Intro to Field Ecology headed up to Thompson Pass for some hands-on fieldwork. On a beautiful fall day, I followed Morgan, Rachel, and Dahiana as they worked through a vegetation transect, collecting the kind of information ecologists use to understand what is actually happening on the landscape.

They selected a site and set out a 6-meter transect tape, marking points at each meter. At each point, they established a 1-meter perpendicular plot and recorded what they found: vegetation, soil, disturbance, aspect, elevation, and GPS location. They also identified the species and estimated the percentage of grasses, shrubs, mosses, lichens, and other vegetation within each quadrant.

It might look like three students measuring plants on a hillside, but a lot more is going on. They are learning how to collect consistent, usable data that can become part of a larger vegetation dataset and help us understand how landscapes change over time.

And Thompson Pass is a pretty incredible classroom. At about 2,678 feet, it sits above the treeline in the Chugach Mountains, surrounded by open alpine terrain. It is also known for its extreme snowfall, receiving more than 500 inches in an average year.

A great place to spend a fall day learning to read the landscape.

09/23/2026

Today is the fall equinox, when day and night are nearly equal in length. From here, daylight will continue to decrease as we move toward winter.

Our Natural Resources Technician students recently spent some time forest bathing in a black spruce forest in the Copper Basin. Forest bathing simply means spending intentional time in a forest, slowing down and using your senses to notice your surroundings.

The Copper Basin has extensive black spruce forests, with lichen, moss and wet, uneven ground common in the forest and muskeg areas. During this activity, students were able to slow down, lie back and take in their surroundings instead of focusing on getting somewhere.

A pretty good way to welcome fall and spend some time paying attention to the landscape around us.

09/22/2026

Today, Sugpiaq Culture Bearer Diane Selanoff joined Dr. Amanda Glazier’s Intro to Field Ecology class at Prince William Sound College.

This is Diane’s fourth year coming into Amanda’s class. Every year there is a new group of students, and Diane comes with more stories, knowledge and experiences to share.

Diane shared stories with the students and talked about her Sugpiaq language and the importance of keeping language and cultural knowledge alive. Students also made medicine pouches using rabbit fur and learned about the many ways these pouches have been used.

What we really love about having Diane come into the classroom is that students get to learn about the place they live in from someone who carries that knowledge and history. They are hearing the language, the stories and the traditions, and getting to ask questions and learn directly from Diane.

Diane and Amanda have been building this collaboration for four years now. Their work together has included cultural workshops, field ecology, student research and the Environmental Sciences Symposium, where students have explored local environmental topics and connected their science with the community around them.

This is the kind of learning that means something here. Our students are living and learning in Valdez, and having the opportunity to hear from a Sugpiaq Culture Bearer and learn about the language, stories and traditions connected to this place makes the classroom feel a whole lot bigger.

Today they listened, learned, made medicine pouches and got to spend some time learning from Diane. And that is pretty special.

09/21/2026

Last Friday, students in the new Part 107 club at Valdez High School had an opportunity to fly a drone in the national airspace under the guidance of PWSC's Part 107 pilots Jason Tippetts and Don Bickley.

To begin the training, PWSC's Chief Part 107 Remote Pilot in Command, Don Bickley, asked the students the most important question he could think of: "Do you have a right to use technology?"

Everyone said yes.

The students then received a rapid-fire briefing on the intersection of geopolitics and manufacturing that may affect their lives as they begin working with drones more professionally, whether under Part 107 or the upcoming Part 108. As Don stated on the field: "Think about what it feels like to have this kind of control for yourself when you are in the air."

Students were divided into two groups. Each group had their own PWSC pilot in command, a person manipulating the flight controls, and visual observers. Each group operated independently but also interdependently, as both flight crews utilized the natural layout of the football field to maintain an intuitive separation of space, crew responsibility, and a way of avoiding other classes also utilizing the field.

This training exercise was part of the T3 Valdez STEAMfest, an initiative from the Alaska Center for Energy & Power at the University of Alaska Fairbanks.

Photo: Jason Tippetts

09/19/2026

Sometimes the best way to learn about fish is to get your hands on one.

Adjunct instructor Kelsey Stanbro, an Ecologist (Wildlife and Fisheries Biologist) with the Ahtna Intertribal Resource Commission (AITRC), joined our Conservation of Natural Resources class, taught by Katie Bobowski, for a hands-on workshop using donated Copper River red (sockeye) from a fish wheel.

Students learned how fish anatomy can provide important information about an individual fish's health and the larger salmon population. They measured the fish, examined its anatomy, and collected a variety of samples, each with a different purpose.

Students collected muscle, whole blood, eggs from female fish, and samples from the gastrointestinal tract (GIT), as well as the apex of the heart, spleen, and posterior kidney. They also collected otoliths, scales, and fin clips for DNA analysis.

These samples can help biologists look at everything from genetics and physiological health to disease, parasites, reproduction, and other factors that can affect salmon survival and populations.

It was a chance for students to learn fish anatomy by working with a fish and to see how different parts of a salmon can tell the story of its health and life. More than learning the names of organs, students learned why biologists collect them and what those samples can tell us.

09/18/2026

A brown bear, a backpacking trip, and a lesson in leadership.
Sometimes the best lessons don't happen in a classroom.

Several days into their Backpack Alaska trip, PWSC Outdoor Leadership students encountered a large brown bear near their intended campsite. After monitoring the situation and determining the bear was not moving away, Outdoor Leadership instructor Dr. Benjamin Rush and second-year student instructor Franklin Westlake decided to leave the area and return to their vehicle.

As the group continued out, the bear moved toward them and briefly approached. Students regrouped, prepared their bear spray, and followed instructions. The bear eventually moved away.

No bear spray was deployed, no contact occurred, and no one was injured. The encounter did mean the students' backpacking trip ended one day earlier than planned.

But the real lesson wasn't just about the bear.

Backpack Alaska teaches students trip planning, navigation, hazard evaluation, safety, and backpacking skills. It also gives them opportunities to lead. During the trip, students paired up and took turns leading for the day—choosing routes, setting the pace, and helping plan meals.

When the bear changed the plan, leadership meant recognizing a hazard, communicating clearly, adapting, and putting the group first.

The following day, the students talked about what worked, what didn't, and what they would do differently. They also talked about looking out for one another and making sure everyone was doing okay after the trip.

These students are learning how to navigate the mountains, but they're also learning how to navigate uncertainty, lead a group, and look out for one another.

That's Outdoor Leadership. And sometimes, the brown bear gets a vote in the itinerary.

09/16/2026

Adult Education and Family Literacy Week

Governor Mike Dunleavy has proclaimed September 13–19, 2026, as Alaska Adult Education and Family Literacy Week, recognizing the important role adult education and literacy programs play in creating opportunity, strengthening families, and building stronger communities.

Last night, the City of Valdez also recognized the importance of education with its own proclamation and presented it to Dr. Teresa Barton, PWSC Adult Education Coordinator.

This recognition means a lot.

Dr. Barton works every day with adults in our communities who are pursuing their GED, learning English, building digital literacy skills, preparing for college or a career, or working toward citizenship. In the process, they create new opportunities for themselves and their families, and sometimes simply take that first step toward something they once believed might not be possible.

Adult education is about so much more than a credential. It is about confidence, opportunity, families, and the belief that it is never too late to keep learning.

We are grateful for the work Dr. Barton does for our students, our communities, and the people of Alaska.

Congratulations, Dr. Barton, and thank you for all you do.

Need information about Adult Education?

Teresa Barton
Adult Education Coordinator
303 Lowe Street
Valdez, AK 99686-1311
907-834-1671
[email protected]

Photo: Councilmember Lester Greene and Dr. Teresa Barton

09/15/2026

Alumni Spotlight: Weston Galey

Weston Galey, a graduate of our Marine Services Technology OEC program, recently shared a look at the work he’s been doing as a marine mechanic.

He completed a 1,000-hour service on a Yamaha 175 and, as Weston joked, unfortunately chose a rainy day for the photo.

More importantly, Weston says the skills he learned at PWSC have helped him a lot on the job.

“The skills I learned in your class very much helped me, and I’ve been enjoying working as a marine mechanic.”

We love hearing from our alumni and seeing where their PWSC training takes them. Great work, Weston!

09/13/2026

Student Spotlight: Vincent Unruh

Some people talk about what they want to do someday. Vincent Unruh is already figuring out how to get there.

Vincent has moved around a lot, but after just two weeks in Valdez, he may have found a place that feels like home.

Originally from Colorado, he came to Prince William Sound College to study Outdoor Leadership, and so far, the program has far exceeded his expectations.

“One of the things that has surprised me the most is the amount of activities that have been offered and how busy we have been with so many fun things,” Vincent said. “I am excited to see what other activities we will have the rest of the semester.”

His love of the outdoors has grown steadily, and he has a pretty clear idea of where he wants it to take him. Someday, he wants to own his own guiding company. And he's not just talking about it—he has a game plan.

While still in high school, Vincent reached out to several guiding companies to ask about opportunities to work and learn. One of them wrote back. He spent time working with horses and herding cattle, gaining experience and learning what it takes to work in the outdoor guiding world.

He has a few other things on his list, too: hunting, exploring, building something of his own—and cooking.

Then there's the mountain goat story.

During his senior year, he drove 2½ hours to hike for 10 hours. Somewhere along the way, he encountered a mountain goat. By then, he was huffing and puffing his way up the trail and became convinced the goat was gently laughing at him for being out of shape.

Maybe it was. But he kept going.

That determination is part of who he is. He has a dream; he's already started working toward it, and now he's in Alaska learning the skills to help make it happen.

Two weeks in, Vincent is just getting started.

09/11/2026

Making Connections in Alaska

Our first-year Outdoor Leadership students recently spent time with professionals from four of Alaska’s land and resource management agencies: the Alaska Department of Fish and Game (ADF&G), the National Park Service (NPS), the Bureau of Land Management (BLM), and the Alaska Division of Forestry.

Students had the opportunity to meet with Jack Cornish of ADF&G, Diane Ellsworth of NPS, Cory Larson of BLM, and Jenny Moser of the Division of Forestry to learn more about the work each agency does across Alaska.

These connections are a big part of what makes the Outdoor Leadership program special. Our students are preparing for careers that can connect directly with this work, from outdoor recreation and visitor services to resource management, education, interpretation, and public engagement.

And these connections can lead to careers. We have an outdoor leadership graduate, Ryan Chalker, now working with the BLM. Seeing our graduates move into these kinds of positions is pretty rewarding.

A huge thank you to Jack, Diane, Cory, and Jenny for taking the time to meet with our students, share your knowledge, answer their questions, and give them a real look at the work happening across Alaska.

Dr. Benjamin Rush has been bringing his Outdoor Leadership students to meet with these agencies since he arrived at PWSC seven years ago, and these visits occurred even earlier. It’s a tradition that continues to give our students something you just can’t get from a classroom.

Photo taken at the Alaska Division of Forestry.

Address

303 Lowe Street
Valdez, AK
99686

Opening Hours

Monday	8am - 5pm
Tuesday	8am - 5pm
Wednesday	8am - 5pm
Thursday	8am - 5pm
Friday	8am - 5pm

Telephone

+19078341600

Website

http://pwsc.alaska.edu/

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