Minnie Naylor, the current director of University of Alaska Fairbanks’ (UAF) Chukchi Campus in Kotzebue, has taken on an additional role as the Interim Director of the UAF Northwest Campus (UAF NW). Naylor will lead both campuses, drawing from her deep connections to rural Alaska and her extensive experience in education.
UAF NW’s former Director, Barbara Amarok, announced her retirement in early June, prompting a summer search for a successor. Naylor said Amarok and others in the UAF system supported her throughout her time as director of the Chukchi Campus. When the news came that Amarok was retiring, Naylor said she felt the need to pay the favor back.
“I was like, ‘if they needed something, please contact me’. They helped me when I needed it and I'm close here, let me just help if I can,” Naylor said.
Naylor’s dedication to helping others has been the story of her entire career. After graduating from UAF’s Fairbanks campus, Naylor returned to Kotzebue to work as a village access coordinator. While working the full-time job, Naylor finished her master’s degree in rural development – something she says her father always wanted her to accomplish.
She briefly left the UAF system but soon after returned to work in the Rural Student Services department as an advisor. Naylor worked in that role for six years, advising students from rural communities across western Alaska.
In 2022, the opportunity to become UAF Chukchi Campus’ new director was presented to her. Naylor said that taking the job was a tough decision, but one she felt she was ready for.
“I still was really sad when I had to leave my students because I had great passion for being an advisor, working with students, helping them get their educational goals. But with this I was like, ‘Okay, maybe it's a new step in the ladder. Let's try it. If leadership in Fairbanks feels like they trust me to do this, let's try it.’”
- Minnie Naylor
This summer, her offer to help the NW Campus transition to a permanent director was taken up, and she was offered the interim job. Naylor said covering both schools will be a challenge, but felt confident her team at the Chukchi Campus is ready.
“If I didn't have the staff here that I know is a well oiled machine, I don't think I would have been able to do this role. Not that it's easy here, but I think I could do both,” Naylor said.
UAF’s Associate Vice Chancellor for Rural and Workforce Education, Bryan Uher, said that Naylor’s unique combination of being from the region, her experience in grant writing, and dedication to student support made her the perfect fit for the interim job.
“We look forward to seeing her bring more of that into the Northwest Campus. Having someone that's experienced with these high level, large federal grants will be vital in kind of continuing that funding stream for the Northwest Campus,” Uher said.
UAF NW offers eight programs that provide occupational endorsements or campus credentials for students. The reindeer husbandry program offered at UAF NW sits at a unique combination of education and cultural preservation, something Naylor said she holds dear as a native of the region.
“I think it's important to a lot of people in the region, that express that they want to preserve reindeer husbandry and also the language,” Naylor said. “That's what that region wants, and we're here to help them get that knowledge.”
While Naylor serves the interim role, she’ll regularly meet with UAF NW staff via Zoom and occasionally travel to Nome for in-person meetings. She said she’s willing to help out as long as it takes while the campus looks for its new permanent director.
