Scholarships
Empowering Calista Shareholders and Descendants Through Education
CEC provides scholarship opportunities for Calista Corporation Shareholders and Descendants pursuing higher education and career training. Our programs honor both academic excellence and career training in skilled fields that keep our communities strong.
Program Overview
Calista Education & Culture (CEC) provides scholarships to support Calista Corporation Shareholders and Descendants in their educational journeys. Scholarships are available for both Academic (college/university) and Career & Technical Education (CTE) programs.
These awards are made possible through the generosity of Calista Corporation, Donlin Gold, and many additional corporate, community, and individual donors.
Important Notes
Each approved applicant may receive one scholarship per award year.
Applications are reviewed on a first-come, first-served basis for completed submissions.
Award amounts vary each year depending on available funding resources.
Eligibility Requirements
To qualify for CEC scholarships, applicants must:
Be a Calista Corporation Voting Shareholder or a Descendant of an Original Shareholder (natural-born or legally adopted).
Be Alaska Native.
Be enrolled in an accredited school or program.
Academic Scholarship applicants must have a high school diploma or GED and maintain a cumulative GPA of 2.0 or higher. CTE Scholarship applicants are not required to have a GED or high school diploma.
Required Documents
All applicants must provide copies of the following documents. We encourage you to have your documents ready before applying:
Proof of Alaska Native status (Tribal ID or Certificate of Indian Blood)
Proof of Shareholder or Descendant status with Calista Corporation
Request a Calista Shareholder Verification Letter through the MyCalista Portal or contact:
Calista Shareholder Services
Email: shareholder@calistacorp.com
Phone: (907) 275-2801
Verification Letters for Descendants are also issued by Calista Shareholder Services
Proof of Acceptance (or proof of application) to an accredited university, school or training program
Most recent Academic Transcript reflecting a cumulative GPA of 2.0 or higher (for Academic Scholarship applicants)
Award Cycles
Academic Scholarships (College/University)
Allrakumi (The Whole Year) Award
Award Period: Full Academic Year (Fall, Spring, Summer)
Application Window: Mar 15 – May 15
Qukallrani (Halfway) Award
Award Period: Partial Year Award (Spring or equivalent term)
Application Window: Sept 15 – Nov 15
Career & Technical Education (CTE) Scholarships
Uksuq (Winter) Award
Award Period: Jan – March
Application Window: Oct 15 – Nov 30 (previous year)
Up’nerkaq (Spring) Award
Award Period: April – June
Application Window: Jan 15 – Feb 28
Kiak (Summer) Award
Award Period: July – Sept
Application Window: Apr 15 – May 31
Uksuaq (Fall/Autumn) Award
Award Period: Oct – Dec
Application Window: Jul 15 – Aug 31
How to Apply
Submit your application through the new CEC Scholarship Application Portal.
Samara Kookesh
Samara is a CEC scholarship recipient who graduated from Grand Canyon University with a bachelor’s degree in government/legal studies. We are so honored to be part of supporting your educational journey and see a bright future ahead of you! Nutaan Atam!
Scholarship award names are presented in Yugtun, reflecting the seasons and cycles of our people. This honors our cultural way of marking time and reinforces CEC’s commitment to cultural alignment in all that we do.
Calista Education & Culture
5015 Business Park Blvd, Anchorage AK 99503