Although St. Paul Island’s resident fur seals won’t be attending classes at IIisagvik College, they will be observing the new Bering Sea Campus.

Iḷisaġvik College has announced the approval of its new Bering Sea Campus (BSC) on St. Paul Island as an official instructional site. This milestone marks a significant expansion in the college’s ongoing efforts to provide accessible, place-based, tribal higher education to rural and remote Alaskan communities. The new site reflects the continuation of a longstanding partnership with the Aleut Community of St. Paul Island (ACSPI), which has been a dedicated collaborator in supporting educational access for Alaska Native students.

The BSC features administrative offices, classrooms, and a computer lab to support academic programming, as well as the nearby Bering Sea Science Research Laboratory operating through the Bering Sea Research Center. With this infrastruc­ture, Iḷisaġvik College will continue to offer both credit and non-credit courses—including instruction in Unangam Tunuu (the Aleut language), hazardous waste operations and emergency response (HAZWOPER), and essential workforce development skills—through a combina­tion of in-person and hybrid formats.

 “I am so grateful for all we have accom­plished thus far with this partnership, so proud to work alongside the great people at Iḷisaġvik College and to witness such a historic moment for us in bringing tribal higher education to our people in St. Paul,” stated Wayne Melovidov, president of ACSPI. “I am excited to continue growing our partnership and supporting each other as organizations and as people.”

The expansion strengthens Iḷisaġvik’s ability to serve ACSPI’s 1,200 enrolled tribal members, particularly the approxi­mately 400 individuals who reside on St. Paul Island. By formalizing BSC as an instructional site, the college can more effectively reach the broader Aleutian region and lay the groundwork for future academic offerings, including an Unangax certificate program.

These efforts align with Iḷisaġvik’s mission to advance self-determination, sustainability, and educational opportunity for Alaska Native communities, and to facilitate the development of a well- educated and trained workforce that meets the human resource needs of Alaska. Iḷisaġvik College president Justina Wilhelm notes that this expansion reflects the college’s “commitment to providing excellent tribal postsecondary education.” Wilhelm added, “We are thrilled to continue our partnership with ACSPI and thought­fully meet the needs of their community.”

As Alaska’s only tribal college with accreditation through the Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities, Iḷisaġvik remains committed to offering culturally relevant, community-rooted education across the state. The approval of the Bering Sea Campus reinforces this commitment and highlights the college’s continued investment in meaningful part­nerships that promote equity and access in higher education.