“I’m forever grateful for help I’m receiving from Doyon Foundation. Baasee!”
We’d like to introduce you to one of our amazing Morris Thompson competitive scholarship recipients: Angeli Kristovich. Even though we are unable to hold the Morris Thompson Memorial Golf Classic scholarship fundraiser this year, we still want to highlight our 2019 – 2020 Morris Thompson students and honor their hard work and achievements.
Angeli Kristovich is the daughter of Carol Endresen of Fairbanks and the late Richard Kristovich of Ketchikan. Her paternal grandparents are Patrick and Jeannie Kristovich of Washington; her maternal grandparents are Angeline Evans of Koyukuk and Carl Noble of Fairbanks.
Angeli attends the University of Alaska Anchorage-Mat-Su campus where she’s pursuing a bachelor’s degree in business administration with a concentration in property management and real estate. She anticipates graduating in 2023. Angeli is from a family of Ketchikan fishermen.
Doyon Foundation: Congratulations on being awarded a Morris Thompson competitive scholarship. How did life prepare you for this moment?
Angeli Kristovich: I dropped out of high school at 15 and earned my GED. It was scary to find myself in back in class as a non-traditional student who had been out of high school for 15 years. It was hard getting back into school at first, but I learned there are many outlets and resources to help.
Studying hard is key and being involved on campus is important too. As I made more friends and used the tutoring center, the campus felt more like a home away from home rather than a scary place full of people who are smarter than me.
DF: That will sound familiar to lots of students who find their first semester at college pretty intimidating.
AK: My first semester was scary! I would go to the library and try to study but, needless to say, it was super overwhelming. So I’d check Facebook and other social media and end up spending time on my phone when I should’ve been studying.
I was able — luckily — to realize this trap. I ended up deleting all of my social media profiles. Since then I have felt freer! My decision might sound extreme, but for me it felt great. I have more time to study and I’m focusing on what I need to be focusing on.
DF: You’re involved in campus life to help concentrate on schoolwork and navigate college life in general?
AK: Yes. Volunteering and school work keep me very busy. I’m student government president at the Mat-Su campus and I’m vice president of the Alaska Native Cultures Club. I write for the Mat-Su Monitor, the student-run newspaper that’s distributed throughout the Mat-Su Valley.
When I’m not volunteering or involved with school stuff, I spend time with my husband and family. I stay very busy and out of trouble.
DF: Scholarship recipients like you nearly always mention specific things that would have been hurdles without Doyon Foundation help. Anything come to mind?
AK: I want to say thank you to all the donors who make Doyon Foundation scholarships possible. Without your help, my life as a full-time student would have been much harder. The Morris Thompson scholarship helped me with money to buy books and pay for gas to get back and forth to school.
I know my Grandma Angeline Evans is looking down on me and so proud that I’m finally putting all the wisdom she taught me into practice. Getting an education will open a lot of doors in my life. I’m forever grateful for all the help that I’m receiving from Doyon Foundation. Baasee!
DF: What’s on the horizon for you?
AK: I’m a wife and full-time student. After graduation, I want to be a real estate agent to help low-income families get into their dream home.
Named in honor of the late Morris Thompson, former president and CEO of Doyon, Limited, the Morris Thompson Scholarship, awarded by Doyon Foundation, has helped more than 200 students forward their education. The annual Morris Thompson Memorial Golf Classic raises money for this competitive scholarship fund. While the event itself is not happening this year, we still welcome your support! You may make a secure online donation on our website or mail a check to Doyon Foundation, 615 Bidwell Ave., Suite 101, Fairbanks, Alaska 99701. To direct your donation to the Morris Thompson scholarship fund, simply note “Morris Thompson scholarship fund” in the notes section of the online form or on the memo line of your check. Thank you for supporting our students!