Forty-Ninth State Fellows Program

The Fellows Program is a training ground for the next generation of Alaska’s leaders.  Fellows study the roots of liberty in Western Civilization, the founding and development of American political institutions, and the challenges of self-government in Alaska.  Through selected courses in economics, history, and political science, they focus on the big questions of human society: What is justice?  What is the good life?  What is the best form of government? 

Forty-Ninth State Fellows share a common interest in history and public affairs, and enjoy the camaraderie of studying with other distinguished students during their undergraduate years.  They form a community dedicated to high academic achievement, individual integrity, and public service.  They choose their own majors and earn bachelors’ degrees in many different disciplines.  They may be eligible for tuition scholarships that allow them to focus intensively on their studies and related experiences. 

Fellows benefit from a weekly tutorial they take together in which they explore reading in depth, work intensively on writing, engage in thinking and conversation, and learn from outstanding teachers.  In their senior year, this training pays off as they write their honors theses. 

Fellows are members of the University Honors College, with all the educational and social opportunities that membership brings.  They take the University Honors core curriculum along with the Forty-Ninth State Fellows Program core.  Many of these courses also meet University general education and College of Arts and Sciences requirements.  Students who successfully complete the four-year program earn the designation “Forty-Ninth State University Honors Scholar.”  Forty-Ninth State Fellows may pursue any major they wish at the University.  Their Fellows Program courses are taken in addition to the required courses for the University Honors College. [NOTE: New admissions to this program have been suspended for the 2012-2013 academic year.]

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"I chose to join the University Honors College and the Forty-Ninth State Fellows Program for the travel opportunities.”

- Shasta Miller, University Honors College Student and Forty-Ninth State Fellow