We are proud to announce recipients for CIRCAC’s annual scholarship program.

Matfey Reutov, a graduating senior at Voznesenka won our Captain Barry Eldridge Memorial Scholarship for Maritime Studies.

Matfey plans to attend Kenai Peninsula College to study welding.

“The thing that makes me most excited is that I can pursue something that I have always wanted to do,” he says. I was intrigued by welding when I first heard about it at a young age. I thought it was so amazing how you can melt metal together and make stuff with it.”

Dominic Austin, a graduating senior from West Anchorage High won our James Carter Memorial Scholarship for Environmental Science.

Austin plans to attend Colorado State University to pursue a degree in Fisheries/Wildlife Biology. “Growing up surrounded by the natural world has taught me many great things in life,” he says. “Among others, It taught me to be compassionate, to be quiet and listen, and to observe intelligently. Now, the ability to take my passion for wildlife and conservation and not only turn it into a career, but make a positive impact on the world is what truly excites me about continuing my education.”

To date, CIRCAC has awarded $40,000 in scholarships to local students. The scholarship program is made possible in part by the work of our all-volunteer scholarship committee that interviews and ultimately awards the scholarships: Carla Stanley, Capt. Bob Pawlowski and Rick Frederic.