Protecting What’s Wild: Nels Ure
The UAF College of Liberal Arts proudly celebrates Nels Ure, graduating senior in the UAF Arctic and Northern Studies program, for his powerful commitment to community, conservation, and educational equity.
A second-generation Bristol Bay fisherman, Nels completed his degree entirely remotely—balancing full-time work in land and conservation while studying full-time at UAF. “I’ve worked full time while also going to school full time for these past few years,” he explains. “My background is in land and conservation work in Bristol Bay, specifically regarding salmon habitat.”
As a nontraditional student, Nels found strength in the flexibility of remote learning—and in the relationships that grew along the way. “One thing that has been incredible through my degree path is just getting to meet with certain professors and advisors who have just sparked that passion and sparked the interest for me to dig deeper in what it means to live in Ӱԭ, to live in the Arctic, and the issues and successes that we have that are very place-based,” he shares.
Now, Nels is looking ahead to graduate school. “I’ve accepted a spot in Yale’s 125th cohort at the School of the Environment,” he says, “so I’ll be pursuing a master’s of environmental management this fall.” His goal? To take what he’s learned at UAF and continue advocating for Ӱԭ’s environment. “We’re so lucky to still have lots of wild public lands that sustain industry, economy, culture, community,” he says. “I just really hope to take the research and what I’ve learned at UAF and amplify that in my master’s program to come back to Ӱԭ and really make sure that our environment stays as amazing, grand, and pristine as it is.”
Throughout his studies, Nels leaned on his close-knit community to stay the course. “I have a fantastic work community as well as a wonderful support system through my wife, and also with my young daughter,” he says. “All of those people in my direct community—whether in work, just my group of friends, or my direct family—are what kind of kept me going when there were times where I was like, ‘Oh, am I going to be able to finish this paper? What is this all for?’ But they were the ones that really kept me on the straight and narrow to finish my degree strong.”
Though Nels has never stepped foot on UAF’s physical campus, he still considers himself deeply connected to the university’s mission and the far North. “Even though I’m a nontraditional student and have done all of my work remotely,” he says, “I’ve been able to explore all of these amazing aspects of Ӱԭ and the far North that really interest me—from sustainability to Indigenous cultures to the environment.”
As he steps into the next chapter, Nels brings with him not only academic knowledge, but a lived understanding of place, perseverance, and purpose. His journey is proof that with the right support and commitment, remote students can make real impact—both in the classroom and far beyond.