Her tenure on the UA Board of Regents began in 2015 and ended in 2023. While serving as a Regent, Sheri wholeheartedly supported UA’s mission to inspire learning, and advance and disseminate knowledge through teaching, research, and public service, while emphasizing the North and its diverse peoples.
As she steps down from her regency position, her legacy at UA will live on through the Sheri Buretta Family Scholarship, which will provide financial assistance to students who demonstrate need and are Alaska residents.
Sheri Buretta was born in Anchorage. Her family is from the village of Tatitlek, located in Prince William Sound. She holds a degree in accounting from UAA, and she has a heart and passion for young people in need in Alaska and, through this scholarship, wants them to provide a support system for them to achieve their higher education dreams.
Sheri remembers a time in her adolescence when similar support allowed her to learn and prosper in the classroom. “Sheri told me that she wanted to support a scholarship for students in need, because she remembers her school, Nunaka Valley Elementary, was a ‘safe haven’ for her,” said former Alaska Governor Sean Parnell who is currently serving as the UAA Chancellor. “And she hopes that the support of the scholarship named in her honor will help to changes lives – personally and economically.”
Chancellor Parnell went on to say, “We intend to endow the Sheri Buretta Family Scholarship and make it available to assist UAA students for generations to come.” To this end, the Chancellor and his wife Sandy were amongst the first to step forward and contribute funds to place this scholarship on the path toward endowment.
“I want to thank the Chancellor and Sandy for this gesture, and it was a privilege to work with Chancellor Parnell and my friends who serve on the UA Board of Regents,” said Sheri Buretta. “At Chugach, I know the scholarships we provide to our shareholders and descendants are the most meaningful way that we serve our community, so I am incredibly touched to have my name attached to this new scholarship at UAA.”
“I am so thankful for my eight years of service on the UA Board of Regents. It has been a wonderful and rewarding experience,” Buretta expressed. “I cannot think of a better way to pay it forward than to provide funding for education at UAA for those in need.”
During the recent UAA Giving Days, the $25,000 endowment goal was surpassed, so the new goal is $50,000 and a process for distribution for the next year school year is being developed. So please consider contributing to this worthy effort by clicking here.