Laura Brooks graduated with a Master of Science degree in counseling psychology from Alaska Pacific University in 1998 and also holds a B.A. in psychology from APU. A lifelong Alaskan, Laura chose APU because of the individual attention afforded each student, and the experiential philosophy held by the professors in the program.

Laura has worked extensively as a mental health professional for the past 10 years, focusing her work on populations that not everyone is excited about treating. While in the MSCP program, Laura chose to do her internship with the Department of Corrections and upon graduation was hired by DOC as a mental health clinician in charge of setting up and providing clinical oversight to Alaska’s first mental health court program. Laura is now the Director of Mental Health Services for the Department of Corrections, which she says provides her with a good mix of clinical and administrative work. In this job she supervises all of the clinical staff and programs in 14 correctional facilities statewide. The programs she supervises include two 24-hour acute psychiatric units providing hospital-level care for the most seriously mentally ill offenders in the system.

In addition, Laura has a small private practice where she specializes in treating teenagers who engage in self-injurious behavior. “I enjoy working with difficult populations,” she says. “Many people can’t fathom working in a correctional setting with serious offenders. And there are not a lot of therapists willing to work with teen cutters. I like being able to take on the tough ones. Finding a niche not everybody can fill is incredibly rewarding.”

ConocoPhillips Supports Alaska Pacific University Nordic Ski Center

We are pleased to announce that ConocoPhillips recently became a Silver Level Sponsor of the APU Nordic Ski Center (APUNSC.) This sponsorship is in addition to the company’s already generous annual support of the university through the annual fund for operations. Their support of the ski center helps fund the many university and community Nordic ski programs offered by the center, and helps to send APU skiers to important competitions, furthering their chances of competing in the upcoming Winter Olympic Games.

Grant Hall Theater Newly Renovated

We are very pleased to announce that the first phase of the Grant Hall Theater renovation has been completed–with new seats and more for your minds and bottoms to enjoy! To show our sincerest appreciation to all those who so generously contributed to the renovation project, a donor recognition event was held on September 15th and featured entertainment by Sitka Summer Music Festival musicians.

Opened in 1959, the Grant Hall Theater has a rich and impressive heritage. For over 45 years it has hosted a variety of performances: theater, dance, jazz and classical music, as well as many university productions. It is also the Anchorage home of the Sitka Summer Music Festival and its Autumn Classics Series, and is used more and more frequently for conferences and public meetings. It’s a beautiful venue that is treasured by many in our community for its intimacy and charm. However, four decades has resulted in a lot of wear and tear, especially to the seats, which had become worn and uncomfortable.

Thanks to leadership contributions from the Rasmuson Foundation, Sue Linford, and ML&P, and gifts from many other individuals, APU was able to do a complete makeover of the “house”–the area inside the theater where patrons sit. New seats, carpet and lighting fixtures were installed, a fire and safety system was added, and the interior was freshened with new paint throughout. The second phase of the renovation is scheduled to take place as early as 2007 and will include a makeover of the stage and backstage areas of the theater as well as the purchase of state-of-the-art theatrical equipment.

Alaska Pacific University is pleased to introduce you to the newest members of the APU Board of Trustees.

			APU’S NEW LOGO By Mike Warner, Director of Admission The Alaska Pacific University logotype is basic to the image of the university. It was created to project the image of Alaska Pacific University as an institution of higher education that is connected to its setting, where a strong sense of community is fostered, and where students come to expand their horizons and recreate themselves. The symbolic, abstract nature of the logotype invites the viewers to bring their own experiences and background to their interpretation of the logo, allowing the university to reach a large and diverse audience through its new image.
	Evolution of the logo: Our inspiration for creation of the logo was as diverse as Alaska Pacific University’s student body and as diverse as interpretations of the logo are likely to be. We first saw trees, and then a forest or a grove of trees, standing tall and proud together. As we developed the logo, we saw the sails of a ship at sea, a group of kayaks heading out onto the placid waters of a lake, the migration of birds north for the summer, the stately mountains that rise around Anchorage, and even the paw print of a bear left when she lingered for a moment near a bramble of blackberries. The overarching idea was to create a symbol romanticizing nature and the ideals of education. For example, in the migration of birds north for the summer we can read the travels of students from far flung places to Alaska Pacific University, where they come to explore new worlds, expand their horizons, and recreate themselves and a sense of their place in the world.

Get in touch with classmates!

Go to alumni.alaskapacific.edu, and sign up for the Alumni Directory. Dozens of our alumni have already signed up for the free directory. This is an easy way for you to find out what your freshman roommate, that girl in psychology or your favorite study partner are up to these days.