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Anna Gagne-Hawes receives admissions excellence award

June 9, 2025

The 2025 Excellence in Admissions Award, given by the Pacific Northwest Association for Admission Counseling at its annual conference in May, went to ������’s Anna Gagne-Hawes. Gagne-Hawes was a part of ������’s Admissions Office for a decade, eventually serving as director of Admissions before shifting to a new role this month as the Academic Advising Center’s special projects manager and first-year advising specialist.

PNACAC, which recently celebrated its 60th anniversary, includes hundreds of high school counselors and college admission professionals across Alaska, Idaho, Montana, Oregon, and Washington. Gagne-Hawes is only the eighth recipient of the Excellence in Admissions Award, which recognizes an outstanding professional who promotes ethical standards and has made an impact guiding and empowering students as they prepare for college admission.

Gagne-Hawes was nominated by a number of people. One letter of support stated, “Anna goes out of her way to collaborate with the other universities in the UA system, often leading the charge for important policy and system improvements across the three universities. It is not a hyperbole to say that Anna is directly responsible for making the path to college less complicated for all Alaskan students.” Another noted her “deep commitment to supporting Alaska's communities, especially those in rural and underserved areas.”