Law Student Finds Support, Connection with Sealaska
Wednesday, June 15, 2022

“Knowing Sealaska is rooting for me is much more meaningful than just the money.”
This spring, look for stories from some of Sealaska’s scholarship recipients. Each student is on a different path, with diverse personal, academic and professional goals. Sealaska believes in their dreams. By helping to further the education of these future leaders, we are investing in our people’s shared future.
Jess Johnson is currently finishing up her second year of law school at Syracuse University. She plans to focus on intellectual property law upon graduating and passing the bar and is taking engineering classes in addition to her already-heavy law school load in hopes of boosting her knowledge across both areas. Johnson said she has found her pursuit of a law degree fulfilling beyond simply studying to become a lawyer.
“Learning how to think, how to question – that sort of big concept stuff, learning how to analyze something, training your mind to think a certain way – I’ve really enjoyed that aspect of my education,” said Johnson.
Johnson has also found meaning in the support she received from Sealaska, she said, feeling inspired by the confidence her corporation has in her. For her, the recognition means even more than the financial support.
“It gives me an extra boost, that stamp of approval from my corporation,” she said. “Knowing my people think I’ll get through it, that I’ll be just fine – it’s meaningful. Knowing Sealaska is rooting for me is much more meaningful than just the money.”
Johnson is a former Sealaska intern. During her internship, she observed legal research for a patent for one of Sealaska’s marine engineering businesses. The project inspired her to pursue patent law as a path toward making a difference for both people and planet, a goal which Sealaska shares.
“If I could use any sort of engineering or environmental law and take what I’ve learned to have a positive impact on the world, I think that would be amazing,” Johnson said.
About Sealaska’s Scholarship Program
Sealaska is dedicated to advancing the opportunities of our people through access to higher education and vocational training. The Sealaska scholarship program serves shareholders and descendants enrolled full or part time in vocational-technical programs and accredited colleges and universities. To date, Sealaska has committed $26.5 million to its scholarship fund and awards 400-plus scholarships per year. For full program information and eligibility requirements, please visit MySealaska.com.
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We are excited to announce that the results of the 2025 Sealaska election have been certified and are ready to share with all of you.
Congratulations to our 2025 winners. At Sealaska, we are deeply grateful for your participation in this year’s election. Selecting exceptional leaders to help guide our shared future is one of the most meaningful ways for shareholders to engage with us. These winners were randomly selected from the pool of early birds by the Inspectors of Election. All payments will be processed this week and delivered via the payment method on file for distributions in MySealaska.com.
We are continuing our search for a dynamic and visionary leader to serve as Sealaska’s president. It is important that we find the right candidate to fill this position, which is why the Sealaska board of directors is being as exacting as possible as we search for a candidate capable of amplifying the impact of our mission and providing benefits that empower our shareholders. To this end, the Sealaska board of directors recently revised the job description for the position of president and sought the assistance of a professional recruiting firm. Our hope is to announce a successful candidate as our new president this coming summer.
After considering the recently announced U.S. Postal Service delays to First-Class Mail in conjunction with a paper proxy error leading shareholders who wish to vote by mail to potentially wait for their regularly scheduled second proxy mailing, we have made the decision to extend the early bird deadline to June 6. We are listening to shareholders and want to give everyone the best chance to qualify as an early bird. Thank you for understanding and thank you for voting.
Shareholders, an error occurred when printing proxy cards regarding the number of shares you own and votes you have in the top right corner of your proxy card. This error does not affect the validity of your paper proxy, nor does it affect voting on MySealaska.com through the Election Connection portal
Early birds, it’s your time to fly! Congratulations to our 2024 winners.
Sealaska shareholders are invited to join us at our upcoming in-person and virtual community meetings to learn more about Sealaska business operations, upcoming opportunities and connect with fellow shareholders and descendants.
Sealaska shareholders are now able to view and download their IRS Form 1099-DIV for 2023. Printed 1099 tax forms will be mailed on or before Jan. 26.
Film is a mirror: Sealaska shareholder descendant Miciana Hutcherson reflects on Black History Month
Sealaska shareholders are now able to view and download their IRS Form 1099-DIV for 2022. Printed 1099 tax forms will be mailed on or before Jan. 27.
What Are Shareholders Saying? How does blood quantum impact your life?We asked this simple question and more than 600 shareholders answered, so far. Below are a few of the perspectives we shared via our social channels. Some of these posts you will love. Some you may not. Sealaska has not taking a position, we are …