The Murdock Trust invests in capacity-building projects at nonprofit organizations across the Pacific Northwest. When one grant helps create new opportunities and increase the impact of a nonprofit’s work down the line, we call it the ripple effect. The Stories of Impact series on our website is intended to help shed light on the outcomes driven by some of the outstanding organizations the Murdock Trust has been fortunate to support in recent years.
In Soldotna on the Kenai Peninsula, Alaska Christian College (ACC) equips Alaska Native students for a life of serving the common good motivated by the Christian faith. With support from the Murdock Trust Vision & Call program, ACC has strengthened its impact by establishing sustainable internship opportunities for its students so they are prepared for life beyond – or back in – their home villages.
Founded in 2001, ACC offers two-year degrees that bridge the gap between the rural village life of many students and whatever comes next. 90% of ACC students are Alaska Native, and for many, this is their first time living in the road system. College staff recognized that students were interested in further post-graduation support and were eager to stay connected to the ACC community. So ACC committed to the Murdock Trust Vision & Call program to provide structured mentorship and internship opportunities to graduates.
“For years, we’d been thinking about a kind of ‘Next Steps’ program,” said Keith Hamilton, ACC president. “How could we encourage students who want to dig deeper into discipleship, but also into the act of learning a trade or job to get them further down the road?”
The Vision & Call program provides funding and a structure for internships across the Pacific Northwest that prioritize mentorship, an apprenticeship model, and intentional conversations around vocation and calling. It is intended to support faith-based organizations in cultivating the next generation of leaders, either within that ministry or beyond it.
“Alaska Christian College has been an exemplary Vision & Call organization because of its commitment to meeting the needs and interests of its students,” says John Franklin, program director for Civic Engagement & Community Services and Vision & Call program lead at the Murdock Trust. “After 25 years of partnering with the college through capacity-building grants, we knew they were going to shine in this program and provide gold-standard support to their interns.”
Wraparound Support
ACC has developed five internship tracks: student life, spiritual life, maintenance, food service, and IT. Beyond these vocational opportunities, the college provides life skills support and mentorship.
“A lot of our students come from small communities, villages of 400 people with no roads connecting them,” says Sean Hoffbeck, vice president of operations at ACC. “Our students haven’t experienced [access to] a lot of the life skills [support] some might take for granted.”
So ACC builds life skills development into their program, supporting interns to open bank accounts, get their driver’s license, and purchase insurance. They walk alongside them every step of the way.
“It’s more holistic for us than just the job they are doing,” says Sean.
Interns also benefit from attending the Vision & Call retreat in Yelm, WA. For many ACC interns, this is their first time out of Alaska. The chance to connect, learn, and worship alongside peer interns from Pacific Northwest organizations expands their vision for their future and connects them to likeminded peers.
The Ripple Effect
After several years of the program, ACC has seen its interns become full-time employees at the college, get jobs in Soldotna, or return to their home villages. Each of these is a success, according to ACC staff.
“We didn’t expect the ripple effect. We thought they’d show up for the year and then leave,” said Keith. “But many of them are investing back into ACC, regularly on campus or maybe volunteering. And most students, even if they go outside Alaska for further education, always come back to the state. The idea of having a healthy [Vision & Call graduate] who has been given an apprenticeship and an opportunity to grow their faith can make a huge difference to a small village. They’re making a difference in our state.”
Thank you, ACC interns, for bringing your purpose and passion to this internship program. And thank you, ACC staff, for providing the structure and mentorship to equip future generations to thrive!