he Associated General Contractors, or AGC, of Alaska Workforce Committee reviewed twenty-four scholarship applicants this year and, after much discussion, awarded eight scholarships totaling $30,000. The 2024 recipients include: Ian Rocheleau, Fa’amao Daniel Asalele Asafo, Aaron Standerwick, Ethan Racette, Cassidy Morrison, Joshua Daniels, Eli Mortensen, and Graycen Miller. Meet the winning recipients as they share a little information about their backgrounds and hopes for the future.

Living in Alaska my entire life has given me opportunities to develop life skills that many people don’t get the chance to attain. The AGC scholarship is opening many doors for me as well, the most important of which is easing my financial burden so that I can pursue my educational goals with ambition and commitment. I hope to eventually become a head project manager within the Alaska construction industry. Go Broncos!

—Aaron Standerwick

I’m incredibly thankful and indebted for the continued support I’ve received from AGC of Alaska. As a student who also competes in athletics at Northern Michigan University, it is impossible to state just how much the support AGC has provided means to me. It’s been a goal of mine to pursue a career in the construction industry, and with yet another year of work and school experience under my belt, I’m even more motivated to make my dreams come true.

Last summer, I was fortunate enough to receive an opportunity to work for Brechan Construction, LLC as a laborer/intern. This opportunity granted me experience in various work environments, from the office to paving jobs, and gave me an opportunity to show what I had learned in school and athletics, in the field. This job, along with my experience on Northern Michigan University’s swim and dive team, has driven me to continue to succeed in school, because I have now been offered an opportunity to return to work for Brechan again this summer.

The opportunities and experience I’ve been permitted have been made easier with the support of AGC. I am—and will forever be–proud that AGC, an organization that serves myself and many others striving to succeed in the construction industry, chose me as a returning scholarship recipient. Thank you, AGC, for your continued support!

—Ian Rocheleau

I am truly honored and grateful to be a recipient of this year’s AGC Scholarship. Since graduating with my bachelor’s degree in 2022, I have been working full-time as a project engineer for ASRC Civil Construction. I was immediately deployed to a remote airport project in Western Alaska and since then have been a part of three other civil projects ranging between $5 million and $30 million while overseeing crews of up to thirty people. This scholarship will lift a financial weight going into my first year of my graduate program at the University of Alaska Anchorage. I will be pursuing my Master’s in Project Management with an emphasis in leadership. I would like to thank AGCs of Alaska for its never-ending support in assisting the next generation’s growth in the construction industry. I am excited to continue developing my professional career in Alaska as well as contributing to the WeBuildAlaska initiative. Lastly, a special thanks to my parents and family in American Samoa and abroad for their continued support as I pursue my educational and career goals.

—Fa’amao Daniel Asalele Asafo

I’m a senior from Fairbanks and I will be attending the University of Massachusetts Boston in the fall to study project management and accounting. Growing up in Fairbanks, I played a lot of different sports, but I quickly found a passion for hockey and began playing competitively at 10 years old and never looked back. After playing for Hockey Club Fairbanks for several years, I was fortunate enough to receive several individual honors from USA Hockey, including being named to the Alaska State Selects and Pacific District Selects all four years I was eligible. In 2021, I was invited to the USA Hockey Player Development Camp in Minnesota with 200 of the best players in the country. This experience opened my eyes to the opportunities I could have as a hockey player if I continued developing my skills. After my experience at National Camp, I decided to make the jump to Tier 1 hockey and made it a goal to become an NCAA hockey player.

Following two seasons playing at the Tier 1 level, I was offered spots on several NCAA programs but chose UMass Boston due to its strong management program and the many opportunities for professional development in the Boston area. After earning my bachelor’s degree, I plan on pursuing a master’s degree in project management before returning to Alaska, where I hope to work as a project manager in the construction, mining, or oil and gas industry. I would like to thank AGC of Alaska for their generous scholarship, which will be a tremendous help as I move on from high school and begin my college career.

—Cassidy Morrison

“Go get the board stretcher, Ethan.” My name is Ethan Racette and those were the first words I heard when I started working for my uncle’s construction company when I was 14. Obviously, the board stretcher has yet to be found, but in search of it, I found something else: my love for construction. Working under my uncle’s guidance proved to be invaluable. It was challenging, but it made me want to work harder and learn more inorder to improve myself and become more of an asset to the company.

I then went on to help build our family home with our general contractor, where I learned about setting rebar, laying foundation, and framing the house from the ground up. The more I learned, the more I understood how much I didn’t know, which made me even hungrier to advance my skill set. I would go to the library and get lost in any information I could find about residential construction.

Around this time, I began to realize that this is what I wanted to do with my life. I love the idea that I can create something amazing from wood and concrete. Every time I would finish a job and remember where it started, I felt truly satisfied, and I don’t ever want that feeling to stop.

Upon graduating high school, I will be attending South Dakota School of Mines & Technology for civil engineering and begin working toward my master’s degree, with a specialization in construction engineering and management. Once I graduate college, I plan on coming back to Alaska to hone my skills and grow within the industry. I then plan on starting my own construction company and developing real estate within Alaska’s ever-growing economy. I believe that Alaska is the most beautiful state in the country and has so much untapped potential waiting to be realized. It would be an honor to be a part of the forward progression of Alaska’s infrastructure. Without the help of the AGC scholarship, I would not be able to pursue school out of state, and I am forever grateful for this opportunity, and it will not be taken for granted.

—Ethan Racette

Growing up in Ninilchik, Alaska, I had the unique opportunity of being able to work with my dad in construction. I have always loved working with engines and equipment, so I decided to attend Alaska Vocational Technical Center in Seward after high school graduation. As I worked my way through the heavy diesel mechanic course, I decided to enroll for a second year to earn my Industrial Welding certification to increase my competitive edge in the field. My goal is to graduate debt free, and the Associated General Contractors, or AGC, of Alaska scholarship is helping me reach that goal in my second year. The opportunities in my chosen field here in Alaska are seemingly endless. I look forward to gaining employment with a merit-based company that values both skill and character and into which I can invest time and energy for long term benefit to both myself and my employer. Thank you, AGC of Alaska for supporting my education and future career!

—Joshua Daniels

I am a 2024 Mat-Su Career Technical High School graduate and am beyond excited to be receiving the AGC scholarship. I am a born-and-raised Alaskan girl and enjoy all things offered through this great state. I have grown up hunting, fishing, hiking, flying, snowmachining, and beyond. Additionally, I was introduced to the heavy civil construction industry at a young age and have been a fan of the field of work ever since. In my lifetime alone, I have witnessed the construction of bridges, ice roads, runways, roads, and infrastructure actively growing communities and connecting people to one another. I had the opportunity to work for a heavy civil construction company for two years during high school and have continued construction and mechanics in a Diesel Hydraulics class offered at my school this year. I plan to go into the heavy civil construction industry where I can continue to grow my skills and be of service to Alaska communities. I am thrilled to use this scholarship to complete a secondary education that will set me up to return to Alaska and begin pursuing a career in construction that will benefit the public and Alaska as a whole.

—Graycen Miller

Eli Mortensen is an Alaskan raised student studying Construction Management at the University of Alaska Anchorage. Mortensen is a driven individual with ambitious career goals in the construction industry. With the support of the scholarship, Mortensen has been granted invaluable opportunities to further his education and skills development. This prestigious award has not only provided financial assistance but has also opened doors to industry networking events, and specialized training. He plans to stay in-state and continue to learn and develop his skills in the Alaska construction industry. Mortensen’s dedication and commitment to his craft, combined with the opportunities provided through the AGC scholarship, are sure to propel him towards a successful and fulfilling career in construction.

—Eli Mortensen