How many community colleges in Alaska? There are a total of 2 two-year, public community colleges and trade schools located throughout the state of Alaska. For each school, you can see its contact information, academic calendar, campus environment, and number of students enrolled. Schools in Alaska are listed alphabetically.
Ilisagvik College
Address: Narl Facility, Barrow, AK 99723
Phone Number: (907) 852-3333
President: Beverly Patkotak Grinage
Type of School: Public, 2-Year
Academic Calendar: Semester
Degree Offered: Associate’s Degree
Campus Settings: Rural
Number of Students: 439
Alaska Vocational Technical Center
Address: 809 Second Avenue, Seward, AK 99664
Phone Number: (907) 224-3322
Director: Fred Esposito
Type of School: Public, Less-Than 2-Year
Academic Calendar: Differs by Program
Degree Offered: Non-Degree Granting
Campus Settings: Rural
Number of Students: 603
Abbreviation: AVTEC
Sale of Alaska
Despite the fact that the Russians founded settlements in Alaska, built churches, created schools and hospitals for local residents, there was no truly deep and thorough development of American lands. After the resignation of Alexander Baranov in 1818 from the post of ruler of the Russian-American Company, due to illness, there were no leaders of this magnitude in Russian America.
The interests of the Russian-American Company were mainly limited to the extraction of furs, and by the middle of the 19th century, the number of sea otters in Alaska had sharply decreased due to uncontrolled hunting.
The geopolitical situation did not contribute to the development of Alaska as a Russian colony. In 1856, Russia was defeated in the Crimean War, and relatively close to Alaska was the English colony of British Columbia (the westernmost province of modern Canada). Russia seriously feared that it would not be able to ensure the security of its colony in America in the event of an armed conflict. The United States of America was chosen as a potential buyer of Alaska to offset the growing British influence in the region.
Although for the first time the idea of selling Alaska was voiced by the brother of Alexander II, Grand Duke Konstantin Nikolayevich back in 1857, and consultations were held with the US government on a possible sale, negotiations actually began only after the end of the American Civil War.
In December 1866, Emperor Alexander II made the final decision. The boundaries of the territory to be sold and the minimum price – five million dollars were determined.
In March, the Russian envoy to the United States of America, Baron Eduard Steckl, approached US Secretary of State William Seward with a proposal to sell Alaska.
The negotiations were successful and already on March 30, 1867, an agreement was signed in Washington, according to which Russia sold Alaska for $7,200,000 in gold. On May 3, 1867, the treaty was ratified by the United States Senate.
October 18, 1867 in Novoarkhangelsk (Sitka) was held the official ceremony of the transfer of Alaska to the United States. Russian and American soldiers marched in solemn march, the Russian flag was lowered and the US flag was raised.
On August 1, 1868, Baron Stekl was presented with a US Treasury check, with which the United States paid Russia in full for its new lands.