Alaska Air Group Credit Union is thrilled to offer a scholarship to support the educational pursuits of our members. A sincere thank you to all of our 2024 applicants. We had numerous qualified candidates that made the selection process difficult.
Our record 80 applications went through a rigorous review process. After careful consideration, the following students below were selected by our Board of Directors.
Congratulations to the following seven students for their hard work, dedication to their academics, extra-curricular activities, and community engagement.
Natalie Drozdowski
Pullman, WA | Washington State University
Veterinary Medicine
Natalie is attending Washington State University, studying veterinary medicine. During her time at WSU, she served as a Cougar Safe Rides Program Leader, where she helped in coordinating donation pick-ups with the Colfax Food Pantry and donations from WSU Eggert Family Farm and delivering these donations to the WSU Food Pantry. During undergraduate, she interned with the Alaska Zoo, Blackbird Wildlife Ranch and Sanctuary, and the WSU Veterinary Teaching Hospital where she learned to take care of various animal species and how to educate community members.
Natalie has extended her community engagement globally, by volunteering with Volunteers Around the World Veterinary Outreach in Cusco, Peru. For two weeks, she and a team worked in wildlife sanctuaries and shelters. They provided and learned about husbandry and veterinary care to various species.
Natalie will be returning home to Alaska upon her graduation, and intends to work as a small animal general practitioner and volunteer with outreach programs to provide veterinary care to rural communities with limited veterinary access.
Natalie’s father, John Drozdowski, is an Alaska Airlines employee.
“Through my education, I’ve learned that veterinary medicine is not just about taking care of animals, but also helping clients through the experience of owning animals; this is why building relationships and communicating with clients has become one of my favorite parts of veterinary medicine. I enjoy helping people take care of their pets and being a resource to help provide happy and healthy lives to pets.”
Corey Zendejas
Auburn, WA | Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University – Dayton Beach
Aeronautical Science
Corey is graduating from Green River College’s running start program this spring with an Associates of Applied Science Degree. In high school, he is involved with baseball, golf, Associated Student Body and the National Honor Society. He has been awarded both Athlete of the Week and Coaches Award for his dedication to his school’s golf team.
Outside of educational endeavors, Corey is actively involved in service. He was selected among 24,000 cadets to be a United States Ambassador to the United Kingdom this summer. Corey has been in Civil Air Patrol (CAP) for a little over six years and has participated in many activities such as Wreaths Across America, Auburn Veterans Day Parde, Civil Engineering Academy, and Ground Search and Rescue Academy to name a few.
He has been awarded CAP Cadet of the Year, Officer of the Year, Fast Burner, Veterans of Foreign Wars NCO of the Year, Air Force Association Cadet of the Year, Eaker Award-top 2% of all cadets, and at Space Academy earned the top Pike’s Peak award to name a few for his commitment to service.
Corey is continuing his education at Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University – Daytona Beach studying aeronautical science.
Corey’s father, Carlos Zendejas, is an employee of Horizon Air.
“Aviation and military service runs in my family’s blood. Everything I have achieved in the past and will succeed in the future has been fueled by my love, dedication, and extraordinary examples in work ethic, aviation, and patriotism. I will continue to strive to be a person and pilot anyone could aspire to embody. Whether helping my country by serving in the military or transporting people to special meetings as an airline pilot, I will attempt to better the people and communities around me.”
Trinity Porotesano
Damascus, OR | University of Oregon
Political Science & Media Studies
Trinity is first generation Samoan American transferring to University of Oregon this fall. In high school, she was heavily involved in student government where she was the ASB president, VP of Equity and Public Relations, and secretary of the Asian & Pacific Islander Student Union (APISU).
Trinity is a dedicated member of her community, where she is a founding member of the Pacific Islander Youth Council at the Immigrant & Refugee Community Organization (IRCO) and works with several Pacific Islander youth across the Portland Metropolitan Area. Trinity serves as a Youth Engagement intern for the Asian & Pacific American Network of Oregon (APANO) ALLY. ALLY is the youth branch of APANO that aims to build the holistic lens of their programming, centered on intersectionality, healing, and the lived experiences of youth. She shares passion for creating a space for Pacific Islander youth to have fun while still getting them engaged and promoting education around issues affecting the islands.
Trinity will be attending the University of Oregon to double major in Political Science and Media Studies.
Trinity’s mother, Evelyn Paopao-Porotesano is an Alaska Airline Employee.
“I believe that I am capable of making change within the community through my advocacy efforts and directing my negative experiences into actions benefiting the community as a whole. My experiences growing up in a foreign land as a young first generation Samoan American woman has motivated me to strive for better practices in the systems built in place and hold authorities accountable for the harm perpetuated against others. I also chose media studies because art and creativity are an immense value in my culture and grew up with it being a huge part of my life.”
Zoey Heckinger
Auburn, WA | Pacific Lutheran University
Kinesiology
Zoey graduated from Auburn Mountainview High School this spring. In school, she was an active member of her school’s soccer team where she was awarded Washington state honorable mention for 3A soccer. She was a participating member in her school’s Sports Medicine program, where she competed at the State level. Zoey is also the founding member of her school’s Unified Sports Club, a club dedicated to bringing people with and without intellectual disabilities together to play sports.
In her community, Zoey works with TOP soccer, Seattle Adaptive Sports, Rainier Adaptive Sports, and little league Challenger division. She also began volunteering for Chemo bags of Hope, where she creates care packages for cancer patients of all ages facing chemotherapy and radiation treatment.
Zoey will be attending Pacific Lutheran University where she will be on the soccer team, as well as study Kinesiology with the hopes of becoming a physical therapist.
Zoey’s mother, Korie Heckinger, works for Alaska Airlines.
“I’ve wanted to be a Physical therapist for so many years, and my motivations just keep growing. Growing up my younger brother had a lot of physical therapy due to his diagnosis of Spina Bifida and Hydrocephalus before birth. Spina bifida is a neural tube defect that impacts his mobility. So being in that environment and being involved in the OT and PT appointments in our home during the Birth to 3 programs. Then he later received additional therapies like aquatic and Hippotherapy. Which really let me see what the true impact physical therapists have on those kids’ lives and their families.”
KC Hostetler
Anchorage, AK | Western Governors University
Masters Business Administration
KC is attending Western Governors University to obtain her MBA. KC is an active volunteer in Anchorage through organizations like VOA Alaska and Covenant House. She is a founding member of the Trend Alaska Committee, which has raised hundreds of thousands of dollars for local non-profits since its inception in 2019. She has received multiple awards, including Top Forty Under 40 designer from the Alaska Journal of Commerce in 2021 for demonstrating professional excellence and commitment to community. KC has also served on several boards of directors, including VOA Alaska, Trend Alaska, Southeast Conference, and the Ketchikan Visitors Bureau.
KC is working towards her MBA through Western Governors University, where she hopes to continue her professional growth within Alaska Airlines.
KC works at Alaska Airlines.
“From 2021, demand for youth mental health and recovery services has increased by over 200%, and organizations like VOA Alaska do not have the capacity to keep up. This means that Alaskan kids are suffering more than ever- and their only options to get help are out of state, sometimes thousands of miles away from their families and support systems. As the chair of the VOA Alaska resource development committee, I am spearheading the creation of a capitol campaign to build a recovery campus for struggling youth. We are in the beginning stages, but I am hopeful that the additional education from my MBA, I will be able to bring this project to fruition more effectively, and potentially sooner.”
Danika Brandorff
Anchorage, AK | Dartmouth College
Government and Philosophy
Danika is graduating from Robert Service High School this spring. In school, Danika is a member of her school’s tennis team and a captain for both cross-country skiing and track. She was awarded the coaches award for her contribution to the cross-country ski team. Danika serves as German club president and will be graduating with the German Seal of Biliteracy. She has earned many academic awards including World Language Declamation first place for Poetry and Impromptu Partner Dialogue.
Danika is very involved in the greater Anchorage community. She serves as a Youth Court attorney, NSAA junior ski coach, volunteers as a teacher’s assistant for Rilke Schule K-8 4th grade German class and worked as a Public Relations intern for Uschi Liebl in Germany last year.
Danika is attending Dartmouth College where she plans to study government and philosophy.
Danika’s father, Hans Peter Brandorff is an Alaska Airlines employee.
“My post high school plans involve studying government and philosophy at Dartmouth College, attending law school, and following a career path that allows me to interpret the law in both judicial and legislative professions. This motivation comes from a passion for Alaska. I have grown up fortunate enough to live in the mountains my entire life and will not forget their beauty as I fly to college on the other side of the United States. I purposely chose a college that was situated in the wilderness so that I could continue my favorite hobbies like hiking, skiing and climbing in my home away from home, although I will not forget the allegiance I have to my home mountain, Flattop. Because Alaska is so unique in its rich resources and positioning, I want to use every opportunity to gain an education that will allow me to give back as much to our state as it has given to me.”
Gannon Albertsen
Camas, WA | George Washington University
Political Science
Gannon is attending George Washington University studying Political Science. In high school, he was a dedicated member of the pit orchestra, wind ensemble, marching band, and symphonic band, as well as a participant in Knowledge Bowl all four years. He served as president of the National Honor Society, where he engaged with volunteers and organized events that directly contributed to the uplifting of community members. At university, he is an active member of A Wider Circle, a nonprofit committed to poverty alleviation in Washington, D.C. He is also a participating member of MyVote Project volunteer nonpartisan voter education platform.
Gannon’s father, Kurt Albertsen, is an Alaska Airlines employee.
“This group of people who have so little yet remain the kindest, most generous, and most appreciative can be found anywhere and stem beyond immigrants. Thus, despite the outward appearance of the United States and Costa Rica being nothing alike, the people within them, such as my Nana and Carlos, can be very similar. Recognizing this group of people who work so hard but remain plagued with struggles is what’s motivated me to get interested in politics, seeking to enact change that could provide them with support and hope.”
Congratulations to this year’s winners. Scholarship applications for 2025 will open on January 1st, 2025. Visit Scholarships – Alaska Air Group Credit Union (aagcu.org) to learn more.