I can tell you from the three UA skiing alumni I am related to and the many I am friends or family friends with that Alaska would be worse off without them. My mother skied for UAF. She turned down a spot on the Canadian national team to pursue her goal of being a teacher in Alaska, she has won several awards and has effected the lives of thousands of students. My dad skied for UAF. He went on to become an English teacher in the bush and then a high school guidance counselor here in Anchorage where he has helped countless kids graduate and make better decisions for their lives. My aunt skied for UAA. She has gone on to become a nurse who has specialized in cardiac rehabilitation and labor and delivery among other things I cannot currently recall. If you were born at Alaska Regional as I was there's a chance she helped bring you into this world.