Alaska announced Wednesday the establishment of the Gootee Family Nanook Hockey Scholarship that will provide scholarships to Alaska hockey student-athletes starting in the 2017-18 season.
“On behalf of the program, I want to thank Jason and his family for their commitment to our hockey program,” Alaska coach Dallas Ferguson said in a statement. “The creation of the Gootee Family Scholarship provides long-term support we need to continue to grow as a Division I ice hockey program.”
Jason Gootee and his father, Robert, presented Ferguson with the check in March at a University of Alaska Fairbanks alumni event hosted by Moda Health in Portland and look forward to having it serve players on the Nanooks’ hockey team who need aid in scholarship costs.
“Nanook hockey is a long-time source of pride for the Fairbanks community and Nanooks around the world,” Jason Gootee added. “We want to do our part to set an example of philanthropy and help ensure a strong future for the program. Nanook hockey has been an important part of our family for many years and it’s an honor to support student-athletes at UAF in return.”
This past academic year (2016-17), Jason Gootee served as the UAF Alumni Association board president and currently acts as the Moda Health’s director of Alaska sales and account services, while Robert Gootee serves as the company’s CEO.
The Gootee Family Nanook Hockey Scholarship is the second endowment the Nanooks have received through the 2016-17 academic year, following the $50,000 donation from the Alaska Hockey Alumni Association earlier this spring.
