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Did you know the first Executive Director of the University of Alaska Foundation started her career cataloging artifacts from Trans-Alaska Pipeline excavations?

March 23, 2026

Her story, published this week by the Ů�źϼ� Foundation, speaks for itself. 

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The University of Alaska Foundation’s first Executive Director, Dixie Welch Brown (now Dixie Coggins), helped lay the groundwork for philanthropy at the University of Alaska.  Her leadership, vision and ability to build relationships transformed the young Ů�źϼ� Foundation (est. in 1974), and set the stage for decades of impact across the university.

Coggins’ path to the Ů�źϼ� Foundation began long before she assumed its helm. In 1974, Coggins arrived in Fairbanks, Alaska, as a newlywed full of hope and ambition. With freshly earned degrees and a passion for archaeology, she envisioned a future in academia. The university was the beacon of opportunity everyone pointed her toward.

She soon began her career at the University of Alaska Museum of the North, working in the archaeology department. Her role involved intaking and accessioning cultural materials from surveys and excavations conducted ahead of the Trans-Alaska Pipeline project, a monumental chapter in Alaska’s history.

While the work was fascinating, Coggins found herself longing for more human interaction. That search led her to the Office of the Board of Regents for the University of Alaska. She interviewed with Foster Diebold, then Secretary to the Board, and was hired as his assistant.

Diebold became her first and most influential mentor, opening doors to a deeper understanding of higher education. He gave her the opportunity to spread her wings, and he set in motion a deeper understanding of higher education that grew and followed her throughout her career.

Diebold introduced Coggins to the business side of academia– finance, governance, politics, and partnerships, and expected her to learn quickly. His advice was candid, “Alaska is a wonderful place full of opportunities; however, if you fail, you are toast. No second chances.”

Just three weeks into the job, she found herself in front of the Alaska State Senate Finance Committee in Juneau discussing a new version of the university’s budget. Fortunately, she was accompanied by Earl Brewer, who provided his in-depth knowledge of the system. With the guidance of experts like Earl Brewer, she gained confidence and insight into higher education in Alaska.

By late 1979, when University President Charles Ferguson resigned, and Diebold stepped in as Acting Statewide President, Coggins became Secretary to the Board. Soon after, Diebold and the Board offered her the role of Executive Director of the Ů�źϼ� Foundation, a turning point in her career.

Coggins was excited for the opportunity to tell the university’s story as a major research and educational institution. The Ů�źϼ� Foundation had a Board composed of people with diverse backgrounds and experiences. Under Coggins' leadership, they focused on strengthening communication, building relationships with donors and advancing fund development and estate planning. These efforts resulted in transformative gifts of land, real estate, gold mines, and cash– gifts that have enriched the University of Alaska system for decades.

Their work also helped pave the way for the creation of the Arctic Research Commission, thus securing U.S. Presidential approval and Senate funding that brought millions of federal dollars to Arctic research. It was an exhilarating time of growth and innovation.

Throughout her career, Coggins had the privilege of working alongside Alaska’s pioneers and leaders, including Edith Bullock, Grace Berg Schaible, Governor Jay Hammond, Dr. William R. Wood, John Hughes, Richard Wien, Sam Kito, Ron Cosgrave, Clair Fejes, Willie Hensley, Senator Frank Murkowski, Governor Bill Sheffield, Joe Usibelli, and many other notable leaders. She also had the privilege of collaborating with the university’s talented faculty and staff.

Looking back, Coggins is eternally grateful for the many experiences that shaped not only her professional journey but also her deep appreciation for Alaska’s unique spirit of resilience and opportunity. Her time at Ů�źϼ�  was more than a career, it was a lifelong adventure.

Story by Dixie Coggins and edited at the Ů�źϼ� Foundation by Maggie Demers, director of communications and PR, and Scott Taylor, philanthropic advisor. 

To read the original story from the Ů�źϼ� Foundation, visit their website.

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Giving Day

Ů�źϼ� Giving Day kicks off at noon today and will last for 49 hours. Last year was the largest single philanthropic event in the history of the University of Alaska with participation from more than 2,700 donors across 48 states, Washington D.C., and 18 countries.

This year, donors can choose from hundreds of funds across all three universities, from general scholarships to Indigenous studies, engineering, athletics and beyond. Dozens of challenges and matches, including a triple match on Ů�źϼ�A Student Support, President Pitney’s Ů�źϼ�F alumni challenge and a $10,000 challenge for Ů�źϼ�S students, mean every gift has the potential to go much further.

Four decades ago, Dixie Coggins leadership helped to transform the lives of students at the University of Alaska. Now, for the 49 hours of Ů�źϼ� Giving Day, the Ů�źϼ� community will be doing the same. 

To learn more about this year’s Giving Day, visit .