Moda Health helps UAA strike up a new tradition

Three years ago, the Seawolf Pep Band was a new idea at UAA. Today, it has become a recognizable part of the Seawolf experience - bringing music and energy to athletic events, building school spirit and providing a sense of belonging to Seawolves from all walks of life. Moda Health was the band's founding sponsor.

Moda Health provided the support needed to turn an idea into a growing campus tradition. Under the leadership of Christopher Song, Ph.D., Davies-Meyers Professor of Music, the band has grown each year, reaching its strongest roster yet with 21 members during the 2025-26 season.

These students represent much more than UAA's music program. While five members are music majors, others are studying accounting, aviation technology, biological sciences, computer science, finance, geological sciences, languages, mathematics, mechanical engineering, nursing and speech-language pathology. Moda Health's investment gives students from across the university an opportunity to continue making music while pursuing very different academic and career goals.

For students like speech-language pathology major Shauna Bushnell, the band's welcoming approach was part of its appeal. With no audition required, students do not have to be music majors to participate. The result is an ensemble that creates both music and connection - a place where students can share a talent they love while becoming more deeply connected to UAA.

Moda Health's impact can also be heard well beyond the rehearsal room. During the 2025-26 season, the Pep Band performed at 24 athletic events and four major community events, including Campus Kickoff, Homecoming Luncheon, the Light the World Charity Event and the Fur Rondy Parade. The band also launched its first High School Band Night, bringing students from 11 local high schools to UAA to perform alongside the Seawolf Pep Band.

At Seawolf athletic events, the difference is unmistakable. Women's Basketball Head Coach Matt Thune says the game-day atmosphere is "dramatically changed" when the band is there, noting that student-athletes told him the musicians give them an extra boost during games. Gymnastics Head Coach Marie-Sophie Boggasch sees another benefit: the band helps create an environment where athletes feel supported and fans feel connected.

Moda Health's support has even helped give UAA a sound of its own. With the company's sponsorship, Song arranged a unique rendition of the UAA Fight Song specifically for the Pep Band. It quickly became a staple of the game-day experience - a piece fans and athletes now recognize and anticipate and one that is becoming part of UAA's identity.

That may be the most lasting impact of Moda Health's philanthropy. A gift made three years ago did more than fund performances. It helped create a new opportunity for students, a stronger school and community, and a new heartfelt tradition.

The band is still growing. But every time the first notes of the fight song ring out at a Seawolf game, Moda Health's impact can be heard loud and clear.