If you complete your AmeriCorps commitment through the VISTA program, you have an option of choosing to receive an end-of-service stipend of $1,200 and possibly a partial reduction in certain outstanding student loans.
The Metropolitan Statistical Area encompasses all of the Fairbanks North Star Borough and is the northernmost Metropolitan Statistical Area in the United States, located less than 120 miles (190 km) south of the Arctic Circle.
The city of Fairbanks, in Alaska, is often cited as the best place to see the Northern Lights in the United States. It's home to the Geophysical Institute at the University of Alaska, Fairbanks, which issues forecasts on Aurora viewing conditions.