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January 2021
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Meet the 2021 UAF Alumni Association awardees
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From left: Kyle Hopkins, the recipient of the 2021 Distinguished Alumnus Award, and Russ Knapp, recipient of the 2021 William R. Cashen Service Award. Hopkins' photo courtesy of the Anchorage Daily News and Knapp's by Paul McCarthy.
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The University of Alaska Fairbanks Alumni Association has named its 2021 award recipients. Journalist Kyle Hopkins is the recipient of the Distinguished Alumnus Award. Russ Knapp, a longtime supporter of the Alaska Nanooks, is the recipient of the William R. Cashen Service Award. UAF will honor Hopkins and Knapp at the upcoming Blue and Gold Celebration on Feb. 27 in a virtual event.
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Distinguished Alumnus Award recipients are selected based on meritorious service on behalf of UAF, distinguished accomplishments in business and professional life, or distinguished human service in community affairs. Hopkins is an investigative reporter and special projects editor for the Anchorage Daily News. He recently worked with the news nonprofit ProPublica on a two-year investigation into sexual violence and the Alaska criminal justice system. The project was awarded the Pulitzer Prize for Public Service.
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William R. Cashen Service Award recipients are selected for outstanding service to the university and its alumni association. When Knapp graduated from the University of Alaska in 1969 with a wildlife management degree, his best memories were of playing hockey on the outdoor ice rink with the campus club team. He was reintroduced to UAF after traveling to Fairbanks in 2005 for a hockey reunion from his home in Nassau, New York. He has been instrumental in preserving the history of Nanook hockey.
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Join us for the Blue and Gold Celebration on Saturday, Feb. 27, 2021. This will be our first virtual event, so even alums who live outside of Fairbanks can join us. Each guest will get a Blue and Gold Celebration box with goodies and specially designed commemorative items. You'll also be able to mingle with other attendees before and after the program.
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We'll celebrate our students with a featured speaker. We'll recognize our faculty, including recipients of the 2021 Emil Usibelli Distinguished Teaching, Research and Service Awards. And we'll honor our alumni with our UAFAA awards presentations.
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Remembering Terrence Cole
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Terrence Cole delivers a public lecture in summer 2018. UAF photo by JR Ancheta
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The UAF alumni community was saddened to hear about the loss of Terrence Cole '76, '78, alumnus, professor, author, mentor and friend to many. Cole was an inspiring figure, both at the University of Alaska Fairbanks and statewide as an authority on Alaska's history.
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Nate Bauer '14, University of Alaska Press director, said Cole's spirit, positive attitude and sense of community, especially during difficult times, were inspiring and will be greatly missed. "Everyone who knew him as a teacher, colleague and writer is weakened by his loss. We also can’t help but have our spirits lifted slightly when thinking of Terrence’s lively spirit and friendly, positive attitude."
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Third time's a charm for this alum
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Michaella Perez '13 (center) participates in the Nook Tank event in 2019 as one of the panel of alumni judges. UAF photo by JR Ancheta
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How does a first generation college graduate obtain a bachelor’s degree in four years while working full time and raising a child? Ask Michaella Perez, a woman who twice attended college before returning to UAF to earn her degree in interdisciplinary studies in 2013. The answer is summer courses and a ton of hard work.
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Like many women in Perez's family, her mother was a hard worker, working alongside her mother on the pipeline when her daughter was only 5 years old. Perez is eternally grateful and has continued the tradition by opening her own business, Café de Stir It Up. The Fairbanks favorite celebrated its fifth anniversary in November 2020.
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“Becoming a first-generation college student after both my mother and stepfather dropped out of college was an amazing feeling,” Perez said. “I think about the example I set for my son and two younger sisters and am grateful that I could show them that college is achievable.”
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Working as a barista while putting herself through school, she noticed how a single cup of coffee or yummy beverage could brighten someone’s day. “When I opened Stir It Up in 2015, just months after getting my undergraduate degree, I was taking classes to prepare for an occupational therapy degree. I balanced both for the first two years.”
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Eventually, she decided to leave the field and dedicate herself to the café life. She rented a space and, six months later, Café de Stir It Up was born. She now operates both the drive-through and the café. Both businesses offer a wide variety of foods that meet many dietary restrictions. Her son’s food allergies are a big factor in developing the unique menus. She wanted people with food intolerances to still be able to enjoy tasty meals.
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Perez credits her experiences at UAF with much of her success. She maintains such a close connection with her alma mater because she knows firsthand how the university supports nontraditional students. She hopes to show other students they can overcome challenges. Her advice is simple. “Never quit taking the necessary steps to achieve your goals. It will be worth it in the end. But first, coffee.”
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Discover big things at UAMN
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If you haven’t visited the University of Alaska Museum of the North recently, now’s the time. After closing at the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, the museum is open to visitors with exciting new projects to explore. Director Pat Druckenmiller said the museum store has been relocated into a new space that was actually originally designed to house the store during the 2006 renovation.
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Beginning in the new year, the museum will also unveil a new online store featuring Alaska Native- and Alaska-made items.
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“By vacating the old store space, we were able to make other important changes,” Druckenmiller said. “We are opening a museum café in part of the space, which will be operated by Chartwells. Secondly, we were able to expand the special exhibition space, increasing floor area and wall space.”
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Alaska Native artist Ron Senungetuk was recognized with an honorary Doctor of Fine Arts during UAF's 2015 commencement ceremony.
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In the newly expanded special space is a commemorative exhibit, “Ron Senungetuk: A Retrospective,” featuring the Iñupiaq artist and world-renowned sculptor, silversmith and woodcarver.
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Senungetuk had a profound impact on the visual arts in Alaska. He founded the Native Art Center in 1965 and was one of the first Alaska Native professors to receive tenure from UAF.
Here’s a video of the artist produced by museum staff in 2004.
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Two new exciting projects are in the works at the museum. The first is the “Into the Wild” bus, the 1940s-era former Fairbanks city bus that will be on permanent display once conservation work is completed. Druckenmiller said the Alaska Department of Natural Resources has designated the museum as the repository for this artifact, and museum staff are beginning the multiyear process of creating a free public outdoor exhibit.
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"Into the Wild" bus arrives at UAMN after last trip on the Parks Highway
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Finally, building modifications for installation of a bowhead whale skeleton are now beginning. The cleaned skeleton will be articulated starting in February, and the exhibit opens in late spring. This will be the only complete, articulated and suspended bowhead whale in North America. Thanks to the Bill Stroecker Foundation for generous support of this one-of-a-kind exhibit.
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Members of the UAF Alumni Association get a discount for admission to this world-class institution. If you aren’t able to be in town or visit the museum in person, there is also a virtual museum to explore.
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UAFAA news and events
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2021 UAFAA elections
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The University of Alaska Fairbanks Alumni Association is accepting nominations for three open seats on its 11-member board of directors.
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- Seat 4-B, Southcentral Alaska
- Seat 5-B, Fairbanks North Star Borough
- Seat 6-B, At-large
Nominations will be accepted through March 15, 2021. Nominees must be UAF graduates and members in good standing with the UAF Alumni Association, a nonprofit organization dedicated to supporting UAF and connecting its alumni.
Candidates must be interested in a leadership and advocacy role in support of UAF, its alumni and the mission of higher education in Alaska.
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UAFAA members in good standing will elect the directors in March, with new board members beginning their three-year terms at the spring meeting on April 24.
If you know outstanding UAF alumni with vision, community involvement, energy and a commitment to excellence and collaboration, please share this opportunity. Contact the UAF alumni office at 907-474-7081 or email uaf-alumni@alaska.edu.
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The benefits of UAFAA membership
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Membership in your UAF Alumni Association helps support student scholarships, alumni outreach, programs like Nanook Network, events such as the Blue and Gold Celebration and Grad Bash, and many other projects.
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UAF alumni membership rates:
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One-year membership = $50
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Three-year membership = $140
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Lifetime membership = $1,000
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As a UAFAA member, you are also eligible for discounts on your Geico insurance policy. You get savings, and the alumni association earns rewards. Visit geico.com/alum/uafaa/ to find out how much you can save.
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Go to our website to learn more about UAFAA membership, including access to Polar Perks, which provide discounts and deals at restaurants and businesses all over the country. Check it out at UAFAA Polar Perks. Another deal offered to UAFAA members is the discount on admission to the UAF Student Recreation Center. Check out the rates for members at the SRC's website. Once you have your membership card, you also have access to campus libraries, career services and more.
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Did you know that UAF students, staff and facility are eligible for discounts on Dell products? Just visit www.dell.com/dellu/uaf to see how much you can save. They also offer students $100 off laptops. Visit our webpage to find out more about the benefits our alumni and members get.
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Upcoming events — save the dates
Events are looking a little different at UAF this winter, but there are still many ways to stay connected with UAF:
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Questions or comments? Please contact us at:
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UAF Alumni Association
201 Constitution Hall
P.O. Box 750126
Fairbanks, AK 99775-0126
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Phone: (907) 474-7081
Fax: (907) 474-6712
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