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March 2021
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UA alumni advocate for Alaska's universities
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Clockwise from upper left: Tom Brice ('90, UAF); Theresa Bakker (UAFAA executive director); Juneau Rep. Sara Hannan ('85, UAF); and Jessica Jacobsen ('14, '20, UAA) meet during this year's virtual UA Impact alumni legislative fly-in.
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This year, things are different, and our impact expanded. UA’s three alumni associations worked together through the winter to plan a virtual UA Impact event. With visitors currently restricted from the Capitol, our consultant Drew Cason ('13, UAA) scheduled Zoom meetings with most Alaska legislators during the second week of February.
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Dozens of UA alumni from Kotzebue to Kodiak met with more than 40 legislators and staff to share stories about the ways the university has improved their lives. They worked to communicate UA’s value and provide context to the university's impact. Alumni interest and enthusiasm is incredibly effective and a valuable part of the legislative process.
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Thank you to the UAF alumni who participated this year. If you would like to get involved, contact our office at uaf-alumni@alaska.edu for more information.
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Pulitzer Prize winner discovered his passion at UAF
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Reporter Kyle Hopkins, bottom, and other staff members of the Anchorage Daily News learn about the Pulitzer Prize for public service during a Zoom call in May 2020. Photo courtesy of Marc Lester/ADN
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During his senior year of high school, Kyle Hopkins ’00 struggled with grown-up problems. After his father was diagnosed with Hodgkin’s disease, his mother traveled to Seattle with him for treatment. This left Hopkins alone in Skagway.
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He excelled academically, though, earning scholarships to the University of Alaska Fairbanks, where some of his friends were already enrolled.
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Hopkins followed a recommendation to take journalism classes and credits his UAF journalism advisor, Sherry Simpson ’86, ’95, who died in October 2020, for showing him what the field could be like.
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“I adored her,” Hopkins said. “She was like my hero, my favorite person. She wrote really beautifully about Alaska.”
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Other professors challenged him in different ways, often with a confrontational kind of toughness that he liked.
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“What really struck me was that I really liked the people who are reporters,” he said.
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Turns out, Hopkins liked being in the newsroom, too. He found his internships exciting and didn't look back.
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Now, he’s built a vocation from his passion. He and a team at the Anchorage Daily News won the 2020 Pulitzer Prize for public service.
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The UAFAA honored him with its 2021 Distinguished Alumnus Award.
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Gathering virtually for Blue and Gold Celebration
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UA Regent John Davies '70, '75 and Linda Schandelmeier '71 participate in a group activity from their own home during the 2021 Blue and Gold Celebration.
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Thank you to all who attended the virtual 2021 Blue and Gold Celebration on Saturday, Feb. 27. Because of the generosity of our guests and sponsors, we raised more than $134,000 to support students with need-based scholarships.
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If you were not able to attend, you can still see a recording of the event at bit.ly/2021blueandgold. And you can still support students by making a gift to the Nanook Commitment Scholarship at bit.ly/UAFgift. You can also contribute to another fund of your choice at that link.
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Winter 2021 Aurora online
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Plus, a UAF student writes equations to predict radio waves during moon missions, while a UAF alumnus brings the space launch business to Alaska.
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Virtual Science for Alaska
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The UAF Geophysical Institute is offering its popular lecture series online this year.
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• March 2: "Whale Watchers: Novel Uses for Unmanned Aircraft," the Alaska Center for Unmanned Aircraft Systems Integration team, UAF
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• March 9: "Firewatch: Fire Landscapes from Air and Space," Christine Waigl, researcher, and Jennifer Delamere, research associate professor, UAF
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The Science for Alaska series runs through March 9, with lectures at 7 p.m. on Zoom and streamed live to university Facebook pages. To register and find recordings of previous talks, visit this page. The Geophysical Institute has hosted the lecture series as one of its largest public outreach efforts for 29 years. The series brings current scientific research to Alaskans in an event that pools knowledge from scientists with expertise across the state.
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Northwest donation supports Alaska Sea Grant programs
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Commercial fishing vessels head out to sea near Chignik Lagoon. Photo by Deborah Mercy/Alaska Sea Grant.
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UAF's Alaska Sea Grant program will use a $450,000 donation from Northwest Farm Credit Services to fund several programs to benefit Alaska’s commercial seafood harvesters. Some of the programs the donation will support include:
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- Alaska Young Fishermen’s Summit, a business networking and training event for fishermen entering the commercial fishing industry.
- FishBiz website, providing comprehensive business information for fishermen at every stage of their careers.
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Alaska Sea Grant is a partnership between UAF and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. For more than 50 years, Alaska Sea Grant has supported Alaska’s coastal communities through research, outreach and education. Learn more about this project online.
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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. The open seats are:
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- Seat 4-B, Southcentral Alaska
- Seat 5-B, Fairbanks North Star Borough
- Seat 6-B, At-large
- Seat 7-B, Southeast Alaska
Nominations will be accepted through March 15, 2021. Candidates can nominate themselves. Qualified 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. A complete board member job description is posted here.
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UAFAA members 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 uaf-alumni@alaska.edu.
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UAFAA strategic planning
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The UAF Alumni Association is starting the process of updating its strategic plan. The board of directors is committed to creating a document that will guide day-to-day decisions in order to fulfill the organization's mission to encourage excellence at UAF and provide opportunities for alumni to engage in lifelong involvement.
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The first phase consists of feedback from our stakeholders. If you would like to provide feedback for the board to consider, please contact the UAF Alumni Relations Office at uaf-alumni@alaska.edu.
Your responses will remain anonymous and will be used to frame the 2021-2025 UAFAA Strategic Plan. This document will inform the board's operating budget, philanthropic donations and engagement priorities in the coming years.
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Find your UAF mentor
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Looking for advice on how to reach the next phase of your career? Getting ready to graduate and wondering what companies are the best to work for?
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Membership benefits
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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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Now that you've joined Nanook Network, be sure to take advantage of our mentor opportunities. You can sign up to be a mentor. And you can find one for yourself, too!
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Just head over to the mentoring tab on the left and select “Find a Mentor” from the dropdown menu. From there, you can look for mentors by job function, industry or company.
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Feel free to contact the alumni office at uaf-alumni@alaska.edu with any questions.
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As a UAFAA member, you are eligible for discounts on your Geico insurance policy. You get savings, and the alumni association earns rewards.
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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 faculty 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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