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September 2020 |
UAF partners with edX to share Arctic courses online |
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UAF is now offering massive open online courses (MOOCs) via edX, joining Harvard, MIT and more than 100 other universities and companies that already partner with the platform. The UAF courses focus on the circumpolar North and its peoples.
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“UAF is excited to join the edX consortium and to more easily share our unique research expertise on climate, the Arctic and its peoples with edX’s global audience,” said UAF Chancellor Dan White.
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Five Arctic-focused courses are now open for enrollment. The class "Salmon, People, and Place" celebrates the relationships supported by Alaska salmon with an emphasis on their role in Alaska Native cultures. Alumni can also sign up for "One Health: A Ten Thousand Year-Old View into the Future" to get an introduction to UAF's Center for One Health Research, which takes a holistic approach to education by connecting knowledge from natural and social sciences with traditional ways of knowing.
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EdX is a leader among platforms that offer massive open online courses (commonly known as MOOCs). UAF chose to partner with edX because of its consortium model, nonprofit status and commitment to innovation and open education.
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Alumni join first-ever virtual Nanook Rendezvous |
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A display at Cafe de Stir It Up, owned by alumna Michaella Perez '13, featured Nanook scones for Fairbanks Friday. UAF photo by Theresa Bakker.
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As cases of COVID-19 increased in March, students were asked not to return to campus after spring break, and employees shifted to working from home. For the first time in its 100-year history, the University of Alaska Fairbanks had no students on campus as classes moved online and in-person events were canceled.
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At that moment, everything changed. Instead of planning traditional celebrations, like the cupcake reception after commencement, the alumni relations team began to imagine new ways of connecting. After working on a series of successful virtual events to celebrate new graduates, UAFAA decided to create a virtual Nanook Rendezvous reunion with a whole week of activities that all alumni, staff, faculty and friends of UAF could participate in.
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More than 3,000 viewers watched a Motivation Monday program with UAF Athletics that featured live workouts from UAF coaches and student athletes. Another 3,000 viewers joined the Garden Walk Wednesday broadcast, featuring a virtual tour of the Georgeson Botanical Garden with manager Katie DiCristina.
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Fairbanks Friday, another feature of reunion week organized by alumni relations coordinator Elizabeth Talbot '18, brought the celebration to local alumni-owned and -supported businesses. This event included five local alumni-owned or -supported businesses. They each offered special blue-and-gold-themed menu items and gave away stickers and other goodies during the reunion.
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Thank you to all who participated. We hope you enjoyed these activities. Please let us know what you thought by completing this short survey (now closed).
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Obat savors journey of geography and career |
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Alumna Judy Obat '20 came to Alaska seeking independence. During her time at UAF she discovered much more.
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While UAF’s reputation for engineering helped her choose this school, she was surprised when she discovered a new career passion after taking a course from a treasured mentor.
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| As she was taking Introduction to Financial Accounting with Amy Cooper at the UAF School of Management, Obat quickly realized that she wanted to change her major. She thought the course fit her learning style and interests. That led to a decision to transfer into the accounting program. |
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Photo courtesy of Judy Obat
New University of Alaska Fairbanks graduate Judy Obat poses for a photo as a new member of the class of 2020. |
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“My biggest obstacle was trying to figure out what was next after realizing I didn’t want to be a petroleum engineer,” Obat said. “This change set me back. I had to readjust my goals and basically everything I thought I wanted. Thankfully I was very familiar with all the resources offered at UAF and was able to seek out help.”
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Cooper stayed by Obat’s side throughout the process, reassuring her that she could find success if she could be patient with herself. Although Obat had help along the way, she had to rely on herself and her own skills to adapt. This is where that independence she was searching for started to kick in. “I didn’t have any family to influence my decision as I did in the past,” she said.
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Alumni stories featured in Aurora magazine |
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Mark Moldwin ’87 and Patty Hogan ’87 were at the University of Bergen, Norway, where Moldwin held the 2019-2020 U.S.-Norway Fulbright Arctic chair. Find this and other stories in the fall 2020 edition of the e-Aurora, coming in September.
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While you are on the website, be sure to read stories from your fellow alumni about the way we are all adjusting to life during the COVID-19 pandemic. If you haven’t told us your story yet, the survey remains open, and we’ll continue adding items to the site as they come in.
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UAF alumni directory project with PCI nears completion |
Thank you to all of our alums who have already reached out to our partner, Publishing Concepts Inc., known as PCI. The publishing company is creating an up-to-date UAF alumni directory for grads to stay connected. They have sent a series of emails and postcards asking for your response.
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| We appreciate your time and effort in assisting us with a confirmation that you'd like to be listed in the directory and making sure your contact information is correct. If you have not contacted PCI yet, there is still time to be listed in the directory. The company will continue to contact alumni through October. You should receive a personalized postcard, email or even a phone call. Let us know if you have not yet received a communication. |
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PCI is creating a UAF Alumni Directory that is only available through the company. They are offering a variety of packages if you are interested in purchasing a copy for yourself.
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NOTE: If you do not wish to be contacted by PCI, please let us know. You can update your contact information with us directly if you prefer or you can be removed from the calling list. Get in touch with us by sending an email to uaf-alumni@alaska.edu.
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Meet up in an online space just for us! |
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We are excited to announce Nanook Network, an online platform for alumni, staff, students and friends. Use it to connect with others, get event information, find UAF jobs and more. Stay tuned to learn about mentoring opportunities.
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NANOOK NETWORK is a place for #NanookNation to gather!
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- RECONNECT with classmates.
- BECOME A MENTOR to students and alumni.
- NETWORK for career opportunities.
All students, parents, friends and fans of UAF are welcome. Join now!
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UAF first-gen mentoring program seeks alumni volunteers |
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The Nanook Diversity and Action Center has launched a new mentoring program to support first-generation college students. This program supports students who are the first in their family to pursue a bachelor’s degree.
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More than 50% of UAF students are first-generation. In order to celebrate and support them, the program is offering the First-Gen Forward Mentorship Program to connect first-gen students with first-gen UAF alumni, faculty or staff. Through sharing experience and knowledge, mentors and mentees are encouraged to build lasting relationships that can support students as they navigate their college experience.
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The benefits of UAFAA membership |
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: |
| One-year membership = $50 |
| Three-year membership = $140 |
| 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 them at geico.com/alum/uafaa/ to find out how much you can save. |
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Members also have 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 all the fun the Wood Center has to offer.
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Upcoming events — save the dates
Events are looking a little different this summer at UAF, 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 |
Phone: (907) 474-7081
Fax: (907) 474-6712 |
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