UAF photo by Leif Van Cise.
First-year Nanooks tour the new Student Success Center located on the sixth floor of the Rasmuson Library during New Student Orientation, Aug. 21, 2024.

By Theresa Bakker
Aurora editor

You are receiving this issue of Aurora magazine at a time when the season is changing in Fairbanks and a new group of students are getting to know each other and what it means to be a member of Nanook Nation.

It’s a time of change. Each year there are new students who have never taken a class and others who are progressing along their educational path. Some have changed majors entirely or are trying something different. 

For example, my son is a junior this year at UAF. He’s just left for a year abroad, studying Japanese at the Nagoya Gakuin (University of Nagoya). His year will look very different than the two he’s just navigated.

In trying to make sense of a dynamic world, one quote I have drawn on throughout my life is, “Change is the only constant.” This truism has been attributed to the Greek philosopher Heraclitus. He believed that the natural world is constantly moving, as in the adage that you never step twice into the same river. Here at UAF, we are constantly innovating and updating. New programs, updated facilities and the modernization of our campuses all play a crucial role in shaping our students.

You never come back to the same UAF.

When I look at the stories in this issue of Aurora magazine, I am reminded that among this constant change, what holds the university together is … us. If you are reading this magazine, you’ve joined the ranks of Nanook Nation as an alum or a donor. Maybe you’ve worked here in the past or do so now. Your legacy is reflected in these stories.

As a listener to the college radio station KSUA or maybe a volunteer or previous staff member, I hope you’ll celebrate with us as the station reaches a milestone of 40 years in operation. This fall we also mark the opening of the Student Success Center on the sixth floor of the Rasmuson Library and the completion of important renovations to the Moore and Bartlett residence halls. 

Thank you for being part of UAF. Together, we will continue to innovate and inspire, making a lasting impact for generations to come.