Oct. 10, 2022

Dear students, faculty and staff,

Today, UAF joins thousands of communities across the country on the second Monday of October in recognizing Indigenous Peoples’ Day. Our recognition and celebration of this day is one of many ways we continue to create a more inclusive and welcoming university.

I invite you to join me and members of our staff and faculty in engaging in Indigenous Peoples’ Day events across our campuses, including a virtual premiere and short discussion of a new film, Awake, produced by the UAF Alaska Native Language Center.

On UAF’s Troth Yeddha’ campus, the Festival of Native Arts club will be holding a Fry Bread and Chili fundraiser from 12-2 p.m. in the Brooks Building Gathering Room. The Nanook Diversity and Action Center will be hosting a workshop on how to make beaded sun catchers with Laura Ekada from 5-7 p.m. Seats are very limited, so early registration is a must.

UAF’s rural campuses also have a number of events planned including an Indigenous Peoples’ Day film festival sponsored by the Northwest Campus in Nome and a community celebration “Kayungcallerkaanek Qaneryaramta” hosted by the Kuskokwim Campus in Bethel. UAF’s College of Rural and Community Development also encourages the UAF community to participate in “Roc your Moccs” during the week of October 10-14 and “Kuspuk Wednesday” during every Wednesday in October.

Lastly, I would like to take this opportunity to thank the Chancellor's Advisory Committee on Native Education, the Master Planning Committee, the Indigenous Signage Committee, and our University Advancement team for continuing our goal to incorporate Indigenous signage on our campus. Our most visible change this fall is the new Gruening Building banner that welcomes students, faculty, staff and visitors to campus in English and in six different Alaska Native languages. We invite you to join us in celebrating this important day!

Thanks for choosing UAF.

— Dan White, chancellor