UAF Alumni to Celebrate 80 Years of Tradition

Submitted by Carla Browning
Phone: 474-7778
09/25/03

Eighty years of tradition will go up in flames this weekend as University of Alaska Fairbanks students and alumni participate in the UAF alumni reunion coinciding with Starvation Gulch, a bonfire competition that’s been held on campus since 1923. This is the second year that the aptly titled reunion, "Nanook Traditions: All Fired Up," takes place in conjunction with Starvation Gulch activities.

The alumni awards luncheon is scheduled Friday, Oct. 3 from 11:30 a.m.-1:30 p.m. at the Princess Alaska Riverside Lodge. Local Fairbanks artist Sandy Jamieson has been named this year’s Distinguished Alumnus. The Alumni Achievement Award for community service will go to Dermot Cole, columnist for the Fairbanks Daily News-Miner. Gail Phillips, former speaker of the house in the Alaska Legislature, will receive the Professional Excellence Award, and Joe Nava, longtime UAF rifle team supporter, will receive an award for university support. The William R. Cashen Service Award will go to 1996 alumna Peggy Beistline for her outstanding service to the UAF Alumni Association.

Building of the Starvation Gulch bonfires takes place Saturday, Oct. 4 from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. in the Taku parking lot off Farmer’s Loop Road. The bonfires will be lit at 10:30 p.m. Saturday following the UAF hockey game at the Carlson Center.

Contact: Joe Hayes, alumni assocation director at (907) 474-7081 or e-mail fyalum@uaf.edu. Vist the UAF Alumni website at www.uaf.edu/alumni/index.html for more information.

Photo/cutline: The annual lighting of the bonfire is a tradition that dates back to 1923 on the UAF campus. As with today’s Starvation Gulch, which is capped off by a bonfire lighting, the event heralded the beginning a a new academic year and welcomed new students to campus by passing on the "torch of knowledge."

Charles E. Bunnell Collection, Rasmuson Library