UAF to celebrate 84th commencement

Submitted by Marmian Grimes
Phone: (907) 474-7902
05/12/06

Fairbanks, Alaska--The University of Alaska Fairbanks expects to confer 1,176 degrees to 1,137 students during its 84th commencement ceremony Sunday, May 14, 2006 at the Carlson Center. The university’s first commencement took place in 1923, when the sole graduate, John Sexton Shanly, received his bachelor’s degree in agriculture.

Preliminary figures show that 621 women and 516 men have applied for graduation; some students will receive more than one degree. The commencement ceremony includes graduates from summer and fall 2005 and spring 2006.

Glen Marunde, 18, is this year’s youngest graduate. He is scheduled to receive an associate of arts degree. UAF expects to award 137 certificates, 241 associate degrees, 544 bachelor’s degrees and 200 master’s degrees on Sunday. Twenty-one students are expected to receive doctoral degrees, while 33 students are expected to receive recommendation for education licensure. Several members of the University of Alaska Board of Regents will help UAF Chancellor Steve Jones confer degrees. UA President Mark Hamilton will also participate in the ceremony.

The Inu-Yupiaq Dance Group will lead the processional. Graduates, faculty, honorary degree recipients and university officials will participate in the ceremony beginning at 1:20 p.m.

Rutgers University Distinguished Professor and noted biologist Joanna Burger is slated to give the keynote address. Burger, along with the late Sir Nicholas John Shackleton, an internationally known earth scientist, will receive honorary doctoral degrees during the ceremony. In addition, UAF will honor Fairbanks Daily News-Miner publisher emeritus Charles Gray with a meritorious service award. The student speaker is Finely Bock, who will be receiving a bachelor’s degree in earth science.

Patricia Kwachka, associate dean of the College of Liberal Arts, will serve as the procession’s grand marshal. Kwachka is among nine retiring faculty who will be granted emeritus status on Sunday, a title given to those who have served the university with distinction in teaching, research and public service for at least 10 years.

Those receiving emeritus status are: Charlotte Basham, associate professor of linguistics and anthropology; Thomas Shirley, professor of fisheries; Gerald Berman, professor of social work and sociology; Karen Erickson, associate professor of political science; Edmond Packee, professor of forest management; and Kwachka, who is also a professor of anthropology and linguistics.

Commencement rehearsal for graduates is Saturday, May 13, at 10:30 a.m. at the Carlson Center. There will also be a picnic at the UAF Wood Center from 12:30-2:30 p.m. that day for graduates and their families and friends to celebrate with Chancellor Steve Jones and Judy Jones. Graduation mass will take place in Schaible Graduates and alumni are welcome to attend a reception hosted by the UAF Alumni Association in the Carlson Center’s Pioneer Room immediately following the ceremony Sunday.

Note to editors: The expected number of degrees and students graduating reflects data compiled as of May 9, 2006.

CONTACT: UAF Public Information Officer Marmian Grimes at (907) 474-7902 or via e-mail at marmian.grimes@uaf.edu.

ON THE WEB: www.uaf.edu/commencement

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Commencement highlights

The University of Alaska Fairbanks expects to confer 1,176 degrees to 1,137 students during its 84th commencement on Sunday, May 14, 2006 at the Carlson Center. The following profiles of a few graduates reflect the diversity and excellence of the 2006 graduating class.

Joel Wiegert award winner earning dual degrees

Joel Wiegert Award winner Brandon Ilgen, is slated to earn a bachelor’s degree in linguistics in May and a second bachelor’s degree, in English, over the summer.

Throughout his academic career, Ilgen has been involved in a wide range of campus activities while maintaining a GPA of 3.77. He is president of the UAF chapter of the International English Honor Society, Sigma Tau Delta, a volunteer program assistant for the UAF Leadership Program, a UAF student ambassador, has been an orientation leader and was a presenter at the fall 2005 UAF leadership conference. He has earned numerous honors and awards during his time at UAF and has been on both the deans’ and chancellor’s lists for the last four years.

After graduating, he plans to travel to Russia for two months with his wife as she works on her graduate research in environmental chemistry.

Outstanding senior balanced busy schedule

Marion Frances Boswell Memorial Award winner Tania Deisher has built an impressive resume of accomplishments and service during her time at UAF.

She will receive a bachelor’s degree in chemistry on Sunday and is graduating with honors and leadership honors. Deisher has earned a GPA of 3.97 while playing with the UAF’s women’s basketball team, pursuing an interest in music, preparing for medical school exams and interviews, and working about 20 hours per week. In addition, she has been active in Big Brothers/Big Sisters and the Student-Athlete Advisory Committee. She has tutored UAF athletes, worked with students at Howard Luke Academy, is the founding president of the UAF chapter of the National Society of Collegiate Scholars and has been an orientation leader.

After graduating, Deisher plans to attend medical school at either the University of Washington or the University of Rochester.

Tilly Award winner achieves lifelong goal

Joyce Billups’ desire to attend college began right after high school. However, her plans changed when she married a military man. Her husband served in the U.S. Army, and his job took the family all over the country and world.

As a result, Billups, the mother of four children and grandmother of two, was never able to start her college education. In 1994, she began attending classes at UAA. Her family moved to Fairbanks after a single semester and she decided to home school her children, once again putting off her own education. It wasn’t until she took a job as a teacher’s assistant, which required her to have a child development associate certificate, that Billups returned to school.

She first earned her certificate and an associate’s degree in early childhood education. On Sunday, she will graduate with leadership honors and receive a bachelor’s degree in child development and family studies.

She plans to pursue a position where she can use her education and experience to give back to the community.

Student speaker aims to work for positive change

Student speaker Finely Bock is concluding his undergraduate work at UAF with something more than a vocation. He is ending his undergraduate days with inspiration; the 25-year-old earth science major is looking for ways to change the world.

"I have a desire to teach and I have a desire to protect the environment and I am an advocate for human rights,"? he says. "My eyes have been kind of opened to some problems that have been going on in the world and I think people have the power to change things. Part of that is personal change."?

So when the opportunity to speak at commencement presented itself, he jumped, despite being, in his own words, scared to death.

"I have a desire to facilitate change,"? Bock says. "Part of that is taking every opportunity you can to share a message."?

Bock came to UAF in 1999 and has been involved in multiple campus and community organizations: the American Indian Science and Engineering Society, the Alaska Native Science and Engineering Program and the Fairbanks Grassroots Network. Over time, his desire to make a difference in the world grew through his studies and travel. After graduation, Bock plans to attend graduate school at UAF and find ways to advocate and educate about environmental and human rights issues.

"I don’t believe that our educations are meant just to fill our pockets, to provide us with a brighter future,"? he says. "It takes a personal choice to improve others’ lives."?

Biology grad gets jump start on research career

Some people start their research careers in graduate school. Biology major Kyndall Hildebrandt couldn’t wait that long.

Her affiliation with UAF spans back to her time as a student at West Valley High School, when she worked with UAF researchers through the Alaska High School Science Symposium. Shortly thereafter, she began working in the UA Museum of the North mammal collection. As an undergraduate, she has worked with Link Olson, the museum’s mammal curator on a variety of research projects, the most recent of which earned her a mention in a paper soon to be published in Science, one of the top science publications in the country.

Hildebrandt says most UAF students who are serious about science take advantage of an atmosphere where professors are open to involving undergraduates in research.

"It’s a really nice opportunity for undergraduates here,"? she says. "The professors are always extremely helpful. If you are interested in a project they will help you get involved."?

Hildebrandt says her undergraduate research experience will be a leg up in both her graduate work and in her career as a professor and researcher.

"We go to conferences and present our research. We write our own grants,"? she says. "I can just hit the ground running."?

In Hildebrandt’s case, one of the two grants she received as an undergraduate will serve as a jumping-off point for her UAF graduate-school research on the Glacier Bay water shrew.

Grant winner plans for business, community economic development

Rural development major Ulric Ulroan turned a required class into the foundation for his post-graduation business.

As part of the work required for his Rural Business Planning and Proposal Development course, Ulroan wrote a plan for an eco-tourism business in his home community of Chevak. His instructor, Miranda Wright, urged him to submit the plan to the Alaska Marketplace competition, a contest organized by the Alaska Federation of Natives in an effort to spur growth in economically depressed areas of the state.

Ulroan’s efforts paid off with a $25,000 grant to start the business, Chevak Bird and Culture Tours.

Following graduation, Ulroan and his wife, Mary, who is receiving a bachelor’s degree in history on Sunday, plan to return home to Chevak. Mary plans to pursue certification to teach secondary school while Ulroan will begin work on the business. He plans to offer his first tours next summer and hopes the business creates jobs for the people of Chevak and offers a good living for his family.

"My main goal is to have the Chevak Bird and Culture Tours create an awareness to tourists that there is a new destination, which is Chevak. Eventually I would like to build a cultural center and a museum and have more mainstream tourists visit Chevak,"? Ulroan said. "During the off seasons I will be running for mayor and I would like to use what I learned in the rural development classes and use my resources to do what I can to improve life in Chevak."?

CONTACT: Marmian Grimes, public information officer, at (907) 474-7902 or via e-mail at marmian.grimes@uaf.edu.

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University of Alaska Fairbanks commencement

Class of 2006 profile

The following statistics provide a snapshot of UAF’s 2006 graduating class. Please be aware that these are only preliminary numbers, current as of May 9, 2006. Final statistics will not be available until after commencement. With that in mind, here’s this year’s class profile:

1,176 degrees expected to be conferred on 1,137 students:

137 certificates
241 associate degrees
544 bachelor’s degrees
200 master’s degrees
21 doctorates

621 women graduating (55%)
516 men (45%)

Number of graduates from Alaska: 978 (86%)
Out-of-state: 103 (9%)
International: 56 (5%)

"¢Minority breakdown:

205 Alaska Native (18%)
17 American Indian (1.5%)
42 Asian (3.7%)
25 Black (2.2%)
27 Hispanic (2.4%)
27 Other (2.4%)
56 International (4.9%)
738 White (64.9%)

Youngest graduate is Glen Marunde, 18, associate of arts degree.

CONTACT: UAF Public Information Officer Marmian Grimes at (907) 474-7902 or via e-mail at marmian.grimes@uaf.edu.

ON THE WEB: www.uaf.edu/commencement