Blue and Gold Celebration 2020
February 25, 2020
The Blue and Gold Celebration held at the Carlson Center on Feb. 8 raised $200,000 for the Student Support Fund or fund of the donor's choice, and sold out to a capacity crowd of 400. You can download images from the photo gallery by university photographer JR Ancheta '15.
The presenting sponsor was Kinross Fort Knox. Gold-level sponsors were Doyon Ltd and Dr. Cary Keller and Sarah W. Keller '90 MS. Blue-level sponsors were Alyeska Pipeline Service Co., First National Bank of Alaska, Ghemm Company, Haskell-Davis, UAF Alumni Association and Usibelli Coal Mine. Nanook-level sponsors were Bettisworth North, Conoco Phillips Alaska, Drs. Phyllis Pendergrast and Hannah Summerfelt, Siemens, Spirit of Alaska Federal Credit Union, Tote Maritime, and the UAF Community and Technical College, provided by Dean Michele Stalder. Table sponsors were Foundation Health Partners, Golden Valley Electric Association, Sunrise Bagel and Espresso, Westmark Fairbanks, and the UAF College of Liberal Arts, provided by Dean Todd Sherman.
In-kind sponsors included Alaska Airlines; Townshend Cellars of Spokane, Wash., and alum Don Townshend '78; Span Alaska Transportation; the Fairbanks Daily News-Miner; Alaska Gold 'N' Gems Fine Jewelry and Design Center; Linda Hulbert; Roger Burggraf; Necessary Luxury and Tian Hulbert; an anonymous donor; and Taylor’s Gold-N-Stones.
Emcees were Bill and Meadow Bailey, both UAF alumni. Lisa Herbert from Usibelli Coal Mine and Provost Anupma Prakash, along with Chancellor Dan White, presented the Emil Usibelli Distinguished Teaching, Research and Service Awards to 2019 recipients Charles Mason, Diane McEachern and Katey Walter Anthony, and to 2020 recipients Katrin Iken, Michael West and Jaunelle Celaire.
UAF Alumni Association board President Peter Van Flein and Chancellor White presented the Distinguished Alumna award to Caroline Tritt-Frank '90, '01, and the William R. Cashen Service Award to Paul H. McCarthy.
Many UAF students volunteered this year, including Madeline Andriesen, Ray Alda, Shayna Smith, Riley von Borstel, Nick McGraw, Monrow Norris, Cyan Woodward and faculty advisor Alex Hirsch, all from the Honors College; Cameron Blood and Millard Arnold from the Alumni Association office; Claire Everts, Claire Friedenauer, Jillian Bjornstad, Nolan Scarlett and Melinda Farmer from the School of Management; UAF Society of Women Engineers Club members Isela Amezquita, Wenshi Fraser, Victoria Nelson, Faith Wixon, Abigail Arens, Malvika Shriwas and Jenni Klebesadel; and members of the Nanook women’s volleyball team, Cate Whiting, Emily Moorhead and Lahra Weber.
Staff volunteers included Donald Crocker, Tammy Tragis-McCook and Felicia Burud. Student speakers were Mina Carroll, Michael High and Kevin Grimes.
Other volunteers included Taylor Morgan, a former student employee of the Development office.
The event was planned by the Development and Alumni Relations office in collaboration with University Relations.