UAF to host online commencement for class of 2020

May 18, 2020

UAF photo by Todd Paris. UAF will host a virtual commencement for the Class of 2020 on May 23.

The University of Alaska Fairbanks will honor the class of 2020 during its 98th commencement ceremony on May 23. The online event, which will be streamed live on Facebook at https://bit.ly/2020UAFcommencement, will begin at 1 p.m.

The university’s first commencement was in 1923, when the sole graduate, John Sexton Shanly, received a bachelor’s degree in agriculture. On Saturday, UAF expects to confer more than 1,300 degrees to 1,249 students. Some students will receive more than one degree. The ceremony will include graduates from summer and fall 2019 and spring 2020.

This year’s commencement ceremony will be offered virtually due to concerns about COVID-19 transmission and restrictions on large groups. It will include remarks by Chancellor Dan White, Provost Anupma Prakash and University of Alaska President Jim Johnsen. Degrees will be conferred by UA Board of Regents Chair Sheri Buretta.

The class of 2020 will be presented with a slide show and messages submitted by graduates. Deans and faculty will conclude the ceremony with a virtual gauntlet and congratulations.

The student speaker will be Max Erickson, who is graduating with a bachelor’s degree in engineering. Bruce Ervin is the recipient of the 2020 Marion Frances Boswell Memorial Award, honoring the outstanding bachelor’s degree candidate. Heike Loewer is recipient of the Joel Wiegert Award, which recognizes the outstanding associate degree candidate.

Fisheries biologist Randy J. Brown, Arctic Slope Regional Corp. executive Richard Savik Glenn, Alaska Native leader Willie Kasayulie and Arctic researcher Patrick J. Webber have been honored with honorary doctorates. Mining industry leader Roger Burggraf, orthopedic surgeon Cary S. Keller, Kawerak executive Luisa Machuca, and Greater Fairbanks Chamber of Commerce President and CEO Marisa Sharrah each received UAF’s Meritorious Service Award.

Thirteen retiring staff and faculty members have been granted emeritus status, a title given to those who have served the university with distinction for at least 10 years. They include Gang Chen, professor of mining engineering; Susan Gaudin, executive officer; Derylee Ann Hecimovich, professor of extension; J. Leroy Hulsey, professor of structural engineering; Leonard Kamerling, professor of English and curator of film; Shirish Patil, professor of petroleum engineering and director of the Petroleum Development Laboratory; William Post, associate professor of music; Vladimir Romanovsky, professor of geophysics; Roger Ruess, professor of biology; James Ruppert, professor of English; Todd Sherman, professor of art and dean of the College of Liberal Arts; Milan Shipka, professor of animal science and director of the Agricultural and Forestry Experiment Station; and Victor Zinger, professor of mathematics.

More information about the ceremony is available at www.uaf.edu/commence/.

Class of 2020 profile

The following statistics provide a snapshot of the UAF 2020 graduating class. Please be aware that these are preliminary numbers, current as of May 12. Final statistics will not be available until early September.

1,330 awards are expected to be conferred on 1,249 students:

35 occupational endorsements

147 certificates

253 associate degrees

615 bachelor’s degrees

198 master’s degrees

50 doctorates

32 recommendations for education licensure

Diversity breakdown:

716 women and 533 men are graduating

185 Alaska Native/American Indian

40 Asian American

35 African American

88 Hispanic or Latino

196 other or unknown

43 international

649 Caucasian or white

13 Hawaiian or Pacific Islander

The average age in the class is 32, the median age is 29. The youngest graduate is 18 years old, with an Associate of Arts in the general program; the youngest baccalaureate graduate is 20 years old, with a Bachelor of Arts in film and performing arts; and the oldest graduate is 72 with an Associate of Applied Science in paralegal studies.

2020 schedule

The following is an approximate schedule for the virtual commencement program.

1 p.m. — National anthem/welcome

1:15 p.m. — Class speaker/conferring of degrees

1:25 p.m. — Presenting the class of 2020

2:25 p.m. — UAF Alumni Association congratulation/"Alaska Flag Song"

2:30 p.m. — Virtual gauntlet and congratulations