UAF to host 2022 commencement ceremonies

The University of Alaska Fairbanks will celebrate its Class of 2022 at two commencement ceremonies at 11 a.m. and 4 p.m. Saturday, April 30, 2022, at the Carlson Center in Fairbanks.

The ceremonies mark UAF’s 100th commencement. The first commencement took place in 1923, when a sole graduate, John Sexton Shanly, received a bachelor’s degree in agriculture.

More than 1,000 members of UAF’s Class of 2022 will earn approximately 1,122 degrees. Some students will receive more than one degree. Saturday’s ceremonies will include graduates from summer and fall 2021 and spring 2022.

The 11 a.m. ceremony will celebrate graduates from the following programs:

• College of Engineering and Mines
• College of Natural Science and Mathematics
• College of Fisheries and Ocean Sciences
• College of Rural and Community Development
• Community and Technical College
• University of Alaska Anchorage nursing students — with CNSM

The 4 p.m. ceremony will celebrate graduates from the following programs:

• Division of General Studies/interdisciplinary undergrads
• College of Liberal Arts
• School of Education
• College of Business and Security Management

University of Alaska President Pat Pitney and UA regents Karen Perdue and Ralph Seekins will help UAF Chancellor Daniel White confer degrees.

The Inu-Yupiaq Dance Group will lead the 11 a.m. processional. The Troth Yeddha’ Dance Group will lead the 4 p.m. processional.

Austin Laber, who is earning a bachelor’s degree in civil engineering, will be the student speaker for the 11 a.m. ceremony. Rodolfo Garcia-Sanchez, who is earning bachelor’s degrees in biological sciences, chemistry, mathematics, and ethics, culture and government, will be the student speaker for the 4 p.m. ceremony.

This year’s student award winners are Tricia Minnick, recipient of the 2019 Marion Frances Boswell Memorial Award honoring an outstanding bachelor’s degree candidate, and Logan Nave, recipient of the Joel Wiegert Award honoring an outstanding associate degree candidate.

Galen Johnson, professor of construction management, and David Mollett, professor of art, will be the grand marshals for the 11 a.m. and 4 p.m. ceremonies, respectively. They are among nine retiring staff and faculty members who will be granted emeritus status, a title given to those who have served the university with distinction for at least 10 years.

Others receiving emeritus status are: Michael Abels, Toolik Field Station associate director; Milo Adkison, professor of fisheries; Beverly Bradley, Marine Advisory Program coordinator; Deanna Dieringer, director of financial aid; E. Jean Heusinkveld, associate professor of applied business and accounting; Jeannie Phillips, executive officer and assistant; Linda Tannehill, professor of extension.

This year’s honorary degree recipients are Michael Williams Sr., Sarah James and Dermot Cole. University supporters Anna Atchison, Aaron Schutt, Susan Henrichs and Ann Tremarello will receive 2022 Meritorious Service Awards, the highest non-academic honor the university bestows.

In addition to the Saturday ceremonies, honorary degree and Meritorious Service Award recipients, emeriti, student speakers and student award winners will be honored at an event Friday, April 29, at 5 p.m. at the Davis Concert Hall on the Troth Yeddha’ campus in Fairbanks.

On Saturday, the Carlson Center will be open for guest seating one hour before each of the ceremonies. The ceremonies will also be streamed live on the UAF YouTube and UAF Facebook channels. Additional information is available on the UAF commencement website.

Class of 2022 profile

The following statistics provide a snapshot of the UAF 2022 graduating class. These are preliminary numbers, current as of April 22, 2022. Final statistics will not be available until early September.

1,122 awards expected to be conferred on 1,076 students:

• 30 occupational endorsements
• 148 certificates
• 218 associate degrees
• 471 bachelor’s degrees
• 176 master’s degrees
• 32 doctorates
• 47 recommendations for education licensure

Diversity breakdown:

• 615 women, 448 men, 14 other genders

• 182 Alaska Native/American Indian
• 52 Asian-American
• 45 African-American
• 77 Hispanic or Latino
• 593 Caucasian or white
• 17 Hawaiian or Pacific Islander
• 83 Other or unknown 

• 28 international graduates

Graduates range in age from 18-75, with an average age of 31 and a median age of 28

2022 schedule

The following is a schedule of commencement activities. Times with asterisks are estimated.

Friday, April 29

11 a.m. – Ph.D. hooding ceremony, Davis Concert Hall

5 p.m. – Honoree recognition ceremony for honorary degree and Meritorious Service Award recipients, emeriti, student speakers and student award winners, Davis Concert Hall

Saturday, April 30

Morning ceremony

10 a.m. — Carlson Center opens for guest seating; students arrive

10:30 p.m. — Graduates, stage party and faculty line up

11 a.m. — Academic procession begins, ceremony follows

*2 p.m. — Ceremony ends

Afternoon ceremony

3 p.m. — Carlson Center opens for guest seating; students arrive

3:30 p.m. — Graduates, stage party and faculty line up

4 p.m. — Academic procession begins, ceremony follows

*7 p.m. — Ceremony ends

ADDITIONAL CONTACT: Jeff Richardson, 907-474-6284, jarichardson6@alaska.edu.

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