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Directions & Visitor Information Search Commencement Search CommencementLoading
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Honorary Degree Recipients The honorary degree recipients were selected for significant achievements that have brought distinction to their academic or professional careers, and for their lasting contributions to the state and the nation.
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For more information about UAF commencement, contact commencement@uaf.edu. Class
of
2003
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Commencement
Photo
Gallery
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Commencement
Speaker
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Directions
&
Visitor
Information |
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University Relations
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Helen
Atkinson,
a
long-time
Fairbanksan,
will
be
honored
by
UAF
with
a
doctor
of
laws
for
her
contributions
to
Fairbanks
and
the
university.
An
Alaskan
since
1928,
Atkinson
graduated
from
UAF
in
1936
as
the
first
woman
to
earn
a
degree
in
civil
engineering.
She
worked
as
an
engineer
for
a
variety
of
organizations,
including
the
city
of
Fairbanks,
the
Federal
Aviation
Administration,
Golden
Valley
Electric
Association,
the
state
of
Alaska
and
several
different
mining
and
engineering
companies.
Later,
she
applied
her
engineering
background
to
journalism,
writing
hundreds
of
articles
and
features
about
Alaska's
many
opportunities
and
resources.
A
staunch
supporter
of
the
university,
she
pursued
her
beliefs
in
academic
excellence
as
a
regent
from
1954-63,
and
is
a
current
member
of
the
University
of
Alaska
Foundation,
College
of
Fellows,
Alumni
Association,
University
Women's
Association
and
Friends
of
the
UA Museum of the North
board.
The
UAF
Alumni
Association
named
her
a
Distinguished
Alumna
in
1987
in
recognition
of
her
achievements.
Ronald
F.
Cosgrave,
like
Atkinson,
is
an
alumnus
of
the
university,
and
will
also
receive
a
honorary
doctor
of
laws.
In
1958
he
was
the
first
graduate
to
earn
a
degree
in
chemical
engineering.
While
still
a
student,
Cosgrave
was
instrumental
in
the
student-led
Northern
Alaska
Development
Corp.,
which
sought
to
improve
the
infrastructure
and
value
of
the
lands
adjacent
to
the
university.
He
followed
that
early
initiative
and
applied
his
business
acumen
to
his
academic
training
to
help
develop
College
Utilities
Inc.,
which
was
established
in
direct
response
to
the
water
and
disposal
needs
of
UAF
and
the
surrounding
area.
Cosgrave
saw
further
opportunity
to
encourage
the
state's
development
by
revitalizing
Alaska
Airlines
as
chairman
and
CEO
from
1972-79.
He
remains
active
in
the
company
as
chairman
emeritus
and
continues
to
serve
on
the
board's
executive
committee.
In
1978,
the
same
year
the
Alumni
Association
awarded
him
as
a
Distinguished
Alumnus,
Cosgrave
established
a
scholarship
fund
that
is
awarded
to
one
engineering
and
one
chemistry
undergraduate
each
year.
He
also
served
on
the
board
of
the
UA
Foundation
from
1976-82.
Johannes
Erritzoe,
an
internationally
respected
and
self-taught
ornithologist
will
receive
an
honorary
doctor
of
science
degree.
As
a
child
growing
up
in
Denmark,
Erritzoe
was
fascinated
by
birds
and
their
habits,
but
he
was
unable
to
pursue
formal
advanced
training
due
to
the
limited
number
of
professional
positions
available
in
Denmark
at
the
time.
He
was
nevertheless
able
to
work
with
several
leading
scientists
and
researchers,
increasing
the
scope
of
his
studies
to
include
a
vast
range
of
knowledge,
including
avian
physiology
and
breeding
biology,
and
the
evolution,
ecology,
behavior
and
conservation
of
birds.
His
studies,
articles
and
books
are
regularly
referenced
by
some
of
the
world's
leading
avian
experts.
Erritzoe
makes
his
valuable
private
collection
of
thousands
of
specimens
available
for
study,
and
his
collaboration
with
other
researchers
and
their
students
include
some
at
the
University
of
Alaska
Museum,
where
he
serves
as
a
research
associate
and
advisor.
Kenneth
"Utuayuk"
Toovak
will
be
awarded
an
honorary
doctorate
in
laws.
An
Inupiaq
from
Barrow,
Alaska,
Toovak
has
been
instrumental
in
ensuring
the
success
of
countless
scientific
research
projects
and
expeditions,
including
many
sponsored
by
the
university.
He
began
his
career
as
a
field
support
technician
on
U.S.
Navy
petroleum
exploration
operations
in
the
1940s,
honing
his
innate
skills
in
mechanics
and
problem-solving
to
become
manager
of
equipment
operations
at
the
Naval
Arctic
Research
Laboratory
(NARL)
for
many
Arctic
Slope
research
programs.
NARL
was
operated
for
the
Office
of
Naval
Research
by
UAF
from
1947-1980.
Toovak
was
well
known
for
his
ability
to
make
a
quick
assessment
of
a
problem
and
find
a
creative
solution.
On
one
occasion,
for
example,
he
engineered
the
retrieval
of
a
large
caterpillar
tractor
that
had
fallen
through
the
ice
into
a
lake;
on
another,
he
improvised
the
salvage
of
a
DC-3
that
was
damaged
on
the
sea
ice.
In
addition
to
his
position
as
operations
manager,
Toovak's
extensive
knowledge
of
the
characteristics
of
the
tundra,
ocean
and
sea
ice,
and
their
potential
impacts
on
projects–as
well
as
on
the
lives
of
those
conducting
the
projects–was
used
by
research
teams
to
make
adjustments
to
protect
the
integrity
of
their
experiments
and
the
safety
of
their
operations.