Your gifts to UAF are making an undeniable and essential impact now, and over the years to come. Gifts to Annual Giving go to work immediately as unrestricted funds, supporting students and faculty. Planned Giving empowers supporters to leave a legacy gift while meeting their life goals. Strong links are forged with partners through Corporate and Foundation gifts. Endowed Scholarships, Fellowships and Academic Chairs honor a loved one or respected colleague while doing a world of good for students and the community. Last year, UAF awarded more than $850,000 in scholarships to deserving students, thanks to generous donors to UAF.
For more information on how to make a gift, visit the Ways to Give page, or call us at (907) 474-2619 or (800) UAF-GIVE.
Please take a minute to view our recent thank you video at www.uafgiving.org/thanks.
Read the 2011 Fall issue of the Chancellor's Report on Philanthropy here.
The Aurora magazine is published twice a year for alumni and friends of the University of Alaska Fairbanks. Read the latest issue here.
Exciting news! Exxon Mobil will match your gift to UAF, if made through Pick. Click. Give., the PFD Charitable Contributions Program. Pick.Click.Give. allows Alaskans filing their PFD online to donate to campuses of the University of Alaska and other eligible charitable and educational organizations. Individual philanthropic giving is an effective way that you can personally support UAF's mission and contribute to our sustainability.
In addition, you can double your gift if your employer offers a matching gift program. See the Pick.Click.Give. website for news about some of the participating employers.
The family of a recent University of Alaska Fairbanks graduate has donated a tract of land that will provide an endowment to support three research and academic programs at UAF.
Dr. Jeffrey and Jo Zuckerman this week signed paperwork to donate a 50-acre parcel of land in Wilshire Glenn Estates, a subdivision off McGrath Road north of Fairbanks. Under the agreement, the land will be held by the university for three years and then can be sold. The estimated value of the land is about $960,000. The proceeds are slated to benefit two academic programs, Spanish and psychology, as well as research by faculty member Kelly Drew at the UAF Institute of Arctic Biology.
The Zuckermans’ daughter, Bianca, graduated in 2010 with a double major in Spanish and psychology and a minor in biology. She is currently seeking a doctorate in physical therapy in Texas. She chose the programs that would receive funds generated by the donation.
“These people and programs inspired me when I was a student at UAF,” she said. “I hope that this donation will further the growth of these departments and benefit the students, the university and the community."
UAF Chancellor Brian Rogers, university leaders and representatives from the programs met with the Zuckerman family this week. “This gift will benefit these programs—both their students and their research—for years to come,” Rogers said. “The Zuckerman family’s dedication to higher education is an inspiration to students and to donors and we truly appreciate their generosity.”
The Zuckermans’ donation is one of the largest one-time gifts made to UAF by an individual donor.
The 2011 UAF Donor Reception, “Giving Comes Full Circle,” was held on November 16, 2011 in the Regents' Great Hall. The annual event celebrates philanthropic giving at UAF and special recognition is given to an individual, corporate and foundation donor. This year’s honorees were Bill and Betsy Robertson; Fairbanks Memorial Hospital; and Rasmuson Foundation. Thank you to the many donors whose generosity makes an impact on our students and programs, and helps to change lives and inspire future leaders. In the photo above, Chancellor Brian Rogers welcomes reception attendees. For more information and to view interviews with the honorees, click here.
Usibelli Coal Mine (UCM) recently contributed $64,000 to establish an endowment for a Diesel/Heavy Equipment Certificate Scholarship at UAF's Community and Technical College (CTC). The annual scholarship will award $6,000 to one student each year. Pictured left to right are Bill Brophy, VP Customer Relations UCM, Michelle Renfrew, Director, UAF Marketing & Communications and Susan Whitener, Dean, UAF Community and Technical College. CTC has been a leader in academic preparation, lifelong learning and developing a quality local workforce since 1974. They offer more than 40 one-year certificate and two-year associate degree programs in a variety of high demand fields.
A $4 million equipment donation from BP Exploration (Alaska) Inc. makes the University of Alaska Fairbanks Community and Technical College one of only a few programs in the nation to offer a working wellhead in the classroom.
"The wellhead and equipment gives students in our process technology program the opportunity to train on the same equipment in a classroom environment they will encounter in the field,” said Brian Ellingson, CTC process technology program coordinator.
“This wellhead and process technology equipment will provide hands-on experience for UAF engineering and process technology students. Training and hiring qualified Alaskans is critical to our business and we believe this investment will help the excellent program at UAF be even better.” said John Mingé, President BP Exploration (Alaska) Inc. Read articles at UAF News and in the Fairbanks Daily News-Miner.
UAF and Sumitomo Pogo Mine announced a gift to support graduate student research in mining engineering. The three-year, $1 million endowment from Sumitomo Pogo Joint Venture will provide a steady source of research funding for graduate students in mining engineering.
“Besides strengthening the mining engineering program, the endowment will result in more mining engineers with advanced training,” said Rajive Ganguli, chairman of UAF mining and geological engineering department.
“The mining industry constantly struggles with finding knowledgeable, talented and experienced employees,” said Chris Kennedy, Sumitomo Pogo general manager. “Pogo has several engineers working on site who have attending the UAF engineering program and, with time spent in the field, are now some of Pogo’s shining stars because of the knowledge and training they gained at UAF.” Read the full UAF news article.
The Rotary Club of Fairbanks Service Fund and Chancellor Brian Rogers and Sherry Modrow hosted a fundraising celebration in support of the Dorothy Sugg Rotary Scholarship at the University of Alaska Fairbanks. The Rotary Club of Fairbanks Service Fund provided a generous incentive to donors and matched all gifts made to support the scholarship up to $15,000. The event was a tremendous success with more than $32,000 raised for the Dorothy Sugg Rotary Scholarship which supports students in the UAF Honors Program. These gifts honor Dorothy and help to continue her legacy of giving while supporting students at UAF.
Crowley Maritime Corporation recently awarded four scholarships to students from rural communities attending UAF. The Thomas B. Crowley Sr. Memorial Scholarships recognizes students with strong academic records, leadership capacity and financial need. Recipients include Ben Overacker, Rebecca Church, Timothy Nick and Alexandra Waska. The company has a longstanding commitment to support the Alaskan communities where the company does business and its employees reside. The scholarships were present to students by Bob Cox, vice president of customer service for Crowley's petroleum distribution group. Read the full article here.
The University of Alaska Fairbanks and Kinross Fort Knox announced a gift of nearly $1 million to support graduate student research in mining engineering at UAF. The research endowment will allow UAF to provide advanced training for mining engineers by establishing a steady source of research funding.
“UAF prides itself on working closely with industry to produce the type of engineering graduate who can be effective right out of college. We couldn’t do that without active partnerships like the one we have with Kinross,” said Doug Goering, dean of the UAF College of Engineering and Mines.
“The endowment provides an important step toward replacing the efforts formerly led by the federal Bureau of Mines,” said Lauren Roberts, Kinross Gold regional vice president of North America. Read the full UAF news article.
ConocoPhillips has established a $500,000 engineering endowment to support student academic programs and research in the UAF College of Engineering and Mines (CEM). The company has worked with CEM to offer student internships and collaborate on research projects. “This grant continues our tradition of investing in quality training and education opportunities in Alaska,” said Trond-Erik Johansen, president of ConocoPhillips Alaska. Read the full article.
The UAF Development Office participated in the annual American Heart Association Heart Walk on May 14, 2011. The "Advancement Cardio Cruisers" team includes team leader Allison Carter and son Preston, Emily Drygas and daughter Annika, Becky Lindsey and son Finn, Megan Damario, KaLynn Coffey and son Blake, Suzanne Bishop, Barbara Travis, Stephanie Standberg, Cathy Miller and Sylvan Robb. The team raised over $1800!
UAF Vice Chancellor for University Advancement Jake Poole was recognized recently by the Fairbanks North Star Borough Early Childhood Development Commission for his efforts in helping employees balance work and family life. The award was created in part because a “family friendly” philosophy creates a more productive work environment and greater employee loyalty and morale, and can also contribute to families raising children that become students and citizens.
Gangly Moose & young alumni teamed up together to create this Flash movie to inspire us to help our current generation of students, and give alumni an opportunity to reconnect with one of Alaska's most memorable bands!
Read more Giving News here
