MEDIA ADVISORY

TO:                     News Directors, Education Reporters and PSA Directors

FROM:                University Relations

SUBJECT:           UAF Day at Southside Community Center

DATE:                 Saturday, March 31, 2001 from 1-5 p.m.

LOCATION:         Southside Community Center 2400 Rickert Street

The University of Alaska Fairbanks is hosting the first-ever UAF Day at the Southside Community Center on Saturday, March 31, 2001 from 1-5 p.m.

"As a public institution we do a great job of inviting the community to come up to visit our campus," said Scott McCrea, one of the organizers of the event and president-elect of UAF Staff Council. "With this event, we’re looking at taking the campus to the community."

The purpose of the family event is to create a "mini-campus" at the Southside Community Center. Various departments will be on hand with exhibits, information and activities for all ages. Scheduled participants include the Office of Admissions, Career Services, UA Museum of the North, Large Animal Research Station, Georgeson Botanical Gardens, Cooperative Extension Service, Rural Student Services, UAF Athletics, KUAC-FM, Dining Services, Institute of Arctic Biology, and many others.

There will be entertainment provided by students from the Alaska Renaissance Project, the UAF Juggling Club, and the Inu-Yupiaq Dancers. Free hot dogs and refreshments will be provided, and there will be door prizes throughout the afternoon.

"There will be something for every age group," said McCrea. "We want to let people know that UAF is their hometown university, and we want to invite them to experience all that we have to offer."

UAF’s Staff Council, Student Activities and the Alumni Association are organizing the event. Fairbanks Distributors and Safeway will provide additional sponsorship.

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Contact: Scott McCrea, UAF Staff Council President-elect, 474-1157 or email: fnsjm@uaf.edu.

SJM/03-26-01/01-059ma