MEDIA ADVISORY

TO:                      News Directors and Education Reporters

FROM:                 UAF University Relations

SUBJECT:            Inupiat House Renaming Ceremony

DATE:                 Wednesday, Sept. 27, from 3 to 4 p.m.

LOCATION:         Columbia Circle, UAF Campus

The 25-person student complex on the UAF campus which houses primarily rural students from the Arctic Slope Borough will be named the Eileen Panigeo MacLean House during a ceremony Wednesday, Sept. 27, beginning at 3 p.m.

Earlier this year, the University of Alaska Board of Regents unanimously approved renaming the Inupiat House at UAF to honor former alumna and distinguished Alaska State Representative Eileen Panigeo MacLean, who received her bachelor's degree in elementary education from UAF in 1975. She received her master's in education from the University of Copenhagen in 1983, and has a long list of community service positions to her credit, including president of the Inuit Circumpolar Conference, director of the Inupiat History, Language and Culture Commission, and executive director of the Alaska Eskimo Whaling Commission.

Recognized across Alaska as an advocate for Alaska Native rights and education, MacLean was elected to the North Slope Borough Assembly, North Slope School District Board and the Alaska State Legislature, who honored her for dedicated public service after her death in 1996.

Construction of the residence hall in 1997 resulted from a donation from the Arctic Slope Regional Corp. The continued partnership with UAF provides transitional housing for Alaska Native students to improve recruitment, retention and graduation numbers.

Invited speakers at the dedication ceremony include ASRC President Jacob Adams, UAF Chancellor Marshall Lind and UA Regent Mary Jane Fate.

Members of the MacLean family will also be present during the dedication.

-30-

CONTACT: Tiffany Seth, UAF University Relations, at (907) 474-6438.

DPD/9-25-00/01-019ma