University Relations 202 Eielson Fairbanks, Alaska 99775-7520
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RECORD NUMBER OF DEGREES
TO BE AWARDED
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
May 4, 1998
Fairbanks, Alaska -The University of Alaska Fairbanks will confer a record number of degrees during the institution's 76th Commencement, Sunday, May 10. The deadline for graduates' final grades is noon, May 7, but preliminary figures show the number of students approved for graduation is 1,071. That's 53 more than last year's graduating class, the largest in UAF's history with 1,018 graduates.
With just one week before the event, which coincides with Mother's Day this year, students are taking final exams and preparing to move out residence halls for the summer. Once grades are submitted, they must be verified before graduates are approved to receive their degrees. The largest class of degree recipients are those getting bachelors of arts degrees; 575 bachelor's degrees are expected to be awarded. The number of certificates awarded is expected to be 120, while 160 associate degrees, 178 master's degrees and 38 Ph.D.s are expected to be awarded. A dark blue hood with velvet trim will be placed around the shoulders of Ph.D. graduates indicating that they've earned a doctorate in their academic field.
The procession of graduates, faculty, retiring faculty, honorary degree recipients and university officials starts at 1:10 p.m. The Parade Marshall is long-time Russian American scholar and UAF educator Lydia Black, who is retiring this year and will be given the rank of professor of anthropology, emerita. Altogether, 19 retiring faculty will be granted emeritus status on Sunday, a title given to those who have served with distinction in teaching, research or public service, and symbolic of the university's desire to maintain an identification with those ending formal, full-time university employment.
The ceremony, led by Chancellor Joan Wadlow, begins at 1:30 p.m. in the Patty Center and is expected to conclude at about 4 p.m. Retiring University of Alaska President Jerome Komisar, UA Board of Regents President Mike Kelly, UAF Provost John P. Keating and Wadlow will present degrees to graduating students.
UAF branch campuses in Nome, Kotzebue, Bethel, Tok and Dillingham hold separate commencement ceremonies.
This year's Commencement speaker is former Alaska aviation industry leader Bruce Kennedy, who received his bachelors of business administration degree from UAF 35 years ago. Kennedy, 59, is the former chairman, president and CEO of Alaska Air Group, the parent company of Alaska Airlines and Horizon Air. Kennedy left Alaska in 1991 to join a non-profit humanitarian group called Mission Aviation Fellowship. He now sits on the MAF board of directors and was last year appointed director of ARIS Corp., a worldwide integrated information technology company in Seattle.
This year's student speaker is Tammy Chang, 23, who will receive her bachelors of business administration degree with a focus on travel industry management. Chang has been active in various academic and community projects while at UAF. After graduation, she will join the Japanese Exchange Teaching program where she will be an assistant teacher of English in Japan for up to three years.
In addition to the more than 1,000 degrees being awarded this Sunday, UAF will also confer honorary doctorates to polar regions writer and librarian Evelyn Stefansson Nef, linguist Irene Reed, electrical engineer Irving Reed (no relation to Irene) and retired Western Airlines Capt. Robert Stevens. Alaska riverboat Capt. Jim Binkley and his wife Mary will receive a Meritorious Service Award.
Commencement rehearsal for graduates is 10 a.m. Saturday at the Patty Center. On Sunday, a 10 a.m. Baccalaureate Interfaith Service will be held in Duckering 466, a change from the previous Schaible Auditorium location. A 10:30 a.m. Graduation Sunday Mass will take place in the lounge of the Lola Tilly Commons.
The Fairbanks chapter of the UAF Alumni Association will host a reception for returning alumni from 11 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. at Constitution Hall, and will host a reception for graduates and their families at the Lola Tilly Commons immediately following commencement ceremonies.
Note to Editors: A profile of
the 1998 UAF graduating class is available
for possible feature story development.
CONTACT: UAF
Public Information Officer Debra Damron, (907) 474-7122 or by
e-mail fynews@aurora.alaska.edu
UAF NEWS RELEASES AVAILABLE ELECTRONICALLY AT:
http://www.uaf.edu/univrel/media/
DPD/5-3-98/98-060
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