CHEMISTRY MAJOR, UA REGENT NAMED OUTSTANDING GRADUATES

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
April 23, 1997

Fairbanks, Alaska - More than 60 students will be honored as the best and brightest of the 1997 graduating class at the University of Alaska Fairbanks during the annual Student Awards Banquet to be held April 26.

Among them are Erin Nichol Narus, a published chemistry student who will receive the Marion Frances Boswell Award recognizing the outstanding graduating senior woman, and Joe Hayes, the University of Alaska student regent, who will receive the Joel Wiegert Award for outstanding graduating senior man.

Each spring UAF holds a banquet to honor students who have distinguished themselves during their academic studies. Scholarship winners from departments campuswide will also be recognized.

Aimee Kniaziowski, this year's recipient of the Gray Tilly Memorial Award, started her college career before some of her fellow graduates were born. The Gray Tilly Memorial Award is given to the graduating senior whose education was interrupted because of family responsibilities. Five children and nearly 30 years after she first started classes, Kniaziowski will receive her diploma in rural development. She has also been recognized as an outstanding student in the College of Rural Alaska.

Walter Benesch, a professor in the philosophy and humanities department, is the recipient of the Associated Students of the University of Alaska Fairbanks (ASUAF) Outstanding Faculty/Staff Award. ASUAF President Catherine Wheeler will present the faculty award while Rick Geob, compliance coordinator for athletics and recreation, will present the Scholar Athlete awards to Cody Bowtell and Bobbi Benson.

After the awards for university achievement are made, UAF deans will announce recognition of students by colleges and professional schools.

In the School of Agriculture and Land Resources Management, Samantha Lown will be recognized for her work in forest sciences, Cheryl Wickstrom for plant, animal and soil sciences, and Rochelle Pigors for resource management.

In the School of Mineral Engineering, student Ryan Anderson will be recognized for geological engineering, John Kells for mining engineering and Michael Triolo for petroleum engineering.

For the School of Management, student Chandra J. Stone will be recognized for accounting and information systems, Krista L. Domke for business administration, and Kristina Kalenka for economics.

The College of Science, Engineering and Mathematics will recognize student Carolyn Duehn for biological sciences, Erin Nicol Narus for chemistry, Keolani W. Bailey for civil and environmental engineering, Richard Griswold for computer science, Shawn W. Kuehl for electrical engineering, Julius Ruechel for geology and geophysics, Angelo Gilmore for physics, James Long for mathematics, Andrew S. Rohleder for mechanical engineering, Gordon Bower for statistics and Gregory Pietsch for wildlife.

UAF College of Rural Alaska recognition goes to Gina Hobson from the Bristol Bay Campus, Cindy Lincoln from the Chukchi Campus, Crystal Wilson and Aimee Kniaziowski from Interior-Aleutians Campus, Nellie Kameroff and Cindy Edwards from the Kuskokwim Campus, and Vera Metcalf from rural development.

From the Tanana Valley Campus, department recognition is given to Joe Weaver for airplane and powerplant, Herb Morgan for applied business and accounting, Petra P. Carter for the associate of arts general program, Phillip Low for computer applications, Nathan Naguruk for diesel/heavy equipment, Gina Sandoz for early childhood development, Shawn M. Killian for fire science, Lynn James for health technology, Nkenge Williams for office management and technology, Steve Mancill for welding technology and Mary Ann Durocher for human service technology.

The College of Liberal Arts will award Ivan Peter-Raboff for Alaska Native studies, Steven Lanford for anthropology, Erica Herbert in art, Paige McLaughlin in communication, Edward E. Justice Jr. in English, Stephanie Yates in exercise science, Wayne Reid in foreign languages and literatures, Lisa M. Falcon in geography, Jennifer Stugart in history, John Brecher in journalism and broadcasting, Jeremy R. Rupe in justice, Amy J. Coffman in linguistics, Frank Reyes in military science, Christopher D. Lubken in music and Tom Hernstien for philosophy.

Also recognized in the CLA are Shannon Nagy for political science, Laura E. Burleson for psychology, David Minshall for elementary education, Kevin Brinegar for secondary education, Gina Hobson for rural education, Bobbie Redinius for social work, Thomas Torvie for sociology, Merrie H. Culp for student support services project and Jason Chapman for theater.

Sixteen students will wear the crimson cord representing leadership honors this year during commencement. The recipients, selected by UAF's student activities office, have demonstrated exceptional leadership skills and strong community service involvement throughout their career at UAF.

The student leadership award winners are: Laura Burleson, Carolyn Ciaramitaro, Amy Coffman, Steven Cole, Joe Hayes, Charles Kozak, Jacqueline Meumann, Ian Olson, Stacie Omernik, Wayne "Volodiya" Reid, Elizabeth Robbins, Chandra Stone, Jillian Swope, Mary Watts and Catherine Wheeler. Kimberly O'Connor from the Northwest Campus will also graduate with leadership honors.

The awards breakfast will be held in the Wood Center Ballroom beginning at 9:30 a.m. Student Services Dean Carla Kirts will preside over the ceremony.

CONTACT: UAF Public Information Officer Debra Damron, (907) 474-7122.

JCS/4-23-97/97-076