Alumni association names honorees
September 12, 2011
The University of Alaska Fairbanks Alumni Association will honor President of Kiwanis
International Sylvester Neal with the 2011 Distinguished Alumnus Award. Neal will
receive the award Sept. 23 during the annual alumni awards luncheon at the Princess
Riverside Lodge. The event is part of the UAF Alumni Association’s annual reunion Thursday – Saturday, Sept. 22 – 24.
Neal, the sixth of nine children, was born and raised near Austin, Texas. In 1978,
he graduated from UAF with an associate degree in police administration and in 1983
with a bachelor’s degree in justice. Neal’s career has been marked by his service
as a member of the Kiwanis Club. During his tenure at Kiwanis Club of Fairbanks, Sylvester
served as club secretary, club president and lieutenant governor of the Alaska Yukon.
He is currently a member of Kiwanis Club of the Valley in Auburn, Wash. He served
as governor of the Pacific Northwest District for Kiwanis in 2002 – 2003 and then
quickly ascended the Kiwanis International ranks, serving as trustee, vice president
and president-elect. In June 2010 Neal was elected president of the 600,000-member
Kiwanis International organization. The Distinguished Alumnus Award was first given
in 1962 and recognizes service to UAF, business or professional accomplishments and
distinguished human service.
The association will also honor seven other alumni during the awards luncheon. The
2011 Alumni Achievement Awards for Business and Professional Excellence will go to
Anchorage businesswoman and UA Foundation board member Jo Michalski, ‘76, and co-owner
of Kohler, Schmitt & Hutchison, CPAs, Garry Hutchison, ‘75.
The Alumni Achievement Award for University Support will go to UAF Graduate School
and Interdisciplinary Programs director Laura Bender, ‘80 and ‘82, and Tony Gasbarro,
‘79, director of the UAF Peace Corps Master’s International program.
The Alumni Achievement Award for Community Support will be awarded to Acoustic Adventures
co-owner Trudy Heffernan, ‘87, and UAF Athletic Hall of Fame member and high school
teacher Milo Griffin, ‘70.
The William R. Cashen Service Award will be presented to UAF staff member and alumni
volunteer Barbara Day. The award recognizes outstanding service t o the alumni association.
Doug Colp, ‘40, founder of University of Alaska’s Mineral and Petroleum Technology
associate-degree program, will be the recipient of the Lenhart J.H. Grothe Resource
Award. The Grothe Award posthumously honors an alumnus for contributions in the resource,
mining or agricultural fields.
Other 2011 alumni reunion events include the chancellor’s welcome reception, alumni
night at The Pub, the UAF Athletics Hall Of Fame Brunch and the lighting of the Starvation
Gulch bonfires. For a full schedule and to register or to purchase luncheon tickets,
visit www.uaf.edu/alumni/reunion/ or call 907-474-7081. The deadline to reserve a seat at the luncheon is 5 p.m. Tuesday,
Sept. 20.
For more information contact Joe Hayes, UAF Alumni Association director, at 907-474-7081
or uaf-alumni@alaska.edu.