Scholarship & Award Breakfast
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15TH ANNUAL Scholarship & Award Breakfast Tuesday, April 10, 2012 Dear friends, Good morning! Sherry and I are thrilled to welcome you to the 15th annual Scholarship and Award Breakfast. This is one of our favorite events — what a delight to see our students come together with our scholarship donors and supporters, you who help our students make their plans and dreams come true. At last year’s breakfast, Nelson Carpluk ’12 spoke of the impact scholarship funds had on his ability to complete his schooling. He talked about the motivation he derived from regular communication with his scholarship donors. And he talked about his plans for the future. The University of Alaska Fairbanks is in the business of helping develop a strong Alaska workforce; build intellectual strength; and make a place in this busy world for quiet inquiry. This is heady stuff, and none of it could happen without students’ hard work and donor support. Thank you for all you do to make it possible. Enjoy the morning. Sincerely, Chancellor Brian Rogers Program Cover Artwork: “Blueberries” Klara Maisch Art | 2011 – 2012 Bebe Helen Kneece Woodward Scholarship Program BREAKFAST IS SERVED! Emcee Jeri Wigdahl Community volunteer MUSICAL PERFORMANCE Trevor Adams, viola Music major | 2011 – 2012 String Players Fund Kailyn Davis, clarinet Music major | 2011 – 2012 Pearl Berry Boyd Music Scholarship | 2011 – 2012 Patricia Hughes Eastaugh Teaching Scholarship Ellen Parker, clarinet Music major | 2011 – 2012 Pep Band Support INSPIRING STUDENT SUCCESS Brian Rogers Chancellor, University of Alaska Fairbanks A LONG WAY FROM HOME Theresia Schnurr Biochemistry major | 2011 – 2012 Cynthia J. Northrup Physical Education Scholarship GETTING THE WORD OUT, CONNECTING WITH PEOPLE Wynola Possenti ’68, ’75 UAF donor | Richard G. Possenti Student Research Memorial BALANCING SCHOOL AND WORK Elijah Verhagen Construction management major | 2011 – 2012 UAF CTC Construction Management Scholarship CLOSING REMARKS Jeri Wigdahl Following the presentation, please take the opportunity to be photographed with your donor/recipient at the front of the room. THERESIA ELIJAH SCHNURR VERHAGEN A long way from home Balancing work and school Theresia chose UAF so she could ski and Elijah left his hometown of Nenana to study. Theresia says that in her home country study construction management at the of Germany, there is no such thing as a UAF Community and Technical College. student-athlete. “You have to be either a At UAF, he could stay in the state he loves professional skier or a student.” She’s now a and continue his job in construction member of the UAF ski team and working while attending school. “The construction on a degree in biochemistry with a minor in management instructors are very business. accommodating,” he says. “Being a student-athlete is not easy,” she Elijah plans to return to Nenana to help says. “It requires constant communication it grow with beautiful homes and buildings. with professors, missing lectures and labs, “I love constructing something, and when it’s and studying in hotel rooms and airports. But all finished stepping back and knowing that I when I compare UAF with what my friends built it,” he says. experience in Germany, it becomes obvious Elijah is the recipient of the UAF CTC how lucky I am to be part of a university Construction Management Scholarship. that has small classroom sizes and a low He is very grateful for the scholarship, as professor-student ratio.” it has kept him from going into debt. “I Theresia was recently recognized for think it’s essential to help inspire students academic honors by the Athletics Department to work hard in school for good grades and and named the Dr. Wood Scholar Athlete not just be apathetic about grades,” he says. of the Year for women’s skiing. She plans to “Scholarship support has helped me feel more graduate next fall, ski one more season and loyal to UAF and want to continue to go here then start a master’s degree in biotechnology. and work hard to show my appreciation for Theresia is the recipient of the Cynthia J. the scholarships I’ve received.” Northrup Physical Education Scholarship. “I am very thankful for the opportunity to come all the way from Europe to study at such a unique place where you will find moose in your front yard and northern lights on your morning run!” 2 for the U.S. military made it clear to him the significance of sharing research, and Wynola’s classroom experience showed her the importance of public-speaking skills. So it was natural for Wynola, when she decided WYNOLA to establish a scholarship fund in his memory, to focus on the two themes. The Richard G. POSSENTI Possenti Student Research Memorial fund supports research and travel to conferences Getting the word out, connecting to present the student’s research. Last year, with people at the Scholarship and Awards Breakfast, Wynola met Chris DeCou, who had received Wynola started college taking night classes a scholarship from the Possenti fund. He told at what was then the University of Alaska her of his hope to travel to Beijing to present Extension, now known as UAA. When she his research at the International Association had the opportunity to move to Fairbanks for Suicide Prevention’s 26th World Congress, to continue her studies, she took it. In in September 2011. Fairbanks she completed her bachelor’s and Wynola feels that the opportunity to master’s degrees in psychology, and began a engage in meaningful relationships with 20-plus year career at UAF, teaching just the diverse cultures is an important aspect of sort of student she was when she started out. university life. She is pleased to have helped “I can relate to the returning students,” she Chris travel to China to present his findings. says. “They’re really motivated to learn— Wynola is the first of three generations to they work all day and then come to class at have passed through the halls of UAF — her night.” daughter, Karina, graduated in 1992 and her Wynola’s husband, Richard, taught in granddaughter, Macy, in May 2011. She is the psychology department from 1966 to proud of her long, close association with UAF, 1998. Wynola says research was his first and is happy to continue to support students love in academia. His years as a researcher through her husband’s memorial fund. Scholarships by the numbers, 2011 – 2012 UAF scholarships & awards given 489 UAF students who received scholarships & awards 466 Private scholarships & awards given to UAF students $1,029,286 Amount supplemented by the Chancellor’s Annual Giving Student Initiative $55,174 Endowments supplemented by CAGSI 96 Average (median) scholarship award $1,000 UNIVERSITY OF ALASKA FAIRBANKS 15TH ANNUAL SCHOLARSHIP & AWARD BREAKFAST 3 scholarship she was able to PROGRAM COVER take an additional class this ARTIST year. “I’ve grown up admiring Kes Woodward’s work. Klara Maisch Receiving the scholarship he created in memory of his Born and raised in Fairbanks, mother was a great honor,” Klara Maisch creates prints Klara says. Her work has been and paintings that reflect shown in the Interior Artisans her relationship with the finishing her undergraduate XXV, the 64th Parallel and the landscapes of the Interior, printmaking degree. Her UA Museum of the North’s especially the patterns and thesis exhibition will be at the 2011 Artisans Expo. processes that occur within UAF art gallery May 14 – 25. Besides her enthusiasm an ecosystem. Klara has The opening will be at 6 p.m., for prints and painting, Klara been painting ever since she Tuesday May 15. is an avid downhill skier. “I can remember. She credits Klara is the recipient don’t think I’d call it a hobby. her mom as her primary of the Bebe Helen Kneece It’s more of a lifestyle.” After influence. Her interest in Woodward Scholarship for graduation, Klara plans printmaking started when the 2011 – 2012 academic to spend time skiing and she began as a freshman, and year. Because of the support choosing a graduate school she is currently working on Klara received from this for printmaking. Trevor Adams, viola Trevor Adams is from North MUSICAL PERFORMANCES Pole, and began playing violin in the fourth grade. When he was a junior in high school Kailyn Davis, clarinet Ellen Parker, clarinet he switched to the viola. Trevor is a sophomore at UAF Kailyn is originally from Ellen came to UAF from and thinks he may ultimately Anchorage, but chose UAF Wasilla. “I chose UAF go to graduate school after he for its strong music program. because it has a more completes his undergraduate She also notes, “It’s a nice developed music program degree. “Scholarship support distance from home.” Kailyn than others in the state.” has allowed me to spend began playing the clarinet in Ellen began playing the more time on music and the sixth grade and is now clarinet when she was in the less on how I will pay for a sophomore at UAF. She eighth grade. She is currently school,” Trevor says. Trevor would like to teach music a junior at UAF, and plans to participates in university upon graduation. “This attend graduate school and ensembles and recently scholarship allowed me to then teach music. Ellen says, joined the local band, Heifa. focus on getting as much as “Thank you for giving me the “These music activities give I can out of my degree, and I opportunity to pursue my me additional opportunities appreciate the opportunities dreams and for helping me to practice improvisation and it’s given me.” along the way.” improve my ear-training.” 4 UAF Privately Funded Scholarships and Awards Alumni Association Robert A.