Rock-n-Roll Nanooks!

ROCK ON, NANOOKS!  I am Katie Murra, the Recruitment and Retention Coordinator for the UAF School of Fisheries and Ocean Sciences.  On June 1st, I RAN my first marathon- the Rock-n-Roll marathon in San Diego, CA!! (technically, I finished the Fairbanks Equinox marathon several years ago, but for some reason, thought it was perfectly acceptable to do zero training (save my fieldwork in Kodiak) and barely managed to claw, spit, and limp my way to the finish line).  This marathon was an incredible experience and I was proud to display my UAF pride (see photo of customized, vintage UAF race jersey).

If you have any questions about the School of Fisheries and Ocean Sciences, make sure you get in touch with me! murra@sfos.uaf.edu.

We offer exceptional academic programs at both the undergraduate (B.A., B.S., minor in Fisheries) and graduate levels (M.S., Ph.D. in Fisheries, Oceanography, Marine Biology, Seafood Science and Nutrition), and would love to have you join us.

 

Summer Time!

Summer time in Alaska is beautiful, especially in Fairbanks. Because of our geographic location, we have the good fortune of having nice long, warm, sunny summer days. Actually, this weekend we are celebrating Summer Solstice, the longest day of the year. We will have over 21 hours of daylight! Because of the amount of daylight we are able to grow big beautiful flowers and the UAF campus is gorgeous. This is a picture of my favorite, the Dahlia. Some of these dahlias get as big as a dinner plate! This one is just outside of Signers' hall, where the Admissions Office is located.

Goodbye for Now

Well, this is my last post. I am leaving Alaska for a time to pursue my graduate education in Organizational Communication. It has been great fun and such a time of growth for me working in this office and getting to know so many students over the past three years. My wife and I aren't sure where we'll end up after grad school but we're not selling our house in Fairbanks, so maybe we'll see you here again in a while. Until then, good luck--Ad Summum!

The Midnight Sun Game

Dear All,

One of the things that Fairbanks is most famous for is being the "Land of the Midnight Sun." The reason we are called this is, not surprisingly, there is a time of year in Fairbanks where the sun doesn't set, and it stays bright all day long. We're located only 160 miles from the Arctic Circle, so it's understandable to expect some interesting weather here. Naturally, the most dramatic example of this phenomenon is the Summer Solstice. This year, Summer Solstice will occur on Saturday, June 21st, and it will be met with a wide variety of celebration throughout the city. Without a doubt, this is the biggest holiday of the year in Fairbanks, and the one of greatest interest to those who have never been here.

I would like to take a moment to tell you all a little bit about one of my favorite Summer Solstice traditions: The Midnight Sun Game played annually by the Alaska Goldpanners. The Midnight Sun Game has occured annually since 1906. The event itself is hard to describe in words. The game begins at 10:30 PM, pauses briefly at Midnight for the singing of Alaska's Flag Song, and continues until play is concluded, often around 2 AM.

The game begins as the sun is just beginning to wane, and concludes with dawn already passed. In this period of time, the entire area is illuminated entirely by the sun. Although the sun may have officially set, in Fairbanks in Summer, it never goes away. Artificial light has never been used to light this event (and never will).

This is definitely an event for those who are fans of Baseball. It has been listed as one of Sports Illustrated top 10 things for a Baseball fan to do before they die, and it deserves the praise. Again, it's hard to describe. The event is simply surreal. I know that I'll be there, and if you have a chance, I highly recommend you check it out.

Thanks for reading, my legion of loyal fans, and remember to keep on rockin' and don't stop 'till you get enough!

Joe

PS: Photo Credits to http://www.goldpanners.com/. Thanks for letting me use it!

The UAF Bookfest!

Dear all,

Hello again, and many apologies for the long delay between my posts to this blog. For all of my loyal readers, I will make sure that for the rest of the summer I will be posting on a much more regular basis. But, for now, on to business!

This weekend is the UAF second annual Book Festival! This is an opportunity put on this year and last (and hopefully to infinity and beyond) by the UAF Summer Sessions Office as an opportunity for people in the community of Fairbanks and students of the University to get together and meet some of Alaska's most celebrated authors. Attendees can meet and learn from professional novelists, poets, and comic writers, just to name a few genres!

With all of this razzle dazzle, I'm sure the questions you're asking yourself is, "How much can I expect to pay for such an amazing opportunity?" The Answer: nothing! It's all absolutely free! So what are you waiting for? Come on up and meet the experts and have a blast. The festival is going on through Saturday, June 14th. Tell them Joe sent you, and you just may get a free ice cream cone (but more likely, you'll just get a funny look).

If you want more information about the 2nd Annual Book Festival, click here. Thanks for reading, and, until next time, keep on rockin' and don't stop 'till you get enough!

Joe

Last Friday was Hope's last day here in Admissions and we were all very sad to see her go. Of course we wish Hope the very best in Iowa so in honor of her big move, Charlie wrote a little song for her. The song is to the tune of the "Jefferson's" theme if you can't hear it. Enjoy! We miss you already Hope!

Only in Alaska...

is any other explanation really needed?

Alaska... where cars must yield to Aircraft, Dog Teams and Children...

SIR ELTON JOHN CAME TO FAIRBANKS!!!

I know you can't really see him... but trust me, it's him.

Last Thursday night a legend made his presence known in Fairbanks, Alaska. He played at the Carlson Center (where all the home Nanook Hockey games are played) for over 2-hours to a jam-packed house of over 6,500 people! I heard that it was the largest crowd that the CC has ever had! I didn't even know it held that much.

It was an amazing concert. The seats weren't FANTASTIC, but to be even as close as I was for a ticket less than his normal $600-something bucks was phenomenal. The sound, lighting, camera work, and music was all amazing. I couldn't believe the level of quality that they brought to little ol' Fairbanks. It was a concert that I won't forget for a very long time!

Just a taste of the full experience!