Good Morning Fairbanks!

As the sun peaked over the morning sky today, I took the opportunity to stop at Creamer's Field to say good morning to our returning visitors: the Canada geese, sand hill cranes, swans and other migratory birds who make a stop in Fairbanks each spring as part of their Northern migration. The scene this morning was serene and peaceful, even among the 1000 or so chatty birds.

The birds are a sight to be seen! We all look forward to greeting our feathery friends as they make an annual stop at the former farm turned migratory waterfowl refuge. They visit Fairbanks throughout the summer, but are known to stop in this mass abundance both in the spring on their way into Alaska and in the fall on their way back out.

The scene draws visitors to the refuge to observe the magnificent gathering as they land among the 2000 acre property. There are no rides, no bells and whistles, no fancy trams driving people around...it's just 1000 or so transient guests stopping for a rest... and miles of well-maintained walking trails for the rest of us. It's one of my favorite places in Fairbanks!

UAF Orientation

If you have been admitted to UAF, you will definitely want to start thinking about your next steps.

1. Talk to your advisor! Check out this PDF for a complete list of advisors.

2. Register for classes! After you have met with your advisor, make sure to register for classes!

3. Sign up for orientation!

Want to know what to expect? See what incoming students had to say about their New Student Orientation experience. For more information, visit http://www.uaf.edu/orientation/





Want to know more about your next steps? Check out our admitted student page.

Cheers!

Lael

Spring is finally here!

Hello fellow Spring Lovers,
Spring has arrived in Fairbanks, and we are loving it! We're getting lots of sunlight, the sky has been crystal clear, and the weather has gotten up to the 50s (at least, it felt like it ^_^). Spring always makes me pause to consider the interesting place I live. I think we probably appreciate Spring and Summer a bit more than places that have three month long seasons: we've learned to savor the sweetness of the warmer months and soak up the sunshine while we can.

In Spring and Summer, it seems that there's a new "fun-run" going through Fairbanks every week, and the community seems to come together for exciting celebrations of the season. Don't get me wrong, I love the Fairbanks Winter, too, but in a different way. Spring is a release, and it's the beginning of some of the longest, most beautiful days in the world. If you're in Fairbanks, get out there and have some fun. If you're not in Fairbanks, still get out there and have some fun. Remember, no matter where you live, Spring only comes around once a year, and if you miss it, it's gone. Have fun out there, everyone, and have a great, sunny weekend!

Joe Alloway
UAF Admissions Counselor, Fairbanks local since 1986 ^_^

UAF aviation students reach new heights!

The University of Alaska Fairbanks Tanana Valley Campus is pioneering a method of training aircraft mechanics that is likely to set the stage for training programs nationwide.

TVC’s aviation maintenance technology program is the only organization in the nation that is approved by the Federal Aviation Administration to deliver the training via simulcast. A record 11 locations participated in the training earlier this month.

“This will likely spread throughout the country, proving once again that Alaska is on the cutting edge of American aviation and UAF/TVC is a leader in aviation maintenance education,” said program coordinator Kevin Alexander.

The second-year pilot program delivers training to aircraft mechanics located around Alaska via two-way webcasting. The webcast is delivered from the Butrovich Building on the Fairbanks campus.

The goal of the program is to increase training participation by the 1,400 authorized inspectors in Alaska. Participating locations in the training included Fairbanks, Bethel, Kotzebue, Nome, Glennallen, Juneau, Sitka, Kenai, Ketchikan, Anchorage and Springfield, Ill.

"It's absolutely wonderful to be working with the FAA to help raise the level of safety and professionalism in the statewide aviation maintenance industry,” said TVC professional piloting program coordinator Roger Weggal. “The number of mechanics we're able to reach simultaneously and the ability to get real-time questions and answers from around the state is invaluable."

CONTACT: Michelle Renfrew, TVC information officer, 907-455-2833, mmrenfrew@alaska.edu

ADDITIONAL CONTACTS: Kevin Alexander, Aviation Maintenance Technology coordinator, at 907-322-5224 or via e-mail at akmechanic@aol.com.

8 days later.

What happened to me in the last eight days? Well...
- Purchased 72 lbs of rice pasta, 96 rolls of TP, 55 lbs of basmati and jasmine rice, 13 jars of spagetti sauces, 48 quarts of original rice milk, 20 lbs of potatoes, a dozen bottles of ketchup, and various other non-perishable items. (Not necessary because apparently they have food in Alaska.)
- Turned 30 years old somewhere while driving through British Columbia, Canada. (That's one way to celebrate a birthday!)
- Saw a buffalo, stone sheep, and deer licking pavement. (Not recommended.)
- Said good-bye to family and friends in Oregon, but found out my wife and I will be running a hotel in Fairbanks, AK this summer. (Every will be visiting us this summer.)
- Drove through a blizzard. (Okay maybe not an actual blizzard, but for about five minutes the snow flurry was pretty intense.)
- Packed everything we own in a 14 ft U-Haul. (Sadly, we could not fill it up.)
- And started a new job in Fairbanks, AK on Monday, March 8th. (Go Nanooks!)

Now wasn't that a better introduction than just saying: "Hi, my name is Christopher Wheeler and I just spent four and a half days driving from Oregon to UAF, along the Alaskan Highway, to begin my new job as an admissions counselor at UAF."

If you would like more details on anything I have written above or have questions about UAF, please feel free to leave your comments.

Until then, have a great day!

-Chris

UAF gets Fenged Up!

Hey everyone,
A student recently interviewed me for a film project for a class he was taking. The project was addressing the principles of Feng Shui and applying them to buildings. In particular, the student wanted to improve the Feng Shui of our very own Gruening Building. Check out the link here. Note: the audio on this video seemed a little off if you're not using headphones or external speaker.

I think this is great. It's a class project, but it's also an expression of creativity, fun, and embraces popular media, like youtube. And plus, that Admissions Counselor guy at the beginning was totally awesome ^_^

Thanks for reading, happy holidays, have a great night!

Joe Alloway
Admissions Counselor

Inu-Yupiaq Dance Group

One of the unique things about living in Alaska is the exposure to a rich cultural community. This includes student clubs and organizations such as the Inu-Yupiaq dance group. Here the Inu-Yupiaq dance group performs during the Festival of Native Arts (2007) on the UAF campus. The Festival of Native Arts takes place typically in the spring. It's a great time to plan your visit to campus!



Another reason why it's great to live in Fairbanks!

UAF's Alligator Hunter

This video was completed in 2001 by a few UAF students. It's hysterical and a great look back at how much as changed in 9 years! (Check out the computer monitor, the clothes, and the reference to Steve Erwin, Crocodile Hunter. I wonder where these alumni are today?

Diner's, Drive-Ins and Dives

What happens when Guy Fieri visits Alaksa? He loves it! Check out one of our favorite Alaskan landmarks profiled on the Food Network. Silver Gulch Brewery is only a few miles outside of town. It's the perfect place to bring the folks or to go with a group of friends!

&@*! It's Cold!

When we're asked, "How cold does it get in Fairbanks?" it's impossible to cover up the hard truth that it gets absolutely, nose bitingly, hand chappingly cold here. The average winter temperature is at or around zero, but it is not uncommon for us to experience -20 to -50 degree temperatures.

So what! It's cold.

Students who choose to attend UAF know that the cold will be a factor, but they also know that there are many other things that they can do despite a little cold. Visit weedsoutwimps.uaf.edu to experience a little bit of what life is like for current students here in the arctic.

Brave the cold - come to Fairbanks!