In the news: Joe Alloway, Admissions Counselor and Graduation Emcee

UAF announcer finds graduation a special thrill

by Jeff Richardson / jrichardson@newsminer.com Fairbanks Daily News Miner

May 08, 2011 | 1026 views | 0 | 4 | |

University of Alaska Fairbanks admissions counselor Joe Alloway poses for a photograph in Signer's Hall Wednesday afternoon, May 4, 2011. Alloway, who will be emceeing the UAF graduation ceremony for the third straight year, is the Spotlight for the week. Eric Engman/News-Miner

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FAIRBANKS — Diplomas won’t be handed out at the University of Alaska Fairbanks for nearly a week, but Sunday’s rapidly approaching commencement ceremony is already making Joe Alloway nervous.

Alloway, an admissions counselor at UAF, isn’t among those sweating out final exams. He’s more likely having flashbacks to some of last year’s graduates, which included daunting pronunciations like Okechukwu A. Opara and Mindona M. Krzykowski.

It’s Alloway who acts as emcee at the event, reading off more than 1,000 names and dozens of doctoral theses in a little more than two hours.

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