UAA Class of 2014 graduates Sunday

By HEATHER A. RESZ

Frontiersman.com

ANCHORAGE –– University of Alaska Anchorage will mark the end of an era at 3 p.m., Sunday, during commencement ceremonies at the Sullivan Arena in Anchorage.

The university says this will be the last time its graduation ceremony is held off campus before moving to the new Alaska Airlines Center on campus, according to UAA spokesperson Jessica Hamlin.

A separate Graduate Degree Hooding Ceremony also is at 10 a.m., Saturday, at the Wendy Williamson Auditorium on UAA’s campus, to honor graduate students receiving their hoods.

Palmer’s Alex Hills is one of three Alaska leaders who will receive honorary degrees during the ceremony. Hills will receive an Honorary Doctor of Letters.

Longtime Mat-Su College faculty member Ping Tung “P.T.” Chang is one of six recognized with the conferring of emeritus status when he retires this year.

This year’s student speaker is Michael Ulroan, an Alaska Native from Chevak, who will earn his civil engineering degree after eight years of hard work.

He will be the first engineer in the history of his village, and credits his parents and the Alaska Native Science and Engineering Program with inspiring him to stay the course in what turned out to be a tough race.