2013 Freshman Convocation and Campus Kick-Off

Saturday, Aug. 24 UAA Campus

It's time to celebrate the start of a new academic year! Here are a list of events happening on campus Saturday, Aug. 24, to welcome faculty, new and returning students, parents, staff and friends to campus.

Freshman Convocation When: 3:30 p.m. Where: Wendy Williamson Auditorium Who: For incoming freshmen and their families

Freshman Convocation will start the day's festivities formally welcoming the Class of 2017. This year's keynote speaker is Nobel Prize-winning astrophysicist Brian Schmidt.

Brian is a distinguished professor, Australian Research Council Laureate Fellow and an astrophysicist at The Australian National University Mount Stromlo Observatory and Research School of Astronomy and Astrophysics. He's known for his research in using supernovae as cosmological probes. He shared both the 2006 Shaw Prize in Astronomy and the 2011 Nobel Prize in Physics with Saul Perlmutter and Adam Riess for providing evidence that the expansion of the universe is accelerating. Schmidt is currently leading the SkyMapper telescope project and the associated Southern Sky Survey. Brian will also give a free, public talk entitled "The First Stars in The Universe" on Sunday, Aug. 25, at 4 p.m. in the Fine Arts Main Stage Theatre.

Key to the event's success is the attendance of faculty members to welcome our new, first-year students and their families to the University community. Faculty are invited to arrive at 2:30 p.m. at the Lucy Cuddy Hall for a reception with Chancellor Tom Case.

Immediately following the Freshman Convocation ceremony, please join us for a Dessert Social in the Lucy Cuddy Hall for a chance to talk with first-year students as well as some of their parents at the Parent Reception. Click here for more information about Freshman Convocation.

Campus Kick-Off When: 5 p.m.-2 a.m. Where: Cuddy Quad Who: Open to all UAA students, staff, and faculty and their family  

The day's festivities continue at 5 p.m. Open to all UAA students, staff and faculty, the 2013 Campus Kick-Off offers an array of exciting events for students to connect with old friends and make some new ones!

Listen to live music by Grammy Award winner Buckwheat Zydeco, peruse more than 150 UAA and community booths, and enjoy some jambalaya, hot dogs or corn fritters. Returning again this year is the popular Butt Sketcher and, as always, lots of great swag!

At 7:30 p.m., Anchorage students (with a valid UAA I.D. taking 3 credits on the Anchorage campus) can enjoy a comedy show starring Nick Offerman, from NBC's hit TV show "Parks and Recreation." Offerman is taking full advantage of his honey-glazed hindquarters in a humorous entree called "American Ham," which features a veritable smorgasbord of cautionary tales, tunes and tips for prosperity (with minor nudity). The show is only open to UAA students, staff, faculty and-if space allows-one guest. Must have valid UAA I.D.

Following the show, UAA students can cheer on the women's volleyball team in a scrimmage with the alumni or catch a flick at the "Walk-In" movies before finishing the night at Fred Meyer's UAA College Night, where students can get huge sales, deals, prizes and free food, available exclusively to UAA students.

Click here for more information about Campus Kick-Off.

There's a lot happening, so please come out and join the UAA community for these exciting events!

Freshman Convocation Events 2:30-3:30 p.m. Faculty Compact, Cuddy Hall 2:30-3:30 p.m.  UA Scholars Induction Celebration, Wendy Williamson Auditorium 3:30-4:30 p.m. Freshman Convocation, Wendy Williamson Auditorium 4:30-5:30 p.m. Student Dessert Social, Cuddy Hall 4:30-5:30 p.m. Parent & Alumni Reception, Cuddy Dining Room

Campus Kick-Off Events 5-7 p.m.  UAA Campus Kick-Off Festival, Cuddy Quad 7:30 p.m. Comedy show with Nick Offerman, Wendy Williamson Auditorium 9 p.m. Volleyball Scrimmage, Wells Fargo Sports Complex 9: 30 p.m. Walk-in Movie "Now You See Me," Rasmuson Hall Lawn 11:59 p.m.-2 a.m. College Night at Fred Meyer on Northern Lights

August Archive