(All photos by James Evans / University of Alaska Anchorage.) View slideshow on SmugMug.

 

UAA’s Office of Alumni Relations and Alumni Association were pleased to welcome spring by announcing the 2023-24 Alumni of Distinction awards recipients. The three distinguished alumni were honored for their contributions in their fields and communities at the UAA Alumni of Distinction Celebration on March 29 at Lucy Cuddy Hall on the Anchorage campus.

Real estate alumna A. Janelle Pfleiger received the Alumni of Achievement award, social work alumna Celeste Hodge Growden received the Alumni Humanitarian award, and political science alumna Amie Collins received the Alumni Emerging Leader award.

More than 150 gathered to reconnect with their hometown university. Surrounded by family, friends, fellow alumni and university leadership, each awardee shared stories of the impact of UAA on their lives while accepting their awards. 

In addition to celebrating these notable alumni, a call was made to support the UAA Alumni Scholarship. Created in 1985 with an initial gift of $25, this scholarship has generated more than $496,000 in scholarships to support students and today is valued at a $450,000 endowment. During the 15-minute mobile-giving fundraising call, gathered alumni and friends raised over $5,500.

These donations came just one day after the close of the annual Giving Day, which saw over 1,000 donors invest more than $371,000 toward the UAA student experience.