老澳门六合彩开奖记录

On Wednesday, Dec. 11, the 老澳门六合彩开奖记录 honored individuals with Honorary Degrees, Meritorious Service Awards and emeritus status during the 2024 Fall Commencement Awards ceremony in the Fine Arts Building

Honorary Degrees

Kyle Hopkins

Honorary Doctor of Humane Letters

Born and raised in Alaska, justice-oriented journalist Kyle Hopkins earned his B.A. in journalism and political science from UAF and has since demonstrated exceptional expertise in uncovering critical issues through in-depth reporting.

Hopkins worked at small newspapers across the state before taking a role at the Anchorage Daily News (ADN) as a multimedia reporter, where he wrote breaking daily news and enterprise stories for a decade prior to taking a role with KTUU as an investigative reporter and digital director. During his tenure at KTUU, he oversaw enterprise reporting and received a national Edward R. Murrow award. He returned to the ADN in 2018 as special projects editor and senior reporter, a position he continues to hold. From 2021-23, Hopkins served as an inaugural member of the ProPublica Distinguished Fellows. He also served as an executive producer and consultant for the ABC television series 鈥淎laska Daily.鈥�

In 2020, Kyle and the ADN received the Pulitzer Prize for Public Service for the 鈥淟awless鈥� series exposing Alaska鈥檚 unjust public safety system in collaboration with ProPublica鈥檚 Local Reporting Network. In addition to his Pulitzer Prize, Hopkins has received numerous awards for his work, including the National Magazine Award for Community Journalism, the Dart Award for Excellence in Coverage of Trauma and several SPJ Ethics in Journalism Awards.

Heather Lende

Honorary Doctor of Humane Letters

Heather Lende is a distinguished Alaska author and community leader with significant contributions to literature and public service. She earned a B.A. in history from Middlebury College and an M.F.A. in creative writing from 老澳门六合彩开奖记录. Lende is the author of several bestselling and critically acclaimed memoirs, including Find the Good, If You Lived Here, I鈥檇 Know Your Name and Take Good Care of the Garden and the Dogs. Her books focus on her experiences and observations in Haines, Alaska.

In addition to her writing, Lende has held various roles within the literary and local community. She had a long-running column in the Anchorage Daily News, served as a contributing editor for Woman鈥檚 Day magazine and wrote approximately 400 obituaries for the Chilkat Valley News. Lende has been recognized with the Alaska Governor鈥檚 Award for Distinguished Service to the Humanities, the Alaska Center for the Book鈥檚 Contribution to Literacy Award, the Alaska Library Association鈥檚 Alaskana Award, numerous Alaska Press Club Awards, and the Episcopal Bishop of Alaska鈥檚 Bishop鈥檚 Cross Award. She was the Alaska State Writer Laureate from 2021-24. She has been active with the Center for the Narrative and Lyric Arts and the North Words Writers Symposium.

Lende鈥檚 past and present community involvement includes volunteering and serving as a board member for Hospice of Haines, the Chilkat Valley Community Foundation, the Haines Borough Public Library and KHNS community radio. Additionally, she volunteered as the Haines High cross-country coach for 17 years and served on the Haines School Board and the Haines Borough Assembly.

Meritorious Service Awards

Michael Hawfield

Meritorious Service Award

Mike Hawfield is a faculty emeritus who retired in May 2016 after eight years as a full-time associate professor and 10 years as an adjunct professor at Kenai Peninsula College. Though the title of emeritus is usually bestowed only on full professors, 老澳门六合彩开奖记录 guidelines allow the honor to be awarded 鈥渋n exceptional circumstances鈥� for those who 鈥渉ave a record of outstanding service to the academy.鈥� Hawfield was found to be one of these exceptional circumstances and awarded the title of emeritus.

Prior to his time at KPC, Hawfield taught at Lynchburg College, Indiana University South Bend, the University of Notre Dame and Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis. Throughout his career, he authored several books and chapters, more than 100 history articles, and book reviews.

Hawfield holds a master鈥檚 degree in history and has been awarded a number of history-related honors. In 2013, he was appointed by former Governor Parnell to the Alaska State Historical Commission. That same year, the Alaska Historical Society awarded him the 2013 President鈥檚 Award. Just two years later, the Homer Public Library honored him with its Lifelong Learner Award. He has served on the Homer Hospice Board of Directors, as executive director of Museums Alaska and as director of the Pratt Museum in Homer.

Judge Morgan Christen

Meritorious Service Award

Judge Morgan Christen serves on the United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit. Prior to her appointment to the federal bench in 2012, Judge Christen served as a Justice of the Alaska Supreme Court and as a Superior Court Judge in Anchorage.

Judge Christen was born and raised in Washington. She traveled abroad extensively in earning her baccalaureate degree from the University of Washington, and holds a Juris Doctor degree from Golden Gate University School of Law. After law school, Judge Christen joined the firm Preston Gates (now
K&L Gates) where she practiced civil litigation. She was appointed to the Superior Court of the State of Alaska in 2002.

Judge Christen has contributed a great deal to Alaska through both her judicial service and as a volunteer in the community. She has served as a mentor, teaching students through Anchorage Youth Court and other civic programs. She served on the boards of the Alaska Community Foundation, Rasmuson Foundation, Anchorage Big Brothers/Big Sisters and United Way of Anchorage. She has chaired the Pacific Northwest selection committee for the Rhodes Scholarship, and has been an active member of Rotary. Judge Christen received the Light of Hope Award for work on behalf of Alaska鈥檚 children. She is also a past recipient of the Alaska Supreme Court鈥檚 Community Outreach Award, the Anchorage Chamber of Commerce Athena Award and the YWCA Women of Achievement Award.

Judge Christen鈥檚 service to Alaska exemplifies integrity, professionalism and a deep commitment to our state and its communities.

Emeritus

The position of emeritus is the highest honor that can be bestowed upon a full-time professor or staff member who has retired after a minimum of 10 years of faithful service to the University of Alaska. The fall 2024 recipients are: 

• Nelta Edwards, Professor Emerita of Sociology, College of Arts and Sciences
• Cindy Knall, Professor Emerita of Medical Education, College of Health
• Stephanie Olson, Professor Emerita of Dental Assisting, College of Health
• Stephen Rollins, Administrator (Dean) Emeritus, 老澳门六合彩开奖记录/APU Consortium Library
• Lora Volden, Staff Emerita, Student Affairs

Congratulations to all of the honorees!