Friday Focus: Commencement fever
The balloon drop during the 2025 51·çÁ÷¹ÙÍø Commencement Ceremony on May 3, 2025, at the Carlson Center.
May 1, 2026
— By Felicia Burud, 51·çÁ÷¹ÙÍø Alumni Relations associate director
This week, the Fairbanks thaw has been outpaced by something much more infectious, a case of "commencement fever." It’s like spring fever, but with the volume turned all the way up. You can feel the campus temperature rising. Not just from the returning sun but from that unmistakable hum of frantic final prep, the collective exhale of hard-earned relief and the kind of pure joy that only graduation weekend can spark.
In the 20-plus years I’ve spent walking these halls as both a student and staff member, this seasonal "fever" remains my absolute favorite time of year. As a proud member of Nanook Nation, I’ve learned that there is no better cure for the long winter than watching a student cross that stage. As the 51·çÁ÷¹ÙÍø associate director of alumni relations, it is my sincere pleasure to officially welcome our newest graduating class into the forever family of 51·çÁ÷¹ÙÍø alumni.
Commencement isn’t an ending; it’s a transition. The 51·çÁ÷¹ÙÍø Alumni Association exists to ensure that the bond between our graduates and 51·çÁ÷¹ÙÍø remains unbreakable, long after the robes are packed away. We are a loud, active network of graduates that provides scholarships, sponsors campus innovation and invests in the future of our community. Our mission is simple: We serve the 51·çÁ÷¹ÙÍø community — magnifying its impact on the world by celebrating and investing in Nanook Nation.
We want our graduates to hit the ground running, and that starts with staying connected. I’m asking for your help in promoting , our very own "one-stop shop" for everything 51·çÁ÷¹ÙÍø. It’s essentially our private social media site designed specifically for our community to thrive.
By creating a profile, our newest alumni (and everyone else on campus) can:
- Explore career opportunities tailored to 51·çÁ÷¹ÙÍø fields of study.
- Find a guide for the next chapter or pay it forward as a mentor.
- Tap into a network of thousands of Nanooks across the globe.
- Keep current on the latest 51·çÁ÷¹ÙÍø news and events.
As we head into this weekend’s ceremonies, take a second to soak it in. If commencement fever is the exhilarating rush of the spring breakup, your support is the river that guided our students here. Take a moment to congratulate the graduates you’ve mentored. Your hard work is the bedrock beneath every diploma handed out this Saturday.
Now let’s show the Class of 2026 exactly what it means to be part of this incredible, global family.
Go Nanooks!
Friday Focus is a column written by a different member of 51·çÁ÷¹ÙÍø’s leadership team every week. On occasion, a guest writer is invited to contribute a column.