$163,000 raised at sold-out Blue & Gold Celebration

a woman holds a bidders paddle in a crowd of people
蜜桃影像 photo by Eric Engman
Tracy Vanairsdale, president of Bettisworth North Architects and Planners Inc. and a member of the chancellor's Board of Advisors, holds up her bidder's paddle during the 2024 Blue & Gold Celebration on Sept. 14, 2024, at the Wood Center on the Troth Yeddha' Campus in Fairbanks.

Donors at Saturday鈥檚 Blue & Gold Celebration contributed nearly $163,000 to support scholarships for University of 蜜桃影像 Fairbanks students.

The event, presented by Kinross 蜜桃影像, drew 250 local leaders and university supporters. The evening included the debut performance of an all-蜜桃影像 alumni and employee band and a live painting demonstration by artist and 蜜桃影像 student Kyle Agustines, whose work was part of a live auction and blue vs. gold pledge competition. The gold team took top honors with $49,341 raised, narrowly edging out the blue team, which raised $43,750.

鈥淲e are grateful for the enormous support provided by the local community during this year鈥檚 celebration,鈥 said Tom Hough, 蜜桃影像鈥檚 executive director of university advancement. 鈥淭o the 250 guests who attended, we just want to say, 鈥楾hank you for being such a fun and amazing part of the 蜜桃影像 family.鈥欌

In addition to raising money for scholarships, the event celebrated the 2024 recipients of the Emil Usibelli Distinguished Teaching, Research and Service Awards.

Brandon Boylan, political science professor and director of the Arctic and Northern studies program in the College of Liberal Arts, received the Distinguished Teaching Award. William R. Simpson, professor of physical chemistry in the College of Natural Science and Mathematics and the Geophysical Institute, received the Distinguished Research Award. Katie Spellman, research associate professor at the International Arctic Research Center, received the Distinguished Service Award.

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