Community
Student Recreation Center hosts annual Rocktober
The Student Recreation Center hosted its annual “Rocktober” challenge at the climbing wall, where participants compete to climb a vertical mile. Throughout October, students log laps individually or in two-person teams. The goal is to climb the rock wall 176 times.
URSA hosts undergraduate research mixer
On Oct. 21, URSA (Undergraduate Research & Scholarly Activity), in partnership with IARC (International Arctic Research Center), hosted an undergraduate research mixer in the Wood Center ballroom.
UAA’s Army ROTC program
UAA’s Army Reserves Officer Training Corps, or Army ROTC, began its college program in partnership with UAF in 2009. UAA’s unit of Cadre and Cadets is commonly known as the Seawolf.
The ROTC trains cadets to become commissioned officers by providing them with field experience and classes to further their knowledge of the military.
UAF Celebrates Indigenous Peoples’ Day through Elders’ stories, dance and traditional arts
The University of Alaska Fairbanks celebrated Indigenous Peoples’ Day on Oct. 12, bringing students and community members together to honor Alaska Native cultures through storytelling, traditional arts, dance and games.
Voting Matters
Individuals can make positive, lasting impacts on their community through one simple action: voting. In 2024, 63.7% of eligible Alaskan voters cast a ballot in the general federal election. Voting strengthens democracy and gives voters the opportunity to voice their opinions on decisions that affect their lives.
Fall Harvest Festival at Calypso Farm
The 2026 growing season has been testing Interior farmers with a late spring thaw, sudden frosts, recent bouts of rain and high energy and fuel costs. Yet they embody Alaska's resilient spirit and forge ahead to feed our community. As Farmers’ Markets pass their peak summer attendance days, there are other ways to keep the vibes fresh! Just 20 minutes from campus/UAF, Calypso Farm welcomed more than a thousand visitors to their hillside agri-scape.
Starvation Gulch ignites campus this September
This September, Nanook Traditions hosted UAF’s 103rd Starvation Gulch, a campus tradition dating back to 1923. The annual festival has undergone many changes over the years, beginning as a student-built bonfire designed to resemble a frontier town. Since then, Starvation Gulch has served as an outlet for celebration and rebellion alike.
Thinking Like a Pika
It wasn’t exactly what I had imagined when I signed up for mammalogy class. Mammalogy is the study of mammals, a group that includes much of Alaska’s most characteristic wildlife. We had brought a stuffed animal and a Bluetooth speaker into the August snowstorm.
Truckloads of fun: UAF’s fourth annual Alaska Nanooks Food Truck Rally
Food was eaten, fun was had, and memories were made. Despite the rainy weather, I found plenty to enjoy at the University of Alaska Fairbanks’ fourth annual Alaska Nanooks Food Truck Rally. The event took place in the Patty Center parking lot on Saturday, Sept. 6, and the turnout did not disappoint.
Fifth annual Fungi Festival celebrates mushrooms, creativity and community
Rainy weather didn’t deter a crowd from gathering at Ester Community Park for the fifth annual Fairbanks Fungi Festival, a day filled with mushrooms, food, costumes and family-friendly activities.
Good vibes at Party in the Park
Many of the newer Nanooks are looking forward to experiencing campus life and can’t wait to see what awaits them throughout the upcoming school year. Party in the Park heightened this excitement as the University of Alaska Fairbanks welcomed students back to campus Aug. 27 with its annual celebration of Party in the Park celebration at Constitution Park!
New Student Orientation hosts Mud Volleyball
There will be mud! Last Sunday, new student orientation leaders in collaboration with Nanook Recreation hosted a mud volleyball tournament in the Tanana parking lot. Eight teams of students faced off in a battle for the winning title. The tournament also had a complimentary barbecue and other field games such as spikeball for students to enjoy.
On the right track: UAF freshmen experience Alaska by train
Twenty-one students in UAF’s Emerging Scholars program traveled to Denali National Park on Aug. 14, where they hiked near the Savage River and watched a dog mushing demonstration before boarding the Alaska Railroad for a four-hour trip back to Fairbanks.
No place like Nome: Finding faith and friendship at Salmon Lake
As the plane descended through the clouds over the Bering Sea, the city of Nome slowly appeared below. I had heard about Nome my entire life, but seeing the remote Alaskan town from the air was different.
Wine and Peonies at Georgeson Botanical Garden
Peonies may be one of Alaska’s most successful specialty crops, and the Georgeson Botanical garden celebrated that legacy during its annual Wine and Peonies fundraiser.
Juneteenth celebration and Midnight Sun Festival held in Fairbanks
Fairbanks residents celebrated nearly 22 hours of daylight on June 20 by attending the Greater Fairbanks NAACP's Juneteenth celebration at the Carlson Center and the 43rd Midnight Sun Festival downtown.
Music in the garden honors Juneteenth
To commemorate Juneteenth, UAF Summer Sessions hosted a Music in the Garden celebration Thursday, June 18. Families across Fairbanks gathered in the Georgeson Botanical Gardens to listen to music that pays homage to Black heritage and celebrate the emancipation of enslaved African Americans. More than 900 people attended the event.
Arctic Research Open House showcases Arctic research
The University of Alaska Fairbanks hosted the annual free Arctic Research Open House on May 14. The event featured verbal and hands-on demonstrations from scientists across multiple departments and institutions, highlighting the diverse scope of Arctic research at UAF.
Student Drama Association demonstrates the beauty of humans making art
Hosted over two different days last weekend at SpringFest, the Drama Association welcomed people to come view their show, the Extravaganza 2026: Humans Making Art. Their aim with this show was to showcase humans in their natural habit, creative and making art.
The Casey Smith Project releases new single ahead of SpringFest
The Casey Smith Project, a Fairbanks-based indie and R&B band, released a new single called “Can’t Pick Up the Phone” ahead of their performance at SpringFest this last weekend; it blends soul influences with indie rock. The song is about leaving past relationships behind when “everything's kind of scattered and you don't have it together.”