Facetime May 2013
Welcome back to NAU Alumni Facetime,
published by the NAU Office of Alumni Relations. Here you'll find news
on your friends and classmates organized by decade, with links to more
in-depth explorations of their lives and work.
Share your life updates and photos in a future issue of Facetime, by emailing us. Be sure to follow us on Twitter, Facebook, Linkedin, Flickr, Pinterest and YouTube for info and conversation on all things NAU.
Alumni Class Notes
Celebrating Student Success
After a long winter and blustery April and May, we’re
finally enjoying some much-deserved spring weather. Perfect for a stroll around
campus, forest hikes, or a relaxing round of disc golf, late spring is one of
the best seasons in Flagstaff to get outdoors. As much of Arizona heats up,
we’re beginning to see summer tourists, eager for the cool breeze and mountain
air. Warmer weather has brought a flurry of activity to campus, and the last
few months have been action-packed.
.jpg "Commencement 3")
On Commencement Weekend (May 10 and
11), more than 4,000 Lumberjacks graduated and joined the alumni community, a
family of approximately 136,000 members. Our student video team was on hand at
the Skydome to capture the excitement and emotion of this memorable day. The
celebration wasn’t limited to Flagstaff, as Extended Campus graduates rejoiced
across the state. In fact, the NAU-Yavaipai campus welcomed its first
graduating class of 13 students in Prescott Valley. View the video below and be sure to check out our Flickr 2013 Spring Commencement Album.
Watch Video: NAU Graduates Ready for Success
Video Accessibility Instructions:
These video instructions are located directy above a YouTube video. Hit the DOWN arrow key until you hear the words FLASH START. Once the screen reader is inside the FLASH OBJECT, hit the TAB key about 7 times until you hear PLAY BUTTON a second time. Hit the Spacebar key to play the video. You can then hit the Spacebar key again to pause the video. Feel free to hit TAB and TAB+SHIFT to listen to all the buttons in the FLASH OBJECT. Sometimes the PLAY button and the PAUSE button will be listed as an UNLABLED BUTTON.
The NAU Relay for Life raised more than $80,000 for the American
Cancer Society via sponsorships from 13 teams and 1,318 participants. Held at
the Skydome April 19, the walk-relay event united numerous campus clubs,
departments and organizations for a common cause. As the largest
student-organized fundraiser at NAU, Relay for Life was made possible through
the collaborative work of a 30-student planning committee.
Advocating cultural awareness, the Latin American Studies
committee hosted NAU Immigration Week, featuring events, guest speakers and
films challenging the popular stereotypes relating to border issues in Arizona
and abroad. Community organizers and student groups presented alternative views,
exploring controversial issues such as human rights, immigration reform and
amnesty. Alumna Carolyn Brown, ’07 MLS,
shared her Gracie-Award winning documentary From the Fields: An American Journey,
the story of a Chicano activist’s journey of culture and identity.
International
Week brought out the multicultural spirit of NAU, kicking off festivities with
the 2013 Parade of Nations. Colorful flags fluttered as students marched on
campus celebrating their cultural heritage. Intercultural research projects
were shared alongside indigenous cuisine, while faculty and staff held
informational seminars on study abroad programs and internships. The week
concluded with an “International Idol” talent show and a World Cup-themed
soccer tournament.
43 seniors were honored for their
academic and social contributions to NAU at the Gold Axe Awards, held in April
at the High Country Conference Center. The awards ceremony also featured
President’s Prize, Distinguished Seniors and Joe & Marie Rolle Award
recipients. Be sure to check out our Flickr Album for more photos of these
outstanding Lumberjacks.
Collegiate athletics saw a fair
share of honors too, thanks to the passion and determination of student
athletes. Women’s Golf took the Big Sky Championship, and finished 22nd
at the NCAA Golf West Regional at Stanford. Swim & Dive ranked sixth in the
nation in a collegeswimming.com Mid-Major Poll. Six starters for Women’s Tennis
found All-Big Sky team spots with a 7-1 conference finish. Men’s Track &
Field won the Big Sky Championship and superstar Diego Estrada posted the second-fastest
outdoor 5K in NCAA history, breaking both Big Sky and NAU records. Women’s Golf coach Brad Bedortha and Track
& Field coach Eric Heins were honored as Big Sky Conference Coaches of
Year. 10 athletes from Track & Field will head to Eugene, Ore., for the
NCAA Outdoor Championship finals on June 5.
Events
Alumni-Employee Spotlight
Brianna Lorents, '09 BS, Senior Data Input Operator, University Advancement
How
long have you worked at NAU?
I just started working at NAU as
an employee in April. I was a student worker here in this office from 2005
through 2009 while I attended school.
What is your favorite memory of NAU?
I have several good memories but my favorite was probably my lab for environmental science. I have never liked science and it definitely was not my major but I did enjoy this lab. The reason is because each class we went on a field trip to a different area. We tested the water quality at Oak Creek and went up to the peaks to count rings on trees, among other places. It was a great class and I learned a lot about the nature that surrounds us.
What is your favorite part of working for your alma mater?
The best part about working here is that I believe in and LOVE the institution I am working for. I get to contribute to a place I believe in and that’s makes me so happy. So many people simply work somewhere for a paycheck but I actually get to be part of a place that means so much to me and my community.
Who was your favorite professor as a student?
I had several but my top three were Yvonne Luna, Scott Antes and my favorite, Kathleen Ferraro. Kathleen Ferraro is an amazing professor but also a great person. I am so thankful to have had the chance to take her classes.
Freebies/Discounts
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NAU Alumni Facetime Archive