October 2018 Archive

Each fall, the UAA Alumni Association celebrates three Alumni of Distinction for their contributions to their chosen fields and community. This year's honorees are Alumni of Achievement Jennifer Thompson, Alumni Humanitarian Josie Wilson and Alumni Emerging Leader Jason Hart.

Starting her PR career as an intern, 2018 Alumni of Achievement Jennifer Thompson worked to become president and CEO of her own agency seven years later. Since then, her business has grown from four employees to 24 and added offices in Texas and New York.

A southern California transplant sent to UAA for a yearlong work assignment, 2018 Alumni Humanitarian Josie Wilson stayed when she fell in love with the university and community and has been giving back ever since.

Shoya Watanabe is a friendly and outgoing guy, who’s packed a lot into his four years at UAA simply by getting to know people and jumping in when students or faculty present opportunities. The UAA senior, double majoring in finance and economics, graduates in December and is ready to tackle whatever comes next.

When WGN sports anchor, Chicago native and lifelong gymnast Lauren Magiera came to UAA, she was looking for an institution that valued student success. Not only did she find what she was searching for, but she also discovered her calling in sports broadcast journalism.

This book, part poetic memoir and part historical document, tells the story of a resilient family surviving on moose meat, potatoes, and anything else they could gather.