Slideshow: UAA Spring Commencement

The University of Alaska Anchorage celebrated the spring class of 2015 graduates at on Sunday, May 3, in the Alaska Airlines Center. The ceremony honored the accomplishments of more than 1,350 undergraduate, graduate and professional school students, more than 700 of whom are walking in the ceremony.

View a selection of the day's photos in this slideshow; all photos taken by UAA photographer Philip Hall.

https://www.flickr.com/photos/127534300@N03/sets/72157652397846851/show

"I'm impressed every day by our students' persistence and ingenuity," said UAA Chancellor Tom Case. "I'm honored to be the first to formally welcome the graduates to the ranks of UAA's nearly 50,000 alumni."

Xavier Mason, who grew up in Anchorage, spoke on behalf of graduating students. A born entrepreneur, the management and marketing major has started several organizations, including HandMade, which sells the handiwork of local homeless people, and VisualAid, an inspirational magazine for African orphans.

A 2014 UAA graduate, Mariana Morari, launched a new program at this year's commencement. Morari grew up in the Republic of Moldova in a farming community with high unemployment. She was so inspired by UAA's commencement last year, she is collecting unwanted graduation gowns after this year's ceremony and plans to mail the gowns to her hometown for next year's graduating seniors, who otherwise could not afford a traditional graduation ceremony. Read an Alaska Dispatch News feature on Mariana here.

Also during commencement, retiring faculty members received awards:

Judith F. Green, Professor Emerita of Library Science Laura Kelley, Professor Emerita of Human Services Jerzy Maselko, Professor Emeritus of Chemistry Linda McCarriston, Professor Emerita of Creative Writing and Literary Arts Clay Nunnally, Professor Emeritus of English Rosellen Rosich, Professor Emerita of Psychology Marcia Trudgen, Staff Emerita, Institute of Social and Economic Research

View a complete list of spring graduates here.

To see the slideshow full-screen images, click on the arrow icon in the bottom right corner on the slideshow above. While in full-screen mode, an "Options" setting in the upper right-hand corner will allow you to view photo titles and captions.