The University of Alaska Fairbanks Alumni Association will honor Roland “Rollie” Snodgrass, former state director of agriculture, at an awards luncheon Sept. 25.
The late Snodgrass will be the recipient of the Lenhart J.H. Grothe Resource Award. The Grothe posthumously honors an alumnus for contributions in the resource, mining, or agricultural fields. Known as the “father of Alaska agriculture,” Snodgrass came from a pioneer Alaska family. His father, Milton Snodgrass, came to Alaska in 1907 to help establish agricultural experiment farms.
Roland Snodgrass graduated with honors from the Alaska Agricultural College and School of Mines (now UAF) with a B.S. in agriculture in 1932. From that time on, until his death on Aug. 7, 1983, he proved a tireless proponent of agriculture, both in public and private life. In a letter dated Aug. 11, 1983, Sen. Jay Kerttula wrote of Snodgrass: “Rollie was exactly what was needed in the frontier, a Thomas Jefferson-archaeologist-paleontologist, still revered on St. Lawrence Island. He worked with and exceeded the contribution of the immortals of Alaska anthropology. (He was) a professor of genetics, chemistry, and agriculture, a surveyor and veterinarian, a lifetime Alaska farmer, land use planner, agricultural economist, and director of the state Department of Agriculture.”
Other awards at the luncheon include state Rep. Richard Foster of Nome, the 2009 Distinguished Alumnus Award. The Distinguished Alumnus Award was first given in 1962 and recognizes service to UAF, business or professional accomplishment, and distinguished human service.
The association will also honor nine other alumni during the awards luncheon.
The 2009 Alumni Achievement Awards for Business and Professional Excellence will go to George Gordon, '62, CEO of Utility Services of Alaska; Greg Galik, president of Aadland Flint Marketing; and Helvi Sandvik, '86, CEO of NANA Corporation.
The Alumni Achievement Award for University Support will go to Joan Braddock '77, '83, '89, dean emerita of the College of Natural Science and Mathematics, and Deanna Dieringer ’87, director of UAF’s financial aid department.
Bart LeBon, '75, executive vice president of commercial lending at Mt. McKinley Bank, and Terrence Cole, '76, '78, director of the UAF Office of Public History, will each receive an Alumni Achievement Award for Community Support.
Jack Wilbur, CEO of Design Alaska and president of the Greater Fairbanks Chamber of Commerce, is this year's winner of the William R. Cashen Service Award. The award recognizes outstanding service to the alumni association.
The awards luncheon is one of many activities scheduled as part of the 2009 alumni reunion. Other events include a book signing by alumni authors, alumni night at The Pub, and lighting of the Starvation Gulch bonfires. For a full schedule and to register, or to purchase luncheon tickets, visit the Alumni Association or call 907-474-7081. The deadline to reserve a seat at the luncheon is Tuesday, Sept. 22 at 5 p.m.
Note: Information about Roland Snodgrass was obtained from the UAF website in an article, "Hall named for father of Alaska agriculture," by Pam Rule.
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