UAF Linguistics Program

02/05/2026

🔤 Linguistics Students & Alumni: Job Opportunity!! The Literacy Council of Alaska is hiring an Adult Education Program Support Specialist, and students with a background in linguistics, language learning, or ESL would be an especially strong fit.

This role supports adult learners studying English as a second language and building literacy and workforce skills. Responsibilities include student communication, program coordination, workshops, and administrative support.

🕒 30–35 hrs/week
💵 $19/hour
📍 Fairbanks
🌱 Mission-driven work with real community impact

If you’re interested in language access, adult education, or applied linguistics, this is a great opportunity to put those skills to work.

👉 Learn more and apply through the Literacy Council of Alaska: https://www.literacycouncilofalaska.org/employment/adult-education-program-support-specialist-2

10/14/2025

🎬 The UAF Japanese Studies Program welcomes you to an evening of film, culture, and connection at the 2025 Japanese Film Festival of Alaska at UAF! Enjoy two incredible Japanese films (with English subtitles) on the big screen—free of charge!

🗓️ Date: Friday, October 17th, 2025
⏰ Time: 5-9 p.m.
📍 Location: Schaible Auditorium

🎥 Film Lineup

5pm Showing: The First Gentleman (2021)
When Hiyori, a quiet birdwatcher, returns from a trip to find his wife has become Japan’s first female prime minister, his life takes an unexpected turn. Suddenly thrust into the national spotlight as the country’s “first gentleman,” he must find his footing in a world he never imagined. A charming political comedy based on the novel by Maha Harada.
🎞️ Watch Trailer: https://youtu.be/TTVMpfC1Id4?si=zslxORheO1WohEX9

7pm Showing: Oshin (2013)
Set in the Meiji era, Oshin tells the powerful story of a young girl sent to work for a wealthy family to help support her own. Despite hardship, Oshin endures with quiet strength and resilience. Inspired by a beloved Japanese drama and the real-life story behind the Yaohan supermarket empire, this moving film explores themes of survival, perseverance, and hope.
🎞️ Watch Trailer: https://youtu.be/8524OqlQboE?si=4g6gXBovNKi6kZUu

🌸 Japanese Studies at UAF
The UAF Japanese Studies Program offers students the opportunity to explore Japan’s language, history, and culture through dynamic coursework and community events like this one. If you enjoy the event, please consider making a donation to support the Japanese Studies program and help us continue offering cultural events and learning opportunities: https://engage.alaska.edu/donation-with-cart?fid=bW32knhC2f8%3d&fdesc=0DkvLczoYXsWjQMDB0gQjeAiLdltkPHQa6LvlgdI%2bQnOW4NH9eoTSA%3d%3d

Thanks to the generous support of the UAF Department of Global Languages & Literatures, the Consular Office of Japan in Anchorage, and the Japan Foundation, this event is free and open to all. Our sponsors have covered screening rights so UAF students and community members can attend at no cost.

10/13/2025

Linguistics + The Power of Words | Apply to the Rancho Mirage Writers Festival! How do we choose words to tell a story? How does language carry identity, power, and culture across borders?

This January, the Rancho Mirage Writers Festival (January 28–30, 2026) will bring together top writers, thinkers, and communicators to explore how language shapes our world.

One of the festival’s featured voices is Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie — a globally celebrated author whose work deeply engages with language, migration, memory, and the politics of voice. Her essays and fiction (like Americanah and We Should All Be Feminists) profoundly explore how linguistic choices reflect identity, power, and story.

🔍 Why this matters to Linguistics students
-Observe how a masterful writer uses linguistic nuance to weave identity and culture
-Explore how narrative, code‐switching, and multilingualism force us to think about meaning and context
-Bring new ideas into your studies: from phonetics to pragmatics, sociolinguistics to discourse analysis

✨ How to Participate
The College of Liberal Arts is sponsoring 3 student spots (and 1 faculty spot) to attend the festival — thanks to the generous support of donor Gwen Ramras.

Apply now using this short form:
📝 https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSfNE4l1qn-xaecN8iP_0B_dPETWWa6msJd7DBjqewze7VHzVA/viewform

🗓 Deadline: Monday, November 3, 2025

Learn more about what past participants experienced:
📖 https://www.uaf.edu/cla/news/2024/where-writers-meet.php

Don’t miss your chance to engage with a writer who shows us how words carry worlds.

09/30/2025

The UAF Graduate School is organizing a three-day writing retreat specifically for Ph.D. and master's students.

This retreat is aimed at students who have completed their coursework and are currently engaged in dissertation or thesis writing; however, students working on other academic writing projects are also welcome to attend.

The retreat will feature:
🟣 Dedicated Writing Sessions: Enjoy focused writing time with structured support, ensuring you make significant progress on your thesis, dissertation, or research paper.
🟣 Expert Talks: Learn academic writing strategies like the art of outlining, overcoming writer's block, responsible use of AI in research writing, refining your drafts, and much more!
🟣 Interactive Workshops: Participate in goal-setting sessions, peer review activities, and strategies for establishing sustainable writing practices.
🟣 Collaborative Community: Connect with fellow graduate students, share insights, and build lasting professional relationships in well-coordinated break-out rooms.

Event details:
🟣 Dates: Nov. 5-7, 2025
🟣 Time: 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. daily
🟣 Location: Student Success Center, Rasmuson Library
🟣 Format: In-person with a concurrent remote option

Space is limited to 20 in-person participants, so prompt registration is encouraged.

Register here: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSfd29S8R6YSOf3s91ZWHXPfjNiHC8og6kwTv2pW-YH-MNDGhw/viewform?usp=dialog

For further information or clarification, please contact Victoria Oyewola, graduate writing support professional, at [email protected].

09/19/2025

Join Dr. Wendy Martelle, associate professor of applied linguistics and Russian, TODAY at 3:15pm as she shares her summer in Almaty, Kazakhstan. Hear stories of daily life, see photos and videos, and learn about the region’s culture and history. Visitors can browse Kazakh artifacts and even leave with a small souvenir.

🦅 “Reflections from Central Asia: My First Journey to Kazakhstan” with Wendy Martelle
📅 Date: Friday, September 19, 2025
🕐 Time: 3:15–4:14 PM
📍 Location: BP Design Theater (This is an in-person event)

For people who are unable to attend this event, the recording of this event with a live Q&A will take place next week on Tuesday, September 23rd from 1pm-2pm.

🎓 Sponsored by the UAF Linguistics Program and the UAF Department of Global Languages and Literatures.

About Linguistics at UAF
The University of Alaska Fairbanks Linguistics Program explores the scientific study of language, with a strong emphasis on Alaska Native and circumpolar languages. Students gain training in language documentation, revitalization, and analysis while working closely with faculty on community-based projects. The program prepares graduates for careers in education, research, and language advocacy.

About the Department of Global Languages and Literatures at UAF
The UAF Department of Global Languages and Literatures offers courses in French, German, Japanese, Russian, and Spanish, along with world literature. Students develop communication skills, cultural understanding, and critical perspectives that prepare them to engage in an increasingly interconnected world. The department fosters global awareness and supports language learning at all levels.

09/09/2025

Join us TODAY for UAF Convocation! 🎉 Convocation welcomes faculty, staff and students back to UAF for a new academic year, and is a celebration of UAF’s people and accomplishments over the past year.

Where: UAF Davis Concert Hall
When: 1-2 p.m.
Can’t make it in person? Watch it LIVE on YouTube:
https://www.youtube.com/live/2hY2VxxjN9A?si=mDAnCce_Z0LyhclL

Let’s celebrate UAF together! 💙💛

Thank you for joining us for the 2025 Chancellor's Convocation livestream.

09/04/2025

🚨 Tomorrow is the last day for registration changes. Are you ready? 🚨 If you need to more know more about: Instructor Permission to Add Courses, Fee Payment and/or Financial aid, for this semester keep reading.

🔴 Instructor Permission to Add Courses
Tomorrow is the last day to receive instructor permission required to register for any full semester length courses at the 100 and 200 level, and any MATH or STAT courses. Reach out to instructors as soon as possible if you're considering changes to your courses.

🔴 Fee Payment
Tuition and fees must be paid in full or you need to be enrolled in a payment plan by tomorrow, Sept. 5. Students who have not paid their balance or enrolled in a payment plan may be dropped for non-payment.

Payment can be made through UAOnline by credit card or electronic check.

On Sept. 6, a $125 late fee will be applied to accounts that have an unpaid balance. Also, a $100 reinstatement fee will be assessed to re-enroll in any courses that were dropped for non-payment.

🔴 Financial aid
Financial aid disbursement began on Aug. 15 for classes that started on Aug. 25. You can check your financial aid status in UAOnline and choose "Financial Aid," then select "Financial Aid Status."

If you're relying on financial aid, agency funding, an employee tuition waiver or scholarships to pay your tuition and fees, you'll want to make sure all qualifications have been met. You should also confirm that all required documents are received, processed and approved before tomorrow, Sept. 5. If your source of payment won't be received by tomorrow, Sept. 5, you'll need to establish a payment plan by today.