Outstanding Students of the Year

Every year the College of Liberal Arts asks each department to select their outstanding student(s) for that year- students who possess the passion and creativity for new discoveries and scholarship, students who demonstrate independence of thought and action in the pursuit of knowledge, and students who exemplify excellence.

The Department of Communication has chosen the following as students who embodies these qualities and so much more. Thank you for all your hard work and contributions to your department. You make a difference at UAF.

 

Congratulations to our 2026 Outstanding Students of the Year!

Matt Jardin. UAA Photo
Matt Jardin

Outstanding MA Student

"I've been given the tools to really examine [mass communication, cultural identity, and social justice] just much more thoroughly and deeply. What also makes the Communication Department special is all the opportunities that we have been given to grow, not just intellectually, but also to really go out there and impact the field itself. Since I started this program, I have been able to publish three papers. Two of my papers have been accepted into conferences. One of those papers actually started out just as a homework assignment. The fact that just the homework assignments in the COM classes encourage a level of scholarship that is conference-ready, that is publication-ready, is just a huge vote of confidence from the faculty."

Nikkia Jordan. Photo credit: Emily Bevard
Nikkia Jordan

Outstanding BA Student


"My experience in the communication department has been great, and I feel like it's shaped me professionally and personally. I got to enjoy the different passions that I have with talking with other people and interacting with other people, that social aspect. I really enjoyed the discussions... One of my favorite parts of any class was getting to talk to my classmates and let them hear my point of view, and also get to learn from their point of view."

 

Always Outstanding

Jung Woo Maeng. UAF Photo by Sarah Manriquez
Jung Woo Maeng, 2023 Outstanding Student

2025-2026

    • Matt Jardin
    • Nikkia Jordan

2024-2025

2023-2024

    • Grace Keller
    • Tayler Caslin

2022-2023

    • Taylor Caslin

2021-2022

    • Sara Sanbo

2020-2021

    • Angela Rodriguez
Taylor Caslin. UAF Photo
Taylor Caslin, 2023 and 2024 Outstanding Student

C

    • Taylor Caslin

D

J

    • Matt Jardin
    • Nikkia Jordan

K

    • Grace Keller

R

    • Angela Rodriguez

S

    • Sara Sanbo

W

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