Renes receives Elders Award at 8th Annual Lilly Arctic Institute
March 27, 2013
Sue Renes, assistant professor of counseling in the School of Education, received the Elders Award at the 8th Annual Lilly Arctic Institute on Innovations
and Excellence in Teaching on March 22. Renes was recognized and honored by Alaska
elders for excellence in cultural attunement and lifelong learning.
The award is based on the thought that Alaska elders represent the collective wisdom,
heart and understanding upon which authentic living and learning is grounded. They
remind us of the privilege and responsibility of honoring and respecting relationships
with our family, our community, our world and our higher purpose. The life-long adventure
of living and learning a good life results from a position of humility, understanding,
and cooperation. Alaska elders have taught us about cultural awareness, the active
process of maintaining cultural humility, and the powers of balance, reflections and
patience. Alaska elders are our wisdom keepers and our true higher educators. This
award was established to honor the wisdom and teachings of our Alaska elders by recognizing
those elders-in-training among us whose deeds and practices have promoted cultural
attunement and balance in all things for a better world community.