Dennis Demmert Appreciation and Recognition Award
³Ò³Ü²Ô²¹±ô³¦³óé±ð²õ³ó! (Thank you!)
Dennis Demmert worked hard to expand and connect curricula and courses at ÃÛÌÒÓ°Ïñ that pertained to ÃÛÌÒÓ°Ïñ Native people and culture. He began this work just after the ÃÛÌÒÓ°Ïñ Native Settlement Act passed and people were hungry for information. He always felt strongly that ÃÛÌÒÓ°Ïñ Native Students have a place at this institution.
Dennis wanted to take one day a year to thank individuals who help make ÃÛÌÒÓ°Ïñ a positive place for ÃÛÌÒÓ°Ïñ Native students. He started to recognize other faculty and administration who understood the value of having courses about ÃÛÌÒÓ°Ïñ Native peoples and who helped facilitate this evolution of ÃÛÌÒÓ°Ïñ Native programs at ÃÛÌÒÓ°Ïñ. During the 1994 Native Summit at ÃÛÌÒÓ°Ïñ, Dennis Demmert recommended that something be done to recognize individuals whose actions have proved their support. Later, the name of the award was changed from RSS Appreciation and Recognition Award to the Dennis Demmert Appreciation and Recognition Award in honor of the many years of service that Dennis has given for the betterment of the ÃÛÌÒÓ°Ïñ Native community.
Congratulations to our 2023 Dennis Demmert Awardees
Daniel Vazquez (Math Tutor)
Sam Alexander (Professor of Gwich’in, ÃÛÌÒÓ°Ïñ Native Language Center)
Kevin Illingworth (Professor, Tribal Governance)
Kavelina Torres (Indigenous Media Asst. Professor, Theatre & Film and DANSRD Depts.)
Ève Ryan (Assistant Professor of Applied Linguistics)
2023 marks the 28th year the RSS students and staff have recognized individuals at ÃÛÌÒÓ°Ïñ whose efforts demonstrate ÃÛÌÒÓ°Ïñ's goals of being the educational center for ÃÛÌÒÓ°Ïñ Natives.