Alaska Rural Utility Collaborative showcases work for visitors from Harvard as national award finalist

August 12, 2016




Last week, staff from ANTHC’s Alaska Rural Utility Collaborative (ARUC) program hosted visitors from the Harvard University John F. Kennedy School of Governance Honoring Nations awards committee. ARUC has been selected as one of this year’s top six programs for the Honoring Nations award that celebrates exemplary programs in Tribal governance: Alaska Rural Utility Collaborative selected as one of six finalists for Harvard award. As one of the top finalists, ARUC staff had the pleasure of showcasing their work in Bethel and Goodnews Bay in southwestern Alaska. In addition to seeing firsthand the impact of clean water and sewer systems on community health, the team from Harvard also heard from residents in both communities on the value of their partnerships with ARUC to make these water projects successful and sustainable. ANTHC is always pleased to be able to share our work with other Tribal programs and show the unique challenges that Alaska Tribal communities face. This site visit was no exception for the team from Boston, as they found a new appreciation for in-home running water, utility management, energy prices, rural health care and other characteristics of rural life that we aim to improve every day. The Harvard team also experienced some of the things that we enjoy about our communities such as berry picking, hiking and a community potluck filled with traditional foods like halibut, akutaq (Traditional ice cream), walrus, dry fish and seal oil. During the community meeting in Goodnews Bay, the ARUC team was humbled to hear the praise from residents on the ease of working with ARUC and the involvement the community is able to have in all program aspects. In October, ARUC will present at the National Congress of American Indian’s annual conference in Phoenix, Arizona where the awards will be announced. We will keep you posted as more information is available, but ANTHC is already proud and humbled by this national recognition. For more information about ARUC, visit https://www.anthc.org/what-we-do/tribal-utility-support/alaska-rural-utility-collaborative-aruc/. For more information on The Harvard Project on American Indian Economic Development and the Honoring Nations award, visit hpaied.org.

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