The Teacher Education Office is pleased to announce Alexis Okabe is the 2023 recipient of the Murray Elliott Award for Outstanding Contributions to Teacher Education in the Faculty of Education.
Alexis Okabe, a member of the Kitsumkalum First Nation, comes from a family of teachers. In 2019, Alexis joined NITEP (the UBC Indigenous Teacher Education Program) as the Indigenous Education Program Advisor, and she fell in love with the program and students. As of 2021, Alexis has been in the role of Manager, NITEP Advisory Services, for academic advising, awards adjudication, student recruitment and retention, and the overall success of NITEP students. She has served on a number of Faculty of Education advisory committees, notably the Task Force on Race, Indigeneity and Social Justice, and contributes to ensuring the continuation of the NITEP Mental Health and Wellness Program.
NITEP continues to develop new pathways to increase the number of certified Indigenous teachers. Alexis considers it an honour to be a part of Indigenous Teacher Education, and to have the opportunity to meet incredible students from across BC and Canada. She is extraordinarily grateful to receive this award.
Congratulations Alexis from all of us!
This award honours full-time and sessional faculty, staff and other persons associated with the Faculty of Education who have made an outstanding contribution to the Bachelor of Education program at UBC.
The recipient will receive a plaque along with a Pendleton blanket. In addition, the recipient’s name will be displayed in the Faculty alongside other recipients of the award.