Katherine Gottlieb is a genius! In November, 2004 the John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation announced that Katherine Gottlieb the president and CEO of Southcentral Foundation, and an APU alumna had been selected to receive a "genius" grant. Katherine was awarded the genius grant for her innovative work through Southcentral Foundation, which was created in 1982 as a non-profit affiliate of CIRI, and today, provides a wide variety of healthcare and related services and programs for Alaska Native and Americans Indians in the Anchorage service unit. This service area encompasses Anchorage and 55 rural communities in Southcentral Alaska from the Wrangell Mountains to the Aleutian Islands.

Katherine earned both her undergraduate and graduate degrees from Alaska Pacific University. She is married, the mother of six, and the grandmother of 19. Since becoming a MacArthur Fellow, Katherine has given numerous interviews about her role in Native healthcare in Alaska. We wanted to expand the discussion to include her opinion of the role of education in her life.

You hold two degrees from APU, both a Bachelors of Business Administration and a Masters of Business Administration. Why did you choose Alaska Pacific University?

Katherine Gottlieb: I chose Alaska Pacific University as my college of choice for both my undergraduate and graduate degrees for many reasons: it was in the top ten for academic rating for a college its size; Alaska Pacific University caters to working professionals; courses accommodated the hours I would be able to attend; courses were small enough to give the sense of individualized instruction; and the Alaska Pacific University reputation is great. The President's Welcome Letter from the 1988-1990 Catalog was profound: "The intention of Alaska Pacific University is that students here will be introduced to the world in all its dimensions - through arts and sciences, through intellectual and spiritual growth, and through self-understanding." I knew that Alaska Pacific University had a spiritual beginning and I continue to be impressed with the integration of spiritual learning and understanding that remains today.

What was your best experience at APU?

Katherine Gottlieb: I had many "best" experiences based on working in small groups and developing one-on-one relationships with classmates. The professors were able to communicate and create an environment for academic excellence, raising my personal expectations while allowing me to experiment and grow in learning. Courses in accounting, administration, entrepreneurship, human resources, and marketing all combined to create the groundwork needed to blend my academic knowledge with my professional experience developing my management style.

How do you think your education at APU helped you in your career?

Katherine Gottlieb: Alaska Pacific University courses encourage individuals to problem-solve in teams by coming to solutions and resolving issues. I have carried this approach into my work at Southcentral Foundation. In addition, my education broadened my awareness of the business world not only in Alaska, but around the world, allowing me to better understand our global community. This education in the many facets of the business world has continued to assist me in the leadership activities I perform as a corporate CEO.

Do you feel APU's active learning philosophy was helpful to that end?

Katherine Gottlieb: Absolutely. Applying real work experiences into courses assisted in situations currently faced at work as well as applied to my future work experiences. Further, the educational goals of Alaska Pacific University emphasize personal growth through student-centered, experiential education. By using Alaska and our global community as platforms for learning, I was able to develop my own sense of leadership integrating core values around openness to positive change, innovation, and individual initiative as well as promoting Alaska Native people in educational opportunities, building tomorrows leadership within Alaska.

Why is education so important to you?

Katherine Gottlieb: It validates a person. It connects life-long learning to knowledge and it broadens the world an individual lives in. It centers and focuses. It gives mental tools and skills to improve careers and even life situations while fostering and promoting the individual. That critical balance of arts and sciences, intellectual and spiritual growth, and self-understanding have proven successful, so successful that I believe and promote the integration of spiritual learning and understanding on many levels.

You are the commencement speaker at the spring graduation. What wisdom do you hope to impart upon the APU's newest graduates?

Katherine Gottlieb: I have several key points that I would like the newest graduates to remember as they transition from the academic setting into the professional workplace: this is just the beginning; "no" is just an opportunity; and we all have the potential to fulfill our dreams. Each graduate represents the promise and hope of tomorrow.