Author Archives: Sarah

Q & A with Matthew Mass

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Matthew Maas joined the UP team last December as the Associate Director of Parent Giving. Learn about Matthew and his work of helping parents and family members build a stronger relationship with UP through philanthropic giving.

Tell us a little bit about yourself.

I joined the University of Portland in December of 2019 as the Associate Director of Parent Giving. My formative years were spent in the mid-west where I completed college and grad school in Minnesota. Without the cumulative experiences and friendships formed in this time I would not be who I am today. My family and I moved to Portland five years ago and we enjoy the Pac NW music scene and the hiking trails in the Columbia Gorge. 

Tell us a little bit about your role as the Associate Director of Parent Giving.

My role is to help parents and family member build a stronger relationship with UP. I want to hear how they imagine making a difference through philanthropic giving, and in turn share how philanthropy can make a direct impact in the lives of students.   

What excites you most about this role?

When I walk around campus, I hear story after story of how parents and families gave philanthropic gifts which funded the educational and campus programming which make UP renowned in higher education. I am excited to be a part of moving the University forward in several new strategic areas. We can’t do this alone, and that’s why our partnership with our UP families and parents is so important. 

What does philanthropy mean to you?

Philanthropy is giving to what you love. One of the best parts of my job is hearing what inspired someone to make a gift. While each gift is always unique, they all share this common thread.

What philanthropic opportunities are there to support UP?

There are several ways to make an immediate impact in the life of a student or the entire community. One of these ways is the Parent Impact Fund. This fund directly supports the student service areas of campus which make student life and well-being a priority. Without these funds, many students would not have access to the resource centers which help students successfully graduate.

What is your favorite UP memory so far?

Watching the women’s basketball team win the WCC Tournament with such brilliance and tenacity.

If you only had 24 hours to spend in Portland area, what would you see and do?

I would spend the morning at the Portland Japanese Garden for tea, then enjoy a mid-day hike/lunch on Mt. Hood, followed by a visit to one of our award-winning breweries.    

What is your favorite restaurant in Portland?

Han Oak remains one of my favorites with its non-traditional take on Korean cuisine.

Learn more about how parents and families can show their support through philanthropic giving, or contact Matthew directly at maas@up.edu.

Reminders and Resources

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  • Coronavirus Updates
    • Please note that updates surrounding Coronavirus and UP’s actions will continue to be posted here.
  • Talking to Your Student About Anti-Racism
    • If you are having conversations with your student about topics such as racism and diversity, this list of resources is a good starting place.
  • Virtual Writing Assistance Available All Summer
    • While the in-person Writing Center will remain closed until further notice, virtual writing assistance is available for all students taking courses at UP this summer. To make an appointment, students can simply email writing@up.edu and a writing assistant will get back to them within 24 hours.
  • Returning Rented Textbooks
    • If your student rented their textbooks through UP’s Bookstore, please read through the detailed steps listed in the Bookstore FAQ section on how to obtain a shipping label and return the books.
  • Reduced Tuition for Summer Internship Courses
    • Students who complete summer internships have the option to complete their internships for credit. Tuition for the College of Arts & Sciences summer internship courses will be $333 per 1 credit, which is one-third the rate of regular summer session tuition. This applies to CAS courses numbered 297, 397, 497, and 597. Most internship courses count for upper division electives toward the major. Internships for credit are not limited to the Portland area. Students are welcome to complete internships virtually, in their hometown, or even another country during the summer and still register for credit. Students who want to complete their internship for credit this summer should contact Elizabeth Jones, CAS Academic Internship Coordinator, at jonesel@up.edu. 
  • Campus Ministry Summer Resources:
    • Stream Mass Online: Mass will continue to be live-streamed on Sundays at 10:30 a.m. and Monday through Friday at 12:05 p.m. (Pacific Time) while public Masses remain suspended. All are invited into virtual participation.
    • Contact Campus Ministry: The Campus Ministry office will remain open virtually as we enter the summer months. If your student is seeking resources or would like to reach a Campus Minister, they can contact ministry@up.edu or leave a voicemail at 503.943.7131.
  • UP’s Virtual Activities and Programming
    • Is your student looking for something to do from the comfort of home? The Office of Student Activities has compiled various ideas and resources to keep your student entertained.
    • Pilots After Dark has been and will continue to host virtual programming for students throughout the summer, including Bingo and Kahoot! Trivia Challenge.
    • Your student can also follow Pilots After Dark on Instagram (@up.pad) and like them on Facebook to stay up to date with the latest virtual programming.

Active Minds Session Recap

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On April 19, the Active Minds student group and the Health and Counseling Center hosted an engaging discussion on ways to support your student during this time of transition. We greatly appreciate the student leaders and staff members who offered this opportunity. For those who were not able to join the call, we’ve compiled some of the information and resources that were shared, including insight into what students want parents to know.

Please see the UP Virtual Resources for Mental Health Support, which was compiled by UP’s Academic Health Network and shared during the session.

Student Feedback for Caregiver Support Meeting

Leading up to this parent/caregiver session, Active Minds surveyed their peers online to better understand how they were feeling about recent transitions and what they would want their families to know. While most of the survey participants were currently living with family during quarantine, about one-third were not. You can view answers to the survey below.

What has been the most difficult part of being home with family?

When asked what kind of advice caregivers would benefit most from, students ranked the following:

  • How to support my mental and emotional health during quarantine
  • How to give me privacy and respect boundaries
  • How to communicate feelings/emotions with me
  • How to support me in academics

What would you like your family to know/learn about in regards to your being back home for quarantine?

  • Even though I am living under your roof once again, I am still an adult.
  • Just because I am sad about missing school doesn’t mean I’m not thankful to be home.
  • Stop telling me to “suck it up,” “stop whining,” “be thankful for what you have,” etc. It doesn’t help.
  • Alone time is healthy.
  • Just because your coping mechanisms are different than mine doesn’t mean they are better or more helpful.
  • I have grown and changed since going away and my responsibilities are my own.
  • Just because I didn’t go home doesn’t me I don’t love you.
  • It is hard to be constantly checked up upon or micromanaged when I am at home when I am so used to being independent and on my own. Instilling guilt is not helpful – it is toxic.
  • It is really hard to be away from friends and significant others. Facetiming and texting is not the same as in-person interaction. And yes – we are excited to be with our families, but we are supposed to be at school and it is okay if we are sad about it. We also have routines at school that are just not replicated at home which is hard. I would say to my parents: I love you, but I miss my friends and school.
  • Part of the reason I am not coming home is to support their safety and well-being.
  • For parents of seniors who are not moving home until after graduation, please be gentle with them. Seniors are trying their best to figure out post-grad life, especially in this pandemic.
  • The importance of honest, non-accusatory, emotional communication with I-statements!
  • I would like them to know that schoolwork has not gotten any easier and that I am grieving for the loss of graduation and the closure I hoped to obtain with professors and classmates.
  • After being at college, we see ourselves as being different people from the people we were at the beginning of the year. We have gotten accustomed to living on our own and making our own decisions. Please be patient with us as we adapt to living at home again and we will do our best to follow what you would like us to do. Please also understand the quick transition we all had to make and that we are still feeling some emotional grief at losing half a semester and having to say goodbye to UP and our friends in just a few short days. There is some healing that needs to happen as well. We understand that this situation is for the greater good and we are doing our best to stay positive, but it is a difficult time for us to be at home and doing online classes nonetheless.
  • I do not have free time on my hands as my siblings who are also adults but not in college now do have. I am still taking 19 credits and trying to achieve the best grades possible. My schoolwork sometimes needs to come before chores for me and I should not get yelled at for this.
  • I’m not a child anymore and this isn’t a vacation – please understand that.
  • School is honestly the last thing many people are worried about at the moment, but it feels like such a determining factor for our future. How can parents/caregivers support us in figuring out how to handle our lack of caring about school? 
  • We are still students and still have an immense workload. Trying to finish off school in this scenario is stressful enough, not even counting in the fact that we’ve been ripped away from our in-person classes and the support of friends. In some cases, we have spent four or more years away from our parents to accomplish our school work. Being back at home now is not the same as it was in high school or being home for a break. Privacy and space as well as independence is crucial.

For more information regarding this session, please feel free to reach out to parents@up.edu, and we will connect you with the appropriate resource.