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Renowned author and Pulitzer Prize winner Marilynne Robinson will present the 2019 Zahm Lecture, “Wisdom and Knowledge,” on Wednesday, September 11, at 7:15 p.m., in the Chiles Center. Robinson will speak about wonder and the absolute necessity of the humanities, faith, and reason as partners in understanding the world.

Robinson was the recipient of a 2012 National Humanities Medal, awarded by former President Barack Obama, for “her grace and intelligence in writing.” In 2016 she was awarded the Library of Congress Lifetime Achievement Award in American Fiction, as well as the Dayton Peace Prize’s Richard C. Holbrooke Distinguished Achievement Award. In 2013, she was awarded South Korea’s Pak Kyong-ni Prize for her contribution to international literature. She is the author of Gilead, winner of the 2005 Pulitzer Prize for Fiction and the National Book Critics Circle Award; Home, winner of the Orange Prize and the Los Angeles Times Book Prize; and Lila, winner of the National Book Critics Circle Award. Her first novel, Housekeeping, won the Hemingway Foundation/PEN Award. Robinson’s nonfiction books include The Givenness of Things, When I Was a Child I Read Books, and Mother Country, which was nominated for a National Book Award. Robinson, professor emeritus at the University of Iowa, taught at the Iowa Writers’ Workshop for 25 years.

The Zahm Lecture, which annually kicks off the academic year, addresses important issues in American Catholic higher education, and honors Fr. John Zahm, C.S.C., an eminent Holy Cross priest and scientist of the late 19th and early 20th century, who was one of University of Portland’s founders.

For ADA accommodations or further information, please contact the Garaventa Center at X7702 or garaventa@up.edu.

Scott Leykam, vice president for athletics, has been appointed to the NCAA Division I Women’s Soccer Committee, and will serve a four-year term beginning on September 1, 2019. The committee is responsible for the organization and implementation of the NCAA Championships tournament, including selection of the participants and creation of the bracket. The committee also establishes playing rules and procedures for competition.

University of Portland soccer is one of the premier collegiate brands having combined to reach ten NCAA College Cup final four appearances between the men’s and women’s programs, with the women claiming national championships in 2002 and 2005. The programs have produced dozens of All-Americans and professional players, while 12 former Pilots have participated in World Cup or Olympic competitions.

Leykam is entering his eighth year at UP and oversees a department of 16 varsity sports and more than 270 student-athletes. He has overseen significant growth and achievements on The Bluff, while serving on several influential committees at the national and conference level. Leykam is currently the Second Vice President for the Division I-AAA Athletic Directors Association and previously served a six-year term as Chair of the West Coast Conference Basketball Cabinet and completed a four-year term on the NCAA Championships & Sports Management Cabinet.

He recently led the department to its largest fiscal year fundraising number in history by bringing in $3.25 million dollars and has facilitated a number of capital projects that have been completed, or are currently in-process.

For more information contact athletics at x7117 or athletics@up.edu.

The Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary, a holy day of obligation for Catholics, will be celebrated in the Chapel of Christ the Teacher on Thursday, August 15, at 12:05 p.m. All are invited. For more information contact Campus Ministry at x7131 or ministry@up.edu.

University of Portland President Rev. Mark L. Poorman, C.S.C., has appointed Michael E. Lewellen to the newly formed position of vice president for marketing and communications. He will lead the offices of marketing and communications, public affairs, and printing and mailing services effective July 15.

Before joining UP, Lewellen was the vice president of corporate communications and public engagement for the Portland Trail Blazers and Rose Quarter, overseeing media relations, crisis response, and civic engagement.

Lewellen served as senior vice president for corporate communications at Black Entertainment Television (BET) Networks and worked in corporate development and urban and minority affairs for NIKE. His career has also included senior positions with Heart of Florida United Way, NBC Universal/Universal Orlando Resort, and Fox Sports Network.

Lewellen is active in the local community. He is the chair of the board of directors of the Urban League of Portland and is on the board of the Legacy Emanuel Medical Center Foundation, All Hands Raised, and the Oregon Association of Minority Entrepreneurs. He is a member of the National Association of Black Journalists, and in 2018, was awarded the Pat Tobin Award for career achievement by the National Black Public Relations Society – Los Angeles.

For more information contact marketing and communications at mktg@up.edu.

Due to a dramatic rise in the scope and sophistication of phishing attacks targeting UP staff, information services will be deploying Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA) for specific services on campus. The enrollment process should take about 5 minutes and it will significantly enhance the security of your account and personal information.

MFA combines two or more independent credentials to gain access to a system. These credentials include something you know (username/password) and something you have (token/smart phone/office phone).  The goal of MFA is to create a multilayered approach that makes it difficult for any unauthorized individual to gain access to a system.  If one factor is compromised, such as your password, the attacker will still need the other factor to gain access.

MFA will be deployed to staff this summer, with specific departments served week-to-week as we roll out MFA. Further communications will come from Curt Pederson, CIO, detailing installation and setup instructions.

The Writing Center—where students in all disciplines can find help at any stage of the writing process—is open during both summer sessions in the Learning Commons, BC 163. To book a 30- or 60- minute session with a writing assistant, please email their hotline, Writing@up.edu , including the times and days you are available to meet with a tutor, and someone will get back to you to schedule an appointment. Happy writing!