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Dr. Rami Nashashibi has been awarded the prestigious 2018 Opus Prize for his inspirational work as founder and director of the Inner-City Muslim Action Network (IMAN) in Chicago, Illinois. The award was announced on Thursday, November 15 during a ceremony hosted by the University of Portland and the Opus Prize Foundation at the Chiles Center.

IMAN is a nonprofit organization that fosters health, wellness, and healing in some of the Chicago’s most challenged neighborhoods. The organization was founded in 1997 by Nashashibi and others directly affected by and deeply invested in social issues affecting communities of color living on Chicago’s South Side. The nonprofit’s endeavors include organizing for social change, cultivating the arts, and operating a holistic health center, corner grocery store initiative, and job-training program. Since its founding, IMAN has steadily grown and, in 2016, opened a second office in Atlanta to continue mobilizing a cross-section of people committed to their mission. More at www.imancentral.org/

Two other Opus Prize finalists, Daniel and Avitha Victor of Agape Rehabilitation Centre in Chennai, India, and Rev. Daniel Panchot, CSC, and Jose Antonio Patron of Yancana Huasy in Lima, Peru were awarded $100,000 each.

The Opus Prize is one of the world’s largest faith-based awards for social entrepreneurship. In the face of improbable odds, its laureates are creating change in their communities and demonstrating faith and creativity through their work. Their leadership and dedication is transforming the lives of people around the world.

The University was selected by the Opus Prize Foundation to administer this year’s award because of the school’s commitment to educating the hands and heart – in addition to the mind – of its students, many of whom are dedicated to service and social justice. The 21-month process to identify, nominate and review candidates was made possible by the involvement of University of Portland students, faculty, alumni and administration.

For more information go to this link or www.up.edu/opusprize.

The University of Portland posted a 97 percent student-athlete Graduation Success Rate (GSR) for the second consecutive year, according to the latest data released by the NCAA on November 14. UP’s baseball, men’s cross country and track and field, men’s tennis, men’s soccer, women’s basketball, women’s cross country and track and field, and rowing teams each posted perfect scores. Portland’s remaining five sports reported scores that were higher than the national average.

The GSR measures graduation rates for the most recent six-year graduating class of student-athletes who entered as freshmen during the fall of 2011. The national GSR this year increased by one point to 88 percent.

For more information contact athletics at x7117 or go to www.portlandpilots.com.

All faculty, staff, students, and guests are welcome to take part in activities planned for this week in celebration of the 2018 Opus Prize, one of the world’s largest faith-based awards for social entrepreneurship. Each year the Opus Prize Foundation selects one Catholic university to help nominate, select, and celebrate three faith-based unsung heroes who are using innovative strategies to address some of the great social challenges of our time. The University of Portland is honored to have been chosen as this year’s host institution.

Here is a link to learn more about UP’s story with the 2018 Opus Prize. One of the three finalists will be announced as the recipient of a $1 million prize, and the other two finalists will receive $100,000 awards, at the Opus Prize Awards Ceremony on Thursday, November 15, on the UP campus.

Please consider joining our community to meet, celebrate, and be inspired by these remarkable individuals and organizations from Chennai, India; Lima, Peru; and Chicago, Illinois. These opportunities to meet the finalists for the 2018 Opus Prize are free to attend and guests are welcome.

• Monday, November 12: Conversations with the 2018 Opus Prize Finalists, 7:15 p.m., Buckley Center Auditorium. Be inspired hearing stories and meeting the three finalists for the 2018 Opus Prize. These faith-based, unsung heroes are successfully using innovative solutions to address and challenge persisting, social problems in their communities. Panel conversation will be moderated by Portland magazine editor Jessica Murphy Moo.
• Tuesday, November 13: Lunch with the Opus Prize Finalists, 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m., in the Bauccio Commons President’s Board Room. The lunch will include casual conversations over a buffet meal with the three Opus Prize Finalists and their delegations. Faculty and staff are encouraged to meet these inspirational humanitarians who have devoted their lives to service. To attend the lunch, please RSVP and register at this link.
• Wednesday, November 14: Interfaith Prayer Service: Celebrating the 2018 Opus Prize, 5 p.m., Chapel of Christ the Teacher. Join the finalists for the 2018 Opus Prize and our UP community for a prayerful reflection to celebrate the sacred foundations that prompt us to pursue lives of service.
• Thursday, November 15: 2018 Opus Prize Awards Ceremony, 7:30 p.m., Chiles Center. Don’t miss the opportunity to celebrate the announcement of the $1.2 million Opus Prize awards. Join the campus and community to honor the remarkable Opus Prize finalists who were selected from a pool of global nominees. Be present when the $1 million 2018 Opus Prize laureate is revealed.

For questions, please contact x7596 or opusprize@up.edu.

William Curtis and Gary Malecha, political science, will present the 2018 Constitution Day Lecture, “Supreme Court Nominations in a New Political Order,” on Monday, September 17, at 7 p.m., in Franz Hall room 120. The lecture is free and open to all.

For more information contact political science at x7274 or mackinno@up.edu.

The Garaventa Center invites all faculty and staff to this year’s Red Mass, which invokes the gifts of the Holy Spirit upon those entrusted with the law in our nation, on Wednesday, September 19, at 5:30 p.m., in the Chapel of Christ the Teacher. The Mass is also open to the public. Archbishop Alexander K. Sample will be the principal celebrant and Fr. Charlie Gordon, C.S.C., will offer the homily.

What is the Red Mass? The annual Red Mass invokes gifts of the Holy Spirit (wisdom, understanding, counsel and fortitude) upon the members of the legal profession to aid them in carrying out their profound responsibility to administer justice with mercy. The Mass takes its name from the red vestments worn by the clergy, representing the tongues of fire associated with the Holy Spirit, and from the scarlet robes that were traditionally worn by judges. The first documented Red Mass was celebrated in the Cathedral of Paris in the year 1245.

For ADA accommodations or more information: garaventa@up.edu or x7702.