The Congregation of Holy Cross, United States Province has honored Interim Provost Elise Moentmann for her service as a lay collaborator in the University of Portland community with a 2023 Spirit of Holy Cross Award.
The award is given annually to lay collaborators for the critical role they play to “make God known, loved, and served” through the Congregation’s education, parish and mission settings. The Congregation of Holy Cross honored nine award recipients this month in regions across the United States and three continents.
“I am thrilled that my dear friend and colleague is receiving the Spirit of Holy Cross Award,” said University of Portland President Robert D. Kelly. “Stated simply, Elise embodies all that we cherish as a Catholic, Holy Cross institution. She is endlessly devoted to student well-being and success; she views faith and reason as our God-given tools for discovering truth; and she approaches all that she does with zeal, hope and good humor.”
Since 2018, Moentmann has served as UP’s Associate Provost for Academic Affairs. In December, President Kelly tapped Moentmann to serve as Interim Provost, filling that key role as Herbert A. Medina returned to teaching and scholarship in UP’s Department of Mathematics.
A widely respected University of Portland leader since joining the Department of History in 1998, Moentmann came to the Provost’s office after serving as Associate Dean for Students in the College of Arts and Sciences. Her prior roles include Chair of the Department of History and Director of UP’s Summer Salzburg Program.
Moentmann has proven her commitment to the Holy Cross vision of Catholic education as an advocate for mission-fit hiring. The Spirit of Holy Cross award recognizes her leadership across campus — including work on Title IX initiatives, the UP Care Team, and as co-chair of institution’s COVID-19 Steering Committee.
“She is an extraordinary lay collaborator to the priests and brothers of Holy Cross with whom we labor on The Bluff, and she is a remarkable witness to her Christian faith,” Kelly said. “Elise is wonderfully deserving of this honor, and I offer her my deepest congratulations.”
“I am incredibly honored to receive the Spirit of Holy Cross Award,” Moentmann said. “It embodies my own vision of teaching that moves beyond the classroom to accompany students along their journey of discernment while at UP to find not only a job, but a sense of purpose for both their professional and personal lives that reflects their values and a desire to serve others.”