Take two for this event which has moved to March 2. Like a dash of humor with your theology? Join Karen Eifler, co-director of the Garaventa Center, for “Why Theology Needs Schitt’s Creek,” the next installment in the popular Beckman Humor Project “Why Theology Needs…” series. Eifler will highlight thematic elements of Schitt’s Creek – the series […]
Karen Eifler
Final Person to Person Raffle Winner: Amy Wruck
In the final drawing this semester for a Starbucks gift card, employee Amy Wruck’s name was chosen randomly from among those who notified the Garaventa Center about making a personal human connection (or two, or three) in this oddest of semesters. Thanks to Amy and many others, well over a hundred Person to Person interactions […]
Sundance Film Festival – Windrider Forum 2021
University of Portland community members will have a unique opportunity this coming January to participate in the Windrider Forum at the Sundance Film Festival from the comfort of your own home. The Windrider Forum is an immersive experience alongside the viewing of Sundance films that provides an encounter with the filmmakers to honor their craft, […]
Archives & Appreciation from the Garaventa Center
Video recordings of all Fall 2020 Garaventa Center lectures are now available for viewing on our website using this link, including such thought-provoking topics as “What We Can Learn about Cancel Culture from the Index of Forbidden Books,” “Mother Teresa: A Case Study in Christian Mental Health Stigma,” and more. We’d also like to take […]
Psalms Frontispiece From “The Saint John’s Bible”
This week’s moment of quiet beauty is the opening of the Book of Psalms. Fun fact: the squiggly lines in various hues are voiceprints of different groups praying; Benedictine monks, Jews, Native Americans, Muslims, Taoists, Buddhists, Hindus, and Greek Orthodox. Each form of prayer—an essential human urge—has a distinct shape, producing this lustrous tapestry of […]
Karen Eifler to Head Collegium, June 2022
Karen Eifler, professor of education and co-executive director of the Garaventa Center, has been named as the next executive director of Collegium after founding executive director Tom Landy’s retirement on June 30, 2022. Collegium was founded in 1992 to help faculty at Catholic colleges and universities better understand the mission of Catholic higher education, and […]
Person to Person Weekly Winner: Lisa Reed!
Congratulations to Lisa Reed, associate dean in the Pamplin School of Business, on being this week’s recipient of a Starbucks gift card after a random drawing from names of UP staff and faculty who have been trying to cultivate and nurture human relationships during these days of so much enforced solitude. An anonymous donor has […]
TLC Tip of the Week: Ways to Take Care of Yourself
These days, creating a sustainable “work-life balance” feels as elusive as a unicorn, but it’s an absolute necessity to ensure you are still whole and healthy by the time we get to The Other Side of the pandemic. A recent article by Rebecca Pope-Ruark in Inside Higher Ed lays out several doable strategies for college […]
Keep UP Person to Person Connections Alive and Well!
Over a dozen Person to Person connections have been noted in the first two weeks of outreach by the Garaventa Center, and it’s great to see those personal relationships that make UP a special place getting nourishment. The first two winners of Starbucks gift cards are Michele Leasor (Office of Undergraduate Scholarly Engagement) and Randy […]
Building Community, Person By Person
Of all the things we are missing these days, human connections are near the top of the list. It’s “The UP Way” to create and feel part of a vibrant, caring community. The Garaventa Center offers a modest proposal for connecting with colleagues: a new program we call Person to Person. Reach out to have […]