Ellie will be joining the Office of Student Activities as our new Program Manager for Student Engagement. Ellie recently completed her Masters in Student Affairs Administration at Lewis and Clark College. Ellie brings with her a passion for working with and advising students, a commitment to holistic learning, and event planning experience. We are delighted to have Ellie as part of our team and look forward to having her energy on our Pilots After Dark program, Campus Program Board, student clubs, and more.
Student Activities
New to The Bluff: Elizabeth Parkman, Associate Director for Student Engagement in the Office of Student Activities
Join us in welcoming Elizabeth Parkman as the new Associate Director for Student Engagement! Parkman previously worked with Docent at the Portland Art Museum and is currently serves as the Vice President of the Board for the Friends of Peninsula Rose Garden.
Four Top Spots in Mark of Excellence Competition: “Beacon” Shines Again
The Beacon has won four First Place awards in the 2021 regional Mark of Excellence competition sponsored by the Society of Professional Journalists (SPJ). The contest involved college media outlets from five states: Oregon, Washington, Idaho, Montana and Alaska. The following now advance to the national SPJ Mark of Excellence competition.
- FIRST PLACE Breaking News Reporting* – Gabi DiPaulo for “Administrator goes public with concerns about racism and sexism within UP administration”
- FIRST PLACE Data Visualization- Austin De Dios for his portfolio of interactive data visualizations including this story on COVID-19 furloughs and salary cuts.
- FIRST PLACE Podcast- Molly Lowney, Jennifer Ng for “What on Earth: Food for Thought” (episode 5)
- FIRST PLACE Feature Writing*- Mia Werner “Chasing Ice with the U.S. Coast Guard”
Find about about all awards at this link.
2021 Orientation Planning: Suggestions & Ideas Welcome
The planning process for Fall 2021 new student orientation programs and activities is underway, according to Jeromy Koffler, student activities. Any suggestions, recommendations, proposals, requests, or other “we should really do that!” ideas will be gratefully accepted by Koffler (koffler@up.edu); Brad Franco, history (franco@up.edu); or Montana Hisel-Cochran, business (hiselcoc@up.edu), by Tuesday, March 30.
Invitation to Latinx Employees: Let’s Get Together
If you identify as Latinx (Latino/Latina/Chicano/a/Hispanic, etc.) and you work for the University in any capacity (adjunct, faculty, staff, administration, etc.) and would like to join our informal Latinx Employee Group, please email Yuri Hernandez Osorio, student activities, at hernandy@up.edu. We gather informally over Zoom, happy hours, socials, and much more. We also have an annual carne asada. The goal of this group is to build community and support one another. To join, please email your name, title, and pronouns.
Beacon Staffers Shine Again
The Society of Professional Journalists Region 10 Mark of Excellence Awards were announced recently, and UP students journalists were named as winners and finalists in the following categories:
- Breaking news photography – Jennifer Ng
- Feature writing – Catherine Cieminski
- Editorial writing – Dora Totoian, Delaney Vetter and Gabi DiPaulo
- General news reporting – Madison Pfeifer
- In-depth reporting – Austin De Dios
- Online/digital feature videography – Elizabeth Lyons-Best
The Society of Professional Journalists Region 10 comprises Alaska, Idaho, Montana, Oregon, and Washington. First-place winners will compete at the national level among other regional MOE winners from twelve SPJ regions.
Regional winners would normally be recognized at regional conferences, however, all SPJ Regional Conferences have been either canceled or postponed due to the coronavirus pandemic. Regional winners have been notified by email and will receive their award certificates via mail. National winners will be notified in the late spring.
For more information contact Nancy Copic, student activities, at copic@up.edu.
New UP Virtual Programming & Activities Resource
Student activities has launched the University of Portland’s Virtual Programming and Activities page for people who are looking for something to do, thanks to the efforts of Samantha Trunkett. From National Park tours to the KDUP Live Stream, there are many things that people can use to pass the time. Please use this link to open up your exploration opportunities.
For more information contact Trunkett at x7577 or trunkett@up.edu.
Outstanding Students & Staff: Nominate for Awards by March 18
Nominations are now open until March 18 for the 2019-2020 Division of Student Affairs Awards, to be presented on April 16. Please log into Engage to access the form and nominate outstanding students and student affairs staff for the Fr. John Van Wolvlear Award, the Community Care Award, Outstanding Contributor to Core Themes Award, and several others.
For more information please contact Christina Laird in the Office of Student Affairs at x8532.
Free Portland Taiko Performance, Feb. 15
All faculty and staff and families are welcome to enjoy a performance by the critically acclaimed Portland Taiko drumming troupe on Saturday, February 15, at 7 p.m., in Buckley Center Auditorium. Portland Taiko blends the tradition of Japanese taiko drumming with a sense of Asian American identity, creativity, and empowerment. Since its founding in 1994, the group has headlined at arts festivals and concert halls, and has performed at hundreds of community events and school assemblies. Don’t miss this memorable show!
For questions or ADA accommodation requests, please contact Jeromy Koffler or Bryan Dennis, student activities, at x7470 or stuact@up.edu.
First-Year and Sophomore Family Weekend, Feb. 14-16
The University will soon welcome approximately 800 participants in the inaugural Family Weekend for first-year and sophomore students. Parents and family members will arrive on Friday afternoon, February 14, complete their registration at the UP bookstore, and are welcome to attend a full slate of academic showcases and social events throughout the weekend.
This weekend provides a special opportunity for families to spend time together learning, exploring, and experiencing the true sense of our community here on The Bluff. The complete schedule of events can be found at this link. For questions or concerns, please contact Kathryn Seccombe at the Office of Alumni and Parent Relations at x7328 or Jeromy Koffler, student activities, at x7470.