News for and about University of Portland faculty and staff.
Orientation for new students begins on Friday, January 12, at 9 a.m., in the Pilot House, according to Jeromy Koffler, student activities. For a complete schedule of events, go to this link. Be sure to welcome our nearly 100 new students and their families! Questions? Contact the Office of Student Activities at x7470 or stuact@up.edu.
All University community members who identify as Latinx (Latino/Latina/Chicano/a/Hispanic, etc.) and work at UP in any capacity, including adjunct, faculty, staff, and administration, are invited to contact Yuri Hernández Osorio, who serves as diversity & inclusion program coordinator in students activities. Hernández Osorio hopes to form an informal group for Latinx employees. She hopes to create an email list so the group can stay in contact, organize events, and share trainings and resources. The overall mission is to gather and provide informal support to each other. To join the group or for more information contact Hernández Osorio at hernandy@up.edu.
Yuridia Hernandez-Osorio joined the Office of Student Activities on August 3, 2017, as the new coordinator for diversity and inclusion programs, according to Jeromy Koffler, student activities. She is a 2015 University of Portland graduate with a bachelor of arts in social work, and won the Joseph S. Gallegos Award for Outstanding Service and Leadership in Social Work that same year. Since her time at UP, Yuri completed her masters of social work at the University of Michigan, where she served as an intern at Wayne State University’s Latino/a and Latin American Studies Center.
For more information contact student activities at 7470 or stuact@up.edu.
After 12 years of service to student activities, Bethany Sills will be leaving The Bluff to start a new chapter in her career as a professional development manager with Audigy Group. Her last day will be June 2, according to Jeromy Koffler, student activities.
Bethany was hired as a program assistant in June 2005 and was promoted to assistant director and multicultural programs coordinator in 2007. In her time at UP, Bethany has collaborated with students, faculty, and staff to develop countless events that educate about identity and celebrate cultural, racial, and religious heritage. She was also invited to serve on the Presidential Advisory Committee for Inclusion and to assist the Division of Student Affairs in the development of a diversity and inclusion website and strategic plan.
There will be a celebration on Thursday, June 1, in the Bauccio Commons Terrace Room, at 3 p.m., to appreciate and thank Bethany for her service to the students and the University community. For more information contact Koffler at koffler@up.edu.
The University of Portland’s student-run digital news publication, The Beacon, has won six First Place awards in the regional Society of Professional Journalists Mark of Excellence contest, and now advances to the national SPJ competition in the following categories:
Digital:
Small university (9,999 or fewer undergraduates):
National winners will be notified in the late spring and will be recognized at the Excellence in Journalism conference in Anaheim, Calif., in September.
Beacon content also placed in regional finals (Second or Third Place) in the following categories:
The Mark of Excellence Awards for Region 10 involved student media entries from colleges and universities in Oregon, Washington, Idaho, Montana and Alaska. See complete regional contest results here.
The University of Portland will celebrate its annual International Night during Diversity Dialogues Week on Friday, March 3, beginning at 4:30 p.m., in the Bauccio Commons. The annual event is a night for the campus and community to come together and celebrate everything that international cultures contribute to the world. The event is free and open to the public and will start off with a student hosted Showcase of Nations highlighting various countries around the world. Student and professional musicians including Portland Taiko, Turkish group Ritim Egozotik, and Mariachi Viva Mexico will perform. During the night, international cuisine will be served a la carte. There will also be free henna body art, a Chinese calligrapher, and a photo booth for participants to enjoy.
For more information contact International Student Services at iss@up.edu.
The planning process for fall 2017 new student Orientation programs and activities is underway, according to Jeromy Koffler, student activities. Any suggestions, recommendations, proposals, requests, or other all around “we should really do that!” items will be gratefully accepted by Koffler (koffler@up.edu) or Andrew Downs (downs@up.edu), faculty representative, by Tuesday, February 28.
All community members are welcome to join University of Portland’s community peace vigil honoring the justice, compassion, and love of Dr. Rev. Martin Luther King, Jr., on Monday, January 16, 2017, at 7:15 p.m., in the Chapel of Christ the Teacher. If you cannot attend, stop by the Commons to see the peace intentions that will be offered during the vigil. They will be on display throughout the week. The University will also have a display honoring Dr. King in the Clark Library throughout the week of Monday, January 16. For more information, please contact Bethany Sills in Student Activities at sills@up.edu or x8198. This event is planned by Diversity and Multicultural Programs in the Office of Student Activities and The Moreau Center.
All faculty and staff are invited to take part in Riverboat, the annual student activities late-night campus tradition, immediately following the men’s soccer Ohio State game on Friday, September 2. The fun goes from 9 p.m. to midnight. Just follow the Villa Drum Squad to the River Campus for food carts, live music, carnival games, photo booths, henna tattoos, and a cash bar. Access to the River Campus will be from behind the President’s House; a shuttle will be available at the Beauchamp Center entrance.
For more information contact Tyler Zimmerman, weekend and late night program coordinator, at x7516 or zimmerma@up.edu.
Anti-racism writer and educator Tim Wise will speak on the University campus on Thursday, April 21, at 4 p.m., in the Bauccio Commons (quiet side). Due to space limitations, this is a private event for UP students, faculty, and staff only; please bring University of Portland ID to enter the event.
Wise he has given speeches at over 1,000 college campuses and high schools across the U.S., and trains teachers, corporate employees, non-profit organizations and law enforcement officers in methods for addressing and dismantling racism in their institutions. His books include White Like Me: Reflections on Race From a Privileged Son (2004), Affirmative Action: Racial Preference in Black and White (2005), Speaking Treason Fluently: Anti-Racist Reflections From an Angry White Male (2008), and Under the Affluence: Shaming the Poor, Praising the Rich and Sacrificing the Future of America (2015).
The lecture is sponsored by Diversity in the Office of Student Activities, the School of Nursing, Unversity relations, and the Moreau Center.
For more information contact Bethany Sills, student activities, at 7470 or sills@up.edu.