The Oregon Independent College Foundation (OICF) and the Oregon Independent Colleges Association (OICA) today announced that the two organizations have officially combined to create the Oregon Alliance of Independent Colleges & Universities (OAICU).  The effective date for the establishment of OAICU is September 1, 2011.

The mission of OAICU is to represent and serve Oregon’s regionally accredited, non‐profit, independent colleges and universities, through public advocacy, institutional cooperation, and strategic collaboration with the public sector, including business, philanthropy, and government.  The organization seeks to strengthen Oregon’s intellectual, creative, and economic resources.

OAICU is an organization representing 20 of Oregon’s regionally accredited nonprofit independent colleges and universities.  Through OAICU, they collaborate as a unified sector to strengthen Oregon’s intellectual, creative, and economic resources through public advocacy, institutional cooperation, and strategic collaboration with the public sector, including business, philanthropy, and government.  The Alliance:

• coordinates advocacy for independent higher education on matters related to public interest and public policy;
• supports and expands strategic partnerships with businesses, foundations and public sector agencies and institutions;
• provides and creates structures to encourage inter-institutional collaboration;
• coordinates services to member institutions that achieve economies of scale and enhancements of programs; and,
• generates restricted gift and enterprise income to support the OAICU and its members.

OAICU Staff:
Brent Wilder (brent@oaicu.org)
Michael Chambers (michael@oaicu.org)
Kay Winters (kay@oaicu.org)

OAICU Offices:
P.O. Box 23
Marylhurst, OR 97036-0023
503.496.3420 – Phone
503.496.0292 – Fax

7150 SW Hampton Street, Suite 101
Portland, OR 97223
503.639.4541 – Phone
503.639.4851 – Fax

The Oregon Independent College Foundation (OICF) has distributed $24,000 in UPS Scholarships to 12 need-based students at independent colleges and universities in the state. The scholarships were made possible by a grant from the UPS Educational Endowment Fund administered by the Council of Independent Colleges (CIC) in Washington, DC.

Nationally, CIC and the UPS Foundation teamed up to provide nearly $1.45 million in student scholarships this year which will be distributed through state-based private college associations around the country.

Institutions in Oregon which received UPS Scholarships this year from the Oregon Independent College Foundation include Concordia University, George Fox University, Lewis & Clark College, Linfield College, Marylhurst University, Pacific University, Reed College, University of Portland, Warner Pacific College, and Willamette University.

The UPS Educational Endowment Fund, which is held and administered by CIC, was initiated through endowment gifts from the UPS Foundation totaling $4 million and is now valued at $39 million. Since its inception, this fund has awarded over $48 million in scholarship support to over 16,000 students nationwide.

“A college degree opens the door to countless opportunities,” said Ken Sternad, president of the UPS Foundation. “UPS takes great pride in our partnership with CIC and in our support of thousands of students over the years who have been able to pursue an education from our nation’s private colleges.”

“This joint UPS / CIC scholarship program has a direct, tangible impact on the education and careers of hundreds of young men and women each year,” said Richard Ekman, president of CIC. “Because so many young men and women don’t have the financial resources to complete their college education, the UPS Scholarships are critically important.”

The Council of Independent Colleges is an association of nearly 700 independent, liberal arts colleges and universities and higher education affiliates and organizations that work together to strengthen college and university leadership, sustain high-quality education, and enhance private higher education’s contributions to society. To fulfill this mission, CIC provides its members with skills, tools, and knowledge that address aspects of leadership, financial management and performance, academic quality, and institutional visibility. In addition, 32 State Fund Members coordinate programs, provide information, and generate contributions, grants, and gifts in support of private colleges and universities within their respective states. The Council is headquartered at One Dupont Circle in Washington, DC. For more information, visit www.cic.edu.

About the UPS Foundation

UPS (NYSE: UPS) is the world’s largest package delivery company and a global leader in supply chain and freight services. Since its founding in 1907, UPS has built a legacy as a caring and responsible corporate citizen, supporting programs that provide long-term solutions to community needs. UPS promotes community involvement through its ongoing volunteerism and grant programs, environmental sustainability and corporate philanthropy. In 2009, UPS’s charitable contributions totaled nearly $100 million and UPS employees and their families contributed more than 1.2 million hours of volunteer service. The company can be found on the web at UPS.com. To get UPS news direct, visit pressroom.ups.com/RSS.

Hometown:     Damascus, OR

Institution:      George Fox University

Major:              Theatre

Year:                Sophomore

A native Oregonian, Susan wanted a small, academically challenging school close to home for her undergraduate studies.  Susan Carlson is a first-year student at George Fox University, and is majoring in theatre and will receive a minor in music.  As a creative individual, Susan wanted to find a way to attend school without having to accumulate student loans.  The MESA Program was a perfect fit, and has enabled Susan to attend the small university of her choice.

MESA is made possible to Susan and other eligible undergraduate students attending one of Oregon’s leading independent colleges and universities through a partnership between the Oregon Independent College Foundation (OICF) and CASA of Oregon.  Participating students develop a habit of saving by making monthly deposits into a custodial matched educational savings account.  Every dollar saved in MESA earns $5, up to $8,000.  MESA funds can be used to pay for tuition, books, fees or supplies and is supported by funding secured by OICF and CASA of Oregon from federal, state and private resources.

CASA of Oregon partners with financial institutions where participants of the program set up a savings account and are able to learn about the financial world. Susan has been working with Wells Fargo, and has developed a friendly relationship with Judi Wood, one of the bank representatives.  Susan has learned how to be financially responsible, and has received her first debit card!

After participating in the program for eight months, Susan was able to pay for a portion of her tuition.  In addition to saving each month, Susan has attended financial education classes, learned more about the financial world, and states that she “feels like an adult!” from what she has learned through the program.

Susan also believes that she has become more responsible, as she has had to track her spending, and become responsible for her own finances.  As a result of saving each month, Susan worked the summer before she began classes at George Fox so that she could make her monthly deposits to pay for school.  Through this, she gained job skills, and is now working on campus during the school year.

“The MESA Program has been a blessing and a relief.”

Institution:      George Fox University

Major:              Music Education

Year:                Junior

Chase really wanted to go to a good college, and the MESA Program has provided the support to make his dream come true.  Chase enrolled in the MESA Program through George Fox University during Fall semester in 2009.

Chase is studying Music Education, and hopes to teach high school music some day.  He has always been a hard-working student: “My mom says I was always doing homework while everyone else was outside playing.”  He knows that hard work pays off, and he has found this to be true with the MESA program.  MESA has helped him to learn more about finances, become more responsible, and realize the importance of goal setting.

Chase attended a financial education training provided by the Oregon Independent College Foundation.  Participating students from OICF colleges and universities were brought together to take this education class.  “It was great camaraderie, even though it was different colleges coming together, such as our “rival school” Linfield.  It was good to see people there to learn about finances.  It reinforced things I already knew, like putting money aside for the future.”

“Nothing worth pursuing comes easy,” is Chase’s work-ethic mantra.  He’s shared this with other students at George Fox, and has encouraged them to sign up for the program. He puts it quite simply, “how much do you want to go to college, and how much do you want the money to pay for it?”

Hometown:    Silverton, OR

Institution:    George Fox University

Major:            Health & Human Performance (Training)

Year:              Sophomore

“If I didn’t have MESA, I wouldn’t be attending George Fox University.  I have time to study and don’t have to work five jobs just to pay for the school that I want to go to,” says Kalia Mathae, a MESA student at George Fox University.  She has enjoyed participating in the program, and loves being able to share about the program with others.  “I like the idea of MESA – you pay a little every month and then you get a lot back.”

Kalia has enjoyed the community aspect of the MESA Program.  During meetings on campus, she is able to get to know new people and see the diversity of students on campus that are a part of the program.  Her MESA Specialist, Christine McNeal, has also been a great support for Kalia. “She will explain budgeting step by step if you need it” which Kalia has found very helpful.

As a part of the MESA Program, Kalia has attended a financial education class.  In this class, it reinforced practices that she was already doing, such as saving money every month.  The class helped her to learn how to map out her future and plan how to use and save her money responsibly. For example, she has really liked knowing how much of her money is going towards gas and food each month.

Kalia is thankful for the relationships she’s built through being in the MESA Program.  She has gotten to know the bankers at the Newberg West Coast Bank, and any time she has a question regarding the bank, she calls them and they are very helpful.  “It is important to build relationships with the people that are handling your money.  And then when I’m done with the program, I still have those relationships – that’s the best part.”

Institution: Linfield College

Major: Intercultural Communication/Spanish

Year: Senior

My name is Hilda Escalera, the oldest from a family of eight. I am a first-generation Latina.  Today I am a senior at the private liberal arts college, Linfield College, double majoring in Intercultural Communication and Spanish.  However, four years ago, I never would have believed that I would be where I am today, succeeding and playing with the challenges of building a bright future for myself.  Four years ago, my father was unemployed, I was taking care of my infant twin brothers full-time, and I was cleaning rooms at a hotel.  Given my family’s financial and personal burdens, I vacillated between staying in the work force and attending college.  However, I realized the best weapon against the cycle of poverty was to further pursue my education.

Still, the stress of paying for college consumed me.  The long grasping arms of loans lurked behind me every step of the way.  I was in college.  But, most importantly, how was I going to stay in college?  I am privileged to say, that the MESA program has helped me stay, and grow, binding the loans arms before they reached me completely.  MESA has substantially helped me reduce my student loans.

When I first heard about MESA, I thought it was too good to be true.  Essentially, I was saving my hard-earned money from work, and MESA was matching it, to increase the overall amount of money to put in the bank.  I thought, “Why would you give me more money, if I saved?”  There had to be a catch.  But, four years later I found that there was no catch, MESA just wanted to see me graduate college, and become more educated.  Because of MESA, I have been able to use other saved funds to join other school clubs and activities, and even study abroad, in Ecuador and Guatemala to take in life learning experiences.

MESA is a savings program that has taught me how to save and invest in my future.  Four years ago I did not know how to write a check, was fearful of bank corporations, and was illiterate in regards to real-world business terms such as credit scores, debit cards, and interest rates.  I feel much more prepared to meet the real-world, as well as to be an informed participant of it.  I know how to meet deadlines and “pay bills,” parallel to making the monthly MESA deposit (in order to not get disqualified from the program).  I learned to set goals, and work with the budget I had, such as setting allotted money for the MESA deposit.  I also learned to set enriching goals for my future, post-graduation, including starting to think early on about the career and life I want to pursue, as the MESA application and surveys ask you to do.

I must recognize that financial support has guided my college career, and I especially thank the MESA program for providing me with the necessary tools to become a more financially literate as well as well-rounded adult.  This is a fantastic, enriching program for anyone.

Institution: Linfield College

Major: Psychology

Year: Senior

Maria Sandoval-Perez’s parents moved their family to the United States from Mexico in order to provide their five daughters with the opportunity for a better future. Her father received a fourth grade education and her mother a sixth grade education. Her father earns the income for the family as an agricultural worker.

Maria’s oldest sister has served as a role model for her as she was the only daughter of the five to pursue higher education at Willamette University. She also gained considerable encouragement to pursue higher education through her membership at her high school’s M.E.C.H.A. program, a student organization that values higher education and culture. By her junior year in high school Maria had decided that she was going to college. Unfortunately Maria’s interactions with guidance counselors did little to prepare her for the coming transition. In fact, she was discouraged against applying for scholarships. This along with her family’s limited income set her up for significant financial stress.

With the help of dedicated Linfield staff Maria was better able to manage the financial cost of her education, but still had to live off campus to decrease her bill. This made it extremely difficult to get involved in the campus community and forced her to use most of the free time in her schedule going back and forth between classes and home. As a result Maria felt disconnected from the rest of the student body and considered transferring schools.

As a junior she received the HSBC scholarship and enrolled in the MESA program. These financial resources combined allowed her to move on campus and convinced her to continue her education at Linfield. It has made a significant difference for Maria. She now feels that she can take advantage of campus activities and opportunities, invest in friendships, manage her time and finances more wisely, and perhaps most importantly for Maria, relieve her parents of the financial demand of her education.

She is thriving in the Linfield community and loves the experience it is providing for her. Her extensive list of activities include: Spanish department tutor, member of psychology honors association (Psi Chi), member of the multicultural club, member of the Spanish club, officer for a mentorship program for Hispanic students (Linfield College Latinos Adelante), outreach for higher education volunteer, student worker for Upward Bound and Student Services, and an off-campus job for a women’s apparel fashion store.

Maria aspires to be a social worker and plans to apply for the master’s in social work program at Portland State

OICF was awarded a $100,000 challenge grant from the Wal-Mart Foundation First Opportunity Partner Access and Success Grants administered by the Foundation for Independent Higher Education (FIHE).  This generous grant, together with OICF’s match, provided OICF with an initial $200,000 in private funds to launch the program – enough to allow a total of sixty-six (66) students at OICF member colleges and universities to enroll in MESA.

Over the course of the coming weeks, profiles of students participating in the MESA program will be posted on the OICF website.  The profiles will highlight how these students are securing a brighter future through the help of MESA.

MESA is designed to address funding gaps and reduce debt load for low-income students.  The MESA College Initiative serves Oregon’s students with limited financial resources by promoting positive financial behavior and rewarding students for their active participation and savings.  Participating students who meet their savings goals and fulfill the financial education and college planning requirements of the program can save a total of $1,600 over a period of three years that will be matched with $8,000.  This is a 5:1 match ratio!

Click here for a list of the MESA contacts on each OICF campus.  Representatives will discuss how to participate in MESA on their campus and assist students with getting started and completing the MESA enrollment application.

For more information or to learn how to participate in the OICF’s ongoing effort to increase student access and success at its member colleges contact Brent Wilder, OICF Interim President/CEO at: 503.496.3420.

Benefits of the Small College Experience

With an average faculty to student ratio of 12:1, OICF colleges and universities offer students a highly personalized education experience that values each student as an important member of that community.  Faculty and staff are accessible and leadership opportunities abound.  OICF colleges and universities represent nearly 25% of the total number of bachelor degrees and higher earned in Oregon annually and pride themselves on producing graduates with the requisite skills to immediately transition into Oregon’s workforce.

Nine OICF colleges participated in a career and college fair associated with the 21st Annual César E. Chávez Leadership Conference on March 11 held on the campus of Western Oregon University. Approximately 1,500 Latino high school students from Multnomah, Washington, Marion, Polk, Yamhill, Linn, Benton and Clackamas Counties participated in this year’s conference, which is the largest Latino high school student leadership conference in the state of Oregon.

Participating students, volunteers, school staff, and community members had an opportunity to attend educational, cultural and leadership workshops; visit with college and career exhibitors, and celebrate the accomplishments of the Latino community. Representatives from OICF and CASA of Oregon presented two workshops during the conference, both regarding the MESA College Initiative and the independent college sector.

The mission of the César E. Chávez Latino Student Leadership Conference is “to instill in Latino(a) youth the value of education, which nurtures mind, body and spirit in order to develop a social consciousness that empowers them as leaders for social justice and civic responsibility in the greater community.”

Conference Goals and Objectives

• To develop leadership skills;
• To motivate students to complete and continue their education;
• To strengthen self-confidence and pride;
• To create opportunities for Latino students of the Willamette Valley and the Portland metro area to build relationships and networks;
• To be respectful and inclusive of all people and races.

The OICF is committed to increasing diversity among our member institutions and hopes that participation in these college fairs, as well as other collaborations between OICF and community organizations serving diverse populations can assist in reaching this goal.

Diversity, and the awareness and appreciation of individual and cultural differences are critical components in the development of both the economic environment and campus life. OICF’s Pathways to Leadership Initiative, launched in 2006, is a signature effort to collectively raise funds for equitable representation of minority and first generation students on our campuses.

Pathways to Leadership is conceived as a stabilizing tripod of support for equitable levels of representation on our campuses. In order to achieve our goal of equitable representation on campus, OICF and member school staffs are working in collaboration to aggressively support recruitment and outreach, retention, and scholarship/student aid programs that benefit underrepresented student populations. Each leg of this tripod bears equal weight in addressing the challenges faced by many students from underrepresented populations:

• adequate preparation and readiness to enter the application and enrollment process;
• requisite mentoring to overcome cultural and practical barriers to completion of academic programs, and
• sufficient access to financial resources to sustain enrollment.

Benefits of the Small College Experience

With an average faculty to student ratio of 12:1, OICF colleges and universities offer students a highly personalized education experience that values each student as an important member of that community. Faculty and staff are accessible and leadership opportunities abound. OICF colleges and universities represent nearly one-quarter of the total number of bachelor degrees and higher earned in Oregon annually and pride themselves on producing graduates with the requisite skills to immediately transition into Oregon’s workforce.

Since its founding in 1950, the Oregon Independent College Foundation (OICF) has raised nearly $56 million on behalf of the member colleges from top corporations, private foundations, and individuals in Oregon and beyond and serves as a fundraising and programmatic consortium of Oregon’s ten leading private colleges and universities. Current OICF priorities include connecting students and alumni with professional workforce development opportunities, increasing diversity on the member college campuses, and programs that showcase the colleges’ focus on ethics and leadership development.

“On behalf of the OICF Board of Trustees, we are grateful for all that Alaska Airlines has done for the OICF and the member colleges and universities over the course of 25 years,” says OICF Interim President/CEO Brent Wilder.  “These ticket vouchers provide tangible, direct budget relieving support for the OICF colleges and universities in their efforts to bring new, gifted students to the region.”

To learn more about establishing an OICF program partnership like that of Alaska Airlines, please contact Brent Wilder at 503-496-3420.

Since its founding in 1950, the Oregon Independent College Foundation (OICF) has raised nearly $56 million on behalf of the member colleges from top corporations, private foundations, and individuals in Oregon and beyond and serves as a fundraising and programmatic consortium of Oregon’s ten leading private colleges and universities.  Current OICF priorities include connecting students with professional workforce development opportunities, increasing diversity on the member college campuses, and programs that showcase the colleges’ focus on ethics and leadership development.