Nationally, FIHE and the UPS Foundation teamed up to provide more than $1.5 million in student scholarships this year through state-based private college associations around the country.

Colleges in the state, 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 FIHE, was initiated through endowment gifts from the UPS Foundation totaling $4 million and is now valued at $35 million.  Since its inception, this fund has awarded $46 million in scholarship support to over 15,000 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 long-standing partnership with FIHE 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/FIHE scholarship program has a direct, tangible impact on the education and careers of hundreds of young men and women each year,” said Ned Moore, Executive Director of FIHE.  “Because so many young men and women don’t have the financial resources to complete their college education, the UPS Scholarships are critically important.”

About FIHE

The Foundation for Independent Higher Education is the national partner in a network of 32 state associations, including OICF, which develop resources for private colleges and universities.  Since its founding in 1958, FIHE and its partners have received more than $1.6 billion in support for private colleges.  For more information, visit www.fihe.org.

About The UPS Foundation

Founded in 1951 and based in Atlanta, GA, The UPS Foundation’s major areas of focus include community safety, nonprofit effectiveness, economic and global literacy, environmental sustainability, and diversity.  The UPS Foundation pursues these initiatives by identifying specific projects where its support can help produce measurable social impact.  In 2009, The UPS Foundation directed more than $98 million in philanthropy to charitable organizations worldwide.  Visit community.ups.com for more information about UPS’s community involvement.

Brent Wilder

Brent Wilder assumed the role of interim President/CEO of the Oregon Independent College Foundation (OICF) on July 1.  Kevin Matheny left OICF to become the Chief Development Officer at Concordia University in Portland, Oregon.

“I am honored and humbled at the confidence placed in me by the Board of Trustees,” Wilder said of his appointment.

Wilder arrived at OICF in 2005 as Director of Development and provided interim leadership prior to being named Vice President in 2008.  Preceding his arrival at the OICF, Brent served as the Associate Director of Athletics for External Relations at Portland State University.  His previous professional experience also includes serving as an Assistant Director of Athletic Development and Athletic Annual Fund Director at Oregon State University, and Assistant Men’s Basketball Coach at Oregon State.

Portland General Electric and the PGE Foundation have been supporters of the Oregon Independent College Foundation (OICF) since 1953, donating more than $2.67 million toward the work of Oregon’s leading independent colleges and universities.  This marks not only the 57^th consecutive year that PGE and the PGE Foundation have supported OICF but the 22^nd year of the PGE Foundation Scholars program.  With total named scholarship contributions of over $1.825 million, there have been 715 PGE/PGE Foundation Scholars on the OICF campuses since the program’s inception in 1988.

“The Board of Directors feels strongly about the contribution of Oregon’s independent colleges to the educational and economic landscape of our state,” says PGE Foundation Chair Gwyneth Gamble Booth. “We believe it’s a great investment in Oregon, and I’m particularly pleased to know that these resources make their way directly to students. OICF enables young people to reach their potential and enter Oregon’s and the region’s workforce well-equipped and prepared to become leaders in many professions.”

“On behalf of the OICF Board of Trustees, we are grateful for all that PGE and the PGE Foundation have done for the OICF and the member colleges and universities over the course of 57 years,” says OICF President/CEO Kevin Matheny.  “This legacy of meaningful support has secured brighter futures for scores of students over the decades.”

A total of 20 scholarships at the $2,500 level will be awarded to the OICF for distribution to students of the member colleges and universities.  All ten of the colleges will receive two scholarships for the 2010-11 academic year.

A total of 20 PGE Foundation scholars currently exist on each OICF member college campus. Each college’s current PGE Foundation Scholars (current sophomores and juniors) are eligible to receive renewed scholarship support in 2010-11 if they meet the following three conditions at the end of the 2009-10 academic year:

1. Have a 3.0 GPA
2. Be enrolled full-time for 2010-11 and maintain continuous attendance in the OICF college or university that originally awarded the scholarship
3. Meet the academic standards of the institution

Benefits of the Small College Experience

The distinctive style of undergraduate education at OICF colleges and universities fosters intimate learning environments where extensive interaction between faculty and students and among students themselves creates a community of serious discourse. Small class sizes (faculty to student ratios that average 12:1), a primary emphasis on individualized instruction, and a faculty dedicated to teaching undergraduates are cornerstones of these institutions.

A significant indicator of the quality of attention received by students at independent colleges is the percentage of Bachelor’s Degrees earned in 4 years or less: a student attending a private Oregon college is twice as likely (56%) as a student attending a public Oregon university to complete a baccalaureate degree in four years (28%).

Annually, the ten OICF colleges and universities account for the following percentage of awarded degrees in Oregon from both public and private 4-year colleges and universities:

• 23% of all Business Administration, Management & Marketing, and Economics degrees
• 60% of all 4-year Nursing degrees
• 35% of all “hard science” bachelor’s degrees (Biology, Chemistry, Physics, Mathematics, Engineering)
• 36% of all Education degrees
• 25% of all English, Literature, and Languages degrees
  

OICF colleges excel at educating and preparing the individual for citizenship and employment in an increasingly diverse and changing marketplace. The skills and abilities cited earlier as so necessary in the knowledge economy are the very skills and abilities honed by the four-year liberal arts education at OICF colleges. Liberal arts education is a way of knowing and living, an individualized process of growth focused on intellectual engagement and involvement that is intensely personal, openly shared and grounded in the development of critical and analytical thinking, effective and persuasive communication, and rigorous ethical engagement.

OICF students gain in-depth knowledge in their major areas of study, and are prepared with the foundation of a lifelong and ever maturing capacity to adapt and contribute as engaged, creative, and purposeful citizens, workers and leaders. Leadership, creativity, reason, communication, problem-solving:  these are the skills sought by business and community leaders. The students possessing these skills are the face, hope and promise of continuing leadership in an evolving and challenging world.

PGE Foundation, the corporate foundation of Portland General Electric, was established in 1997 as a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization with a permanent endowment. The Foundation’s giving is separate from the corporate giving of PGE. Since its inception, the Foundation has distributed more than $12.4 million to help improve the quality of life for all Oregonians by supporting statewide programs and services that encourage healthy families, provide educational opportunities, and encourage the arts and cultural diversity. Gwyneth Gamble Booth is Chair and Carole Morse is President. For more program and service information, visit www.pgefoundation.org.

Since its founding in 1950, the Oregon Independent College Foundation (OICF) has raised nearly $54 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.

Collectively, the twelve students saved a total of $5,187 that was rewarded with a total match of $25,937. For this group, an average individual student’s savings of $432.25 was matched with $2,167.42.

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 in 2009 and 2010.

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 of total of $1,600 over a period of three years that will be matched with $8,000.  This is a 5:1 match ratio!

OICF and CASA seek to create access to post-secondary education for low-income Oregonians by incorporating MESA into the service stream of Oregon’s leading independent colleges and universities. To achieve this, CASA & OICF uphold the following objectives:

• Increase the number of low-income students enrolling into post-secondary study at one of Oregon’s leading independent colleges and universities;
• Increase the number of participating students graduating with the skills to immediately impact the region’s workforce;
• Decrease the amount of debt with which a student will graduate; and,
• Encourage and model positive financial practices for students.

Through this partnership, OICF is able to achieve its goal of providing access, opportunity and choice for low-income Oregonians, especially while targeting such traditionally underserved populations as students of color, first generation students and non-native English speakers by leveraging support and resources from the private sector.  The MESA College Initiative supports OICF’s goal to ensure that all young people have equal opportunity to access a quality and personalized education experience at one of Oregon’s leading independent colleges and graduate with the skills to immediately impact the region’s workforce needs.  This innovative, powerful collaboration with CASA of Oregon serves the increasing numbers of financially vulnerable students attending our member colleges and universities.

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 Vice President 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 one-third 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.

Click here to view photos from the 2010 Named Scholarship Luncheon

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.

For more information or to learn how to participate in the OICF’s Named Scholarship program contact Brent Wilder, OICF Vice President at: 503-496-3420.

The Oregon Independent College Foundation (OICF), as part of its ongoing career workforce development efforts will use LinkedIn as its platform to connect students, alumni and corporate partners for career and professional development/networking purposes.
LinkedIn is a natural platform for OICF to grow the POWER of 10/The Oregon Private College Career Network.  Using LinkedIn allows students, alumni, and corporate partners to use an existing professional network service that offers exclusive group membership through the POWER of 10/The Oregon Private College Career Network

Requests to join the group will be reviewed and confirmed by OICF, who will verify that the request is from a student or alumni of an OICF college or university or a current OICF corporate partner.  Information regarding the OICF’s career workforce development efforts and the POWER of 10/The Oregon Private College Career Network is available at http://oicf.org/programs/career-workforce/powerof10/

Connections made through the POWER of 10/The Oregon Private College Career Network will enable group members to learn more about one another, set meetings, and decide next steps.

Corporate representatives have the ability to post job opportunities on the POWER of 10/The Oregon Private College Career Network group site on LinkedIn, as well as links to their organization’s page.  Representatives will also have direct access to the OICF staff and the POWER of 10/The Oregon Private College Career Network.

About the Oregon Independent College Foundation

Since 1950, the Oregon Independent College Foundation has served as a fundraising and programmatic consortium of Oregon’s ten leading private colleges and universities.  Since its’ founding, the OICF has raised nearly than $56 million on behalf of the member colleges from top corporations, private foundations and charitable individuals in Oregon and beyond.  Current OICF priorities include named scholarship programs, career workforce development programs, increasing racial diversity among the campuses, and programs that showcase the colleges’ focus on ethics and leadership development. For more information, visit www.oicf.org.

OICF member colleges 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.

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 Trustees are working closely with OICF and member school staff 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 than $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. For more information, visit www.oicf.org.

Eleven (11) spots are available immediately. We anticipate the remaining thirty-three (33) spots will be available in late February or early March.

Information, including program eligibility requirements, enrollment forms and documents are available on the MESA website (www.mesaoregon.org). We plan to create an online application for MESA during 2010, making it easier and faster to submit.

Access to the 44 MESA accounts is available on a first come, first serve basis. Applications are time-stamped upon receipt. Please contact Brent Wilder, OICF Vice President if you have any questions or difficulty accessing forms or information on the website.

Since 1986, Alaska Airlines has provided an annual in-kind contribution of round-trip, coach class flight vouchers for use by the OICF member colleges. For 2010 Alaska Airlines officials generously renewed their support, contributing 85 tickets for use by the colleges in their work to recruit students, meet with donors, and allow students to travel to academic programs and events, among other purposes.  College representatives may use vouchers on all Alaska Airlines and Horizon Airlines flights systemwide.

“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 24 years,” says OICF President/CEO Kevin Matheny.  “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 or brent@oicf.org.

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. OICF members 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 Oregon Independent College Foundation (OICF) is pleased to announce that Regence, the region’s largest not-for-profit health insurer, has agreed to serve as the title sponsor of the 2010 Ethics Bowl to be held February 26-27 at the Leftbank Annex in Portland on the campus of the University of Portland.

“Our commitment to ethics is the cornerstone of our company’s operating principles, said Mohan Nair, Executive Vice President and Chief Marketing Executive for Regence. “We believe that ethics is a key to our success as an organization, one that is more strongly positioned to serve our employees, our members and our communities. Regence is proud to support the OICF Ethics Bowl series.”

The Ethics Bowl provides a unique opportunity for business and community leaders, students, and faculty alike to openly discuss real world ethical issues and dilemmas; critically important dialogue as these young people become the next generation of community leaders.

The OICF Ethics Bowl is an academic competition designed to increase awareness and discourse among students from the OICF’s 10-member colleges and area business and community leaders about the importance of ethics in leadership, decision-making, interpersonal relations, and all aspects of life.

Using the “college bowl” model of academic competition between teams of students, the Ethics Bowl offers a distinctive platform that matches student teams from the ten OICF member colleges in debates over case studies that address a variety of contemporary ethics-based dilemmas. Approximately 50 business executives and community leaders serve as judges and evaluate team arguments, truly connecting the classroom with the boardroom.

“We are delighted to continue this wonderful partnership with Regence that epitomizes ethics and leadership at the highest level, “said Kevin Matheny, OICF’s President/CEO. “Meaningful investment in programs that encourage discourse about ethics, leadership, and personal character aligns with the priorities of the OICF and the member colleges, and will provide substantial opportunities for thoughtful young people from the colleges to interact with top business and community leaders from across the region.”

Teams of students will deliberate a variety of case studies that focus on a variety of “real world” ethical dilemmas—business, public policy, personal decisions, etc.—that will challenge team analysis and decision-making skills.

The Ethics Bowl is more than a “day away from the office” or “time out of the classroom,” it’s a rare opportunity for substantial dialogue between the leaders of today and the leaders of tomorrow.

Profile of Student Teams
Teams of 3-5 students will represent each OICF college and university in the Ethics Bowl. Students must be enrolled as full-time undergraduates and may come from any academic program. Teams will be selected at the discretion of each OICF member institution. A faculty member will prepare and coach each student team.  OICF members 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.

Ethics Bowl match procedures
A total of 10 student teams will compete in the OICF Ethics Bowl. There will be a moderator and three judges in each match. In a given match, “Team A” will respond to questions based on a case study. “Team B” will have the opportunity to add to, adapt, or reject the response of “Team A.” In like fashion, “Team B” will respond to questions about a second case and “Team A” will reply. Judges will ask questions to each team following their presentations and use specific scoring criteria. Teams will be randomly matched. All 10 teams will participate in four rounds of matches. The two teams with the best “win-loss” records and highest number of judges’ points will move on to the final round. Teams from Willamette University and the University of Portland were finalists in 2009, with the University of Portland being crowned as OICF Ethics Bowl champions.

Past Ethics Bowl Champions
Warner Pacific College – 2006
Willamette University – 2007
Concordia University – 2008
University of Portland – 2009

About Oregon Independent College Foundation
The Oregon Independent College Foundation (OICF), founded in 1950, is a 501(c)3 nonprofit, fundraising and programmatic partnership of Oregon’s ten leading private colleges and universities. Since it’s founding in 1950, the OICF has raised nearly $56 million from top corporations, private foundations, and charitable individuals in Oregon and beyond. Current OICF priorities include named scholarship programs, career workforce development programs, increasing racial diversity among the campuses, and programs that showcase the colleges’ focus on ethics and leadership development. For more information, visit www.oicf.org.

About Regence
Created in 1995, Regence is the largest health insurer in the Pacific Northwest/Mountain State region. It includes Regence BlueShield of Idaho, Regence BlueCross BlueShield of Oregon, Regence BlueCross BlueShield of Utah and Regence BlueShield (in Washington). Through these plans, Regence provides health, life, vision, dental and long- term care insurance to nearly three million members. Regence plans are not-for-profit, independent licensees of the Blue Cross and Blue Shield Association. More than one in three Americans have coverage from the Blues. For more information, visit www.regence.com.