PPPM to PDX: Professional Tour

What do food security, fundraising, workers’ compensation insurance, and philanthropy have in common? These topics represent the diverse and varied professional interests of students in the PPPM department.In January 2011, through a collaboration of the UO Association of Fundraising Professionals and the PPPM Student Advisory Council, students organized the first ever Portland Professional Tour to meet with professionals, learn about their careers and garner advice about beginning their own careers.

Employees of the Oregon Community Foundation, the Providence Portland Medical Foundation, SAIF Corporation, the Food Security Coalition and The Collins Group generously lent their time to talk about the important work they do. The professional development event was organized entirely by students, and the selection of organizations was done by polling graduate PPPM students about fields or agencies in which they were directly interested. Each organization was welcoming, engaging and informative.

At Oregon Community Foundation students learned about the huge investment the organization makes in education and scholarship each year and about the dynamic role of providing planned giving services to donors. The Providence Portland Medical Foundation gave students an up-close look at raising capital for leading cancer treatment research and technology. The SAIF Corporation, a not-for-profit, state-chartered company operating in an open market, gave an extremely interesting overview of Oregon’s unique model of workers’ compensation insurance. Students heard from leaders of The Food Security Coalition about working at the forefront of the national food policy world. Finally, a senior consultant at The Collins Group told students about her dynamic role as a fundraising and management consultant for nonprofit organizations. Overall, students found the trip very valuable:

“I really appreciated getting to see the real-life jobs available to us after graduation. Some of it was new to me and gave me specific goals to work toward; some was a reminder of why I came to graduate school in the first place. The day was a great success, and I returned to Eugene feeling motivated and inspired.” -Tiffany Hall, MPA ’11

Species: PPPM

Researchers from the Willamette Valley Species Identification program say they have confirmed PPPM sightings in Oregon.

Description: PPPMers range in size and color, however they have all evolved to functionally dress for biking in the rain. Public sector-seeking individuals. Only distinguishable in large groups of other humans by behavior.

Behavior: The PPPMer usually travels in numbers, most likely on bicycles. Tendencies toward social justice and city offices. Preference for visual communication, such as maps or charts.  Home life includes many hours in front of a computer, with occasional social activities.

Habitat: Small, dark, flourescently lit spaces. Particularly a specific bunker beneath a University of Oregon campus building. Thursdays can be found Rennies, especially during happy hour.

Range: PPPMers tend to congregate in the Willamette Valley, dwelling within biking distance of Hendricks Hall, University of Oregon.

Diet: Subsists on pb&j, apples, coffee, vegetables grown in community gardens, or anything bought in bulk.

Friendly, and willingly enticed by refreshments to meetings, these undomesticated creatures are easily approachable. They will often attend speakers about renewable energy and zoning for change; the PPPM will often ask questions.

Citizens need to be aware of the presence of the PPPMer may consider precautions:

• Supervise impacts of population and consumption of natural resources
• Refrain from VMTs, SOV’s, damaging wetlands, paving surfaces, or in any circumstance, throwing away plastics.

There will be an Open House at Hendricks Hall on December 1, 2010 to get the public involved with the HCP for the PPPM, which will answer any further questions.

PPPM Working Abroad

We want to take a moment to point you to a great blog from a recent graduate, Lindsey Adkisson! Lindsey is currently working in India with the American India Foundation. She has been documenting her experience through photos, videos and incredible writing. Join us as we live vicariously through her travels abroad and support her in the great work she’s doing! Thanks for sharing Lindsey!

Lindsey’s Blog: http://ladkisson.wordpress.com/

PPPM New Beginnings

We extend a warm welcome to the newest members of the PPPM family! The incoming graduate students spent the week in orientation (pictures below) learning about their respective programs, meeting professors and building community. We’re looking forward to another great year in Hendricks Hall.

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PPPM Required Reading

Congratulations to our very own Sarah Collins in her debut to the national arts education scene! Sarah was asked to be a guest blogger and represent up and coming leaders in the field. Below are the links to her two posts where readers commented, “You needn’t wonder about [Sarah's] contribution to this conversation. [HER] VOICE is essential to arts education…”

Not Your Average Lit Review, Part 1

Not Your Average Lit Review, Part 2

PPPM Around the World Adventures

With summer internships in full swing, many PPPM students are blogging about their adventures from many parts of the world. Instead of telling you about what they’re doing, we’ll let them tell you! Check out their websites and follow their adventures!

Tiffany Hall is traveling in Ethiopia and South Africa, learning about the world of international nonprofit organizations. Join her in her travels here: http://tiffanystravels.wordpress.com/

Elaine Phillips has found her way to Derry, Northern Ireland to work for the City Centre Initiative (CCI) on making the “downtown” area of Derry a thriving shared space for business. Learn about her incredible work here: http://elaineinderry.wordpress.com/

Heidi Beierle is riding her bike 4,000 miles across the United States, beginning her journey in Eugene, OR and making her way to Washington, D.C.. Follow along her journey here: http://enroutetransport.org/

Congratulations Graduates!

The class of 2010 will be missed as they continue on to do great things in the world. We wish them the best! Congratulations!

Spring Has Sprung!

As the term flies by, we want to take a moment to give acknowledgment for the amazing work being done here in the PPPM department. For beginners, PROM. The Feast of Fools was a huge success bringing in over $1200 for Food for Lane County. Organizations from all over Eugene chipped in to make this event a smashing success!

Next up, Capstone! This year’s graduating MPA students were the first to participate in the capstone terminal projects as part of their degree requirements. There were four projects each of which worked closely with an Oregon based organization on an applied policy-related project. Congratulations to the class of 2010!

Join the PPPM Conversation

PPPM students are excited to connect with alumni and planning and policy professionals. If you have thoughts, stories or advice to share with soon-to-be graduates and continuing students, we want to hear from you! If you’re not part of the PPPM Community, check us out on LinkedIn!

PPPM On-Par

With Spring in the air, the first PPPM golf tournament took place this weekend. Despite the slightly soggy conditions, the blue skies and sunshine were perfect conditions for such an event.

Prizes for the day went to the best dressed (Michael Held), the highest score (Mark Nystrom), the lowest score (Martin Kraal), the most balls lost (Carl Green), most indirect route to the pin (Kevin Horan), and of course the coveted perfect aim at the lawn mower (Elena Fracchia).

Pictured (from left): Elena Fracchia, Michael Held, Carl Green, Martin Kraal, Mark Nystrom, Kevin Horan