Rachel Ramirez
Articles
University FOR Portland combats homelessness by breaking “The Bluff bubble”
As Portland residents walk, drive and bike around the city, one thing is apparent: Portland’s homeless crisis is becoming more severe. Although state and local leaders have drafted plans to solve the problem, homelessness is an ongoing challenge. On The Bluff, students like ASUP President Brandon Rivera and junior mechanical engineering major Jack Padon say they are trying to make a difference. They launched a 60-day service project seeking to understand the reality of the homeless crisis, then helping through service-learning and the use of innovative skills and ideas. Student groups created an app for resources, a website to share stories of the homeless community, and a hygiene trailer as a part of this project.
UP won't penalize prospective students for protesting
While in the past having a suspension or expulsion on their record might have hurt a student’s chances for getting into college, the University of Portland is among many colleges and universities who are standing with student activists, stating that if they get suspended for protesting, the suspension will not impact their admission.
Unapologetic 'Latina Rebel' gives rousing speech
Mago Hunt Recital Hall was filled with nearly 100 students, faculty, staff and community members who displayed a great range of emotion from howling laughter, to quiet crying. She told the audience personal stories including her experiences at a predominantly white institution (Vanderbilt University where she earned her masters degree), having panic attacks in social situations due to racism, her relationships with white men and the pressure to get married she felt growing up.
Tips from the Career Center: How to ace your job interviews
Five minutes. That’s how long it typically takes for you — the candidate — to impress the interviewer for your desired job, according to CNN Money. Whether you’re an upperclassman scrambling to find a job for after graduation or an underclassman who’s seeking to get a head start in the job market, preparing for a job interview is one of the most nerve-racking — yet essential — things college students have to master.
PODCAST: A conversation with Prisca Dorcas, founder of Latina Rebels
Dorcas will be speaking to members of the University of Portland community about her experiences with race, gender, intersectionality of these topics and various other issues embedded in society on Friday, March 2 in Mago Hunt Theatre at 7 p.m. Tickets for the event are free, but space is limited. Tickets will be available for pick-up at the Office of Student Activities in St. Mary’s. For more information, contact Diversity and Inclusion Program Coordinator Yuri Hernández Osorio at hernandy@up.edu.
What are you giving up for lent?
Lent is finally here, along with the inevitable question: “What are you giving up for Lent?” Whether you choose to give up social media or plan to pray or journal more, the hardest part can be making it through the entire 40-day period. Lent is a season of fasting, penance and abstinence. The 40-day sacrifice, which ends on Easter Sunday, represents the time that Jesus fasted for “forty days and forty nights” in the wilderness, according to Matthew 4:2. To reflect Jesus’ struggles, people can choose to pray more and give up something they desire for 40 days. The Beacon asked students what they’re doing for this Lenten season.
Students celebrate Lunar New Year
Lunar New Year, commonly known as Chinese New Year, begins on the second new moon after the winter solstice. Several countries such as China, Vietnam and Taiwan celebrate Lunar New Year. Depending on the time zones, the holiday usually falls between Jan. 21 and Feb. 19.
University of Portland to recognize Martin Luther King Jr. Day in 2020
University President Fr. Mark Poorman today announced the creation of a new full-time position position to lead University of Portland’s efforts to be more diverse and inclusive: Director of the Office of Equity and Inclusion. Poorman also announced that beginning in 2020, UP would cancel its classes on Martin Luther King Jr. Day every January.
Staff Opinion: It’s okay to be uncomfortable in cultural dialogues
Students often feel uneasy when partaking in cultural or racial discussions. But it’s more perturbing for a student of color to be in a room filled with predominantly white peers while discussing racial and diversity issues. It’s okay if you feel discomfort.
New coordinator rebrands Diversity Dialogues Week and Ohana Program
Hernández Osorio is new, but she has big plans for the Diversity and Inclusion Program. She is making long-awaited changes by renaming and restructuring events and programs such as Ohana and Diversity Dialogues Week. Hernández Osorio has a three-year plan to grow Ohana, first by changing the program’s name. She also plans to restructure the annual Diversity Dialogues Week by eliminating the word “week” and creating continuous dialogue by expanding programming.
