Planning, Public Policy and Management

Ostrove wins $6,000 Public Impact Graduate Fellowship

Geoff OstroveMCRP student Geoff Ostrove is recipient of the 2013-14 University of Oregon Public Impact Graduate Fellowship from the UO Graduate School. The fellowship is given for student work that has achieved excellence and addresses critical issues facing society. The Graduate School deans' selection committee indicated the research has the "potential to make a significant impact on society."

SCI featured in Chronicle of Higher Education

The Sustainable Cities Initiative was featured in the Chronicle of Higher Education on May 20. The story shares the UO’s innovative community engagement model with the nation's higher education community. SCI is a cross-disciplinary program at UO involving architecture, landscape architecture, planning, product design, art, law, journalism and business. While the Sustainable City Year Program (SCYP) pioneered in Oregon, SCI has been training other universities interested in adopting the model and implementing a version of it in their local communities.

PPPM names top award winners for 2013

The Department of Planning, Public Policy and Management is honoring three individuals with the department’s top awards for 2013. Genevieve (Genny) Nelson is being recognized for Outstanding Service to Oregon. Terry Moore, MA ’77 public affairs, MUP ‘77, is being honored as Distinguished Alumnus. And Jennifer M. Wagner, BS ‘05, is being recognized as Distinguished Recent Alumna.

BPA chief credits UO training

Stephen Wright, MS '81 Public Affairs, never expected while a graduate student in the School for Community Service and Public Affairs (later PPPM) that he would become CEO of a $3 billion annual revenue organization.

“Going to UO changed the arc of my life in really powerful and beneficial ways,” says Wright, who retired as administrator of the Bonneville Power Administration in January 2013 after beginning in an entry-level position and working his way up to lead the 3,000-employee federal agency.

Intercultural program under way

Today’s college graduates must be prepared to enter a far more diverse workforce than that of their parents or even those who graduated just 10 years prior. An interdisciplinary two-year pilot program at UO that combines intercultural competency training with professional development is designed to address the increasing need for diversity in the workplace. Registration for this year’s program closes March 15.