City of Opportunity

As I write this, all eyes are on Portland. The possibility of federal troop deployment tops both the local and national news. And I am struck by the stark difference in how Portland is being characterized and my own experience.

Portland is resilient and on the rise. Like most American cities over the last few years, Portland has been recovering from challenges wrought by a global pandemic, extreme political polarization, and an economy in flux. Yet it remains a vibrant and caring city with abundant natural beauty and robust opportunities in a variety of sectors. It is a place that strives to be a safe and welcoming community in which to live, work, and go to school. 

Our city also serves as an exceptional living laboratory for Lewis & Clark students seeking knowledge, career advancement, and opportunities to make a difference. An array of Portland-area businesses and organizations host our students as interns, including Oregon Health & Science University, Literary Arts, On Running, and EDP Renewables North America. 

Our faculty, staff, and students regularly partner with government agencies and local nonprofit organizations on projects that make a positive impact on our city. Students have helped the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife better track local bumblebee populations, assisted the Oregon Board of Forestry in developing programs at the Tillamook Forest Center, and advised Growing Gardens (a nonprofit that addresses food insecurity through gardening education) on effective data collection. 

At L&C, we have redoubled our commitment to partnering with our city. Many of the initiatives in our strategic roadmap, the L&C Advantage, intentionally bring our community in closer contact with Portland. Our professional schools have always been close partners with communities throughout Portland and the region. And now, Lewis & Clark has been named the education partner to Albina Vision Trust, an innovative local organization with the mission to reroot historically displaced Portlanders back into the city’s Albina neighborhood. 

Ultimately, it’s the people—here in Portland and beyond—who define the Lewis & Clark community. Trustee and L&C parent Andre Stewart recently shared a story about a new graduate seeking a job. Andre was able to connect the young alum with a fellow L&C parent—an attorney whose firm represents Fortune 500 companies. The graduate aced the interview and got the job! Andre said it was the “L&C pipeline at work.”

Consider this magazine your pipeline to all things Lewis & Clark. And know that wherever you are in the world, we invite you to visit our city of opportunity and our beautiful campus. You are always welcome here. 

Robin H. Holmes-Sullivan, PhD
President