   |
   |
  |
|
Portland  Home About ARCS Institutions Supported Scholar Awards Meet the Scholars Our Donor Partners Make a Donation ARCS Portland Organization Portland ARCS Lights Calendar of Member Events Scholar Awards Luncheon Read Our Newsletter Alumni Members Corner Contact Us |
Portland ARCS Lights  Diane Alexander 2010Diane Alexander is a charter member of our chapter who took a leadership role right from the start -- she co-chaired the Membership Committee, and was instrumental in seeking to strategically increase our membership. Along with others, Diane was enthusiastically involved in the organization of the fall Scholar Picnic so that scholars and donors could meet one another prior to the Scholar Awards Luncheon in October. After two successful years as co-chair of the Membership committee, she became a Member at Large on our Board, never failing to ask excellent questions and generate discussion. Diane’s next leadership position has been critical in our expansion efforts. She has chaired University Relations for the past three years. After successfully expanding the scholar picnic to be more inclusive to mentors, members and university faculty, she originated the idea of our “Celebrate the Scholars” event each year in May, to honor those scholars completing their funding, encouraging them to keep in touch with ARCS. She researched, organized, and invited scholars, donors, and advisors to this event to be recognized and awarded an ARCS paperweight, engraved with their name. She went on to research departments and programs at Oregon State University, and completed all the required paperwork with National to include two schools and one department at the College of Engineering as recipient areas for Scholar Awards. Along the way, she made friends with many Oregon State University leaders, and has kept them informed of ARCS Foundation business. Her curiosity, innovation and passion led her to research ARCS alums in the Portland/Vancouver area, organizing an event for local ARCS alums and inviting them to a brunch, held this year for the first time, so that we can get to know them and reconnect with them. Diane is creative, hardworking, intelligent, friendly, and follows through on all projects she undertakes. She is always thinking about ways to improve our chapter and the relationships between members, universities, scholars and alumni. Her warm smile and easy-going manner make her a delight to work with, a privilege to know, and a true asset to ARCS Foundation.  Ellen Richardson 2009 Without a doubt, ALL of our committees -- communications, database, finance, development, governance, membership, program, scholar luncheon and university relations-- have been recipients of her time and her talents, her warm smile, and her gracious southern charm. ARCS members at both the chapter and national levels hold Ellen in high esteem.
Leslie is a charter member of our chapter and has been an enthusiastic participant in every facet of our chapter’s life. Leslie and her husband Mark gave us our first five scholar awards in 2005, propelling us in our first year to a level of success that, without them, would have taken years to achieve. Along with that valuable contribution, Leslie has been an indispensable member from the beginning. She becomes our third president on July 1. She has served on nearly every committee, organized and maintained mailing lists, never missed an addressing party, scholars picnic or luncheon, rarely missed a program or board meeting and then only with pressing family matters, and always, always has a smile on her face. Leslie Workman is the ideal ARCS member, understanding and teaching our mission and building community. She is loyal, enthusiastic, generous of nature and wise. We know how lucky we are to have her, and we are proud to name Leslie our Portland Chapter’s second ARCS Light.
 Sharon Hewitt 2007 Sharon has been enthusiastically dedicated to the establishment of the Portland ARCS Chapter. The Chapter's inception in the fall of 2002 was led by Sharon and four other women who assembled a steering committee, developed the relationship with Oregon Health & Science University, established organizational board structure, and approached women for membership. The Chapter was chartered in June 2004, with Sharon serving as president, and it included 61 other members. The first eleven scholar awards were presented in October 2005. Sharon has actively served on the membership and program committees, and she has written many articles for the newsletter, which is published three times a year. She established financial arrangements with the bank and brokerage and achieved 501(c)(3) status for our chapter. She organized and led two annual retreats for the board, focusing on the development of the chapter’s long-range plan, with goals for each committee. In addition, Sharon solicited sponsorships for the first Scholar Luncheon in October 2005, attended by 165 people. She continues to work on the establishment of a database and has begun conversations with a second institution, Oregon State University.
Sharon’s remarkable leadership, vision, and drive have been instrumental in the formation and success of the Portland chapter. When Sharon is not working on ARCS, she spends her time and energy enjoying her second home in Bend, Oregon. Sharon and her husband Henry have a son and a daughter. |
Leslie Workman 2008