St Johns Review Newspaper

Multi-Million Dollar Lilly Endowment Grant to Amplify University of Portland ‘Stories of Hope’

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

PORTLAND, OR — “Hope”—the first word in the University of Portland (UP) Strategic Plan and the anchor of its mission and values—just became the focus of a four-year story campaign.
Lilly Endowment Inc., through its National Storytelling Initiative on Christian Faith and Life, recently awarded the University a grant of more than $2.86 million, one of the largest private foundation grants in school history, to fund a project called Hope Works: Stories from The Bluff, Portland, and Beyond.

UP was one of 48 organizations across the U.S. to receive grant funding from this Lilly Endowment Inc. initiative in 2025. The initiative aims to help organizations identify, produce, and share with a wide variety of audiences compelling stories that portray the vibrancy and hope of Christian faith and life.

Buttressed by UP’s Strategic Plan, Hope, Renewal, Transformation, the Hope Works project will produce authentic storytelling via print, video, and in-person events to share content rooted in the University’s Catholic, Holy Cross charism.

The school’s award-winning alumni magazine, Portland, will serve as the editorial anchor for the Hope Works project. Magazine editor and director of storytelling Jessica Murphy Moo and UP’s Hope Works Team look forward to engaging with Gen Z audiences “living lives of active hope” through the storytelling campaign.

“Being a part of Lilly Endowment’s National Christian Storytelling Initiative is an immense honor and gift,” said Murphy Moo. “We have a longstanding tradition here at UP and Portland magazine of seeing stories as sacred engines of connection. This grant, along with the Holy Cross order’s charism of being ‘people with hope to bring,’ is really going to allow our team to usher more stories of faith and hope out into the world.”

After an initial planning phase, UP and its storytellers will begin publishing Hope Works stories and short-form videos in the fall of 2026. The campaign, which runs through the spring of 2029, will feature one in-person storytelling event each year to portray Christian faith, life, and hope in action.

“At University of Portland, we hold firm to the belief that our world needs more hope,” said University President Robert D. Kelly. “This generous funding will empower us to bring our quintessential UP hope to audiences far beyond our beautiful campus on The Bluff. I express our community’s deep gratitude to the Lilly Endowment for their belief in our mission, our capacity for storytelling, and, most of all, our hope.”

January 8, 2026
Contact: Dan Christopherson Director of Public Affairs [email protected] 503-943-8223

Happy Martin Luther King Day! We hope it was a day of reflection and service.

Post your thoughts here about how you spent the day, if you participated in a special event like the Solve Cleanup, attended an event to commemorate the contributions of Dr. Martin Luther King, or just spent the day reflecting on the good life he made possible for all of us. Here is his I Have a Dream speech from August 28, 1963, courtesy of Rare Facts and YouTube.com. Be inspired.

https://youtu.be/vP4iY1TtS3s?si=UrTSClnefVxKEBXW

I Have a Dream speech by Martin Luther King .Jr HD (subtitled) I Have a Dream" is a public speech that was delivered by American civil rights activist Martin Luther King Jr. during the March on Washington for Jobs and Fr...

Happening Friday, March 6, from 5 to 9 pm, at 322 SE Morrison St. Bumble at Rumble in the Jumble.

First Friday in PDX means it's time to gather together with your people to celebrate art & creativity. And that's what we'll be doing at Ambient Magic Art Studios @ 322 SE Morrison St from 5-10pm on match 6th at the Junk Drawer Art Bazaar!

This studio pop-up will showcase 15+ artists & artisans featuring unique upcycled creations galore. Live music & tasty beverages will accompany you as you get to know the creators and pick up a few lovingly handmade items.

Don't forget to bring your second hand arts & crafts supplies for the art supply swap table... dump your discards and take some treasures!

See you under the Morrison Bridge at Ambient Magic Studios on Mar 6th!