Grad Newsroom Stories

As the calendar year draws to a close, we’ve compiled a sampling of top stories from the undergraduate college, the graduate school, and the law school.

Lewis & Clark’s Teacher Pathways program supports undergraduate students who dream of becoming educators, offering a BA, MAT, and licensure in just five years.

Associate Professor Lina Darwich and Professor of Music and Director of Choral Activities Katherine FitzGibbon have received endowed professorships for their outstanding scholarly record.

The river otter, beloved for its scrappiness, teamwork, and Pacific Northwest roots, is officially Lewis & Clark’s new mascot. The adorable, semiaquatic mammal emerged as the top choice among students, alumni, and employees.

With a grant from Projects for Peace, Nichole Champion BA ’25 and current professional mental health counseling graduate student, created the Holistic Wellness Initiative, an effort to create spaces of belonging, healing, and empowerment for Portland youth.

A professor of educational leadership travels to the arctic circle on an environmental justice mission to defend a precarious way of life.

Graduate school faculty and students attended the Albina One grand opening, hosting a reading corner with books, games, and art making opportunities for families and children. The books and materials will remain at Albina One to become part of their future library.

Dean of Equity and Inclusion Danielle Torres will begin her tenure as Associate Dean of the Graduate School and Community Dialogues Director on September 2, 2025. In order to ensure a smooth transition for the Office of Equity and Inclusion (OEI), she will continue to also serve as Dean until January 2026.

In fall 2021, Lewis & Clark was named a partner recipient of an $8.2 million grant from the Wallace Foundation, kicking off work with Portland Public Schools to train aspiring administrators with programming focused on equity and inclusion. Funding has been awarded for an additional year, extending the program through 2026–27.

Saultz, an alum of the graduate school’s secondary social studies MAT program, brings a wide range of expertise in educational policy, the politics of education, and the intersection of health and education policy.

The Art Therapy Program’s annual excellence awards honor graduates for their commitment to equity, outstanding research, and dedication to liberatory practices. The 2025 recipients are Shannon Garcia, G. Cheney, K. Blackwell, and Kelsey Filosi.

Carson brings 15 years of experience in sexuality focused community education and programs for all ages, with expertise in supporting LGBTQ+ adolescents and the adults who work with them.

Beginning in 2026, HB 3761 will expand access to Art Therapy for Oregonians on Medicaid/Oregon Health Plan, helping to ensure that the people with the greatest need have increased access to effective mental health care.

Beginning in fall 2025, the graduate school will offer a dedicated course on crisis counseling and intervention strategies, providing future school counselors with the tools necessary to address the ever-evolving K-12 landscape.

Andrew Saultz, an alumnus of L&C’s Master of Arts in Teaching program, begins his tenure on August 4.