Awards and Rankings
Campus Ministry
Garaventa Center
January 9, 2016
All University of Portland community members are invited to celebrate the feast day of Blessed Basil Moreau, C.S.C., founder of the Congregation of Holy Cross, on Wednesday, January 20, at 5 p.m., in the Chapel of Christ the Teacher on campus. Karen Eifler, co-director of the Garaventa Center for Catholic Intellectual Life and American Culture at UP will be honored as a recipient of the 2015 Spirit of Holy Cross Award, the highest honor bestowed by the Congregation upon its lay collaborators
The award is given annually to lay collaborators of the Congregation of Holy Cross, United States Province of Priests and Brothers. The award recognizes lay collaborators who devotedly work to make Blessed Basil Moreau’s vision and mission to “make God known, loved, and served” a reality at the Congregation’s education, parish and mission apostolates.
Eifler, who is also a professor in the School of Education, has won virtually every award for teaching, scholarship and service that the University offers, and co-directs the Garaventa Center along with Rev. Charles B. Gordon, C.S.C.
“Karen is a tireless collaborator in the Holy Cross mission at UP and beyond,” said Fr. Gordon. “Karen is a poster child for the zeal urged by Father Moreau. She is a perpetual generator of new ideas and audacious plans for mission with a gift for bringing them to fruition. She sifts human experience for evidence of Grace, sharing her discoveries with Gospel joy.”
“Karen is also a relentless fomenter of cooperation between academic departments and a passionate advocate for The Saint John’s Bible and a promoter and innovator of the contemplative prayer form, visio divina,” adds Fr. Gordon. “She is a mentor to younger academic colleagues and a faithful spiritual director. She is a rememberer of birthdays and a perpetrator of countless kindnesses who embodies the Spirit of Holy Cross.”
Eifler is widely published in her field and has earned several academic awards in recent years, including the first national Collegium Visionary Award in 2014, University of Portland’s Culligan Medal for Faculty Service in 2014, Deans' Award for Faculty Leadership and “Outstanding Teaching” in 2000. In 2007, she received the Judith Ramaley Faculty Award for Service-Learning from Campus Compact.
She has taught educational psychology, literacy, classroom assessment and management and supervised dozens of new teachers conducting their first field work. She also coordinated a mentoring program with the Bridge Builders, using the talents of University of Portland students preparing to become teachers. And she is co-founder of the University’s Faith and Intellectual Life Discussion Group, a creative faculty and staff seminar for spiritual and spirited debate.
Eifler has a bachelor’s degree (magna cum laude) from the University of California at Los Angeles. She earned her teaching credentials at Holy Names College in Oakland, Calif., and a doctorate from the University of Nebraska at Lincoln, Neb.
“In living the mission set forth by Blessed Basil Moreau, we recognize that we do not embark on the journey alone,” said Rev. Thomas O’Hara, C.S.C., provincial superior of the United States Province of Priests and Brothers, to mark the Solemnity of Our Lady of Sorrows. “In every place we find ourselves, we find at the same time, men and women who generously give their own time and talents to aid us in our efforts.”
The 2015 award recipients are:
Honorees will receive a proclamation of gratitude signed by Provincial Superior Fr. Tom O’Hara on behalf of the entire U.S. Province.
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