Oxford & Cambridge Society of Oregon

Sunday 29th March 2020 Boat Race Breakfast – CANCELLED

Sad news about the Boat Races

From the organizers of the Boat Race:

“As a result of the current situation with COVID-19, The Boat Race on 29th March has been cancelled. This decision is based entirely on our concern for the welfare of our crews, our spectators, our staff and volunteers.

Robert Gillespie, Chairman of The Boat Race Company Limited, commented: “Given the unprecedented situation our country and each of us as individuals faces, the public good far outweighs all other considerations. Cancellation of The Boat Race is therefore clearly the correct decision, but it is not without sad consequence. Our thoughts are very much with the athletes who have worked so hard and made immense sacrifices to represent their University and are now unable to do so.

To cancel is not an easy decision and we realize this news will undoubtedly disappoint all those who look forward to the Race each year – whether watching on the riverbanks, on TV or online.

We would like to thank our partners, fans, the local businesses and community for their continued support.”

We’re sorry not to see you all at our annual breakfast, but this decision is definitely for the best. Stay safe and well!

Sunday 8th March 2020: Alum David Schiff’s Concerto in performance

Super-star jazz violinist Regina Carter (winner of a MacArthur grant) will play local alumnus David Schiff’s jazz violin concerto Four Sisters Sunday 8 March at 7:30 PM with the Metropolitan Youth Symphony. Regina has played this piece 8 times previously: twice with the Detroit Symphony (6 performances) and twice with the Chicago Sinfonietta.Carter joins MYS’s advanced Jazz students for some classics and a brand new piece from the Portland Jazz Composers’ Ensemble young composers program. The symphony also premieres a new work by 17-year-old composer Grace Miedziak (part of The Authentic Voice series). Tickets are available on the Portland5 website.

Thursday 14th May 2020 International Speaker Series at the Arlene Schnitzer – Special Alumni Discount

Oxford alumnus and Rhodes Scholar, Nicholas D. Kristof, award-winning NYT columnist from Oregon, will be speaking on May 14 on as part of WorldOregon’s 2020 International Speaker Series at the Arlene Schnitzer Concert Hall in Portland. His talk is on Global Leadership & the Humanitarian Challenge – 35 Years of Covering the World. The other three speakers are Samantha Power, former U.S. Ambassador to the UN, Gen H.R. McMaster, former National Security Advisor, and Nadia Murad, the 2018 Nobel Peace Prize Laureate.

We have partnered with World Oregon to offer tickets to the series at a 10% discount. Use the code WorldPartner2020 on the Portland5 website https://www.portland5.com/

Oregon Food Bank Volunteer Event November 2019

A small but energetic group of alumni joined a team of community volunteers at the Oregon Food Bank in Beaverton on a cold Thursday evening. Together we processed vast sacks of raw oats into individual wrapped and labeled portions to distribute to families in need. In two hours, we processed 5269 pounds of oats, resulting in 439 meals made available to the community. Oregon Food Bank does a fantastic job of informing and educating volunteers about their role in the community and how you can help. If you’d like to donate to Oregon Food Bank, their website is: https://www.oregonfoodbank.org/donate

Annual Luncheon November 2019

It was wonderful to see almost 60 alumni and their guests at our annual luncheon this November. We were delighted that almost a third were newcomers, along with our regular dear friends. Cambridge, especially, put up a very impressive showing, perhaps thanks to our guest of honor, Emily Johnson, the Deputy Development Director at Emmanuel, Cambridge. Emily has a foot in both camps as she is a graduate of Lady Margaret Hall, Oxford! She gave a witty and informative speech which we all enjoyed. Congratulations to the winning team of a fiendish college quiz (and to the devious committee members who set it), and to the winners of our raffle. And thanks to the good folk of Jake’s Grill and the Sentinel, whose desserts set a new standard for Oxbridge events.