Lisbeth Schorr to address graduates

Lisbeth Schorr to address graduates

Lisbeth Schorr, renowned author, advocate and social analyst, will address the 199 graduates of Lewis & Clark College Graduate School of Education, Sunday, June 3, at 10 a.m., in Pamplin Sports Center.

A reception for graduates and their guests will follow commencement in Stamm Dining Room.

Schorr is a national authority on improving the future of disadvantaged children and their families and communities and a leader in major national efforts on behalf of children and youth.

“In a very large chorus of proponents of the possibilities for children and communities, Lisbeth Schorr’s voice stands out,” says Jay Casbon, dean of the graduate school. “As usual, her grounded research makes so much sense. She rightfully places the locus for improvement in the hands of teachers, principals and community-based advocates.

“Her work shows how education, welfare and family support systems can be reinvented to fit today’s imperatives,” Casbon says. “Lisbeth’s message is the work of the possible for everyone who cares about children and communities, and especially for those who fear that nothing works and that what’s wrong cannot be fixed.”

Schorr is a lecturer in social medicine at Harvard University and director of the Harvard University Project on Effective Interventions. She cochairs the Roundtable on Comprehensive Community Initiatives for Children and Families of the Aspen Institute.

She is also author of two widely acclaimed books, Within Our Reach: Breaking the Cycle of Disadvantage (Doubleday, 1988) and Common Purpose: Strengthening Families and Neighborhoods to Rebuild America (Doubleday, 1997). Both have had a major impact on policymakers and community groups that seek to improve life for at-risk children.

Schorr lives in Washington, D.C., with her husband, Daniel Schorr, senior news analyst for National Public Radio. While in Portland, Daniel will address the Portland City Club, Friday, June 1, at the Multnomah Athletic Club.

For more information, call (503) 228-7231.