PSU Magazine Spring 1995

< ...J c g:_ c UJ > ~ >– c:: er, 0 f- 0 :r: "- This alumna is in the business of giving out money to charitable groups that improve the quality of life for Oregonians. By Valerie Brown Kathleen Cornett brings a love of Oregon to her work. Ta ingitto t e Streets t's early afternoon in downtown Portland. Pioneer Square echoes with a noisy argument between two factions of young treet people. One group carries banner citing biblical chapters and verse . The other group shout langy epithets. Both groups are angry, alienated, desperate, and very much alike. In a building across the street and a few floors above the square are the offices of the Oregon Communi ty Foundation. They're decorated in a erene , low-contrast style, with muted walls and carpet, and sleekly upholster– ed furniture. From the conference room window, it' po sible to look down on the acrimony in the quare. But OCF is no exalted, elitist aerie high above the fray. What' go ing on in the street drives the foundation's agenda, and fuels the a pirations of Kathleen Cornett '75, it vice president for programs. Cornett brings to the business of doling out money a deep experience with the gras roots problems and spirit of Oregon. ln her vi ion, the suite and the street come together. Like the foundat ion offices, Cornett's manner is under rated and unpretentious. In ide this profes ional per ona is a woman with a wry ense of humor, a harp intelligence, and a strong grasp of the pos ibilitie and realities of Oregon's future. The Oreg n Community Founda– tion is an umbrella administrative organization for 275 separate charitable and educational funds. lt manages more than a $100 million of endow– ments and dispenses some 8 million in grants each year. It's not committed to helping any one sort of charitable activity, but administers several different types of grants. Some are designated by the donors to go toward specific ends. ome are discretionary. But all must meet the test of improving the quality of life for Oregonians by strengthen ing the bonds of community. Comett's job, in her words, is to "bring good idea to the board that they might want to fund-to be alert to those opportunitie and to convene people" in putting tho e ideas into effect. Although OCF fund many different project , from tran portation planning to library improvements, it places great emphas is on helping PRING 1995 13