Civic Spark in Portland
Michelle Nunn finds inspiration in Portland, Oregon.
I am fascinated by people’s stories of the sparks that ignite their passion to change the world. When I was in Portland, Emily Gilliland, executive director of Oregon's Campus Compact, laid three different matches on the table to illustrate the ignition points in her service journey.
- A matchbook represented her high school’s 75-hour service requirement – a quick light to get her started. While serving at the Red Cross, she discovered that adults were interested in her ideas and were even willing to take direction from her.
- A short box match signified her year with AmeriCorps – challenging, but enriching – a strong spark to further impel her commitment to service.
