The MoveUP initiative at the University of Portland addresses a critical sustainability challenge: the waste generated during student move-in and move-out periods at the dorms. Large quantities of reusable furniture, appliances, and household goods are frequently discarded due to limited storage options, adding to landfill waste and financial burden on students and families. Move UP: Reduce & Reuse seeks to mitigate this issue by collecting, storing, reselling these items through a campus-based pop-up store and by donating items to community organizations.
This project aims to visually and narratively capture the background and impact of Move UP. Through photography, video storytelling, and interviews, the project will highlight the initiative's environmental benefits, the stories of the students and staff involved, and the broader cultural shift towards sustainable consumption on campus.
Alexa Dare is a communication scholar and teacher who studies the stories and images we create about climate change, activism, and our relationships with the more-than-human world. An Associate Professor at the University of Portland, she directs the Social Justice minor and works at the intersections of cultural studies, environmental communication, and visual culture. Her recent projects explore how people grieve melting glaciers, remember loved ones through human composting, and imagine futures with fire — often through the lens of aesthetics and visual representation. Alexa is co-editor of Intimate Relations: Communicating (in) the Anthropocene and collaborates widely with students, colleagues, and communities on creative approaches to environmental justice.
Ruth Dittrich is an associate professor of economics at the University of Portland's Pamplin School of Business. Ruth focuses her research on decision-making for climate change adaptation to support communities and regions in planning for climate change impacts such as increased flooding and smoke from wildfires in becoming more sustainable.
Year: Senior
Major/minor: Psychology/Neuroscience
Hometown: Denver, CO
Why PRF: With a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology from the University of Portland and professional experience with the Idaho Conservation Corps and Sustainable Northwest, I bring a multidisciplinary perspective to sustainability challenges. These experiences have deepened my commitment to integrating psychology, sustainability, and commerce to support businesses and institutions in reducing waste and improving resource efficiency. I am excited to contribute to the MoveUP Project which addresses waste generated during student transitional periods. This initiative directly aligns with my passion for applying behavioral insights to design practical, scalable solutions that promote sustainable consumption and systems-level change.
Year: Senior
Major/Minor: Biomedical Sciences/Chemistry
Hometown: Portland, OR
Why PRF: I believe that by working on this project, I can readily observe the tangible effects of a sustainable practice - the selling of used student materials to minimize carbon footprint and expenses - across the UP campus, allowing me to explore how multiple disciplines (particularly entrepreneurship, psychology, and sustainability) can be combined to make a goal possible. This project has the potential to be a powerful example of economic sustainability in the 21st century, thereby driving future leaders to actively develop more innovative strategies to solve the climate crises. Through this experience, I hope to gain valuable skills for my future physician-scientist career.
University of Portland
5000 N. Willamette Blvd.,
Portland, Oregon 97203-5798
503.943.8000
