Skidmore Prize

The inspiration for the name of this prize: The Skidmore Fountain in Portland’s Old Town, which bears this inscription: “Good citizens are the riches of a city.”


This fall, we celebrate four remarkable individuals doing exceptional work for Portland-area nonprofits. Each Skidmore Prize winner is the embodiment of community dedication, a testament to the power of passion and purpose.

Their stories of resilience, determination, and unwavering commitment to social causes leave us awestruck and motivated to do more. In recognizing their outstanding accomplishments, we honor not just their achievements but the potential in all of us to make meaningful differences.


Winners of the Skidmore Prize must be under the age of 36 and work full-time for a local nonprofit. Winners received their awards, including prizes of $4,000, at a special luncheon.

2008 Prize Winners
Polly Bangs
After Polly Bangs graduated from Portland State nine years ago with an English degree at age 24, she set out to find a job. And got rejected. I...
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Rodolfo Serna
Rodolfo Serna winces with embarrassment recalling his brief stint as a used-car salesman. This little old lady, he reminisces, needed a car to...
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Amy Harwood
Amy Harwood never intended to get into environmental activism. Her first love was the political world, and her background is in election...
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Katy Kolker
Katy Kolker says shes found her dream job, but it probably doesnt look like yours. Kolker, 28, is the executive director and...
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