2025 ARCS Light Award

2024-2025 Oregon ARCS Light Recipient

The ARCS Light Award is a distinctive honor awarded to a member who has given the highest quality of long-term service to ARCS Foundation and its misson of advancing science in America. Each year, the Oregon Chapter selects one ARCS Light recipient. These unsung heroes are honored at the Chapter’s Annual Meeting and at the ARCS Foundation All Member Conference.

Elizabeth Bell

ARCS Foundation Oregon’s 2025 ARCS Light Honoree is Elizabeth Bell. 

Elizabeth joined ARCS Oregon in 2013 and has been a vital force in our chapter since then. She has held numerous positions, and served on many committees, including Finance, Scholar Relations, Philanthropy, as well as chairing or co-chairing our annual fundraising event, now called “Impact, Ignite!”. She has served on the Board in many capacities, including Secretary, Treasurer, and as President of our Chapter in 2021-2022.  
Elizabeth has served on a number of Ad-Hoc committees. Her contributions were valuable to the Visioning Committee, the Strategic Implementation Committee, the Murdock Grant Committee, the Search & Screen Committee, and others. She also provided significant financial support to the Strategic Planning Committee to develop a sustainable financial model for the Chapter's future growth and success.

Elizabeth served as Co-Chair of the Impact, Ignite! fundraising event in 2023-2024, and is chairing that event this year. She and her husband, Chris, have been generous contributors to that event and to other initiatives throughout the years, including as named Scholar Award donors. 

Elizabeth is ever-confident in the ability of ARCS Foundation Oregon to overcome adversity and to move forward with our mission. Her willingness and openness to new avenues of thinking has encouraged us to explore other operating models. As our Treasurer she has advocated for several important initiatives, such as moving to an ESG investment strategy, as well spinning off additional awards from the Josselyn Endowment. Her forward-thinking approach ensures that ARCS is well-prepared to face future challenges and opportunities. She has participated on the National Finance Committee and attended meetings of the Finance Collaboration Network, where she has shared her extensive expertise for the benefit of all ARCS chapters.

Elizabeth is passionate about ARCS. She has recruited many members to our chapter and has encouraged generous donations from members and sponsors. If a task needs doing, she is the first to volunteer to do it. She sees these assignments through to completion and then presents us with an SOP so that others have a guidebook to refer to in the future. She is a strong supporter of ARCS Board and Operations leadership and knows just the right thing to say when we are tired or discouraged. In short, Elizabeth Bell exemplifies the qualities this award seeks to recognize: exceptional leadership, forward-thinking vision, and dedication to ARCS Oregon's mission and scholars.

Congratulations to Elizabeth!