Invest in student success. Expand real-world opportunities. Build career readiness.

The Ballmer Institute for Children’s Behavioral Health (CBH) is transforming the youth behavioral health workforce through our groundbreaking new undergraduate program, ensuring students enter the field sooner with the skills and experience to make an immediate difference.  

Designed with the first two years of study at the UO’s main campus in Eugene, the transition to UO Portland during the final two years can feel daunting without earlier connections to the program and community. At the same time, students consistently tell us they want meaningful, real-world exposure to behavioral health earlier in their college journey. Meeting this need is key to helping more students say “yes” to the CBH major—and to building the workforce Oregon urgently needs.  

To expand opportunities for students, we’re raising $20,000 for the Ballmer Bound Portland Internship Experience. Partnering with the UO’s successful Portland Internship Experience (PIE), this program offers first- and second-year pre-CBH majors a structured, Portland-based summer experience with youth- and family-serving organizations.

This early applied learning opportunity allows students to:

• Engage in transformative professional development opportunities
• Build meaningful and lasting connections within the community
• Gain foundational knowledge of the youth behavioral health field
• Bridge the transition from Eugene to Portland by helping students establish roots, networks, and familiarity with the city

With your support, we can fully fund two student internship experiences and build a stronger future for Oregon’s children and families.

Two generous challenge gift donors are inviting others to join them in launching this program. Once we reach $20,000, their additional contribution will be unlocked.