PSU Magazine Fall 1992

Board president cites successes Outgoing Alumni Board President Miriam Selby '68, '70 cited a number of successes in the 1991-92 year for the PSU Alumni Association. "We had an extremely success– ful alumni weekend, involved many excellent new volun– teers, implemented a communications plan, and established a new student intern program," says Selby. According to Selby, the Alumni Board of Directors achieved a number of the long-range goals it set last Oc– tober. "Our mission statement is 'to promote the interests and ideals of Portland State University and to sponsor and develop university alumni activities for the interest and benefit of the alumni.' All of the things we accomplished this year are related directly to that purpose." • The board continued its co-sponsorship of student interns in Washington, D.C. The goal of the program is to provide PSU students with an enriching experience related to their academic pursuits and long-term goals. Last year nine students interned at institutions such as the Wilson Center for International Studies and the Museums of American and Natural History. • The board also approved a legislative internship pro– gram in Salem for the 1993 legislative session. The pro– gram will provide a structured opportunity for 30 students to work with selected legislators, review issues of legislative politics, hear guest speakers, and discuss assigned readings with an instructor. • Seattle and Astoria were the sites of alumni outreach events in the spring. Seattle alumni attended a recep– tion held at the Burke Museum on the University of Washington campus on March 22. PSU President Judith Ramaley brought guests up-to-date on activities at Portland State. Astoria-area alumni attended a recep– tion and concert by the Portland Baroque Orchestra on April 28. • The PSU Advocates recruited new members and prepared to gear up for the 1993 legislative session. (See additional article, next page.) • Outstanding Alumni Awards went to Jim Westwood '65 and Roy Love '61 at the third annual PSU Salutes Luncheon, which was held on May 1 at the Multnomah Athletic Club. The award recipients were nominated by alumni and faculty and selected by the Alumni Recognition Committee. • The Student Affairs Committee worked with the Black Cultural Affairs Board, a PSU student group, to sponsor the Black Alumni Luncheon on Feb. 22 on campus. The luncheon provided students and alumni with an opportunity to get acquainted and to do some network– ing. The committee also worked with coordinators of PSU's Career Day to offer an alumni session on careers available to liberal arts and science majors. Also, new officers were selected for the Alumni Board for the 1992-93 year. They are: president:, Jory Miller Abrams '79; vice president, Jan E. Kurtz '87; and treasurer, Deanna Hotchkiss '88. Planning for future programs is un– derway; read PSU Magazine for information about upcom– ing Alumni Association activities and events. Communications committee surveys alumni attitudes A new committee formed by the Alumni Board of Directors strives to "enhance the visibility of the Univer– sity and its alumni." The Communications Committee took on a number of projects during the year, the most im– portant of which was a survey of PSU alumni. The purpose of the survey, reported on page 18 of the September 1992 issue of PSU Magazine, was to determine alumni attitudes about the University and about alumni activities and inter– ests. "We'll use the results of this survey to do some careful planning for the next few years," said Committee Chair Don Dickinson '68, '72. "This report will provide the basis of support for a number of alumni activities." The Communications Committee also wrote a thank– you letter to Portland State University Alumni VISA card holders. "The PSU Alumni VISA card is our major source of revenue for alumni activities, and we wanted to let our card holders know how much we appreciate their support," said Louise Cox '73, a co-author of the letter. The committee had some fun, too. On Feb. 14, Dickinson supervised the unveiling of a billboard in downtown Portland on SW Columbia and 12th, wishing the University a happy 46th birthday. The giant birthday card, designed by PSU art students, was a cooperative ven– ture between the PSU Art Department, the Alumni Association, A-1 Silk Screen Company, and Ackerly Outdoor Advertising Company. Board urges alumni to get involved with the University The PSU Alumni Board of Directors is urging alumni to get involved with the University and the Alumni Association. All PSU alumni are automatically members of the non-dues-paying Alumni Association upon gradua– tion. Former PSU students are also welcome as members and should contact the Alumni Office to be included on the mailing list. Opportunities for involvement are plentiful, according to Miriam Selby, immediate past president of the Alumni Board. Alumni are invited to participate in PSU Weekend, the Alumni Association's version of home– coming; the PSU Advocates, a group which supports the