PSU Magazine Fall 1993

A new appreciation In the last two years since I have joined the PSU Alumni Board, I have seen my education in a whole new light: how my quirky, personal story of getting through college is really emblematic of many other stories. And, how it illustrates PSU's vital role in our state. During the years between my first freshman class and when I finished my Honors Program thesis, I did a lot of growing up. I held several jobs, moved a number of times, comp let– ed two intern– ships, got married, had a baby and became a single parent. In the midst of all this change, the constants were poverty, stress and too little sleep! At the time, the next exam eemed the most critical point in my life-it was difficult to focus on the long-range importance of a degree or how lucky I was to have an excellent education available to me. I believe my experience was more typical than not. As PSU students we live complicated lives, make difficult choices, and stick it out to get our degrees for complex reasons. Partly be– cause we have the goals and guts to get through, many of us are ab le to make a vital contribution back to the com– munity after our graduation. That is why having this urban university is so critical to our community, as well a being critical to us personally. Because I feel Portland State is so important to our community and our state, I am extremely proud to be presi– dent of the PSU Alumni Association. I hope I can help other PSU alumni come to a greater appreciation of their own accomplishments, of the achieve– ment of PSU's past and current students, and of the role of PSU in the Oregon of tomorrow. ~~~)_____ Jan Kurtz '87, President 18 PSU Magazine First scholarship awarded Okokon Essiet, a sophomore at PSU, is the first recipient of the PSU Alumni Scholarship. Essiet is the son of alumna Arit Essiet '73, MAT '76. The scholar– ship, sponsored by the PSU Alumni Association, begins this fall. Essiet, an accomplished vocalist and songwriter from Nigeria, is preparing for a career in soc ial work. The scho lar– ship will allow him to concentrate on academics and community cha llenges. The Alumni Scholarship covers full tuition and required fees. It is renew– ab le on an annua l basis, until comple– tion of an undergraduate degree or 186 credit hours. While on scholarship, each recipient must meet specific academic requirements and perform volunteer work at a PSU research institute. "Whenever possible, the Alumni Association attempts to enhance the PSU student experience. Offering this scholarship to a son or daughter of an alum is one way to help students and help our alumni. We hope to strengthen the loyalty and fellowship of our alumni," says Lee Jenkins '79, chair of the Student Affairs Committee of the Alumni Board. The endowment for the Alumni Scholarsh ip began in December 1990 when an anonymous donor gave the Alumni Board $2,000 in seed money. Over the past three years, almost $16,000 has been contributed to the scholarship endowment fund. The Alumni Association hopes to continue to build this endowment to provide additional cholarship in future years to more children of PSU alumni. 1f you would like to donate to the Alumni Scholarship Endowment fund, or if you have a question about the scholarship program, contact Scott Kaden, assistant director of Alumni Relations, at 725-5073. Weekend events set Where can you enjoy your choice of 30 free lectures, a fine luncheon featur– ing a nationally significant and inspir– ing guest speaker, an entertaining slide show about the history of Portland State, a PSU footba ll game and a chat with old friend , a tour of the Columbia Gorge, and a bunch of young dreamers? PSU Weekend, of course! With such a wide array of activities, the Portland State campus is the place to be on Nov. 12-14. A day for dreamers For the third consecutive year, Seminar Day and the lecture luncheon-this year featuring "I Have a Dream" founder Eugene Lang-will be the highlight of the weekend. Seminar Day is a presentation of 30 free lectures scheduled throughout the day on Saturday, Nov. 13. Lecture subjects range from talks on sleep and dreams to realizing your professional potential. Hear Portland's own Ron Paul talk about the unique, geo-culi– nary aspects of Portland; Terence O'Donnell describe Oregon in "The Face of a Place"; and Professor Earl Molander discuss PSU's exciting role in the economic transformation of Russia. At noon in the Smith Memorial Center Ballroom, luncheon guests will hear from Eugene Lang, the New York businessman who started the "I Have a Dream" Foundation (IHAD)' that chal– lenges students to complete high school with a promise of a college scholarship. Lang made the impromptu promise while delivering a speech to a class of sixth graders at his old East Harlem elementary school. He will describe the "dreamer" program and demonstrate its success; Lang will be accompanied by one of his former dreamer students, some local student dreamers, and members of the IHAD– Oregon. Tickets to the luncheon are by reservation only and may be obtained by calling the PSU Alumni Office at 725-4949.