PSU Magazine Fall 2000

• • • Dream of teaching motivates new alumni scholarship winner Like most children, when asked what she wanted to be when she grew up, Sarah Whitney had answers that var– ied from day to day. One day it was a fireman, the next day a politician, but one thing remained constant, she wanted to make a differ nee. Through experience gained as a vol– unteer, Whitney developed a pass ion for teaching. "This pa ion consumes me. Now it is all l can see myself doing in the future-enhancing the lives of others as a teacher," she says. With help from the Jane Wiener Memorial A lumni Scholarship, Whit– ney will get that opportunity to make a diffe rence. As a ophomore, she is pur uing a general stud ies degree and plans to enroll in PSU' Graduate School of Education Whitney's long list of volunteer ser– vice includes Meals on Whee ls, the Discovery Club of Beaverton, and STARS (Students Today Aren't Ready for Sex ). STARS is a peer-mentoring program that teaches young people it i OK to abstain from sex. "Sarah stands out among her peer ," says Barbara Guette, associate profes– sor of Engli h. "She is an unusually mature and self-possessed person who is highly considerate of other people; confident enough to dare to think originally; and dedicated to commu– nity service." The renewable alumni scholarship pays full tuition and fees for a student who is a son or daughter of a PSU alum. Whitney's dad, Douglas Whitney, earned his degree in 1980. The scholar– ship is named for the late Jane Wiener '69, a former Multnomah County deputy di trict attorney and alumni board member who died in 1994. For more information or to con– tribute to the Jane Wiener Memorial Alumni Scholarship Fund, contact the Alumni Office at 503-725-5073. D Simon Benson House: Look at us now! An amazing transformation has taken place since the Simon Benson House was delivered to campus on a windy Sunday morning last January. The century-old home arrived sans chimneys and paint, its windows boarded up, walls covered with graffiti, and roof covered with a bright blue plastic tarp. The elegant Queen Anne tyle house that has emerged from this dilapidated cocoon is a beauty to behold. A new cedar roof, copper gutters, meticulous paint job, and the original leaded glass windows are continually drawing the attention of bystanders. But $250,000 is still needed to complete the renovation of the interior, which will include a visitor's information center and a room devoted to Simon Benson memora– bilia on the first floor. The second floor will house the PSU Alumni Association . You can help finish restoration of the Simon Benson House by taking advantage of a sponsoring opportunity (ranging from $2,500 to $25,000 ), buying a brick for the patio garden (there are still 175 left at $100 each), or by making a donation in any amount. PHOTOGRAPHS BY BRENT SCHAUER FALL 2000 PSU MAGAZINE 21