PSU Magazine Spring 1987

·AROUND THE PARK BLOCKS· - -- Lawrence Leighton Smith ('57) Smith, Lomax receive first alumni awards Achievement in the worlds of music and athletics were recognized when the first Portland State Uni versity Distin– guished Alumni Awards were presented to Lawrence Leighton Smith ('57) and Neil Lomax ('82) at PSU's 4lst birthday party Feb. 27. The new award was established because "Portland State alumni have been making their mark m the world for over a generation and it's time now for their achievements to be recognized," said awards committee chairman Jim Westwood ('67). Larry Smith, who is Music Director of the Louisville Orchestra and the Music Academy of the West, was cited for his contribution to the region's cultural life and his personal success in the world of classical music. Under Smith's direction in the '70s, the Oregon Symphony developed into the state's first true professional orchestra. At that time, Smith served as an adjunct faculty member at PSU and, in 1980, he gave a piano recital to benefit the PSU Music Scholarship Fund. Smith has performed throughout the U.S. as a soloist and accompanist. Recent guest conductor appearances by Smith have included orchestras in Milwaukee, Syracuse and Denver. Neil Lomax joined the St. Louis Cardinals professional football team as starting quarterback after a remarkable athletic and collegiate career at PSU. He still holds several NCAA records, including most yards passing in a career, most pass completions and most touchdown passes. While at PSU, Lomax was featured in Sports Illus– trated magazine and was first team All American and Most Valuable Player in the Senior Bowl. Since graduating, Lomax has continued a direct relation– ship with Portland State, returning regularly to help in development activities. The award also recognizes Lomax as a personal role model for American youth. Nomination forms will be available this fall for next year's Distinguished Alumni Award. Frank Martino J udith Nichols University has Provost, V.P. for Development The University's first Provost and Vice President for Development have been named by PSU President Natale Sicuro after national searches. Frank Martino is the Provost, a new title for the Vice President for Academic Affairs. Currently Dean of Science at the City College of New York, Martino will join the PSU administration this summer. Judith E. Nichols will leave her position as Executive Director of Development at Wayne State University in Detroit to ~ssume the new PSU development post m May. Martino is a physicist with degrees from Harvard , University of Illinois, University of Padua (Italy) and M.l.T. An active scholar with more than 40 publications to his credit, Martino has consulted on national and international projects in science education and technology transfer in developing countries, including work for the United Nations. He has been at City College of New York since 1968. At PSU, Martino will be responsible for all academic programs, including teaching, curriculum, research and grants. During a visit to campus in February, Martino called universities "creatures of social need" that both Sicuro defends financial aid dollars Newly elected to the board of direc– tors of the American Association of State Colleges and Universities (AASCU), PSU Pres ident Natale Sicuro traveled to Washington, D.C. in January to strategize with the board on the Reagan Administration's latest round of suggested budget cuts in federal finan cia l aid programs. Sicuro returned with assurances from congressmen that the budget cuts are ''.just not going to happen." It was a familiar cause for the President; last year, he chaired a national "summit" meeting of educators who were instru– mental in convincing Congress to restore $5 billion in federal aid cuts proposed by Education Secretary William Bennett. Viking Classic May 17 Don't miss the ~ ·. _ ~ 1987 Viking Classic ' !OK road race, ~ Sunday, May 17 II(. starting at 8:30 _ ..,,......,..'!...... a .m. sharp. Along - with the Miller-Lite Downhill Mile, the racing event benefits PSU athletic programs. Individual entry fee is $5, but groups may enter a corporate competition, too. Call 229- 4000 for entry forms or information about the course. Redpath sings Burns Traditional Scottish folksinger Jean Redpath will perform the songs of poet and lyricist Robert Burns on Wednes– day, May 20, at 3 p.m. in PSU's Lincoln Hall Auditorium. The free perfor– mance headlines this year's Nina Mae K_el_logg a~ards presentation recog– mzmg achievement by PSU English students. • • Continued on page 22 Redpath is currently collaborating with American composer Serge Hovey to record a series of albums of Burns' songs, of which he wrote 323. "Robert Burns believed that he would be remembered most of all for his songs," Redpath has said. "It infuriates me when Burns songs are presented as poetry." ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~-· PSU MAGAZINE PAGE 2