PSU Magazine Spring 1990

v Students Todd Walke1; Rebecca Nordby and Vandy Cook in Washington, D.C. Nordby worked in the press office monitoring coverage that Common Cause received on such issues as campaign finance reform, congress ional honorariums, and ethics in government. "Common Cause has an extremely powerful press machine, " sa id Nordby. "We called for the investigati on into Jim Wright and more recently I participated in a news conference where Fred Worthhe imer called for an investi gation into Keating and the Savings and Loan scandal. " "Seei ng students gain an understanding of government and business beyond the confines of the University i~ what thi s program is all about ," said alumnus Lomnicki. "And the contributions these students actually made to the institutions they worked for is testament to the ir competence and motivation. " An administrator with the National Museum of American Hi story wrote to Portland State about intern David Manning . "He was an ideal intern in every way imagi nable ... he is an exceptional young man, and if he is representati ve of Portland State students, you are a fortunate uni versity indeed. " As part of the public programs department at the National Museum of American Hi story, Manning helped create , produce and publicize events at the museum. These included li ve performances, special videos , film and lecture series, conferences , and concerts. "All programs at the museum are interested in portraying the different facets of ethnicity in America," said Manning, "and this is especially easy to do with music ." He met some of the country's great rhythm and blues artists through a museum– sponsored concert series. In another project , Manning was responsible for marketing a tape of hymns and narration depicting the life and works of Richard Allen, fo under of the African Methodi st Episcopal Church . "I joked with l Todd, Vandy and Rebecca that before I was through I was going to get it on MTV," sa id Dav id . He did get the tape rev iewed and used those positi ve quotes for an ad campaign . A steady flow of orders and a playing of the tape on National Public Rad io resulted. The fo ur students supported each other through projects like Manning's and in getti ng to know the city and a new circle of fri ends. They lived together in housing that was prearranged. "All we had to do was figure out how to ride the Metro ," said Cook. Was it hard to come back to Portland? "I appreciated Portland more ," said Manning. "Everyone in Washington wanted to talk about Ashl and . I want to become better acquainted with Oregon. " But of course the museums, art , seat of government and even the international feel of Washington will be missed by the three returning students. As a wistful Rebecca Nordby said, " It 's hard to leave walking down the Mall ." D PSU 13