PSU Magazine Spring 1997

HILANTHROPY I N From corporate alumni Now in its fourth year, the PACE (Peer Alumni Corporate Employee) program is reaching out to an increas– ing number of alumni who are helping to spread the word of Portland State's gr wing stature in the community and the nation. More than 40 alumni volunteers have raised $80,000 in individual and corporate matching gifts toward University academic and educational access programs since 1993. PACE has not only raised money, but has also fostered a growing alumni network at four notable companies: U.S. Bancorp, Standard Insurance Company, Bank of America, and Tektronix Inc. The four companies employ ome 450 PSU alumni. Volunteers at each company help encourage donations to PSU; the donations are in turn matched by each of the companies. Current PACE chairs include John DiPasquale '75 , U.S. Bancorp ; Mary Raskin '77 and Larry Bliesner '72, Tektronix; Stephen Weary '93 and Mary Lou Grimes '84, Standard Insurance; and Gary Cumpston '90, Bank of America. PSU alumni who work in other corporations that have matching gift programs are encouraged to get involved in PACE. For more informa– tion, call Donna Schaeffer, PSU Office of Development, 725-5034. Tack sa mycket Scandinav ian languages at Portland State continue to have a bright future, thanks (tack sa mycket is "thank you very much" in Swedish) to a recent two-year, $80,000 pledge from the Scandinavian Heritage Foundation. The grant underwrites the costs of providing Scandinavian languages– Danish, Finnish, Norwegian, and Swedish-at PSU this year and next. Nearly 40 students attend the Scandinavian language classes, and many of these students are learning more than one language. "The Scandinavian Heritage Foundation ha been instrumental in keeping the program healthy and grow– ing for many years now," says Katrina Ratzlaff, development officer for ackn wledgment and stewardship. The Portland -based Scandinav ian Heritage Foundation is involved in a number of programs that help promote Scandinavian culture in the Portland area, including the 1997 Scandinavian Sampler scheduled for May 2 and 3 on campus. It is estimated that about 200,000 people in the Portland metropolitan area have Scandinav ian roots, ays Priscilla Blume! '81, the fo undation's executive director. Helping Native American students Jean Vollum, a longtime upporter of Native American students at Portland State, met with individuals she has helped through the years at a luncheon hosted by President Judith Ramaley in February. The six Jean Vollum Scholarship Fund recipients are: Breanna Kayate (Pima tribe), a recent PSU graduate in psychology now enrolled in PSU's ACTION Stephen Weary '93, Margaret McGilvra '68, and Monica Billing Icy '77 arc part of the PACE fund· and fricnd-rai ing program at Standard Insurance Company. Graduate School of Social Work; Allison Davis (Crow Creek S ioux), a senior premed student majoring in psychology; Gretchen Berretta (Tlingit and Tsimshian) , a senior maj oring in child and family studies; Colin Fj eld (Assiniboine Sioux), a junior majoring in architecture; Lonnie Smith (Sioux), a junior maj oring in administration of justice; and Ray Tate (Navajo ), a sophomore majoring in mathematics. Following the luncheon, Vollum visited the PSU chapter offi ce of the American Indian Science and Engineering Society (AISES ), which she helped initiate at Portland State several years ago. There, she was presented with a dream catcher and a plaque by AISES chapter members. Jean Vollum Scholarships are open to all eligible Native American students at Portland State and are renewable through the PSU Office of Educational Equity Programs and Services. 0 SPRING 1997 PSU MAGAZINE 19