PSU Magazine Spring 2000

Schwenns give $1 million for student scholarships First-generation, college-bound students who are short on cash but long on ambition have a friend in the Schwenn family. Bill and Martha Schwenn donated $1 million to Portland State last year to help these students "get on the educational trail," says Bill Schwenn. Schwenn and his younger brother were the first college graduates in their family; both attended the University of Wisconsin-Madison. "I don't know what we would have ended up doing if it hadn't been for Wisconsin," says Bill, who in 1993 retired from a Hillsboro law practice after 52 years. Schwenn's successful law practice and the couple's warm feeling toward the Hillsboro community are what led to the establishment of the Schwenn Family endowed Scholar hip. "Martha and I decided we had to do something for the community here, and giving students a start-a boost-in their education fit with our family's values." Martha, who holds a bachelor' degree from Washington University in St. Louis, is a lifelong learner, having audited classes in political science and history at Portland State. The couple's daughter Stephanie Friedman is a graduate of Lewis & Clark Northwest School of Law, and daughter Page Frisch earned a master's in education from her father's alma mater. Frisch, a teacher at Arleta Elementary School in Portland, will serve on the scholar– ship's selection committee. The Schwenn Family Scholarship covers tuition, fees, and books for under– graduate students who are in financial need and whose parents haven't had higher education experience. Priority consideration is given to high school graduate of the Hill boro, Forest Grove, and Banks school districts. "When we first moved to Hillsboro it was a sleepy little town of 3,750," says Schwenn. "I feel privileged that the community trusted me with their legal affairs during my long career." 28 PSU MAGAZINE SPRING 2000 Graham Siddall, CEO of Credence Systems, spoke at the dedication of PSU's new Integrated Circuit Design and Test Laboratory. Thanks to a donation from Credence, Portland State is now one of the few schools in the nation to own state-of-the-art testing equipment used in semicon– ductor research and design. Sweetland honored with gift to endowment A party celebrating Monroe Sweetland's 90th birthday brought out some unusual well-wishers, including one who gave a $50,000 gift to the Monroe Mark Sweetland Endowed Scholarship at PSU. The party was hosted by the University in recognition of Sweetland's life of public service and promotion of public education, including the estab– lishment of PSU as a permanent, degree-granting institution 45 years ago. Friends of Sweetland established a scholarship in his name five years ago. In honor of his birthday, one close friend-who asked to remain anony– mous-added $50,000 to its coffers. The donor challenged the University to raise additional funds to bring the endow– ment to a minimum of $100,000. Sweetland, considered the grand old man of Oregon liberal politics, was a Democratic Party national committee- man from 1948 to 1956 and served in the Oregon Legislature from 1953 to 1962. While a tate senator, he helped move forward legislation establishing Portland State College in 1955. As chair of the Senate Education Committee during the late 1950s, he helped secure funding for major campus construction, including classrooms, a library, and a science building. In 1959, Sweetland served as principal sponsor of legislation authorizing the first gradu– ate program at Portland State. Sweetland left Oregon politics in the 1960s but continued to serve education. He moved to California, where for years he lobbied for the National Education Association. In 1995 he returned to Oregon, where two years ago, at age 88, he came out of retirement to run for his old legisla– tive seat in Oak Grove. Monroe did well in the polls, but lost to longtime friend Verne Duncan, who was among the guests at the birthday party. Education still remains a priority for Sweetland. "Investments in education do pay off," he has said. "Portland State has added enormously to the wealth of the state. It's been a good investment, not just a good policy." New to the board The PSU Foundation Board of Directors added four new members this year. They are Robert Gootee, presi– dent and CEO of ODS Health Plans; Barbara McDougall '75, community leader; Michael Richardson '77, presi– dent and publisher of Dark Horse Comics Inc.; and Kay Toran MSW '70, president and CEO of Volunteers of America of Oregon Inc. D In the "Partner in Education" report, which appeared in the winter 2000 PSU Magazine, the following members of the President's Associates were omitted: Theresa and Matthew J uines-Rapida.