PSU Magazine Spring 2004

Media legend next Simon Benson speaker Broadcasting icon Walter Cronkite wi ll be the featured speaker for Portland State's Simon Benson Awards dinner scheduled for Oct. 6 at the Oregon Convention Center. In its sixth year, the dinner honors Oregon residents who are advocates for phil– anthropy. This year's award win– ners are Caroline and Tom Stoel and Patricia and William Wessinger. Cronkite, affectionately nicknamed "Old Iron Pants" fo r his un0appability under pressure, has covered virtually every major news event during his more than 65 years in journalism-the last 54 while affiliated with CBS News. Cronkite will be on hand Lo acknowledge the accomplishment of the Stoels and Wessingers. Tom Stoel is a partner in Stoel Rives LLC, which employs 300 attorneys in fi ve states. His leadership has benefited Metropol– itan Family Service, Portland An Museum , American Red Cross, and Willamette University. Ca roline is closely involved with Planned Parent– hood, the Nature Conservancy, Oregon Council of the Humanities, Oregon Historical Society, and the PSU Foundation. Bill Wessinge r, a great-grandson of Henry Weinhard, co-founded the Wessinger Foundation with his brother Fred in 1979. lt has awarded over $6 .4 million in grants to social service, edu– cational, cultural, and environmental organizations throughout Oregon. Pat has provided crucial leadership to the Berry Botanic Garden, Polar Bears International , and the Oregon Zoo. Tickets and tables for the Simon Benson Awards dinner are now available by calling Leslie Grass at 503-725-8212 . College to give awards to 'Urban Pioneers' The College of Urban and Public Affairs will present its Urban Pioneer Awards fo r 2004 to former Multnomah County Executive and Sheri ff Don Clark; longtime advocate for open spaces Barbara Walker; and REACH Community Development, a nonprofit property development and manage– ment firm. The awards will be given May 17 at the Portland Hilton Hotel. Guest speaker is Lee Brown, former faculty member, Multnomah County sheriff, director of the White House Offi ce of National Drug Control Policy, and most recently, mayor of Houston. The Urban Pioneer Award was created in 2002 to honor state and community leaders who exhibit many of the values taught to students and held by faculty in the college. Sponsorships and tickets are avail– able by calling Rod Johnson at the Co llege of Urban and Public Affairs at 503-725-4044. □ Under new ownership and open for business lf you have never considered holding a meeting or conference on the PSU campus-reconsider. University Place, the former DoubleTree Hotel located at SW Fourth and Lincoln, is now open for business. And its business includes overnight stays, daily restaurant meals, and educational meetings and conferences. Earlier this year the University purchased the hotel property with its 235 rooms , dining room, kitchen , 8,000 square feet of conference space, and 230 park– ing spaces. Groups as small as five or as large as 400 can book space in Uni– versity Place's meeting and banquet rooms. The facility is staffed with professional conference personnel, including A/V technicians. The restaurant, University Place Gri ll , is open to the pub lic for all meals, Visiting campus from out of town? Portland State has 235 rooms, a restaurant, and con– ference facilities available at University Place, the former DoubleTree Hotel at SW Fourth and Lincoln. including an express breakfast buffet. University Place also includes a business service center with a copier, fax machines, and Internet access; University Market Gift and Coffee Shop; a 24-hour fi tness room; seasonal heated pool; and coin-operated guest laundry. PSU plans to provide shuule service between University Place and the main campus. For a brochure on University Place or to submit a request for con– ference facilities and guest rooms, contact the Campus Event Scheduling Office at 503- 725-4529, or submit a request on the Web at http://www.aux . pd.x.edu. SPRING 2004 PSU MAGAZINE 3