PSU Magazine Spring 2006

From small to large, from World War II to post 9-11, from all-male sports to Title IX. Portland State celebrates its 60th year and the milestones its students, faculty, and community have experienced. Following are the stories of four students: two from Vanport days and two from today. They have things in common-the GI Bill, softball, and a need to help others. But their differences tell the real story-one of time, perspective, and progress. Le mood among returning Ameri– can veterans after World War 11 was, if not upbeat, then certainly determined. They arrived home in droves ready to make up for lost time-time spent away from their families, careers, and for some, their education. Capt. John Hakanson was one of these ready-set-go veterans, but he took his return a step further. As he pursued his own education, he helped transform Portland State's precursor, Vanport Extension Center, into a permanent co llege. In 1946, because of the Gl Bill, Vanport Extension Center had a lot of students, and they were mostly World War 11 veterans. Ilakanson, now 86, was born and raised in Oakland, Oregon, and saw action in New Guinea, the Philippine Islands, and Japan as a first lieutenant of the 123rd Infantry Regiment. He returned home a captain. "After the war, colleges were so crowded with people, they could hardly function, " Hakanson says. Vanpon's makeshift halls were choked with students from 7 in the morning to 11 at night. They were not college preppies. "Most of us were older than the typical college student and a good deal more experienced in the world," Hakanson says. "Many of us had families , too. " 18 PSL ~1AGAZINE SPRING 2006 Yesterday No one realized the long-term con– sequences when President Franklin Roosevelt signed the GI Bill into law. In fact , many people who would never have had the chance to go lo college– working class natives of Oakland, Ore– gon, for instance-took up the government's offer of books, tuition, and a stipend. The problem was, there weren't enough facilities to educate and house all these would-be college graduates. Vanport Extension Center became the institution of choice among local veter– ans for its location in Portland and its plentiful housing, previously occupied by shipyard workers. That housing came in handy when Hakanson enrolled in 1945, and his new bride, Helen, signed up for the nursing program al the University of Oregon Medical School now OHSU. As a summer project, Hakanson researched and wrote a fact-filled essay calling for the establishment of Van– port Extension Center as Portland State College through an act of the Oregon Legislature. His essay was featured prominently in The Oregonian, and soon the issue was indeed taken up by state law– makers. Hakanson continued his education at Willamette University in Salem, where he drafted a bill establishing Vanport as Portland State College. Rep. Rudy Wilhelm introduced it and guided it into law. Hakanson never went back to Portland State. He earned advanced degrees at University of Oregon and University of California at Berkeley After World War II, John Hakanson enrolled at Vanport Extension Center and helped transform it into a permanent college. Later he helped establish Clackamas Community College, serving as dean of instruction and retiring as college president in 1984. He and Helen raised three sons and one daughter, each of whom made a personal mark in their home commu– nities through teaching in public schools, and involvement in neighbor– hood sports programs and the community college system. N ow that the adults are stepping back to watch the family's 10 grand– children enter college, Hakanson finds his strong feelings about access to edu– cation remain undimmed. Indeed, some of the same issues that plagued Oregon in his day remain unresolved, generations later. "The thing 1 think about now is how difficult it is for some people to go to college at all, even community college," he says. "We probably are shooting ourselves in the foot in that respect."