PSU Magazine Winter 1999

Scott andJill Shoen know it is unusual for a young family like theirs to join the PSU Centennial Society, but with the birth of their son, Calen, they knew it was time to think big and plan their estate. After they took care of family and some of their favorite charities, they established the Shoen Family Endowed Scholarship at PSU. Scott and Jill believe that Portland State opens doors to students and makes their community a better place. Their arrangement is unusual, but considering they are both certified public accountants, it is not surprising. That's not to say they're unadventurous. Scott started college in Texas where he grew up. He studied philosophy, psychology, and engineering. He left college before earning a degree and found work as a cab driver, contractor, cook, oil field roughneck, salesman, ship's carpenter, and fire fighter. He eventually went back to school to study economics. He saved just enough money for six quarters of college, moved West, decided to study accounting, and picked Portland State for having the best accounting program in Oregon. Jill is a Portland native. She first attended an out– of-state premed program, but it just wasn't the right fit. After enrolling at PSU, she found she enjoyed beginning accounting classes and made that her major. Scott and Jill both got jobs right out of PSU, which is typical of the program. They actually met at work, a big accounting firm. But Scott admits he is not a model employee. So he left the firm to buy his own company, GT Systems, which manufactures, upgrades, and repairs personal computer systems. Jill left the firm, too, and became an accounting manager of a manufacturing company, where she was quickly promoted to the top financial job. She could have kept on working, but after Calen was born she couldn't resist spending as much time as possible with him-who could? Of course, Jill remains active in the community and with charitable causes, serving on the board of Oregon's best know environmental group. Scott and Jill hope Calen values higher education as much as they do. Scott wouldn't mind if Calen pursues physics or math. Jill hopes for him to become socially and environmentally responsible. But their gift to PSU is an endowed scholarship for students studying in any discipline. They believe students do best pursuing what they love. The Shoen Family Scholarship is an unusual step for a family so young, but they think it's the right plan. "We hope your family joins ours in planning some– thing you believe in for PSU." Scott and :fall Shoen '·.·.:•'T~ I '" ·~:'!.I ' PORTLAND STATE UNIVERSITY OFFICE OF PLAN_NED AND MAJ .O .. ~~~g~ F'f.S : , { .. ~~· ..- :!