PSU Magazine Winter 1999

'72, Ed.D. '96, Lake Oswego schools superintendent. The Distinguished Faculty Service Award recognizes a faculty member "who h as made extraordinary contri – butions, not only to the University, but to the Portland community." Last year's recipient was history Professor Gordon Dodds. Nomination materials can be obta ined by contacting the PSU Alumni Office at (503) 725-5073 or psualum@pdx.edu . Meeting at the beach In early October, alumni from commu– nities along the Oregon and Washington coasts met with PSU Preside9t Dan Bemstine at an event hosted by Daily Astorian publisher and PSU alumnus Steve Forrester '7 1. Bernstine and Robert Sylvester, dean of the School of Fine and Performing Arts, toured Astoria's Liberty Theater during the afternoon and met with members of the Astoria art community. They later joined Forrester, his wife, Brenda, and 40 alumni for a reception at the Forrester home. Artistic connections between PSU and local communities were discussed. "I'm honored to meet President Bem stine. I'm so glad he's interested in programs like Haystack," said Mary Elizabeth Anderson "We hope PSU continues this relationship." Benson House gets funding and facelift The historic Simon Benson House, scheduled to be moved to the PSU campus this spring to become the home of the Alumni Association, got a funding boost in November from the Meyer Memorial Trust in the form of a $100,000 challenge grant. The Alumni Association, in conjunction with the nonprofit group Friends of Simon Benson House, will raise funds to match the challenge. "We're delighted with this strong show of support from the Meyer Memorial Trust," says Pat Squire, executive director of the Alumni Association . "We've had calls and letters from alums around the country wanting to know how to get involved. We're undertaking a fund-raising campaign to match the challenge, and right now that's the best way for alums to participate. We need financial support to make this wonderful project a reality." According to Squire, the fund raising is at about 60 percent of its goal for the project. The Queen Anne style house, built in 1900 for lumber baron and philan– thropist Simon Benson at SW 11th and Clay, rece ived a scrubbing at a cleanup party on Saturday, Nov. 21. The event allowed over 50 curious supporters an opportunity to do some hands-on work at the house, cleaning away debris from the inside and The historic Simon Benson House (top photo) is moving to campus this spring. Helpers at a recent cleanup party, including Marcus Lae '75 (above) were pleased to find intact woodwork and stained glass windows. removing overgrown shrubbery from the outside. Workers were delighted to see the intact woodwork nd sta ined glass windows. "We're getting to this just in time," sa id Jerry Abrams, an old-house buff from Portland. "It needs a lot of work, but it will be great to save this wonderful house." For information about the project, or to make a tax-deductible contribu– tion, contact Pat Squire at (503) 725- 5072; by fax at (503) 725-5074; by e-mai l at squirep@pdx.edu ; by mail at PSU Alumni Association, PO Box 751, Portland, OR 97207-0751; or at Room 1, Cramer Hall. Check the Benson House Web site at www.pp.pdx.edu/benson. htm . D WINTER 1999 PSU MAGAZINE 19