PSU Magazine Winter 2000

How can one individual make a difference? Matt Essieh learned firsthand. Growing up in Sampa, Ghana, Matt had the best mark in grade school. Still, his parents, subsistence farmers, could not afford to send him to high school. The cost of tuition, books, and clothing was too much. Fortunately, Su an Major, a Peace Corps volunteer from Grants Pass, came into Matt's life. Susan noticed his eagerness to continue learning. Although only 23 year old, with no vested interest, and on a Peace Corps salary, Susan paid Matt's tuition and helped with personal costs. Tragically, Susan died at age 28, but her parents, George and Jean Major, helped Matt attend college. He came to Oregon and completed a bachelor' in business and an MBA with an emphasis in information systems. That led to a job at a Hillsboro bank in 1983 and then a position as CFO for a financial service company. In 1989, he founded EAi Information System , a developer of soft– ware and customer service databa e for banks. Susan, although young and short-lived, made a difference. Without Susan and her parents, Matt says he would not have made it. Now, in a po ition to give back and make a difference him elf, he and his family are pleased to initiate a PSU schol– arship fo r a student from Sampa and to make it permanent through their estate plan . The Ess ieh Scholars will be selected based on superior acad– emic achievement, leadership potential, and promise of success at PSU. As important will be the expectation that as PSU alumni they will help those in Sampa, sharing the benefits of higher education in person or from abroad. At a critical point, Su an and her parents made a differ– ence. With a PSU education, Ess ieh Scholars can make a difference, too. PORTLAND STATE UNI VERSlTY OFFICE OF MAJOR & LEGACY GIFTS •:• 503-7 25-8307 I I