PSU Magazine Winter 2005

A computer kiosk holds the stories of the walk's heroines, making it "the heart and soul of the project." How it came about In 1998, Johanna Brenner, Women's Studies Department chair, and Jan Haaken, psychology professor, con– ceived the idea of a public space to honor mothers, sisters, daughters, and other women-living or not– who have inspired people who live in the area. They dubbed their concept the Walk of the Heroines and formed a committee to launch it. With the help of PSU architect Barbara Linn, the committee held a series of public workshops and the project began gaining momentum. In 2002, organizers received $200,000 from the PSU Student Building Fee to hire the landscape architectural firm of Mayer/Reed, the designers of Port– land's Eastbank Esplanade, to com– plete the master design. Currently, fund-raising is under way for construction, maintenance, a scholarship, and an educational fund to underwrite lectures, workshops, and other educational events for the community. More than 300 individu– als have contributed a total of $1 million in cash and about $670,000 in pledges to honor indi– viduals. Walk of the Heroines is part of the University's $100 million Building Our Future campaign. Mary Jo Daly, director of develop– ment for the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences, says the project has drawn many first-time contributors to PSU. "It's so thoughtfully con– ceived," says Daly. "For $200 you can honor a mother, sister, cousin, friend-I think it's going to be a gift to generations. All kinds of women are being honored, not just famous women." Details about the project are available at the Web site www.woh.pdx.edu. □ WINTER 2005 PSU MAGAZINE 15