PSU Magazine Winter 2005

Honoring a gentle warrior lrnelligem, honorable, compassion– ate, and respected . That's how lhose who knew him remember David Weisenburg. The energetic 26-ycar-old filled his life with the people and work that mauered to him most: his family, his education al Portland Slate, a promising business ... career, mentor– ing others, and serving his coumry. On September 13, 2004, the young staff sergeant, described by his father as "a gentle warrior," quickly Lo an assistant operations man– ager role al StarPark. "David had so many qualities Lhal we don 't see as much anymore in our society. Caring for fellow humans, courtesy, responsi– bility, compassion-we lost a lot when we lost him." The son of Jim and Marilyn Weisen– burg, David grew up in Portland with lwin brothers Jason and Daniel and sister Elizabeth. A swimmer and a soc– cer and tenor sax player throughout his teens, he joined the Army after graduating from Benson Polytechnic High School in 1996. After four years of service that took him Lo Kuwail and Korea, David rernrned Lo Portland Lo start his college edu– cation al PSU and begin building a career. Student David Weisenburg was a friend to children both at home and in Iraq, where he died in September. David also found Lime Lo serve as assisLanL coach of the SL. Mary's Acad– emy swim team. "He was a brave man," says Learn coach and lifelong friend Liane Brakke-Pound. "He agreed Lo work wilh me and 60 teenage girls." His sense of fun quickly endeared him to lhe Learn. "The first few died in a roadside bombing while serv– ing with his Oregon National Guard unit in Taji , Iraq. David will also be remembered by people who never mel him, thanks Lo Portland businessman Barry Schlesi nger. He and his brothers, Paul and Mark, have established the David Weisenburg Memorial Scholarship LO assisl PSU studen ts with financial need. lL was an easy decision for Schlesinger and his fami ly, who also fund a scholar– ship al PSU in memory of their parems. "I noliced right away that lhe kid had a spark," he recalls. David started out with Sch lesinger's company as a restauram parking valet, bm advanced days at practice he kept changing his name-Chris, then Kevin, then Bob. The girls just decided Lo name him Fernando. He put up with iL, he even had it printed on the back of his sweatshirts." The team is dedicating ils 2004-2005 season Lo "Fernando." David's playful spirit and kind– heartedness with Lhe St. Marys Learn is just another example of why Schlesinger and his brothers established the memo1ial scholarship. The endowed fund also advances a top pri– ority of the University's Building Our Furnre campaign. PSU serves more stu– dents with high financial need than any other university in Oregon. Tuition, .., . The Campaign for Portland State University books, and living expenses can top $13,000 per year; if a studen t also has family Lo support, this figure can sky– rocket. Over 60 percent of PSU stu– dems work 16 Lo 35 hours each week in addilion to lackling a full academic schedule. Approximate ly 70 percent receive financial aid-primarily loans. If the only aid a low-income student can procure is loans, often the only alternative is Lo work more-not a pre– scriplion for academic success. Evi– dence shows a direct correlation between the hours a swclent works and grade averages--earn more, learn less. Schlesinger wants the Weisenburg Scholarship Lo accomp lish two things. "You know, humans are buill to with– stand just about anything life throws at us-we're tough, we endure-but we're not programmed Lo lose our kids. I hope this scholarship helps give David's parems some peace, and the comfort of knowing LhaL something good is continuing in his name. Sec– ond, l hope the scholarship affords a bright young person who doesn't have a lot of financial resources the oppor– tunity Lo go Lo college-so that they can make life beuer for themselves and others." Just like David did. -Katrina Ratzlaff Scholarships help keep promising students in school and achieving their full poten– tial. Learn more about how the Building Our Future campaign is making a difference on our Web site www.pdx.edu/giving. WI 1 TER 200'5 P~L t\lAGAZlNL 29