Portland State University Magazine Fall 1991

"You can't know what it was like," she ays. "I was shaking and after I hung up the phone, I cried." Dominquez starred classes again fa ll term . She plans to complete a de– gree in general studies in two years and take another year for her teach– ing certification. The Ryles Scholarship Fund owes its ex istence to longtime friends of Nancy Ryles: Leslie Emory, Joan Johnson, and Jean Morron, who helped on several of Ryles' political campaigns. Ryles was a former Republican state senator and ex– Beaverton School Board member, who became the first woman to se rve on the three-member PUC after it was created by voters in 1986. The three Portland women estab– lished the fund while Ryles was st ill hospitalized. "When the idea came up fo r the scholarship, we thought Nancy would have more time," sa id Joan Johnson. "We felt it was something she could look forward to. Nancy suggested making the scholarship available to women who have wanted to return to school but couldn't because of family responsibilities or financial reasons." An advocate for women's issues in her 20-year political career, Ryles knew the hardships such women must endure and the tremendous need fo r continuing an education, sa id Johnson. "Nancy always regretted not completing her own college educa– tion. She went to Willamette Univer– sity for about a year before she married and then later took classes at Portland State. She picked PSU fo r the scholarship because of her own , experience there." ·r The Ryles Scholarship is awarded' based on financial need, family and personal responsibilities, and other considerations. The amount varies A s a young woman, Connie Wilson was unable to finish her studies at Portland State College in the mid-1950s. Money was scarce and even working evenings and weekends didn't pay all the expenses of school. When W ilson's parents moved to Missouri , leav ing her without a low-cost place to live, she had to quit school and go to work full time. She worked in the Portland area at several jobs before jo ining Tektronix in 195 7 as a production technician. Over the years Wilson worked her way up, and with the support of her supervisors returned to Portland State-at the age of 30. She completed a degree in engineering in 1973. Fond of sports and outdoor recreation , she also played on the women's volleyball ream. Later, Wilson and a friend , Birgitt Hanssen, invested in several motor home parks. Hanssen managed the properties while Wilson continued work– ing to insure a steady income until their investment paid off. They got by on a shoe tring, putting all their money and time into the project. The business succeeded, but tragedy struck. Connie Wilson died of Can– cer in 1986. In honor of her lost friend who was unable to share in the frui ts of their labor, Hanssen has donated $15,000 to the Nancy Ryles Scholarship in memory of Connie Wilson . Eleanor Dominquez and her three children (left to right) Marie, Helen, and Stephen. according to need, but at ap– prox imately $5,000, the scholarship covers tuition, fees, books and prov ides for some li ving expenses. It is renewable for the calendar year as long as the recipient is making progres toward a degree. Applicants must be O regon res idents. Donations to the scholarship fund now stand at more than $139,000. A recently estab lished financial commit– tee is seeking corporate donations, with the goa l of a $250,000 endow– ment to fund four scholarships per year. The financial committee is made up of 14 area res idents, includ– ing Betty Roberts, former justice of the O regon Supreme Court, and fo rmer Governor Neil Goldschmidt as honorary chairman. Contri butions to the Nancy Ryles Scholarship Fund may be made through the Portland Stare Founda– tion, P.O. Box 243, Portland, OR 97204. D (Chris Normandin, a free-lance public relations writer in Portland, is a regular contributor to PSU Magazine.) PSU Zl