Portland State Magazine Fall 2008

A four-sided clock now stands sentinel over the University's Urban Plaza near Southwest Sixth and Montgomery streets in honor of the late Debbie Murdock. For many years Murdock, assistant to the PSU president for government relations, served as a mentor to students while representing Portland State to elected officials of agencies at all levels. Students of all ages learn about our local environment through the award-winning Community Watershed Stewardship program. Carters honor local watershed program FORM ER PRESIDENT JIMMY Carter and his wife, Rosalynn, personally con– gratulated professor Barry Messer in June as he accepted their foundation's first-ever national award for campus community collaboration. The accolades went to the Community Watershed Stewardship program, a part– nership between Porcland Scace and the Porcland Bureau of Environmental Services. Messer serves as adviser to che 14-year-old program, which is run by PSU graduate students and is responsible for more than 27,000 local volunteers planting 80,000 native planes and restoring 50 acres along local scream banks. Projects of the program often serve as learning experiences for elementary students as they volunteer at Johnson Creek or for garden projects at their own school . Through the years, Porcland Scace students have organ ized assistance on more than 130 community projects. The Career award i che second major award received by the program in the past year. The watershed program also earned che C. Peter Magrach/W.K. Kellogg Foun– dation Engagement West Region Award, making Porcland Scace the only university west of the Missi sippi co receive the prize. ■ ••