Portland State Magazine Fall 2021

8 // PORTLAND STATE MAGAZINE FINDING INSIGHTS THROUGH IDENTITY BRAZIL Charles Klein, anthropology faculty, uses ethnographic approaches to examine the forces driving societal trends in Brazilian cities. Klein looks at how elements of identity—such as race, gender and sexuality—intersect with political activity, participation in higher education, social segregation, socioeconomic relations and demographic transformations. PSU REINVESTS IN SCHOOL OF GENDER, RACE AND NATIONS THIS FALL, a cohort of eight new faculty members joined the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences’ School of Gender, Race and Nations. With specialties ranging from Chicana/Latina young adult literature to race and gender equity in the labor trades, they represent a critical reinvestment in scholarship dedicated to understanding and advocating for historically underserved populations. (They also include one alum, Kali Simmons ’13.) “We are committed as an institution to building a community of scholars who will contribute to our collective, inclusive and future-oriented work of becoming a university that truly lives up to its ideals,” President Stephen Percy said. Studies suggest cluster hiring not only boosts interdisciplinary collaboration, but also builds faculty diversity by creating a built-in support network that helps with retention—all the more important as PSU serves an increasingly diverse student body. “It’s not only the right thing to do to have faculty reflect those students,” said Ted Van Alst, director of the School of Gender, Race and Nations. “It’s incumbent on us to model and show those students that there’s a place for them in the world.” —CRISTINA ROJAS AFTER SINGING a soaring rendition of “Tomorrow” from the musical Annie on NBC’s America’s Got Talent, Jimmie Herrod MM ’16 received a rare Golden Buzzer that catapulted him directly to the hit television show’s live quarterfinals. (Within a month, the performance had been watched nearly 11 million times on YouTube alone.) Song by song, as the competition advanced, Herrod wowed judges who called his performances in turn “stunning” and “unforgettable.” He competed against nine other acts in the September finals, but, in the end, magician Dustin Tavella took the $1 million prize. Still, we won’t soon forget moments like Herrod holding his own with Broadway legend Idina Menzel in a duet of “Defying Gravity.”There’s no doubt he proved himself a voice to be reckoned with. (Go to tinyurl.com/5epxrf7f to watch his performances.) This fall, Portland State presented Herrod with the 2021 Simon Benson Award for Alumni Achievement, the University’s top honor for alumni. —SCHOLLE McFARLAND HERROD’S GOT TALENT GLOBAL IMPACT: STUDYING SOCIETY AROUND THE WORLD by Shaun McGillis TRAE PATTON, GETTY IMAGES park blocks New faculty members include (top row) Bright Alozie, Courtney Terry, Cristina Herrera and Kai Hang Cheang; (bottom row) Kali Simmons, Martín Alberto Gonzalez, Melissa Patiño-Vega and Molly Benitez.