Portland State Magazine Spring 2018

2 Spring 2018 VOL . 32 / NO. 2 EDITOR Kathryn Kirkland WRITERS Stephanie Argy, Kurt Bedell, John Kirkland, Paige Parker PHOTOGRAPHERS Kelly James, Edis Jurcys, NashCO Photography, Peter Simon COPY EDITOR Martha Wagner DESIGN Brett Forman, Evan Kirkley LETTERS TO THE EDITOR 810 Market Center Building PO Box 751 Portland OR 97207-0751 503-725-4451, fax 503-725-4465 psumag@pdx.edu ADDRESS CHANGES Please go to the website pdx.edu/alumni/contact or call 503-725-4948 ALUMNI RELATIONS OFFICE Tom Bull, Executive Director Simon Benson House 1803 SW Park Ave. PO Box 751 Portland OR 97207-0751 503-725-4948 alum@pdx.edu PSU BOARD OF TRUSTEES Rick Miller MBA ’91, Chair Erica Bestpitch MS ’12 Gale Castillo MA ’74 Sho Dozono MS ’69 Gregory Hinckley Maude Hines Thomas Imeson Margaret Kirkpatrick Irving Levin Peter Nickerson Steff Shao ’16 Lindsay Stewart Peter Stott HD ’11 Christine Vernier Rahmat Shoureshi Portland State Magazine is published three times a year, during fall, winter and spring terms. Contents may be reprinted only by permission of the editor. The magazine is printed on recycled paper. Portland State University is an affirmative action / equal opportunity institution. Portland State Magazine THE HONOR OF MY LIFETIME —leading Portland State University—became official May 4 when I was formally installed as ninth president. The day began with a procession through the South Park Blocks led by University faculty. It was incredibly meaningful for me and my family. I am the first in my family to attend college, and I could not help but think about all the people who championed me on my journey and shaped my future. The ceremony, held at the new Viking Pavilion in the Peter W. Stott Center, gave me an opportunity to thank the community for its warm welcome and to share the outlines of my vision for Portland State. The beautiful Viking Pavilion is just one example of how Portland State is continually evolving to meet the needs of both Generation Z students, the digital natives born between 1995 and 2012, and adult learners, students who come to campus with significant life experience. I think of these two groups as creators and re-creators. If I have learned anything about PSU in the past eight months, it is that this University is full of creators: designers, artists, mathematicians, writers, planners, researchers, scientists, technologists, builders—you name it. It gives us an edge. PSU launched its signature undergraduate experience two decades ago. University Studies allows students to pick a complex theme, such as sustainability or immigration, and study it from multiple perspectives. This culminates in a project that addresses a practical challenge in our community. University Studies builds divergent-thinking creators who can step outside their field of interest and practice skills from a mix of disciplines. It is one of the reasons why PSU is among the 10 most innovative universities in the nation. Our alumni demonstrate these same skills as they solve problems and contribute to their communities and our economy. We also have a program to diversify the ranks of biomedical professionals by providing mentoring and undergraduate research experiences to first-generation college students and students of color. Overwhelmingly, these kinds of programs help students stay engaged and on track to graduate. They deserve our investment. We can expand cross-disciplinary collaboration that solves real-world problems with research-based ideas. Existing research centers such as Life in Extreme Environments, Improvement of Child and Family Services, and Transportation Research and Education give us a template for discovery and success. By partnering with business and industry, we can offer students more experiential learning opportunities. We can educate a creative workforce in sync with regional and global needs and provide every learner with relevant credentials for meaningful careers. Let Knowledge Serve the City. Rahmat Shoureshi President, Portland State University Celebrating a University of Creators FROM THE PRESIDENT