Spring20_Mag_Combined_WEB_single_pages

SPRING 2020 // 7 AROUND CAMPUS , there’s a little bird with a big following. Nicknamed Little Cow Pigeon because of its distinctive black- on-white markings that resemble those of a dairy cow, the pigeon has nearly 2,000 followers on Instagram (@littlecowpigeon) and has served as the inspiration for student art projects, Halloween costumes, a crochet pattern and at least one tattoo. It all started in November 2017, when “Have You Seen This Bird?” flyers appeared around campus directing people to post Little Cow Pigeon sightings on Instagram. “I thought maybe everyone sees this pigeon, but nobody acknowledges it,” Katie Borton ’18 recalled. The film major started the account as a joke, assuming it would die out after she graduated. “Just as I was preparing to move out of state, the account picked up real speed and I just kept with it. As long as people wanted to shout-out Cow Pigeon I was going to keep posting their submissions,” she said. This fall, Borton, who now lives in Nevada, raised $100 for Portland animal hospital DoveLewis, selling a Little Cow Pigeon enamel pin and sticker pack on Etsy.com. As the magazine went to press, there hadn’t been a recorded sighting of Little Cow Pigeon since December, causing some to fear the beloved oddball is no more. But one thing’s for sure, Little Cow Pigeon left tracks through the hearts of many at PSU. As student Claire Golden wrote: “I get weird looks sometimes for getting so excited over a pigeon, but life is more fun when you get excited over the little things.” LONG-TIME Portland State advocates Christine and David Vernier—founders of Vernier Software & Technology, an Oregon company providing scientific hardware and software for education—made a $4.5 million pledge to PSU. Pending public investment by the Oregon Legislature, the University plans to use the gift to renovate the 53-year-old undergraduate science building, SB1, to provide flexible classrooms, state-of-the- art laboratories, and collaborative research and teaching spaces critical to multidisciplinary, interactive learning. The building will be renamed the Vernier Science Center. The Verniers have made a lifetime philanthropic contribution of more than $10 million to PSU and Christine Vernier serves as a member of the University’s Board of Trustees. After the renovation, PSU’s programs supporting first-generation and historically underrepresented minority students in STEM and health-related fields will move into the building. More than 80 percent of Portland State’s STEM students remain in Oregon after they graduate. CAMPUS TREND: LITTLE COW PIGEON TRANSFORMING SB1 Little Cow Pigeon inspired a lot of student art, like this illustration by junior Lupita Sanchez Lopez and map of sightings by Elisa Hung ’19. See more at pdx.edu/ magazine. Artist’s rendering of the future renovation of undergraduate science building SB1. SHKS ARCHITECTS