Portland State Magazine Winter 2017

22 PORTLAND STATE MAGAZINE WINTER 2017 T his is the largest number of students in PSU history supported by one scholarship program during a single year. The students are enrolled in the School of Social Work and the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences STEM (science, technology, engineering and math) programs. Math major Agreepenna Alagoz is a first-generation college student like most of the Vernier Endowed Scholars. She grew up in Woodburn in a traditional Russian Orthodox family and attended Canby High School. In her faith, she says, it is not unusual for families to encourage girls to marry at a young age, and it is still somewhat unusual for a Russian Orthodox woman to pursue a higher education. “Receiving this scholarship means I can live on campus and get that full college experience,” she says. After PSU, Alagoz plans to earn a master’s degree and envisions using her mathematics background to work in her local community, perhaps in the field of parks and recreation. She would also like to spend time working in the business world and is interested in teaching mathematics. Alagoz sees herself as a role model for other girls in her community, including her 16-year-old sister who is passionate about writing. “She wants to go to college, and I’m helping her to push herself,” Alagoz says. “I’m there to help her and other girls in my community if they want to pursue a higher education path, to show them that they can do it, too.” The Verniers themselves are both first- generation college graduates and received scholarships to attend college. “We know what a difference it makes to get help with college costs,” says Christine Vernier. “We attended at a time where it was not as expensive as it is today.” Christine Vernier majored in sociology and worked as a social worker, and David Vernier majored in physics and worked as a science teacher. The two founded Vernier Software & Technology, an Oregon-based company that produces software and hardware for science classrooms across the country and the world. When Christine and David Vernier walked onto the PSU campus for the first time many years ago, they were impressed with the diversity of the student population. “PSU does an amazing job of providing opportunities to first-generation, minority and underserved students,” Christine Vernier explains. For two decades, the Verniers have been generous supporters of Portland State. They have also given to other scholarships and a variety of initiatives across campus, including the University Venture Development Fund, the School of School Work and the Maseeh College of Engineering and Computer Science. In honor of their continued support of PSU and its students, they received the 2014 Simon Benson Award for Philanthropy. T H E I M P A C T O F G I V I N G Vernier Endowed Scholars are scientists and social workers in the making. Thanks to a new $3.6 million gift from local technology entrepreneurs Christine and David Vernier, 43 students are receiving the financial boost they need to earn bachelor’s degrees. + AGREEPENNA ALAGOZ Mathematics Faces in our future