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Portland State University PDXScholar University Archives: Campus Publications & Portland State Magazine Productions Winter 1-1-2016 Portland State Magazine Portland State University. Office of University Communications Follow this and additional works at: https://pdxscholar.library.pdx.edu/psu_magazine Let us know how access to this document benefits ou.y Recommended Citation Portland State University. Office of University Communications, "Portland State Magazine" (2016). Portland State Magazine. 16. https://pdxscholar.library.pdx.edu/psu_magazine/16 This Book is brought to you for free and open access. It has been accepted for inclusion in Portland State Magazine by an authorized administrator of PDXScholar. Please contact us if we can make this document more accessible: [email protected]. WINTER 2016 Local talent Passionate alumni are making a difference / 10 Made in the shade / 14 Her tribe, her future / 16 One-pill solution / 18 Where we work / 20 The people’s champ / 22 LET KNOWLEDGE SERVE OUR YOUTH speech and hearing sciences major Chelsea Oostman (right) helps youngsters with disabilities explore their sense of adventure and empowerment as a counselor at Mt. Hood Kiwanis Camp. At Portland State, we believe knowledge works best when it serves the community. 2 PORTLAND STATE MAGAZINE WINTER 2016 Page 14 CONTENTS Departments 2 FROM THE PRESIDENT Vaping study expands Making college affordable Business School transformation The ultimate in ‘bike friendly’ Features 3 SHARED VISION New strategic plan focuses on 8 FANFARE 10 LOCAL tALent student success Singing a Strauss classic Seven alumni who are making a Winning a carnatic music difference in their communities. 4 PARK BLOCKS competition Shoring up for climate change Professor’s life as art 14 Where We WOrK Better late than never Mini art curators LinkedIn list of top employers of Carving out a tradition New Works alumni and students in Oregon. Where are the voters? Former president passes away 25 GIVING 16 MADe In the ShADe Paying it forward Looking at the link between urban trees and health. 26 ALUMNI Page 22 The woman behind the Nike 18 her trIBe, her FUtUre swoosh Gates scholar is committed to Alumni in the news improving the lives of her people. 29 LOOKING BACK One-PILL SOLUtIOn Groovin’ to the beat 20 Researchers discover a potential knockout punch against malaria. 22 the PeOPLe’S ChAMP Bruce Barnum makes winners out of a struggling PSU football program. On the COver Alumni Michelle and Ben Medler started the Portland Youth Jazz Orchestra 15 years ago. Read about them and other alumni starting on page 10. Photo by Edis Jurcys. Page 4 PORTLAND STATE MAGAZINE WINTER 2016 VOL. 30 | NO. 2 WINTER 2016 PORTLAND STATE MAGAZINE 1 FROM THE PRESIDENT WInter 2016 / vOL. 30 nO. 2 eDItOr Kathryn Kirkland WrIterS Harry Esteve, Bess Pallares, Suzanne Pardington PhOtOGrAPherS Kelly James, Edis Jurcys, 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 [email protected] ADDreSS ChAnGeS Making college affordable Please email [email protected] or call 503-725-4948 PORTLAND STATE has deep roots in by businesses. Increased revenue would pay ALUMnI reLAtIOnS OFFICe the metro area we serve. We partner with for scholarships and other student support Tom Bull, Executive Director Simon Benson House hundreds of businesses, organizations, at PSU, such as new advisers and faculty, 1803 SW Park Ave. schools and governments. Nearly 100,000 and would increase the opportunity for PO Box 751 of our alumni live, work and raise families low-income and underrepresented students Portland OR 97207-0751 here. in our area to get a college degree. 503-725-4948 [email protected] We are featuring some of those alumni in this issue, along with groundbreaking THE NEED for greater college affordability PSU BOArD OF trUSteeS research by our faculty and the amazing is clear: 70 percent of our students receive Pete Nickerson, Chair Swati Adarkar achievements of our students. They are financial aid—much of it in the form of Erica Bestpitch MS ’12 part of PSU’s significant—and rising— loans. Total unmet need for undergraduates Gale Castillo MA ’74 local impact, and we’re proud to share who qualify for financial aid is an Sho Dozono MS ’69 Maria Carolina Gonzalez-Prats their stories. astonishing $150 million. At Maude Hines The University and the region face a the same time, Oregon employers are Thomas Imeson formidable challenge, however, as the cost calling on PSU to produce more skilled Margaret Kirkpatrick Irving Levin of a college education continues to escalate graduates to grow their businesses and the Rick Miller MBA ’91 as state support shrinks. Students we rely local economy. Lindsay Stewart on to be our next generation of leaders and Working together, as a university and Peter Stott HD ’11 innovators are in danger of racking up high a community, we can make it possible Christine Vernier Wim Wiewel levels of debt that could limit their future for more of our neediest students to get a choices. Many are being priced out of college degree, launch their career and— Portland State Magazine is published college altogether. who knows?—someday end up in the pages three times a year, during fall, winter and spring terms. Contents may be That is why the PSU Board of Trustees of this magazine. reprinted only by permission of the unanimously endorsed a resolution to push editor. The magazine is printed on for college affordability on several fronts. recycled paper. Portland State University is an affirmative action / equal Those include continued efforts in Salem opportunity institution. to boost state funding, a comprehensive philanthropic campaign and exploration of a metro-area ballot measure that would ask Wim Wiewel voters in November to consider a tax paid PRESIDENT, Portland State UNIVERSITY 2 PORTLAND STATE MAGAZINE WINTER 2016 Shared VisionWRITTEN BY JOHN KIRKLAND New strategic plan focuses on student success. WRITTEN BY HARRY ESTEVE PORTLAND STATE’s Board of Trustees has approved a new commitment to equity, and innovate for long-term financial strategic plan for PSU that “puts students first” and places a stability. greater emphasis on equity and diversity. Each of the goals is backed by a number of action-oriented The document, more than a year in the making, is meant to initiatives, ranging from creating more “flexible degrees” to guide the University into the next decade by addressing rapid developing new, sustainable sources of revenue. Key compo- changes in higher education, demographic shifts and new nents of the plan call for improving student support as a way PSU priorities. of increasing retention and graduation rates, and for greater “This plan puts us in a position to thrive as an academic diversity among the faculty and staff. and economic leader,” President Wim Wiewel says. “A lot Other initiatives call for building on Portland State’s of work went into it, and that work is going to pay off as we reputation as a national model for urban universities that work move forward.” closely with community partners; doing more to recognize out- The plan was developed by a group of about 30 faculty, standing teaching and research; and creating a comprehensive staff, students, alumni and other members of the campus emergency management plan in the case of a natural disaster. community. About 100 more participated in committees that Wiewel says he is pleased by the additional weight given to developed language for the goals and initiatives. Hundreds students and equity. more took part in town halls meetings and social events to give “The planners recognized our future depends on ensuring an feedback. excellent, state-of-the-art education for an increasingly diverse “I’ve worked on a lot of strategic plans,” says Stephen Percy, student population,” he says. dean of the College of Urban and Public Affairs and chair of The team that developed the plan also redrafted PSU’s the main planning committee. “But I’ve never seen this level of vision statement, which now reads: “Portland State University participation by a campus.” leads the way to an equitable and sustainable future through academic excellence, urban engagement, and expanding THE DOCUMENT outlines five “strategic goals” for the opportunity for all.” University to strive for over the next five years: elevate student success, advance excellence in teaching and research, extend Harry Esteve is a staff member in the PSU Office of University PSU’s leadership in community engagement, expand PSU’s Communications. WINTER 2016 PORTLAND STATE MAGAZINE 3 Park Blocks Shoring up for climate change INTENSE SNOWFALL, flooding, tornados and other extreme weather events are becoming increasingly common as a result of our changing climate. How can urban areas become more resilient? Portland State is part of a $12 million international research project that will help cities analyze their infrastructures to make them more adaptable in the face of extreme weather. The PSU researchers—urban planning, geography and environmental scientists—will collaborate with Portland officials during the five-year project, which includes eight other cities in North and South America, 25 institutions and 70 collaborators. The National Science Foundation is funding the project. Photo by Don Schwartz. Better late than never TWO BOOKS borrowed from the Portland State Library were returned this fall 52 years late. The books were left in a book drop with a rubber band around them and a note saying: “‘Borrowed’ these books around 1963 for my high school speech class. They have moved with me many times. It is now time for them [to] go back home. Outdated—yes—but I’ll let you decide their fate now.” Librarian Joan Petit doesn’t know who had the books—records don’t go back that far—or why they were returned.