sALUMnotesALUMnotesALUMnotesALUMnotesALUMno Western Oregon University April 2007WOUMagazine 1 Alum n o tes Western Oregon University You watch your financesclosely . They do their best. The average education loan debt of many college students when they graduate exceeds the national average credit card debt of $9,000. Yesterday’s Western Oregon University student could work a summer job and earn enough money to pay their next year’s tuition and expenses. Over half of today’s WOU students work in the summer and during the school year to help pay for tuition and expenses. And still they graduate with an average education loan debt of nearly $20,000. Your contribution in support of student scholarships absolutely makes a difference! • Outright gifts • Gifts of appreciated assets such as property and securities • Charitable gift annuities Contact James Birken Director of Gift Planning Western Oregon University University Advancement The Cottage Monmouth, Oregon 97361 503-838-8145 [email protected] Western Oregon University Magazine © April 2007 • Volume 8, No. 2 What’s Inside PRESIDENT John P. Minahan Washington EXECUTIVE EDITOR Leta Edwards Vice President for University Advancement Envisioning the MANAGING EDITOR ‘06 Maria Austin future Coordinator of Alumni Programs 4 Oregon President discusses his three-year Idaho CONTRIBUTING WRITERS vision for WOU Maria Austin Russ Blunck Lori Jordan Brown Craig Coleman Leta Edwards Being prepared Lisa Pulliam WOU-based Homeland Security Nevada Alaska PHOTOGRAPHERS 6 grant assists Native Americans Lori Jordan Brown Leta Edwards Stephen Katin Dionne Parks California Scott Smith Giving where the PRODUCTION ASSISTANT Dionne Parks 9 heart is EDITORIAL BOARD Emeritus professor of art makes Meg Artman Hawaii generous gift to gallery Maria Austin Kristi Dopp 4 Leta Edwards ‘67 ‘72 Nick Mausen Connie Wildfang Making spring break DESIGN ’99 Denise Visuaño 9 12 constructive Alternative Break students build, Western Oregon University Magazine © is published by University Advancement for alumni nurture and clean and friends of Western Oregon University. Please send your comments to Western Oregon University University Advancement 345 N. Monmouth Ave Impressing the Monmouth, OR 97361 6 e-mail: [email protected] 25 scouts Wolf football standout is on the Change of address notices should be sent with the mailing panel on this magazine to pro radar Western Oregon University University Advancement 345 N. Monmouth Ave Monmouth, OR 97361 Third Class Standard A postage is paid in Departments Forest Grove, OR. This publication can be made available in Editor’s Note 2 alternative formats to assist persons with disabilities. Please give reasonable notice to the Arts 3 Office of University Advancement, 503-838-8281 12 On Campus 4 WESTERN OREGON UNIVERSITY Giving 7 ALUMNI ASSOCIATION 25 BOARD OF DIRECTORS ’04 Katie Carpenter Faculty & Staff 10 ’67 Cori Frauendiener ’99 Dwayne Hilty Students 12 ’99 Julie Hilty ’98 Tom Hoffert Alumni 15 ’01 Ida Lafky ’67 ’72 Nick Mausen Athletics 25 ’67 ’69 Wes Scroggin ’73 ’90 Mary Trolan ’63 Steve Trout ’69 Roger Zumwalt Editor’s Note Dear Alumni and Friends, Western Oregon University is on the move. Despite sometimes disappointing news from the Oregon Legislature about how higher education might be funded in the future, this university has a tenacious spirit that won’t be discouraged. Our new WOU logo and theme reflects that forward-moving, go-for-it attitude. It not only relates to the university itself, but to the students who have chosen to take the challenging road toward a college degree. They, too, are on the move, envisioning their future and doing what it takes to get there. And it reflects our alumni who are active contributors to their communities. Together—Western Oregon and You—we form a team that’s unstoppable. WesternWOU Oregon & you on the move This issue of WOU Magazine definitely reflects this spirit. President Minahan makes a visionary projection of where Western Oregon University will move in the next three years, beginning on page four. The Giving section, beginning on page seven, has grown with more news about generous alumni, faculty and friends who Your WOU Magazine production support team gathers demonstrate their confidence in the future by making endowment in The Cottage to go over final details. Left to right: ’06 gifts that support the university in perpetuity. Starting on page Maria Austin, coordinator of alumni programs; ’99 twelve, you’ll also read about Western Oregon students who didn’t Denise Visuaño, designer; and Tulane grad, Dionne Parks, take it easy spring break, but participated in service projects production assistant. And behind the camera is your editor. throughout the U.S. and the world. And Alumnotes is filled with news about graduates who haven’t stopped demonstrating that can- do spirit in their jobs and service since they left campus. Finally, we hope you notice a new look for WOU Magazine. From our cover masthead to page designs, we’ve tried to capture that spirit of campus vitality. Welcome back to our 4 designer, ’99 Denise Visuaño, graphic artist in the WOU public relations office, who has worked her creative magic, as usual. And welcome to ’06 Maria Austin, whose student Editor’s Note internship in the advancement office turned into a job. For the past year, she’s helped with athletic fund raising. With the departure of Alumni Director Lori Jordan Brown, Maria has stepped forward to serve as coordinator of alumni programs until a new director can be named. While we’re always relieved to finish an issue of WOU Magazine, it’s really quite a bit of fun getting to this point. We hope you enjoy it. Let us know if you do! Leta Edwards Executive Editor On the cover The colors of spring are painted on a blue-gray and brick-red canvas throughout the Western Oregon University campus. Photo by Dale Peterson Western Oregon University Arts Donated paintings fund art scholarships For two years, the Western Smith Fine Arts Series Oregon University Art Department 2007-2008 season displayed and used for teaching, announced paintings by California artist, Emily Sievert Weinberg (1878-1958). In All performances in Rice Auditorium. 2006, the paintings were sold to a For ticket information, call 503-838- Lake Oswego gallery. The $20,000 in 8333 or 503-838-8147. proceeds will fund scholarships for art students. Emily Weinberg painted in the San Francisco Bay area and is widely recognized for her landscapes of northern California and her floral renditions. Her paintings were donated to WOU by her cousin, “Mt. Tamalpias” by Emily Sievert Weinberg John Rosenberg, who inherited Freddy Cole and them. Rosenberg recalled that her Western Oregon, Rosenberg contacted Kevin Mahogany paintings had been displayed in a one- the Office of University Advancement to Tuesday woman show at WOU in 1985, after they make the gift of paintings. October 9, 2007 had been shown at the Capitol in Salem. Weinberg’s paintings can be viewed Because of this past association with on-line at www.matthewsgalleries.com. You’ve watched him perform on the Rice Auditorium stage, but have you spotted him on TV? Have you been amazed by the Hyundai commercial on television Pearl Django that has agile dancers morphing into Monday an automobile? The next time you December 3, 2007 watch, see if you can pick out Western Oregon University dance professor, Darryl Thomas. Thomas reunited with 5 his former dance group, Pilobolus, Arts for this award-winning automobile promotion. Darryl Garth Fagan Dance Wednesday Get your tickets early for the January 23, 2008 annual Spring Dance Concert The very popular Spring Dance Concert is scheduled for Thursday through Saturday, May 10, 11, 12, on the Rice Auditorium main stage. Directed by Professor of Dance Deborah Jones, the concert includes choreography by dance faculty, students and Portland-based and nationally recognized guest artist, Minh Tran, from Portland. For tickets and Lazer Vaudeville more information, contact the WOU Box Office at Monday 503-838-8462. March 31, 2008 Magazine • April 2007 On Campus Progress in a difficult universe John Minahan thought he would retire Responding to the nursing Western Oregon’s again as soon as a permanent president shortage was named for WOU. In just over a year, All the demographic stars are aligned newest president shares however, his temporary position was made to make Minahan’s next vision a sure his three-year vision. permanent, and he was named the 21st success. If the funding stars line up as well, president of Western Oregon University. Western Oregon University will renovate There was no need for a new beginning; and update existing facilities next year to things at Western Oregon were already create a site for a baccalaureate nursing on the move. The momentum Minahan program. WOU and Oregon Health and had created in his interim presidency just Science University are partnering to bring picked up steam and kept moving forward. this much-needed degree program to the mid-valley. Plans are for the first class to Where to go from here be admitted in the fall of 2008. Sitting in his office on a sunny late- The fact that the baby boomers winter day, President Minahan talked about are aging is not a particularly astute his vision for Western Oregon University, observation. But when the repercussions what it will be one, two and three years of this are considered with other from now. It’s easy to guess part of that challenges--the current nursing shortage, answer by checking his office surroundings; for example--a problem that is already bad interesting and beautiful items from his will grow much worse. “Over half of the operating room nurses are over 50,” Minahan explained. “Besides, there’s a natural shortage of The world is not an easy place for geriatric and emergency care nurses.