NEWS BRIEFS

PSU Foundation appoints new board members, elects officers

The Portland State Foundation recently appointed two new board members and elected officers.

The new board members are Kimberly Cooper, president and CEO of Fortuna Group, and John Lacker, an attorney who served on the Foundation’s board until 2003.

The foundation’s board is comprised of 50 elected members. Each member serves three terms. According to PSU’s website, volunteer members are chosen for their business, civic and philanthropic leadership, their ability to represent community interests and their commitment to the university.

 

Portland student to perform in NYC’s Carnegie Hall

One of Portland State music professor Carol Sindell’s students, 13-year-old Kristin Qian, has been chosen to perform as a violinist in the 2011 American High School Honors Performance Series at Carnegie Hall on Feb. 11.

Qian, now a freshman at Oregon Episcopal School, won the Music Teachers National Association Oregon State Junior Strings Competition at age 11 and the Young Artists Debut Concerto Competition at age 12.

Aside from playing violin, Qian is also an accomplished pianist, composer and writer, and has published a book of poems.

OIA hosts Middle East study abroad info session today

For those interested in studying abroad in the Middle East, the Office of International Affairs is hosting a study abroad info session today at 1 p.m. in 109 East Hall.

Middle East study abroad adviser Blythe Knott and Arabic language professor Yasmeen Hanoosh will discuss several different study abroad options in the Middle East and North Africa, including Egypt, Israel, Jordan, Morocco, Turkey, Tunisia and the United Arab Emirates.

The event will also feature a student panel of recent study abroad students, which will be followed by a Q-and-A session.

The session is free and open to the public.

 

Prize-winning author to discuss inner happiness

William Powers will discuss his new book, “Twelve by Twelve: A One Room Cabin Off the Grid and Beyond the American Dream,” during today’s Social Sustainability Colloquium.

According to a press release, the novel is about the ways in which humanity can transition to more responsible ways of living by becoming more attached to people, nature and oneself. Ultimately, Powers hopes to help people find inner joy.

Powers has worked in Latin America, Africa, Washington D.C. and North America and has been published in The New York Times, the International Herald Tribute and on National Public Radio. He has degrees from Brown University and Georgetown University.

The even will take place in the School of Social Work at 1 p.m. For more information, contact Marion Sharp at 503-725-4876.

 

Oregon’s population growth is slowing

According to the Portland State’s Population Research Center (PRC), Oregon’s population has increased from 3,823,465 in 2009 to 3,844,195 in 2010. This is a 0.5 percent increase, the slowest population growth in the state since the 1980s.

Slow population growth can be attributed to the number of deaths and to emigration, according to Portland State’s website. There was also a decrease in the number of births this year.

Studies by the PRC have found that 6,400 people moved to Oregon this year, less than half of the estimated number for 2009. Data also shows a decrease in employment, school enrollment and building permits for new housing. However, there has been an increase in the percentage of Medicare enrollees.

Larger metropolitan areas have experienced the most population growth. According to Portland State’s website, five counties account for about 80 percent of the Oregon’s overall population change from July 1, 2009 to June 30, 2010. Washington and Multnomah Counties increased by

about 5,500.

These population estimates are subject to revision. Final population estimates will be certified on Dec. 15, 2010.?