PSU introduces Hellenic studies minor

A donation will bring ancient and Modern Greece to life at Portland State. E. John Rumpakis has donated $259,000 to the College of Liberal Arts and Science for the creation of a Hellenic studies program.

The mission of the program will be to strengthen the relationship between Portland and the “people and culture of Greece and the Greek Diaspora,” according to a press release.

CLAS Dean Marvin Kaiser said that PSU currently teaches many courses related to Greek or Hellenic studies, including classes in language, political science and history. However, the college is now organizing the classes into a minor.

“We trust that sometime next year it will be formally recognized by the university,” he said.

Although PSU has classes in both ancient and modern Greek language and literature, neither has tenure-track positions, said Sandra Freels, the chair of the Department of Foreign Languages and Literatures. The donation will be used to seed a tenured position in modern Greek.

“World Languages and Literatures will conduct a national search next year to fill that position,” she said. “We expect the new associate professor of modern Greek to begin work here in September 2011.”

According to Kaiser, the chosen individual will also serve as director of the program and will therefore be in charge of helping the program to grow and of advising students.

“The intention [of the minor] is to expand offerings in Greek language and literature so that a minor can be offered, with three years of modern Greek and additional courses in modern Greek literature and culture,” said Martha Hickey, director of International Studies.

Specific course offerings will not be known until the new faculty member is chosen.

In addition, the program will work to strengthen relationships with Greek universities, according to the press release. The program also aims to collaborate with other PSU language and culture programs, such as Italian studies, Judaic Studies and the Middle East Study Center.

According to Kaiser, the Hellenic studies program must fit in with PSU’s mission to engage with the community.

“Like [other programs], maybe we bring in outside speakers and have collaborations with other institutions to raise up the profile of that particular program,” he said. “That’s the agenda that we are moving along here.”

The university will begin recruiting for the new position created with the donation this fall, he said.

Rumpakis grew up in Portland and is very active in the community. He was also instrumental in bringing a scholar versed in the conflict in Cyprus to PSU’s conflict resolution department six years ago, Kaiser said.

According to associate professor Harry Anastasiou, Rumpakis was also the first benefactor to the Peace Initiatives Project, which works to develop interethnic peace in Cyprus, Greece and Turkey.

In addition, Rumpakis has given a number of scholarships to students in the School of Business as well.

“He’s a wonderful man. He and his wife are very active in the community,” Kaiser said.

Greek communities in the U.S.

Cyprus has been disputed by Greece and Turkey since the island achieved independence from Britain in 1960.

The 2006–08 American Community Survey—performed by the U.S. Census Bureau—reports that 13,602 people of Greek ancestry live in Oregon, and 1,370,221 in the entire U.S.