Three generations of PSU students and faculty gathered in the Vanport room of Smith Center for the PSU Length of Service Awards on Wednesday.
Chief among those honored Wednesday was Richard Brinkman, professor of economics and international studies, who has been a member of PSU’s faculty for 40 years. Brinkman addressed attendants with enthusiasm, declaring, “[at PSU] it’s not a question of good, better, best, but how to make the best better.”
Professor Jagdish Ahuja, awarded for 35 years of service, described a position he had been offered at the International Biographical Center. “I turned it down,” Ahuja said, “Why? I’m teaching full time. I have to take care of the students first, that is my first duty.”
Other faculty members who began their work at PSU in 1966 recognized Wednesday included: Gavin Bjork, Ronald Cease, Pah Chen, Gordon Dodds, John Erdman, Gary L. Gard, Eugene Hakanson, Kwok-Wai Tam and John Walker.
Addressing what drew him to PSU, Professor Steven Brenner described Portland’s commitment to green spaces and his interest in the teaching of business policy and manufacturing administration.
“One of the things that stands out,” Brenner said of his 30 years at PSU, “is the struggle to build a new business school building.” That goal was accomplished in 1977.
Faculty honored for 30 years of service included: John Damis, Jeanette DeCarrico, Joan Hayse, Gary Perlstein, Franz Rad, Ronald Ritchie and Charles White.
In addition to celebrating the historic achievements of the present faculty, the awards ceremony also addressed the events which they have witnessed through the years.
The Sadie Hawkins dances and pajama parties of the ’60s, the solemn reflection of the ’70s and the optimism of the ’80s were all noted.
The past four decades have seen PSU grow from a “poor man’s prep school” to a vital institution and model urban university.
Faculty recognized for 25 years of service included; John Brandsma, Hamilton Cheifetz, Linda Clawson, Nathan Cogan, Walter Ellis, Harold Gray, Phyllis Hayes, James Hein, Chris Hertel, Mary Kinnick, Brian O’Sullivan, Scott Parker, Alan
Resnik, J. Michael Shaughnessy, Carol Sindell, Pati Sluys, Richard Visse, Lawrence Wheeler, William Wilson and Martin Zwick.
Those members of the faculty with 20 years at PSU include: Pamela Babb, Johanna Brenner, Kathryn Burke, Barbara Campanian, Craig Carr, Andrew Collins, Mary Beth Collins, Douglas Cook, Sally Facer, Kathryn Farr, Angela Garbarino, Michael Goldade, Manouchehr Gorji, Richard Harvey, Josefina Johnson, JoEllen Lucke, Marilyn Shotola, Thomas Stanford, James Strathman, Ellen West and Craig Wollner.