Willamette University Honors Wartime Students

Japanese-American students at Willamette University during World War II were forced to say an abrupt goodbye when federal prosecutors rounded them up for a trip to an internment camp. In February, Willamette invites them to return for a series of events in their honor.

Japanese-American alumni from the time period, their families and the general public are invited to campus Feb. 19, the 66th anniversary of President Franklin Roosevelt signing Executive Order 9066 authorizing the removal of people deemed a threat to national security from the West Coast to relocation centers further inland.

Oregon Poet Laureate Lawson Inada and friends will present “Revisiting Willamette: A Sentimental Journey,” an evening of poetry and jazz, Feb. 19 at 7:30 p.m. in Hudson Hall. Inada, a nationally noted poet and the author of five books, is an emeritus professor of writing at Southern Oregon University who was sent to an internment camp as a young boy. Gov. Ted Kulongoski appointed him Oregon’s fifth poet laureate in 2006. The program also will include 1940s–era music performed by jazz musicians Larry Nobori, Rick Homer, Andre St. James, Nola Bogle and Gordon Lee. This event is co-sponsored by the Portland Japanese American Citizens League.

Earlier in the day, Shizue Seigel, author of “In Good Conscience,” will discuss cross-racial alliances to protect civil liberties during wartime in a lecture at 4 p.m. in the Hatfield Room of the Hatfield Library. Siegel’s book offers portraits of two dozen citizens who spoke out against internment and examines how ordinary people can become advocates for justice and compassion.

Two films, “From 9066 to 9/11” and “Stand Up for Justice: The Ralph Lazo Story,” will be presented Feb. 18 from 4 to 6 p.m. in the Paulus Lecture Hall at the College of Law. The event will include a discussion with the filmmakers and local Japanese-Americans affected by Executive Order 9066. Ralph Lazo was a Latino teenager who boarded a train to a World War II camp so he could join his Japanese friends.

All events are free and open to the public. For more information, contact Michelle Maynard at (503) 370-6031.

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Willamette Ranks Third Among Peace Corps' Top Producers

Willamette University ranks No. 3 on the Peace Corps’ top 25 list of small undergraduate schools producing Peace Corps volunteers, moving up six spots from last year.

With 27 alumni serving as Peace Corps volunteers, Willamette ranks behind only the University of Chicago and Gonzaga University among colleges and universities with fewer than 5,000 undergraduates.

Since the Peace Corps’ inception in 1961, 275 Willamette alumni have joined its ranks, making Willamette one of the Peace Corps’ top 200 all-time producers of volunteers in a list of nearly 3,000 schools of all sizes.

To read more about the rankings, visit http://www.peacecorps.gov/index.cfm?shell=resources.media.press.view&news_id=1291.

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Willamette Among Top Producers of Fulbright Students

Willamette University is among the top producers of 2007–08 U.S. Fulbright Fellows, according to a recent announcement by the Fulbright Program that was highlighted in an Oct. 26 article in The Chronicle of Higher Education.

Three students and alumni from Willamette won Fulbright awards for 2007–08, making Willamette one of just two Oregon schools in the listing of top universities. Twelve Willamette students and alumni have received Fulbright grants in the past five years.

This year’s winners are Elizabeth Humphrey ’07 and Maia Hoover ’07, who are teaching English in South Korea, and Craig Webster ’05, who is studying film in Hungary.

Under the Fulbright program, almost 1,500 American students in more than 100 different fields of study were offered grants to study, teach English and conduct research in more than 125 countries.

The Fulbright competition is administered at Willamette through Monique Bourque, director of Student Academic Grants and Awards. To learn more, contact her at mbourque@willamette.edu or (503) 370-6607.

Read more about our recent Fulbright scholars here: http://blog.willamette.edu/stories/archives/2007/04/fulbright_retur.php and http://blog.willamette.edu/stories/archives/2007/05/student_travels.php.

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Willamette University Campaign Effort Hits $100,000,000

About 650 Willamette University alumni attending reunion weekend events were among the first to hear the news: The University’s Campaign for Willamette had hit the $100 million mark. The gift that made the difference was a check for $1 million presented to University President M. Lee Pelton Saturday evening from members of the Class of 1957.

“We are thrilled with this result,” Pelton said. “Members of the Class of 1957 are to be commended for this outstanding contribution. We are deeply moved by their generosity. Living Willamette alumni number fewer than 17,000. That is a relatively small community to engage in this level of fundraising. Equally important is the participation among our faulty and staff. Since the campaign began in 2002, our own campus community has donated more than $1,670,000. That’s impressive and it speaks to the pride we all feel for this university.”

The campaign has experienced periods of unexpected intensity. In one 13-month period between April 2006 and May 2007, the University raised $25 million.

The $125 million campaign is focused on growing the endowment which stands at approximately $285 million.

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Willamette University Presents New Farce Written by Alumna

Willamette University Theatre presents “W(h)acked, an Immorality Play,” written by Willamette alumna Stephanie Timm, as its third show of the 2006–07 season.

Performances are Feb. 16–17 and 22–24 at 8 p.m. and Feb. 18 and 25 at 2 p.m., with a preview Feb. 15 at 8 p.m. They will be held at Arena Theatre in the Theatre Playhouse at Willamette University, 900 State St.

“W(h)acked, an Immorality Play” is a new farce with classic style where the members of the Underground Very Secret Hush Hush Ladies Serial Killer Club invite you to step into the ladies’ room and peek into the world of the followers of Sister Lottie Limerick, a serial killer of the days of old. Haunted portraits, hot janitors, evil plots and naughty secrets combine to make one wickedly hilarious evening. “W(h)acked, an Immorality Play” has received two staged readings at ACT Theatre in Seattle and premiered at Live Girls! in Seattle in October.

Playwright Stephanie Timm’s most recent work, “Crumbs Are Also Bread,” will premiere at Washington Ensemble Theatre in February. Timm, a 1999 Willamette graduate, also wrote “Frankenocchio,” which opened the 2004–05 season at the Empty Space Theatre in Seattle. Her short play, “Lil Heroes,” is a finalist for the 2006–07 Heideman Award. Timm is a principal playwright with Seattle Dramatists and a recent recipient of a GAP (Grants for Artists Projects) award from Artist Trust. She teaches at the Hugo House in Seattle and with the Young Playwrights Program through ACT Theatre.

Willamette student Kyle McBroom, a senior theatre and rhetoric major, will design lights for the production. Designers include department co-chair Chris Harris (set) and resident costume designer Bobby Brewer-Wallin. Their tasks include creating an ornate powder room that can be transformed into the covert meeting place of the club, as well as outfitting the femme fatales and their unfortunate victims.

The cast features Willamette students Corinne Becker as Abhorabelle, Sarah Hamilton as Detesta, Sarah Jo Kendall as Crueliet, Britt Lauer as Lottie Limerick, Tara McLauchlan as Revengaline, Annie Rimmer as Tormentina, and Aaron Smith as the many unfortunate men who come in contact with the Underground Very Secret Hush Hush Ladies Serial Killer Club.

To purchase tickets, contact the Willamette University Box Office at (503) 370-6221 or reserve tickets by email at thtr-tix@willamette.edu. Opening night is $12 for general admission and $8 for students and seniors. Most other evening performances are $10 for general admission and $6 for students and seniors; matinees are $8 general admission and $6 for students and seniors. Contact the box office for specific pricing and details.

For more information contact the theatre department at (503) 370-6222 or go to www.willamette.edu/cla/theatre.

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Willamette University Coffee Shop Celebrates 20 Years

Wanting a fun place to hang out on campus, in 1986 two Willamette University students approached then-President Jerry Hudson about opening a coffee shop. Twenty years later, the Bistro is thriving as the ultimate place for students, faculty, staff and even community members to sip a latte, talk with friends, listen to music or meet for a class.

The Bistro, located on the first floor of Putnam University Center, will celebrate its 20th anniversary Sept. 29 and 30 with a series of reunion activities. Alumni who have worked there over the years will return to share their memories. Some will even hop behind the counter from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. Sept. 29 to relive their days of serving up joe. Folk band Garett Brennan and the EbGbs will perform a free concert that evening from 7:30 to 11 p.m. Brennan is a Willamette alumnus whose college band was a fixture at the Bistro in the early 2000s.

Other alumni visitors will include John Donovan and Eric Friedenwald-Fishman, the students who started the shop. As freshmen at Willamette, they decided students needed a late-night place to meet for coffee. They spent much of their sophomore year presenting various coffee shop plans to the college president. After getting approval, they spent a work-filled summer getting the place ready to open.

Donovan and Friedenwald-Fishman, both Portland residents, went on to start Metropolitan Group, one of the country’s leading social issue marketing firms.

“Whenever I walk into the Bistro, there are people studying together, tables of students and faculty interacting or people playing music,” Friedenwald-Fishman said. “It seems like it still draws a diverse group of students from all parts of campus who might not have otherwise interacted.”

Since its opening, the Bistro has become a meeting place for the campus community. Many faculty members stop by in the morning for a scone or coffee, and some hold classes there and have specific chairs they call their own. Students often hang out there, and regular concerts and open-mic nights also bring in community members looking for live music.

Students who work at the Bistro prepare all the food themselves — including cookies, scones, burritos and sandwiches, often based on family recipes passed down from former employees. They also run the entire business themselves, giving them experience in entrepreneurship, said Bob Hawkinson, dean of campus life and the Bistro’s first faculty advisor.

“The Bistro is a central meeting place, and it’s a place to relax,” Hawkinson said. “It meets a need of students, faculty and staff for a nice, friendly, cohesive coffeehouse atmosphere.”

For more information about the reunion, go to www.willamettealumni.com/bistroreunion.

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Breakfast Forum Features Portland Icon

Gertrude Boyle, matriarch and chairwoman of the board of Columbia Sportswear, and Kerry Tymchuk, state director for U.S. Sen. Gordon Smith, will share the microphone at the Thursday, Sept. 28, Willamette University Breakfast Forum at the Multnomah Athletic Club in downtown Portland beginning at 7 a.m.

Boyle has been hailed by Working Woman magazine as one of America’s Top 50 Women Business Owners and named one of 1994’s “Best Managers” by Business Week. Since she and her son, Tim, began managing the company, Columbia Sportswear Company has gone from near bankruptcy to become one of the world’s largest outerwear manufacturers and the leading seller of skiwear in the United States. Columbia’s sales have soared from $12.9 million in 1984 to $1.1 billion in 2004, and the company continues to forge ahead with product diversification and innovation.

Throughout her career, Boyle has been a leader in the Portland community. She has received many honors recognizing her business savvy and philanthropic endeavors, including Oregon’s prestigious First Citizen Award in 2005.

Tymchuk, who graduated from Willamette University with an undergraduate degree in 1981, also graduated from Willamette’s College of Law in 1984.

He has served as press secretary and legal counsel for former U.S. Congressman Denny Smith, and as director of speechwriting for Elizabeth Dole when she served as U.S. Secretary of Labor and later as president of the American Red Cross. Later he served as legal counsel and director of speechwriting for then Senate Republican Leader Bob Dole.

Tymchuk returned to Oregon in 1997 to work for Sen. Smith. Recently, he partnered with Boyle to co-write her autobiography, “One Tough Mother.”

The Breakfast Forum begins with coffee at 7 a.m., breakfast at 7:30 a.m. and the program at 7:45 a.m. Tickets are $15 per person or $100 for a corporate table of eight. Reservations are required. Register online at www.willamettealumni.com/events, email alumni@willamette.edu or call 1-800-551-6794. The reservation deadline is Sept. 22.

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Willamette Announces Alumni Award Winners

Sally (Grimm) Schaefer ’55
Distinguished Alumni Citation: Community Service

You’d be hard pressed to find someone who has contributed more in the last 40 years to Clark County, Wash., than Sally Schaefer. The former school teacher has given her time and talents to a broad range of causes, from public schools, churches and the arts, to higher education, youth organizations and community social service groups. Named Trustee of the Year in 2000 by the Washington State Trustees Association of Community and Technical Colleges, Schaefer had served on the Clark College Board of Trustees from 1987 to 2000 as an appointee of three different governors. Considered a role model and mentor by women both in higher education and in the community, Schaefer has been named a First Citizen by Clark County for her involvement with organizations like St. Luke’s Episcopal Church, Friendship Force, Washington State Ecology Commission, Friends of Hospice, Women in Action and many more. Recently, Schaefer was inducted into the Clark County Rotary clubs’ Hall of Fame for her many contributions to the community. She has devoted particular time and effort to the Foundation for Family Television, an organization dedicated to reducing TV violence. In recent years, she has been very active as a board member of the Southwest Washington Medical Center Foundation. Schaefer has clearly shown that a life of services can be just as fulfilling as collecting a paycheck.

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Willamette Announces Alumni Award Winners

Sally (Grimm) Schaefer ’55
Distinguished Alumni Citation: Community Service

You’d be hard pressed to find someone who has contributed more in the last 40 years to Clark County, Wash., than Sally Schaefer. The former school teacher has given her time and talents to a broad range of causes, from public schools, churches and the arts, to higher education, youth organizations and community social service groups. Named Trustee of the Year in 2000 by the Washington State Trustees Association of Community and Technical Colleges, Schaefer had served on the Clark College Board of Trustees from 1987 to 2000 as an appointee of three different governors. Considered a role model and mentor by women both in higher education and in the community, Schaefer has been named a First Citizen by Clark County for her involvement with organizations like St. Luke’s Episcopal Church, Friendship Force, Washington State Ecology Commission, Friends of Hospice, Women in Action and many more. Recently, Schaefer was inducted into the Clark County Rotary clubs’ Hall of Fame for her many contributions to the community. She has devoted particular time and effort to the Foundation for Family Television, an organization dedicated to reducing TV violence. In recent years, she has been very active as a board member of the Southwest Washington Medical Center Foundation. Schaefer has clearly shown that a life of services can be just as fulfilling as collecting a paycheck.

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Willamette Announces Alumni Award Winners

Lisa Murkowski JD’85
Distinguished Alumni Citation: Public Service

Lisa Murkowski is only the 33rd female to serve the United States Senate. Her public service career began in 1998, when she was elected to the Alaska State House of Representatives. She quickly rose to become House Majority Leader before entering the U.S. Senate in 2002. Murkowski’s senate tenure focuses on issues important to all Alaskans, including natural resources, health care, education, economic development, and Alaska Native rights. Yet her public service extends well beyond the Senate floor. She is highly regarded for her community activism with well beyond the Senate floor. She is highly regarded for her community activism with groups like Anchorage Equal Rights Commission, Catholic Social Services, the Mayor’s Taskforce on the Homeless, and Alaskans for Drug-Free Youth. Prior to working in Taskforce on the Homeless, and Alaskans for Drug-Free Youth. Prior to working in government, Murkowski was an attorney in private practice. She holds a bachelor of arts in economics from Georgetown University, and JD from Willamette University College of Law.

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Willamette Announces Alumni Award Winners

Lisa Murkowski JD’85
Distinguished Alumni Citation: Public Service

Lisa Murkowski is only the 33rd female to serve the United States Senate. Her public service career began in 1998, when she was elected to the Alaska State House of Representatives. She quickly rose to become House Majority Leader before entering the U.S. Senate in 2002. Murkowski’s senate tenure focuses on issues important to all Alaskans, including natural resources, health care, education, economic development, and Alaska Native rights. Yet her public service extends well beyond the Senate floor. She is highly regarded for her community activism with well beyond the Senate floor. She is highly regarded for her community activism with groups like Anchorage Equal Rights Commission, Catholic Social Services, the Mayor’s Taskforce on the Homeless, and Alaskans for Drug-Free Youth. Prior to working in Taskforce on the Homeless, and Alaskans for Drug-Free Youth. Prior to working in government, Murkowski was an attorney in private practice. She holds a bachelor of arts in economics from Georgetown University, and JD from Willamette University College of Law.

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Willamette Announces Alumni Award Winners

Mary Jaeger ’80
Distinguished Alumni Citation: Health Care and Community Service

Mary Jaeger is a leader in advocacy for vulnerable populations in the Portland metropolitan region. In 2000 she was appointed executive director of CASA for Children, a notfor- profit organization operating the Court Appointed Special Advocate program in Washington and Multnomah counties in Oregon (www.casahelpskids.org). CASA provides trained citizen volunteers who advocate for abused children who have been removed from their homes and are under the protection of the court. As the senior executive responsible for CASA, Jaeger coordinates the efforts of more than 350 volunteers serving more than 750 children in Multnomah and Washington counties. She and her husband are also active CASA volunteers, having served as advocates for 11 children on four separate cases during the last five years. Prior to joining CASA, Jaeger dedicated much of her career to the elderly in nursing homes. Mary earned a master’s degree in public administration and a master’s degree in gerontology from the University of Southern California on both the Los Angeles and Washington, D.C., campuses. She obtained her Oregon Nursing Home Administrator’s Washington, D.C., campuses. She obtained her Oregon Nursing Home Administrator’s license and worked as a nursing home administrator before becoming vice president of professional and community services for the Sisters of Mercy of Oregon, then chief operating officer of Franciscan Health System, and finally regional executive director of NCS Healthcare, a public long-term care institutional pharmacy. Her membership on more than 16 boards and committees over the last 20 years demonstrates her genuine commitment to Oregon and issues that affect Oregonians. Over the years Jaeger has also been an active alumna, helping with admissions and career support.

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Willamette Announces Alumni Award Winners

Mary Jaeger ’80
Distinguished Alumni Citation: Health Care and Community Service

Mary Jaeger is a leader in advocacy for vulnerable populations in the Portland metropolitan region. In 2000 she was appointed executive director of CASA for Children, a notfor- profit organization operating the Court Appointed Special Advocate program in Washington and Multnomah counties in Oregon (www.casahelpskids.org). CASA provides trained citizen volunteers who advocate for abused children who have been removed from their homes and are under the protection of the court. As the senior executive responsible for CASA, Jaeger coordinates the efforts of more than 350 volunteers serving more than 750 children in Multnomah and Washington counties. She and her husband are also active CASA volunteers, having served as advocates for 11 children on four separate cases during the last five years. Prior to joining CASA, Jaeger dedicated much of her career to the elderly in nursing homes. Mary earned a master’s degree in public administration and a master’s degree in gerontology from the University of Southern California on both the Los Angeles and Washington, D.C., campuses. She obtained her Oregon Nursing Home Administrator’s Washington, D.C., campuses. She obtained her Oregon Nursing Home Administrator’s license and worked as a nursing home administrator before becoming vice president of professional and community services for the Sisters of Mercy of Oregon, then chief operating officer of Franciscan Health System, and finally regional executive director of NCS Healthcare, a public long-term care institutional pharmacy. Her membership on more than 16 boards and committees over the last 20 years demonstrates her genuine commitment to Oregon and issues that affect Oregonians. Over the years Jaeger has also been an active alumna, helping with admissions and career support.

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Willamette Announces Alumni Award Winners

Paul DeMuniz JD’75
Distinguished Alumni Citation: Law

As a justice of the Oregon Supreme Court, Paul DeMuniz makes decisions that affect the lives of every Oregonian. His election to the Supreme Court in 2000 marked another step in a distinguished legal career that included 10 years as presiding judge on the Oregon Court of Appeals and 15 years as both a public and private attorney. In private law practice, DeMuniz focused on complex civil and criminal cases at both the state and federal level. In 1998 he was appointed to the Defense Advisory Committee on Women in the Services by then Secretary of Defense William Cohen. DeMuniz was part of a task force that visited military installations William Cohen. DeMuniz was part of a task force that visited military installations around the world to report to the Defense Department on issues affecting women in the military. He also dedicates many hours to his community and the legal profession. In 1997 he was named Mentor of the Year at WU College of Law. DeMuniz has authored a number of articles on judicial elections, and his work in that regard has been cited by the U.S. Supreme Court. He has been active in promoting the rule-of-law in Russia. In May 2005 he taught American and Russian criminal procedure as a visiting professor at Khabarovsk State University, Khabarovsk, Russia. He also teaches criminal procedure at the College of Law and recently authored a book on Oregon criminal procedure. He continues to serve Oregon in ways that bring honor and distinction to his high office.

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Willamette Announces Alumni Award Winners

Charles Carter ’55
Distinguished Alumni Citation: Medicine and International Service

No one more clearly embodies Willamette’s motto, “Not unto ourselves alone are we born,” than Charles Carter. A practicing opthamologist for more than 32 years, Carter has dedicated his life to helping others in his community and around the world. While he was working, for 25 years he trained volunteers in Vancouver, Wash., schools to screen children for early signs of eye diseases. Carter has taken one month off for each of the past 10 years to provide volunteer medical and surgical support to indigent natives in the rural areas of Haiti. He also helped raise supplies and funds to create the first-ever medical clinic in one of the country’s most remote mountainous regions. He has also advised Eastern European ophthalmologists on innovative surgical techniques, volunteered for clinics in Sierra Leone, West Africa, and has been an instrumental figure for the Ronald McDonald House Charities. Carter’s commitment to helping those in greatest need demonstrates that he has put his medical skills to their highest and best uses.

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Willamette Announces Alumni Award Winners

Charles Carter ’55
Distinguished Alumni Citation: Medicine and International Service

No one more clearly embodies Willamette’s motto, “Not unto ourselves alone are we born,” than Charles Carter. A practicing opthamologist for more than 32 years, Carter has dedicated his life to helping others in his community and around the world. While he was working, for 25 years he trained volunteers in Vancouver, Wash., schools to screen children for early signs of eye diseases. Carter has taken one month off for each of the past 10 years to provide volunteer medical and surgical support to indigent natives in the rural areas of Haiti. He also helped raise supplies and funds to create the first-ever medical clinic in one of the country’s most remote mountainous regions. He has also advised Eastern European ophthalmologists on innovative surgical techniques, volunteered for clinics in Sierra Leone, West Africa, and has been an instrumental figure for the Ronald McDonald House Charities. Carter’s commitment to helping those in greatest need demonstrates that he has put his medical skills to their highest and best uses.

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Willamette Announces Alumni Award Winners

John Jelderks ’60, JD’64
Leslie J. Sparks Medallion

John has maintained connections with both the undergraduate and law schools over the years. He has been a member of the College of Law Board of Visitors since 1987 and has served as its chair. He was the Alumni Association representative on the Board of Trustees from 1999 to 2002. John served as guest speaker for the Law Heritage luncheon in 2003, has been part of the Career Network since 1998 and has participated in numerous other alumni events, including Career Mentor Day, the Willamette Forum and the Portland Holiday Parties. He received the Distinguished Alumni Citation in 1995. John has been involved in many ways with the Sigma Chi fraternity over the years, and currently chairs the Sigma Chi Advisory Board at Willamette.

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Willamette Announces Alumni Award Winners

John Jelderks ’60, JD’64
Leslie J. Sparks Medallion

John has maintained connections with both the undergraduate and law schools over the years. He has been a member of the College of Law Board of Visitors since 1987 and has served as its chair. He was the Alumni Association representative on the Board of Trustees from 1999 to 2002. John served as guest speaker for the Law Heritage luncheon in 2003, has been part of the Career Network since 1998 and has participated in numerous other alumni events, including Career Mentor Day, the Willamette Forum and the Portland Holiday Parties. He received the Distinguished Alumni Citation in 1995. John has been involved in many ways with the Sigma Chi fraternity over the years, and currently chairs the Sigma Chi Advisory Board at Willamette.

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Willamette Announces Alumni Award Winners

Elizabeth Geiger Hartman ’80
Leslie J. Sparks Medallion

Liz has been a reliable and enthusiastic volunteer for her class and Willamette University. She has played many different roles, including regional event organization, class agent, past reunion committees and the Career Network. Liz served on the Alumni Board of Directors from 1983 to 1988, and was its president from 1984 to 1986. She also served as the Alumni Association representative on the Board of Trustees from 1984 to 1987. Currently Liz is chairing the 25th reunion for the Class of 1980.

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Willamette Announces Alumni Award Winners

Edward “Nick” Allis ’70
Leslie J. Sparks Medallion

Nick has quietly done much for his alma mater. He served on the Alumni Board of Directors from 1989 to 1994. He served on the Board of Trustees from 1998 to 2004. Over the years he has been a class agent for the Class of ’70, and is a member of the Founder’s Circle of the Lausanne Giving Society. Nick has established endowed scholarships for his father, Charles D. Allis, and his former boss, John Gray. He also established the Allis-Gray Scholarship at the Atkinson Graduate School of Management. Nick volunteered a great deal of time in 2003-04 as the project coordinator for the Art Building renovation and the renovation of Eaton Hall’s fourth floor. His efforts saved both time and hundreds of thousands of dollars for Willamette during these construction projects.

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Willamette Announces Alumni Award Winners

Edward “Nick” Allis ’70
Leslie J. Sparks Medallion

Nick has quietly done much for his alma mater. He served on the Alumni Board of Directors from 1989 to 1994. He served on the Board of Trustees from 1998 to 2004. Over the years he has been a class agent for the Class of ’70, and is a member of the Founder’s Circle of the Lausanne Giving Society. Nick has established endowed scholarships for his father, Charles D. Allis, and his former boss, John Gray. He also established the Allis-Gray Scholarship at the Atkinson Graduate School of Management. Nick volunteered a great deal of time in 2003-04 as the project coordinator for the Art Building renovation and the renovation of Eaton Hall’s fourth floor. His efforts saved both time and hundreds of thousands of dollars for Willamette during these construction projects.

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Willamette Announces Alumni Award Winners

Jennifer Miller ’97, MBA/JD’01
Young Alumni Leadership Award

Jennifer Miller is a rare Willamette triple degree holder, graduating from WU in 1997 as a triple major in English, Spanish and rhetoric. She then received her JD and MBA in 2001. She has pursued a career in law as a prosecuting attorney with the King County Prosecutors Office in Seattle, and is already being recognized for her work. She was recently elected to a three-year term to the Board of Trustees for the King County Bar Association’s Young Lawyers Division. She is also serving a two-year term on the Washington State Bar’s subcommittee on media relations. She volunteers weekly at the Progressive Animal Welfare Society (PAWS) and monthly at the Seattle Spanish Legal Clinic. She is also serving as the treasurer of the King County Prosecutor Association. At the same time she has continued to be heavily involved with Willamette alumni activities, attending many events in Seattle as well as on campus. She currently serves on the Puget Sound Alumni Board, and has worked on young alumni events as well. She recently attended the Leadership Willamette conference on campus in June.

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Willamette Announces Alumni Award Winners

Jennifer Miller ’97, MBA/JD’01
Young Alumni Leadership Award

Jennifer Miller is a rare Willamette triple degree holder, graduating from WU in 1997 as a triple major in English, Spanish and rhetoric. She then received her JD and MBA in 2001. She has pursued a career in law as a prosecuting attorney with the King County Prosecutors Office in Seattle, and is already being recognized for her work. She was recently elected to a three-year term to the Board of Trustees for the King County Bar Association’s Young Lawyers Division. She is also serving a two-year term on the Washington State Bar’s subcommittee on media relations. She volunteers weekly at the Progressive Animal Welfare Society (PAWS) and monthly at the Seattle Spanish Legal Clinic. She is also serving as the treasurer of the King County Prosecutor Association. At the same time she has continued to be heavily involved with Willamette alumni activities, attending many events in Seattle as well as on campus. She currently serves on the Puget Sound Alumni Board, and has worked on young alumni events as well. She recently attended the Leadership Willamette conference on campus in June.

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Willamette Announces Alumni Award Winners

Jason Hunter ’95
Young Alumni Leadership Award

At a very young age, Jason Hunter has made his mark on his vocational field. Within three years of leaving Willamette, he already had developed many web technologies and become an expert in Java software. He authored the book Java Servlet Programming (selling 140,000 copies) and co-authored Java Enterprise Best Practices. He has become a very well known Java consultant, speaker, instructor and author. His largest audience was 15,000 at a JavaOne conference keynote. Hunter is currently a senior engineer with Mark Logic, a Silicon Valley start-up specializing in large-scale XML content manipulation using XQuery, a new standardized programming language Hunter helped develop. He is also a member and former vice president of the nonprofit Apache Software Foundation, which oversees open source projects including the Apache web server that runs more than two-thirds of all web sites. Hunter has not forgotten his alma mater and has returned to share his real world experience with students. He has helped with admissions support and is available to students and alumni on the Career Network.

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Willamette Announces Alumni Award Winners

Jason Hunter ’95
Young Alumni Leadership Award

At a very young age, Jason Hunter has made his mark on his vocational field. Within three years of leaving Willamette, he already had developed many web technologies and become an expert in Java software. He authored the book Java Servlet Programming (selling 140,000 copies) and co-authored Java Enterprise Best Practices. He has become a very well known Java consultant, speaker, instructor and author. His largest audience was 15,000 at a JavaOne conference keynote. Hunter is currently a senior engineer with Mark Logic, a Silicon Valley start-up specializing in large-scale XML content manipulation using XQuery, a new standardized programming language Hunter helped develop. He is also a member and former vice president of the nonprofit Apache Software Foundation, which oversees open source projects including the Apache web server that runs more than two-thirds of all web sites. Hunter has not forgotten his alma mater and has returned to share his real world experience with students. He has helped with admissions support and is available to students and alumni on the Career Network.

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Willamette Announces Alumni Award Winners

Heather C. Dahl ’95
Young Alumni Leadership Award

Heather Dahl is one of public broadcasting’s rising stars. Currently managing editor of “Capitol News Connection with Public Radio International,” Dahl directs congressional coverage for more than 200 public radio stations nationwide. Her previous assignments include producing “The Conversation,” a daily one-hour news/talk program for KUOW Public Radio in Seattle; reporting on foreign affairs and defense issues for “The News Hour with Jim Lehrer”; producing Clinton impeachment and then election coverage for National Public Radio; and serving as deputy press secretary for U.S. Senator Gordon H. Smith. In December, Dahl was selected to serve on the Congressional Radio and TV Correspondents’ Executive Committee. Dahl has traveled the world, interviewed heads of state and covered some of the most important stories of our time, yet she remains very engaged with the alumni community. The former ASWU president is also a dedicated member of the Career Network and has given hours of her time to help alumni network for jobs in broadcasting and radio. Dahl received her bachelor of arts in political science and she holds a master of science in journalism from Columbia University.

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Willamette Announces Alumni Award Winners

Heather C. Dahl ’95
Young Alumni Leadership Award

Heather Dahl is one of public broadcasting’s rising stars. Currently managing editor of “Capitol News Connection with Public Radio International,” Dahl directs congressional coverage for more than 200 public radio stations nationwide. Her previous assignments include producing “The Conversation,” a daily one-hour news/talk program for KUOW Public Radio in Seattle; reporting on foreign affairs and defense issues for “The News Hour with Jim Lehrer”; producing Clinton impeachment and then election coverage for National Public Radio; and serving as deputy press secretary for U.S. Senator Gordon H. Smith. In December, Dahl was selected to serve on the Congressional Radio and TV Correspondents’ Executive Committee. Dahl has traveled the world, interviewed heads of state and covered some of the most important stories of our time, yet she remains very engaged with the alumni community. The former ASWU president is also a dedicated member of the Career Network and has given hours of her time to help alumni network for jobs in broadcasting and radio. Dahl received her bachelor of arts in political science and she holds a master of science in journalism from Columbia University.

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Willamette Announces Alumni Award Winners

Laila J. Cook ’98
Young Alumni Leadership Award

Laila Cook is the manager of development for Make-A-Wish Foundation of Oregon. She is responsible for raising more than a million dollars annually to help fulfill the wishes of children with life-threatening medical conditions. Cook has also served as director of stewardship and events for the Catlin Gabel School, director of the Children’s Ministry for Vermont Hills United Methodist Church and as the Eastside area coordinator for Willamette University’s residence halls. Cook’s service to Willamette extends into all areas of the University, from fund raising and alumni networking to admissions and event planning. She has served as a class agent for the Willamette Fund, a Career Network volunteer, and is an avid Cardinal and Gold booster. Cook received her bachelor of arts in political science, and she is currently working on a master’s degree in public administration at Portland State University.

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Willamette Announces Alumni Award Winners

Laila J. Cook ’98
Young Alumni Leadership Award

Laila Cook is the manager of development for Make-A-Wish Foundation of Oregon. She is responsible for raising more than a million dollars annually to help fulfill the wishes of children with life-threatening medical conditions. Cook has also served as director of stewardship and events for the Catlin Gabel School, director of the Children’s Ministry for Vermont Hills United Methodist Church and as the Eastside area coordinator for Willamette University’s residence halls. Cook’s service to Willamette extends into all areas of the University, from fund raising and alumni networking to admissions and event planning. She has served as a class agent for the Willamette Fund, a Career Network volunteer, and is an avid Cardinal and Gold booster. Cook received her bachelor of arts in political science, and she is currently working on a master’s degree in public administration at Portland State University.

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Willamette Announces Alumni Award Winners

Claire (Howell) Bonilla ’95
Young Alumni Leadership Award

As the global director of Microsoft Technology Centers, Claire Bonilla is instrumental in developing Microsoft’s global marketing and customer outreach strategy. She manages 13 worldwide technology centers that deal with Microsoft’s most strategic and complex customers and partners. A Microsoft employee for more than six years, Bonilla has served as a business strategist, group program manager and marketing specialist, helping the company create an integrated and well-defined customer relations strategy. Bonilla has also worked as a consultant for Ernst & Young, LLP, and received a master of science from the London School of Economics, England. Her contributions to Willamette include serving briefly as associate director of the Alumni Association Board of Directors and volunteering for the Career Network. Bonilla received her bachelor of arts in German and economics.

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Willamette Announces Alumni Award Winners

Claire (Howell) Bonilla ’95
Young Alumni Leadership Award

As the global director of Microsoft Technology Centers, Claire Bonilla is instrumental in developing Microsoft’s global marketing and customer outreach strategy. She manages 13 worldwide technology centers that deal with Microsoft’s most strategic and complex customers and partners. A Microsoft employee for more than six years, Bonilla has served as a business strategist, group program manager and marketing specialist, helping the company create an integrated and well-defined customer relations strategy. Bonilla has also worked as a consultant for Ernst & Young, LLP, and received a master of science from the London School of Economics, England. Her contributions to Willamette include serving briefly as associate director of the Alumni Association Board of Directors and volunteering for the Career Network. Bonilla received her bachelor of arts in German and economics.

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Willamette Announces Alumni Award Winners

Willamette University will honor 13 of its best and brightest at the annual Alumni Award Banquet to be held Saturday September 24, at the Grand Phoenix Hotel in Salem, Ore.

Five alumni will receive Young Alumni Leadership Awards that recognize graduates from the last 10 years who have demonstrated outstanding leadership in their vocation, community service and/or service to the university. They are Claire (Howell) Bonilla ’95, the global director of Microsoft Technology Centers in Redmond, Wash.; Laila J. Cook ’98, manager of development for Make-A-Wish Foundation of Oregon in Portland, Ore.; Heather C. Dahl ’95, managing editor of the Capitol Hill Bureau from Public Radio International in Washington D.C.; Jason Hunter ’95, a senior engineer with Mark Logic in San Mateo, Calif., and publisher of Servlets.com and XQUERY.com; and Jennifer Miller ’97, MBA/JD’01, prosecuting attorney with the King County Prosecutors Office in Seattle.

Three outstanding alumni have been tapped to receive the Leslie J. Sparks Medallion, which recognizes graduates whose loyalty and service to the university best reflects the ideals of Leslie J. Sparks ’19, one of the university’s most devoted alumni. The honorees include Edward “Nick” Allis ‘70, Elizabeth Geiger Hartman ’80 and John Jelderks ’60/D’64.

The Distinguished Alumni Citations honor graduates who, in professional achievement and service to their communities, reflect the highest ideals of Willamette University. This year’s Distinguished Alumni include Charles Carter ’55, a practicing ophthalmologist for more than 32 years; Paul DeMuniz JD’75, Oregon Supreme Court Justice; Mary Jaeger ’80, child advocate and executive director of CASA, a not-for-profit organization that provides community volunteers who advocate for children removed from abusive homes; Lisa Murkowski JD’85, U.S. Senator from Alaska and only the 33rd female to serve the United States Senate; and Sally Grimm Schaefer ’55, a former school teacher who has given her time and talents over the past 40 years to a broad range of causes, from public schools, churches and the arts, to higher education, youth organizations and community social service groups.

Click on the name of honorees for more information.

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Willamette University Graduates Win National Science Foundation Awards

Three Willamette University chemistry graduates have been honored by the National Science Foundation (NSF). Brandon B. Smith, a 2004 graduate from John Day, Ore., and Benjamin J.D. Wright, a 2003 graduate from Allentown, Penn., have both been awarded prestigious National Science Foundation Graduate Research Fellowships. Ashley Smith, a 2004 graduate from Portland, Ore., has received an NSF honorable mention.

The National Science Foundation Graduate Research Fellowship program supports outstanding graduate students in science, technology, engineering and mathematics who are pursuing research-based master’s and doctoral degrees. NSF Fellows are expected to become experts who can contribute significantly to research, teaching and innovations in science and engineering.

Competition for the NSF Fellowships is stiff. To be considered, applicants must submit transcripts, test scores, three recommendations and four different essays which discuss, among other things, their research plans, research background and their goals for the future.

Brandon Smith, Wright and Ashley Smith all hope to eventually teach chemistry in a university setting.

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Tribal Sovereignty as Free Lecture Topic

Bruce Botelho, mayor of Juneau, Alaska, and a Willamette University graduate of the College of Liberal Arts and the College of Law, will discuss “Tribal Sovereignty in Alaska” Thursday, Feb. 17, at 4 p.m. in Room 218 of the law school.

This is the first lecture of the year for the College of Law Annual Speakers Series, started in 1995. The event is free and open to the public.

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Marie Watt: Everything Is Drawing

Marie Watt (Seneca), Willamette University ’90, is a highly regarded Portland mixed media artist who teaches at Portland Community College. A small exhibition of Watt's work will open Jan. 8 and continue through March 5 in the Study Gallery at the Hallie Ford Museum of Art at Willamette University.

Organized by Professor Rebecca Dobkins, the exhibition is a continuation of Watt’s blanket project, which explores the complexities of, and the human stories wrapped within, this everyday object. The exhibition includes prints and woven samplers from a solo exhibition at the National Museum of the American Indian in New York, where Watt was recognized as one of the most talented contemporary artists of her generation.

The Hallie Ford Museum of Art is located at 700 State Street (corner of State and Cottage Streets) in downtown Salem near the University campus. Hours are Tuesday through Saturday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. The galleries are closed on Sunday and Monday. Admission is $3 for adults and $2 for seniors and students. Children under 12 are admitted free and Tuesday is an admission-free day.

For further information, please call 503-370-6855.

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Cinema/Television Expert at Willamette

Elizabeth Monk Daley, recognized internationally for her knowledge and experience in cinema and television, will lecture at Willamette University Thursday, Oct. 30, at 8 p.m. in the Hatfield Room of the Hatfield Library at the University. The title of her lecture is “Crossing the Real Digital Divide: From Printed Text to Multimedia.” Her presentation is free and open to the public.

Daley, dean of the University of Southern California School of Cinema-Television since 1991, was named as the first holder of Steven J. Ross/Time Warner Inc. Dean's Chair in 1994. She also serves as executive director of the Annenberg Center for Communication.

Prior to joining USC, Daley served as executive director of Taper Media Enterprises and as a producer for MGM/UA Television. Her television credits include "Right to Kill?" for ABC, "Tell Them I'm a Mermaid" and "Who Parks in Those Spaces" for Embassy Television, and "Vestige of Honor" for CBS.

Daley has served as a consultant to a variety of organizations and is on the boards of the Center for Governmental Studies, the Benton Foundation, AVID Technology and the Museum of TV and Radio-California.

The speaker has been honored by American Women in Radio and Television and was twice nominated for a Los Angeles Area Emmy Award. She has received a Cine Golden Eagle, the Barbara Jordan Award and the California Governor's Award.

Daley earned a doctorate in film and theatre from the University of Wisconsin, a master’s degree from Tulane University and a bachelor’s degree from Newcomb College.

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Willamette Alumnus to Give 51½-Hour Lecture for World Record

In a bid to break the current 51 hour 30 minute world record for “Longest Lecture Marathon,” Dustin Buehler will start lecturing in Willamette University’s Eaton Hall, Room 309, at 6 a.m. on Friday, April 25. If he is successful, he will break the record at 9:30 a.m. on Sunday, April 27.

Buehler, 24, an aide in the Oregon Legislature who holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in politics and history from Willamette, will lecture on the topic, “The History and Evolution of the American Presidency.” The Willamette Philomathean Society, the oldest debating society in the western United States, will host the lecture.

According to Guinness World Records, the current record for the longest lecture marathon belongs to Masanam Venu, who spoke on the fundamentals of chemistry from January 5-7, 2003, at the Kavitha Memorial Degree College in Khammam, India. The rules for lecture marathon attempts allow the lecturer to take a 15-minute break every eight hours, but otherwise require continuous lecturing on one topic.

When asked about his topic, Buehler said he has a deep interest in the history and politics surrounding the American Presidency. “The debates during the Constitutional Convention of 1787 are fascinating, particularly the discussions regarding executive veto, the Electoral College and pardon power,” he said. “Even more interesting is how the role of the presidency has evolved over the centuries.”

So what motivates Buehler to stay up for more than two days, talking on and on about long-forgotten presidents such as Franklin Pierce and Rutherford Hayes?

“I have a free weekend, and I want a really good story to tell my grandchildren one day,” said Buehler. “More seriously, though, it’s a great opportunity to realize a childhood dream, while bringing attention to the history of the presidency. You can learn a lot about a society by observing its leaders.”

Note: During late night and weekend hours, the outer doors of Eaton Hall may be locked for security purposes. If this is the case, call the lecture room at (503) 375-5488. For more infomration, visit the Willamette Philomathean Society website.

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Willamette Grad Named to U.S. Senate

Willamette University has been given an early Christmas present. Lisa Murkowski, a 1985 Willamette College of Law graduate, was appointed to the U.S. Senate Dec. 20. She was appointed to the Senate by her father, Sen. Frank Murkowski of Alaska, who left the Senate after 22 years to be sworn in as governor earlier this month.

Lisa Murkowski, 45, was a Republican state representative who was re-elected last month to a third term. The elder Murkowski said it was time for the next generation of Alaskans to start building seniority in Congress.

Lisa is the third Willamette graduate to serve in the U.S. Senate. She now joins Sens. Mark Hatfield and Bob Packwood.

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Local Resident Wins Fulbright

Jody Jorgensen, a 2001 Willamette University graduate from Anchorage and a graduate of Chugiak High School, has been awarded a Fulbright Grant to study in Iceland next year.

A politics major, Jorgensen worked as a research assistant for Willamette Professor Suresht Bald. During the course of her research, she became familiar with the Women's Alliance, a women's political party that won several seats in Iceland's parliament during the 70s and 80s. Jorgensen studied in Reykjavik for a semester in order to learn more about this unique political party, and wrote her senior thesis on the Women's Alliance.

Her Fulbright proposal will continue her research at the University and National Library in Reykjavik, which houses The Women's History Archive. Jorgensen will also interview members of the former Women's Alliance and the new coalition, the Social Democratic Alliance

At Willamette, Jorgensen was active in the Women's Center and Students for Choice, and worked at the Bistro. She helped launch the first campus production of the "Vagina Monologues" and was a member of the crew team. During the summers, she volunteered for the Alaska AIDS Assistance Association and the Alaska Center for the Environment.

She is the daughter of James T. Jorgensen of Chugiak and Carol L. Bohm of Anchorage.

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Breakfast Panel to Discuss Growing Your Own Business

Rich Bader, president and CEO of EasyStreet Online Services, Jim Green, public affairs manager for Kettle Foods, and Bob Wiggins, Angel investor, will be featured in a panel discussion Wednesday, April 10, at the Multnomah Athletic Club.

Sponsored by Willamette University and Oregon Public Broadcasting, the Business Partners Forum begins with coffee at 7 a.m., breakfast at 7:30 a.m. and the panel presentation, “Entrepreneurism: Finding Your Niche and Growing Your Business,” at 7:45 a.m.

Tickets are $15 a person or $100 for a corporate table of eight. Reservations are required two days prior to the event. For more information, call 503-375-5304.

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Willamette Grad Receives Fulbright Scholarship to Study in Moscow

Willamette University 2001 graduate Tessa Platt has received a Fulbright Scholarship award of $19,000 to study in Moscow for one year. Her program will begin this fall and will run through spring 2002. In order to participate in the Fulbright Program, Platt will defer enrollment to Harvard Law School until the fall 2002.

The Fulbright Scholarship will provide her the opportunity to focus on Russian-area studies and international relations at the International University of Moscow in cooperation with the Moscow Institute for Advanced Study. Upon completing her year abroad, Platt hopes to dual enroll in the John F. Kennedy School of Government and Harvard Law School ñ culminating in a masterís degree in public policy and doctorate of jurisprudence. Ultimately, she would like to work for the U.S. government or for a non-profit in the area of public policy.

Platt, a graduate of North Medford High School in Medford, Ore., double majored in history and Russian at Willamette University. While completing her bachelorís degree, Platt worked as a legislative aid and an intern at the Oregon State Capitol during her sophomore and senior years. In addition to her experience in public service, she was a Truman Scholarship finalist during her junior year, was involved in student government and served as Mortar Board president.

The Fulbright Program is an international educational exchange program designed to increase mutual understanding between the people of the United States and the people of other countries. The program is administered by the U.S. government in cooperation with over 140 countries around the world. The Fulbright Program emphasizes academic and professional excellence with awards based on open competition. Approximately 4,500 new grants are awarded annually.

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