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On Friday the State Board of Higher Education approved Portland State University's to present an honorary Doctor of Humane Letters to Congressman John Lewis in addition to three outstanding Oregonians - Harold Schnitzer, Arlene Schnitzer and W.T. "Bill" Lemman at the University's June 12 commencement ceremony.

Congressman John Lewis has been in the vanguard of progressive social movements and the human rights struggles in the United States. As a student, Lewis organized sit-in demonstrations at segregated lunch counters in Nashville, Tenn. In 1961, he volunteered to participate in the Freedom Rides, which were organized to challenge segregation at interstate bus terminals across the South. By 1963, Lewis was recognized as one of the "Big Six" leaders of the Civil Rights Movement, along with Whitney Young, A. Phillip Randolph, Martin Luther King Jr., James Farmer and Roy Wilkins. Lewis was also one of the planners and a keynote speaker at the historic "March on Washington" in August 1963.

Despite more that 40 arrests, physical attacks and serious injuries, Lewis remained a devoted advocate of the philosophy of nonviolence. In 1981 he was elected to the Atlanta City Council, where he remained until his successful run for Congress in 1986, representing Georgia's Fifth Congressional District which includes Atlanta and parts of surrounding counties. Lewis is currently serving his ninth term in office. He is a member of the House Budget Committee, House Ways and Means Committee, and is the Senior Chief Deputy Democratic Whip. Rep. Lewis also serves on the Democratic Steering Committee and is a member of the Congressional Black Caucus.

Lewis was born the son of sharecroppers in 1940 outside of Troy, Ala., where he grew up and attended segregated public schools. He holds a bachelor's degree in Religion and Philosophy from Fisk University, and is a graduate of the American Baptist Theological Seminary in Nashville, Tenn. Lewis has also been awarded several honorary degrees from colleges and universities throughout the United States, and is the recipient of numerous awards, including the prestigious Martin Luther King, Jr. Non-Violent Peace Prize and the John F. Kennedy "Profile in Courage Award" for lifetime achievement.

A native Oregonian, Arlene Schnitzer is co-owner and vice president of Harsch Investment Corporation and co-founder of the Harold & Arlene Schnitzer CARE Foundation. In addition to her roles in an executive capacity, she contributes greatly to the vitality of many organizations, locally and nationally. She is on the Board of Trustees of the Oregon Health & Science University Foundation, the Boys and Girls Clubs of Portland, Northwest Academy, the National Council of the Fine Arts Museums of San Francisco, and the McCallum Theatre in Palm Springs, California. In addition, she has served as a member of the National Committee for the Performing Arts Center, Washington, D.C.; the Oregon State Board of Higher Education; and was a charter member of the U.S. District Court of Oregon Historical Society. Past service on board of trustees has included the Oregon Symphony, the Portland Art Museum, and many others. She has received the Aubrey R. Watzek Award from Lewis & Clark College, the Distinguished Service Award from the University of Oregon and the Distinguished Service Award from Western Oregon State College. She and her husband, Harold, received Portland's First Citizen Award in 1996.

Of her nomination James DePreist, laureate music director for the Oregon Symphony said, "Arlene's contributions to this community are of extraordinary import and have enriched the cultural life of this community beyond measure."

A native of Portland, Oregon and a graduate of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Harold Schnitzer is founder, co-owner, and chairman of Harsch Investment Corporation and co-founder of the Harold & Arlene Schnitzer CARE Foundation. In addition to serving the region through his executive roles, he has made a lasting impact through dedicated community and public service. He is a life trustee of Lewis & Clark College, former chairman and current member of the board of trustees of the Portland Art Museum and is the co-founder with his wife, Arlene, of the Boys and Girls Clubs of Portland's Night Scape program. He is the recipient of many awards including the University of Oregon's Distinguished Service Award, Lewis & Clark College's Aubrey R. Watzek Award, the SAFECO Art Leadership Award, the Outstanding Philanthropist Award and Portland's First Citizen Award with wife, Arlene, in 1995, and others.

Of Schnitzer's nomination Senator Mark O. Hatfield wrote, "Harold's tireless efforts to help enrich the lives of those in need in Portland and far beyond make him one of Oregon's premier citizens. His memberships on councils and committees to develop people and community are numerous, as are his generous scholarships given, and awards received."

One of the first students to attend the Vanport Extension Center in 1946 and a graduate of the University of Oregon, W.T. "Bill" Lemman has served the needs of higher education in Oregon for more that 40 years. He was the assistant business manager and acting registrar for Vanport College from 1950 until 1956. He held the position of director of business affairs and vice president for business and finance for Portland State University for 14 years, going from there to serve the state's educational needs in the Oregon University System office, eventually becoming chancellor of the system in the late 1980s. He has served on numerous boards, including the Portland Symphonic Choir, the State of Oregon Bargaining Unit Benefits Board, Friends of the Millar Library and the PSU Alumni Association.

In a letter of support for Lemman's nomination, University of California Santa Barbara vice chancellor George Pernsteiner wrote, "Bill Lemman's vision for Portland State . . . his vaunted skill in the State Capitol and his tough but fair approach to managing both the University and the State System are responsible, to a very large extent, for PSU's current prominence."

Commencement will take place Saturday, June 12 at 3 p.m. in the Rose Garden Arena (Portland, Ore.). For additional information about commencement, please contact Jeanie-Marie Price in the Office of Marketing and Communications at 503-725-3773.

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Release Number: 04-018