News
Source:
Meg Chuprevich (503-725-8212)
PSU Office of University Relations
(Portland, Ore.) April 2, 2009 - Former First Lady Rosalynn Carter will be the featured speaker at the 10th anniversary of Portland State University's annual Simon Benson Awards Dinner on April 7, 2009. This year's event will include the presentation of the Jimmy and Rosalynn Carter Partnership Award (JRCPA) for Campus-Community Partnerships. It will also honor Fariborz Maseeh and feature a retrospective of all previous Simon Benson Award honorees.
The JRCPA is a "hallmark" program of the Jimmy and Rosalynn Carter Partnership Foundation, which
recognizes the best practices in community service between campus-community partnerships already in existence, with a particular emphasis on shared decision making and academic integration of service. This year, the award focused exclusively on Portland State University with 26 applications submitted from across campus. Carter will be announcing the winning community-university partnership team and awarding them $10,000. The two runners-up will receive $5,000 awards. For more information on the finalists and all other applicants, visit http://www.pdx.edu/cae/jrc_partnership.html.
Now in its 10th year, the Simon Benson Awards continue to raise the bar for community engagement and philanthropy in Oregon. Named after one of Portland's philanthropic pioneers, the award recognizes visionary individuals who have generously given time and resources to improve the lives of generations of Oregonians.
Background on Keynote Speaker and Award Recipient
Rosalynn Carter has dedicated her life to serving others. She has maintained a life-long commitment to issues affecting women and children, and to mental health advocacy. With President Jimmy Carter, she founded the Carter Institute in 1982 to advance human rights, alleviate human suffering, wage peace, fight disease, and build hope.
Fariborz Maseeh '80, MS '84, founded the Massiah Foundation in 2000 to support outstanding organizations with the potential to improve our collective future. Universities, hospitals, children's services, and cultural institutions in Oregon and throughout the nation benefit from Maseeh's visionary philanthropy.
Past Award Recipients and Keynote Speakers
Award Recipient Speaker
2008 Gwen Burns Family, Samuel C. Wheeler John Glenn
2007 Robert K. '63 & Jane K. Morrow '65 MS '77 Magic Johnson
Robert G. and Sharon L. Miller
2006 Gary '67 and Barbara Ames '68 Her Majesty Queen Noor of Jordan
Ken and Marta Thrasher '90
2004 Thomas B. & Caroline P. Stoel Walter Cronkite
Patricia L. Wessinger
2003 Elizabeth H. "Becky" Johnson Madeleine Albright
James F. Miller
2002 Jeannine B. Cowles Rudolph Giuliani
Ernest C. Swigert
2001 Peter and Julie Stott Bob Dole
Duncan and Cindy Campbell
2000 Maurie and Mary Clark Mario Cuomo
Don Frisbee
1999 Paul Bragdon Colin Powell
Jean Vollum
The gala event will be held at the Oregon Convention Center (777 NE Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd.) and includes a reception, dinner, and entertainment. The reception starts at 6 p.m. and dinner begins at 7 p.m. The event will be emceed by Jeff Gianola of Portland's KOIN-6 News, a media sponsor of the event. Sponsorships, tables, and individual tickets for the event are now available to the public.
For more information contact Meg Chuprevich at 503-725-8212 or at events@pdx.edu. You can also visit
http://www.pdx.edu/giving/simon-benson-awards-dinner. Proceeds from the Simon Benson Awards Dinner support the Fund for PSU, which includes support for student scholarships and programs.
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