'PSU gave him a purpose'

Even in his last hours as he neared the end of a long illness, Derek Ott had cause for celebration. His dad had just shared with him the good news that he had graduated from Portland State with a bachelor's in Arts and Letters, a journey that had taken him more than 20 years to complete. And though he could no longer speak, he could still hear.

"When I told him that he was the latest graduate of Portland State University, he squeezed my hand really hard," his dad, Dave Ott, recalled. "I hummed 'Pomp and Circumstance' and danced around his bedside. We had a ceremony for him and the nurse joined in. … For a minute there, I had forgotten that Derek was dying."

Derek, 44, passed away the following morning on Sept. 4, but not before fulfilling his lifelong dream of becoming a college graduate. A beloved student, he had done the hard work, but made it across the finish line with the help of his younger brother, Joshua.

The night before, unbeknownst to the rest of the family, Joshua sent a "Hail Mary" email to College of Liberal Arts and Sciences Dean Todd Rosenstiel and others, sharing that Derek's health had deteriorated rapidly in the past week. He likely only had a few days to live, and was a few units away from completing his degree.

"This is the one thing that has kept him going over the last few years and he has come so far and so close to not make it now," Joshua wrote, asking if an exception could be made to grant Derek his degree.

Rosenstiel quickly looped in Carol Gabrielli, the college's director of student success, and the two reached out to others on campus: Derek's advisor, the registrar, even the provost. 

It turned out that Derek had more than the required 180 credits but had a few mismatched courses. With some waivers and course substitutions, the group confirmed he had met the degree requirements for his Arts and Letters major. 

Joshua was able to pass along the good news to his dad, who was at the hospital with Derek.

"Derek struggled for so long and so many gave up on him," Dave Ott said. "It was a remarkable accomplishment for him and I'm so proud."

Derek's path to PSU was not an easy one, but he embodied the school's unique non-traditional student body. A U.S. Navy veteran, he suffered from bipolar disorder and post-traumatic stress disorder, and turned to alcohol. He was put in hospice five years ago for liver disease, only to come back. Knowing he needed help, he found Portland's CityTeam Ministries. 

The move up north offered him a fresh start on the road to recovery. Within six months, he moved into a supportive housing program and by fall 2016, he had enrolled at PSU.

"PSU really gave him a purpose," said Dave Ott, who also earned his degree later in life. "It helped him with his struggles. He met a lot of great students, professors and administrators who helped him along the way."

After taking a class on the history of the water system, Derek had his sights set on going to graduate school and getting a job with the Oregon Water Resources Department.

Martha Dyson, who served as Derek's advisor since he arrived at PSU, said the two hit it off. They met every term to pick out classes — even as recent as this summer — and Derek would often stop her on campus to chat.

"He was just one of those students that you don't ever forget," she said. "He was so much himself and so engaged and he was always happy to see me and I was happy to see him. … We really got to know each other when he would come in for advising. It wasn't just about which class to take; we'd chat about life.

"It was a really, really big deal for him to finish his degree at PSU and he really loved PSU," Dyson continued. "I'm glad I was able to be a part of his journey."

Kareem Anderson, a financial coach at the Financial Wellness Center who often helped him find grants and scholarships, said he and Derek shared a brotherhood-like connection and he will most remember his optimism, positivity and adoring humor.

"We shared many laughs about life and our alliances to our sport teams," he said. "He was truly an enchanting gentleman. I was his ally. Against all of the odds and his challenges, Derek always strived for excellence and achievement." 

Dave Ott said it was people like Dyson and Anderson and others at PSU who went above and beyond to help Derek that inspired him to pay it forward. He donated to the Returning Veterans Scholarship and the Robert Mercer Last Mile Fund, so that others in Derek's shoes could also cross the finish line and obtain their degree.

As for Derek's diploma, it's proudly framed and displayed, and copies were given to his siblings as a keepsake.

"It was important to all of us," Dave Ott said.

Joshua Ott said that in Derek's last voicemail to him, he told him about a book he was reading for class and shared a quote, "What you do is not as important as how you do it."

"That was Derek's life," he said. "He didn't take the easy way and that's definitely shown through the long path he took, but he persevered."