First annual Helen Gordon online auction

The theme of this year’s online auction is “Here Comes the Sun…” appropriately describing the openness and warmth of the Helen Gordon Child Development Center’s community. This year’s auction features over 100 great items: artwork, jewelry, a 5-day trip to Vancouver BC, Disneyland tickets, gift certificates, lessons, parties and more.

Participation takes only three quick and easy steps:

1. Set up your account
2. Browse items
3. Place your bid

Bidding open May 24 through June 9, 2013. Browsing opens May 10.

Register now!                         Donate now!

Anyone can participate in the auction or make a monetary donation to help support scholarships at Helen Gordon Child Development Center.

For more information about the auction, or to donate items, please contact Joanna Goll, jkonefal@pdx.edu, 503-725-3092.

New GSE associate dean selected

Dean Randy Hitz announced the appointment of Dr. Micki M. Caskey to Associate Dean for Academic Affairs. Dr. Caskey has worked in the Curriculum and Instruction department in the GSE for 15 years. She has been a Graduate Teacher Education Program cohort leader specializing in the content areas literacy, action research, learning strategies, content enhancements, and teacher education. Dr. Caskey has also been the co-Principle Investigator for the American Indian Urban Teacher Program and faculty advisor for the Online Master’s in Curriculum and Instruction. Prior to coming to PSU, she spent more than 20 years working with students in inner-city schools. 

Alumnus of the Month – Roy Huggins

Roy Huggins has had an interesting path to becoming a counselor. His professional career started when he and a couple of friends tried to start a video game development company, which led to Roy getting involved in web design for various clients. Roy says this experience taught him important lessons about how interacting with people was just as important as writing quality code. After several years as a web developer, Roy decided to follow his passion and make a major career change to become a counselor.

Roy came to the GSE to pursue a master’s in mental health counseling. After completing the program, Roy started his own private practice. However, his experience in IT is not forgotten as Roy currently serves as the webmaster for the Oregon Mental Health Counselors Association (OMHCA), and has led presentations on “digital confidentiality” at their annual meetings. As a consultant and educator, he leads NBCC-Approved continuing education workshops that teach counselors about the ethics of counseling and patient confidentiality on a national level.

New $25,000 gift endows Sandy Kaplan Scholarship

The GSE has received a new gift of $25,000 from Professor Emeritus Joe Kaplan to endow the Sandy Kaplan Scholarship, a fund established in memory of his first wife, Sandy. He has been supporting this scholarship annually since 2007, but this gift to endow it will ensure the permanent continuation of the scholarship for the future.

The Sandy Kaplan scholarship is intended for a student in a GSE teacher preparation program who has multicultural experience. Preference is given to students who intend to work with children or youth for whom English is a second language.

Signs of spring—PSU 2013 Length of Service Awards

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Held Thursday, March 7, the annual celebration of PSU employee length of service signals that spring, academic hooding, and graduation are not far off. Employees from across campus were distinguished for 20, 25, 30, 35, and even 40 years of service to the university.

This year’s GSE members honored include:

Celebrating 20 years

• Samuel Henry, Curriculum and Instruction
• Emily de la Cruz, Curriculum and Instruction

Celebrating 25 years

• Ellie Justice, Helen Gordon Child Development Center
• Cheryl Livneh, Continuing Education and GSE Associate Dean

Two GSE students from Visually Impaired Learner program receive fellowships

Two GSE students were among 15 selected nationally for a fellowship at the American Foundation for the Blind Leadership Institute. Phyllis Foster and Rian Hansen will travel to Chicago on April 18th to attend the event. Both are students in the Graduate School of Education’s Visually Impaired Learner (VIL) program, working toward licensure in Special Education with a specialization in Visual Impairment.

The Portland State VIL program is one of only four programs in the nation to offer interstate online programming to provide maximum access for students in this critical need area. PSU students attend from many different states across the continental United States, as well as Alaska and Hawaii, where there is a huge shortage of teachers in this field.