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OSU President’s Dinner Honors Major Donors With Hybrid Event

Portland, OR. Oregon State University supporters celebrated the impact of philanthropy at the President’s Dinner on October 26th. It was a multi-access event for 150 in-person guests at the Portland Art Museum and additional 200 participants online. Alumni emcees Lamar Hurd from Trail Blazers Broadcasting and Cathy Marshall of KGW Television (pictured above) led the program filled with stories of students and faculty.

Organizers say, “With this year’s President’s Dinner, we were able to blend the best of both worlds and offer guests the choice of how they wanted to participate. Our in-person offering was designed with COVID safety in mind – vaccination required and a smaller number of attendees than in the past. We also got creative with ways to connect our in-person guests with those joining virtually. We had a live chat feature and placed iPads on each table to help make sure our in-person and virtual guests has a shared experience.”

The OSU Foundation hosted the event, celebrating a record 25 households and organizations that have recently joined the Milton Harris Society, which honors OSU donors for lifetime gift commitments of $1 million or more.

OSU Foundation President and CEO Shawn Scoville said, “One silver lining of the pandemic has been finding new ways of engaging alumni and friends in the life of the university, regardless of where they live.”

OSU Interim President Becky Johnson discussed OSU’s work related to the pandemic and climate impacts, aided by donors who invest in faculty. “I’m proud that OSU is a leader in providing access to affordable higher education among top research institutions,” she continued. “This year’s entering class is the most diverse in our history. About one-fourth of Corvallis students and one-third of OSU-Cascades students are the first in their families to attend college. Much of this would not be possible without your support, and I’m profoundly grateful for your generosity.”

Here’s a video about the new members of the Milton Harris Society:

Robin & W. Charles “Chuck” Armstrong, ’66
Todd A. Baker, ’94
Eastern Oregon Coordinated Care Organization
Susan Hamm Fritz, ’69, & Dennis W. Fritz, ’64, M.S. ’67
Kristin Gilley Fritz, ’88, & Michael W. Fritz, ’88
Robert M. Goldstein, ’77
Sheila and J. Michael Goodwin
Eric H.I. Hoffman, ’79, & Janice Kelleher Hoffman, ’81
Marilyn & Ronald R. Hudson, ’69
Paula D. & Kenneth S. Krane
Marilyn K. & Russell V. Kuhns, ’68
Christine Pullin Levy, ’70, & Thomas H. Levy, ’70
Lone Rock Resources

Watch videos from the 2021 President’s Dinner:

The Oregon State University Foundation seeks to create a better world by inspiring support of – and for – OSU. The OSU Foundation partners with OSU to engage the community, inspire investment and steward resources to enhance the university’s excellence and impact.

Elisa Klein

I’ve been a professional journalist and writer since 1987, (and long-time reporter for KOIN-TV.) As a nationally published reporter, with a Master’s Degree in Journalism, I love to report positive news and information. Journalism has also connected me with another non-profit where I served as a leader; the Northwest’s biggest writer’s organization: The Willamette Writers.