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EOU NEWS

EOU to honor alumni during Homecoming

News contact: Laura Hancock | Marketing, Development & Public Affairs
Phone: (541) 962-3585 | E-mail: lhancock@eou.edu

2 October 2009

LA GRANDE, Ore. — Eastern Oregon University has announced the recipients of the 2009 Alumni Awards. A reception and honors ceremony will be held in conjunction with Homecoming and Oktoberfest on Friday, Oct. 16 at 6 p.m. in the Hoke Union Building. Alumni and friends are welcome to attend.

The award recipients are: James Rose, of Portland, Distinguished Alumni Award; Craig Braseth, of La Grande, Dixie Lund Service Award; and Gerald Young, Dixie Lund Service Award (posthumous).

James Rose

James Rose first began his career as a student at Eastern Oregon College in 1944. The 17-year-old then took a leave of absence from his studies to serve in the U.S. Air Force, returning after a three-year tour to earn his teaching certificate in 1951 and a bachelor's of science degree in elementary education in 1953.

Now a professor of education emeritus at the University of Colorado-Boulder, Rose got his start in teaching in the Milton-Freewater and Junction City school districts. He later moved to Lake Oswego where he served as a classroom teacher, school principal and assistant superintendent of schools for seven years.

Rose received his doctorate in education from the University of Oregon in 1967. His dissertation on the components of the Oregon property tax base received the National Education Association award for "an outstanding contribution to research in the field of educational finance." The same year, Rose was appointed to the faculty at the University of Kansas-Lawrence College of Education and during his tenure he was the chief consultant to the governor's state school finance study project.

In 1969 Rose joined the University of Colorado-Boulder as a professor of educational administration and finance. While at CU he was involved in school district desegregation programs in seven southern states and directed the Danforth Foundation Secondary School Principal project and the Rockefeller Foundation minority leadership development program.

Rose also directed the federally funded organization development project for the management of educational change with students drawn from eight western states, and he was a principal investigator on the federally funded Education Block Grant study. 

Rose's expertise took him overseas as an education consultant working in the Philippines, Thailand, Malaysia, Indonesia and China. Following his retirement in 1986 he continued to consult internationally for the World Bank and Asian Development Bank on projects in The Gambia, Afghanistan, Pakistan and Laos. He also served on the American Association of School Administrators higher education executive committee and on the American Education Finance Association board of directors.

Craig Braseth

Craig Braseth is a founding member of the EOU Mountaineer Booster Club and is serving the seventh consecutive year as the club's president. In 1999, Braseth joined other key community members to form the Booster Club as a way to help foster a connection with the community to support student athletes at EOU.

In the past 10 years Braseth has seen many positive outcomes of the close work between the Booster Club, the university and the community. Since the Booster Club's inception EOU has moved from NCAA Division III to NAIA standing, allowing scholarships to be awarded to student athletes.

The Booster Club has awarded $180,000 in scholarships for student-athletes in the past five years. Under Braseth's leadership the club has established a solid endowment for scholarships with 26 lifetime memberships.

Braseth is the owner of Mountain West Moving and Storage Company in La Grande and he often employs students who have received Booster Club scholarships. He is involved with countless other organizations that help young people succeed and his business is a major sponsor for the United Way of Eastern Oregon fundraising drive.

A longtime supporter of FFA and 4-H, Braseth also served seven years on the La Grande School District Board. He is a member of the EOU Foundation Board of Directors and the Eastern Oregon Economic Development Corporation. The Union County Chamber of Commerce named him Business Man of the Year in 2001 and in 2004 he was inducted into the Mountaineer Athletic Hall of Fame for his years of meritorious service.

Gerald Young

Gerald Young served EOU for more than three decades as a faculty member, dean and later as president of the EOU Foundation. He passed away April 29 of lymphoma at the age of 76.

Young was born and raised in the La Grande area and his family has deep roots in the Grande Ronde Valley. He graduated from La Grande High School in 1951 and attended Eastern Oregon State College for two years. He later attended Oregon State University, earning a degree in agriculture in 1955 and later a Ph.D. in general science with a chemistry emphasis in 1969.

Young joined Eastern's faculty as a chemistry professor in 1959 and later became division head of the science department and then dean of the School of Arts and Sciences. After retiring in 1995, Young continued serving EOU. He was a member of the EOU Foundation and part of the recent presidential search committee.

On the civic front Young was also ever present. He was a member of the Oregon State Library's board of trustees, a member of the La Grande Salvation Army advisory board, an active member of the La Grande Rotary Club, a long-time member of the La Grande School Board, and more.

Dixie Lund, former interim EOU president, worked with Young for many years. Lund earlier was the director of Eastern's distance education program and she credits Young's early support for the program with playing a key role in the major success it later had and continues to enjoy.

The EOU Athletic Department will also induct new members to the Hall of Fame during the honors ceremony. They are: Sean Nesbitt, cross-country/track and field, (1993-97); Ron Scott, baseball (1967-71); Steve Carter, baseball (1970-72); Roger Rada, football (1970-71); and Greg Nelson, wrestling (1968-72).

For more information about the Alumni Honors Ceremony and related Homecoming activities visit www.eou.edu/alumni/homecoming, call 962-3740 or e-mail alumni@eou.edu.