Honors Link

Daniel and Margaret Porth are active people, not content to just sit on the sidelines. So last year, when the opportunity came, they readily joined a new OSU initiative, one with a strong personal connection.

Proud parents of an Honors College senior, the Porths participated in the college’s inaugural Parent Leadership Circle.

“Just seeing our son’s experience and wanting to give back” prompted the couple to get involved, Margaret said. “Anyway I can be of support to somebody, I’m happy to do it.”

A 1981 OSU alumnus and a partner in a Salem accounting firm, Daniel described the leadership group’s first year as a “trial run.” Members met with college staff and brainstormed ways to serve as a resource for parents of Honors students.

“A lot of it was laying the groundwork to provide direction for future years,” Daniel said. “They’re addressing the whole family, not just the student.”

The Porths exemplify the ways that many OSU President’s Circle members contribute to the university beyond their financial gifts. The expertise and experience they offer are also valuable assets.

It’s an idea that’s receiving increasing attention across campus. This fall the OSU Division of Student Affairs and the OSU Foundation launched a university-wide Parent Leadership Council. Additional volunteer opportunities for university supporters are in the works.

Meanwhile, this fall the Honors College moved into its new home in the Learning Innovation Center and celebrated its 20th anniversary. And the Porths’ son, Lane, took his newly-minted Honors degree in chemical engineering to Durham, North Carolina, where he works for Cree, a manufacturer of LED materials and devices.

“We’re really grateful for the active engagement and leadership of President’s Circle members like the Porths,” said Susie Brubaker-Cole, OSU Vice Provost for Student Affairs. “This is what parents at a great university do. And seeing their son graduate and get off to such a great start with his career is exactly we want for all our students. President’s Circle members help make that happen.”

This story was originally published by the OSU Foundation.