The Jane Wiener Memorial Alumni Scholarship

The Jane Wiener Memorial Alumni Scholarship provides full resident tuition and required fees for one student and is renewable, provided the student maintains a 3.0 cumulative GPA, performs appropriate community service and meets the scholarship’s criteria for financial need. While on scholarship, the student must enroll in at least 12 credit hours per term or a minimum of 36 credit hours per academic year--fall, winter and spring quarters. The scholarship will be offered for a maximum of 15 quarters (186 credit hours) or until the completion of an undergraduate degree, which ever occurs first.

Eligibility Requirements

Applicants Must:

•    Be the child, grandchild or stepchild of a PSU graduate, or the child of a legal guardian who is a PSU graduate. A PSU graduate is  defined as a person with a degree from Portland State University or Portland State College;
•    Be accepted and enrolled as an undergraduate student at PSU;
•    Qualify on the basis of need as determined by the Office of Financial Aid upon receipt of application for aid;
•    Be involved in or have performed some type of community service activity;
•    Supply three recommendations, two academic and one personal;
•    Have a cumulative GPA of at least 3.0

Application Process

All Applications Must Include:

 A) The Jane Wiener Memorial Alumni Scholarship Application personal statement: 1,500 words or less about: 1) why you believe you should receive this scholarship, 2) how this scholarship would make a difference to you, 3) how your community service experiences have affected your life, 4) other characteristics or circumstances you feel are pertinent to this application.
 B) The Financial Need Documentation Form and accompanying Federal Financial Aid information if available.
 C) Three letters of recommendation using the PSU Scholarship Recommendation Form. Two recommendations should be from the academic community, preferably professors or teachers. Please ask individuals providing recommendations to return the completed recommendation forms to you so you may submit them with your scholarship application. For students re-entering college from the work force, recommendations from professional contacts are acceptable.

Completed applications are due in the Alumni Office no later than August 10. All eligible applications will be reviewed by the Scholarship Committee of the PSU Alumni Association.  The finalists will be invited to personally interview with the scholarship committee.  

Applicants will be notified of the results by mail.

If you have questions regarding the PSU Alumni Scholarship, please contact the Alumni Relations Office at 725-4948 or psualum@pdx.edu. Location: Simon Benson House, 1803 SW Park

While on Scholarship

The recipient must volunteer 10 hours/term with an appropriate PSU or community service organization pre-approved by the Scholarship coordinator.  The student is required to supply a report each term on the progress of their service project. The Alumni Office works directly with the student to ensure the student is meeting the community service requirement

The scholarship is a contractual agreement.  The recipient and the Alumni Director sign a letter of agreement outlining the expectations and requirements of the scholarship.  If the recipient fails to meet the minimum requirements of the scholarship, a review of the situation occurs by the staff and the Scholarship Committee. It maybe determined the recipient is ineligible for further assistance thereby making the scholarship available for another student.  In this case, there is a call for new applications.  

The Alumni Office coordinates with the Office of Admissions and Records to ensure the recipient is maintaining the minimum 3.0 GPA and minimum/maximum number of credit hours per each term.  This is done by way of financial and academic reports that detail the information.  


About Jane Wiener

The Jane Wiener Memorial Alumni Scholarship is offered by the Portland State University Alumni Association.  The scholarship is named after the late Jane Wiener who graduated from PSU in 1969.  Jane went on to earn a law degree from the Northwestern School of Law in 1973.  Jane worked as a Multnomah County Deputy District Attorney for 21 years, where, among other things, she helped protect children from abusive environments.  

In 1964, during her freshman year of college, Jane was involved in a tragic accident that left her a quadriplegic.  Jane epitomized how humans rise to the occasion while struggling with adversity.  Jane was an inspiration for those who knew her; she was a wonderful role model for students.  Jane served on the PSU Alumni Board from September of 1991 until her death in March 1994.

Because of her commitment to children and a magnetism common to very few people, the Alumni Board chose to honor Jane by renaming the scholarship in her name.