Award-winning astronaut and statesman John Glenn will be the featured speaker at Portland State University's annual Simon Benson Awards Dinner on April 1, 2008. This year's dinner honors philanthropists Sam Wheeler and the Gwen Burns family.

In its ninth year, the Simon Benson Awards continues to raise the bar for community engagement and philanthropy in Oregon. Named after one of Portland's philanthropic pioneers, the award recognizes visionary individuals who have generously given time and resources to improve the lives of generations of Oregonians.

The gala event will be held at the Oregon Convention Center (777 N.E. Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd.) and includes a reception, dinner and entertainment. The reception starts at 6 p.m. and dinner begins at 7 p.m. The event will be emceed by Jeff Gianola and Kelley Day of Portland's KOIN-6 News, a media sponsor of the event. Sponsorships, tables and individual tickets for the event are now available to the public. For more information contact Meg Chuprevich at 503-725-8212 or at events@pdx.edu. Proceeds from the Simon Benson Awards Dinner support the Fund for PSU, which includes support for student scholarships and programs.

Background on Speaker and Award Recipients
John Glenn
John Glenn, legendary astronaut and first American to orbit earth, is honored for a remarkable lifetime dedicated to military aviation, space exploration and service to his country.

John Glenn holds the Air Medal, has been awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross on six occasions and is the recipient of numerous other honors, including the Congressional Space Medal of Honor. Enlisted in the Naval Aviation Cadet Program, he was commissioned in the Marine Corps in 1943. Upon completion of service in both World War II and the Korean War, he remained in the military as a Marine pilot. In 1954, Glenn won an assignment as a Marine test pilot and in 1957, set a transcontinental speed record for the first flight to average supersonic speeds from Los Angeles to New York.

In 1959, Glenn was chosen to be one of seven NASA Mercury astronauts. On February 20, 1962, Glenn and his Friendship 7 spacecraft flew for nearly five hours and circled Earth three times. He had become the first American to orbit the earth.

In addition to his distinguished space exploration and military service, John Glenn has served as senator for his home state of Ohio. He once again made history in 1992 by being the first popularly elected senator from Ohio to win four consecutive terms, including terms in 1974, 1980 and 1986. He retired from the Senate in 1998.

Glenn returned to space in 1998 as a member of NASA's STS-95 Discovery mission. At 77 years of age, he became the oldest man ever to fly in space and while there, conducted medical tests to study the effects of zero-gravity on the aging body. During that mission, Glenn made 134 earth orbits in 213 hours and 44 minutes.

John Glenn has received the National Air and Space Museum Trophy for Lifetime Achievement, one of the Smithsonian Institution's highest awards. He is also the 2000 recipient of the prestigious American Institute of Public Service's Jefferson Award in recognition of his national service as an elected official. Currently, Glenn serves as the Chairman of the Board of Advisors of the John Glenn School of Public Affairs at Ohio State University and continues to share his views on the importance of public service and the necessity of better math & science education.

Sam Wheeler
Sam Wheeler's many philanthropic investments have helped advance the quality of life for residents of Oregon communities. The Wheeler Foundation's lengthy list of grants each year support children and youth, address social needs, improve education and preserve the state's artistic and cultural heritage.

Gwen Burns & Family
Philanthropy is a family priority for Gwen Burns, her sons Bruce Burns and Scott Burns, and her daughter Heather Burns Eagon. Together this exceptional quartet furthers the good work of educational, arts, environmental, health care and social service organizations throughout Oregon.

Presenting sponsors are Wells Fargo and an anonymous donor. Other sponsors include the Frederick D. & Gail Y. Jubitz Foundation, Don & Mary Clark Frisbee, Gerding/Edlen Development, Miller Family Holdings, Office Max, Inc., Stevens Printing, Inc., Peter & Julie Stott, Oregon Business Magazine, KOIN News 6 and the Portland Trail Blazers.

Past keynote speakers include Magic Johnson, Her Majesty Queen Noor of Jordan, Walter Cronkite, Madeleine Albright, Rudolph Giuliani, Bob Dole, Mario Cuomo and Colin Powell.

Past award recipients include Robert K. '63 and Jane K. Morrow '65 MS '77, Robert G. and Sharon L. Miller, Gary '67 and Barbara Ames '68, Ken and Marta Thrasher '90, Thomas B. and Caroline P. Stoel, Patricia Wessinger, Elizabeth "Becky" Johnson, James F. Miller, Jeannine B. Cowles, Ernest C. Swigert, Peter and Julie Stott, Duncan and Cindy Campbell, Mary and Maurie Clark, Don Frisbee, Paul Bragdon and Jean Vollum.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE (#08-012)

Source: Meg Chuprevich (503-725-8212)
PSU Office of University Relations