Kamelia Massih Outstanding Student and Faculty Awards

Dr. Kamelia Massih was a beloved Portland optometrist and a true American success story. Born and raised in Tehran, she came to the United States in 1978, initiated her studies in biology at Portland State University and subsequently graduated in 1981 from Oregon State University. After completing a doctorate in optometry at Pacific University, she opened her own practice, Beaverton Vision World in 1989. She later opened a second clinic in downtown Portland near the Portland State Campus. She cared deeply about others and gave her time and resources to a wide range of local and national charities. She was a dedicated wife and mother who loved travel, the outdoors and above all else, fine arts, music and dance. Dr. Massih passed away on March 19, 2010 after a three  year battle with cancer.

Each year one student and one faculty member in the College of the Arts will be acknowledged for outstanding achievement in their discipline and for bringing recognition or innovation to their school through the Kamelia Massih Outstanding Student Prize in the Arts and through the Kamelia Massih Outstanding Faculty Prize in the Arts.

2012 Recipients

2012 Outstanding Student Prize: Taryn Mudge, Master of Architecture Candidate 2012

Taryn has distinguished herself amongst her peers and is easily in the top one percent of the students ever taught at the graduate level. One of the faculty who nominated Taryn stated that "Her passion for design is evident from her rigorous work ethic and effort she put into the class. Taryn's contributions to our discussions in the studio were invaluble, and she constantly pushed her peers through her encouragements and by her example. While the course focused on the design of a homeless assistance center, her interest in serving those addicted to drugs, provide a deep reservoir of inspirations for her architeture that served her well in the studio and will continue to do so in the future." Taryn served her school community well as the student representative for her Master of Architecture class and holds a Green Building Research Laboratory Fellowship and serves as the liaison between students and faculty in the deartment and the lab.

2012 Outstanding Faculty Prize: Christine Meadows, Assistant Professor of Music

Christine has sung multiple roles with over 20 different opera companies and music festivals including the New York City Opera, Houston Opera, Portland Opera, the Victoria Symphony, the San Diego Symphony and the Oregon Bach Festival. Christine joined PSU as a full-time faculty member in 2006 as head of the PSU opera program. She has served as the Artistic Director for our productions of Tartuffe, Cost Fan Tutte, La Boheme, Falstaff, The Merry Widow and most recently for Dialogue of the Carmelites. In each of these elaborate and complex productions, she selected singer and production staff, developed the scenes and vocal performances, helped with diction, guided and coached our students with their acting and stage presence, coordinated additional vocal diction coaching, worked with the student orchestra and conductor Ken Selden and guided the entire production as it made its way to the stage. Each production has received lavish critical and audience praise and tremendous box office success.

2011 Recipients