Portland State University’s College of the Arts has announced the recipients of the Kamelia Massih Outstanding Faculty and Student Prizes in the Arts for 2025. The prize winners are Courtney Hermann, associate professor in the School of Film, and Michelle Jackson, a student in the Schnitzer School of Art + Art History + Design. The awards recognize individuals who bring innovation to their discipline, demonstrate excellence in performing and/or fine arts and exemplify PSU’s commitment to community engagement.
Courtney Hermann is an educator, independent documentary filmmaker, and media producer. Her work is distributed by PBS and its affiliates, through educational film catalogs, at film festivals, and through impact distribution to community partners. She is the co-founder of Boxcar Assembly, a full-service production company specializing in non-fiction film production. Courtney co-authored the 7th edition of the textbook Directing the Documentary by Michael Rabiger, and most recently, she directed “Outliers and Outlaws,” a documentary celebrating Eugene’s lesbian community that formed during the 1960s through the 1980s, providing a supportive haven where they could live and work on their own terms. The documentary is part of an award-winning digital humanities project that includes an oral history archive, a traveling museum exhibit and an online digital exhibition.
In her recent role as director of the School of Film, Hermann helped to spearhead a grant from the Mount Hood Cable Regulatory Commission that brought over $85,000 to the school enabling the purchase of new filmmaking equipment and allowed students to create a series of shorts for public broadcasting, commemorating the 50 years after the establishment of Title IX. In addition, she established a new stop-motion animation studio and related courses for film students.
“Courtney is truly deserving of recognition for her remarkable commitment to the field of documentary filmmaking, to the local community, and to Portland State University,” said Kristin Hole, Ph.D., current director of the School of Film. Highlighting her work with “Outliers and Outlaws,” Dr. Hole commended Hermann’s “stellar reputation in the documentary film community for her professionalism and the empathy and care she shows for her documentary subjects.” The MHCC grant “is a perfect example of Professor Hermann’s special blend of commitment to serving students and the department, while addressing issues of social justice or inequality in the larger community,” said Dr. Hole.
Michelle Jackson, a BFA student in the Art Practice program, works in a variety of media, including painting, drawing, felting, weaving and photography. She is the recipient of the 2024 Arlene Schnitzer Visual Arts Prize. She has taken on leadership roles within the Schnitzer School of Art + Art History + Design, including acting as curator for the Sugarcube Gallery and leading the Painting & Drawing Club. As an artist who identifies as queer and fat, she uses vibrant and bold colors to craft figurative works on the topics of fat liberation, LGBTQIA+ identities, mental health, neurodivergence, and silliness. Through her art, she endeavors to cultivate spaces of visibility, affirmation, and inclusion while exploring the multifaceted intersections of identity.
“Michelle Jackson is an exceptional student, artist, and leader,” said Lis Charman, director of the Schnitzer School of Art + Art History + Design. Through her artwork, “she emphasizes the importance of inclusivity for marginalized communities, demonstrating intellectual engagement and a commitment to social change.”
“In the classroom, Michelle fosters a positive and inclusive environment, ensuring that all voices are heard,” said Taravat Talepasand, assistant professor of art. “She has exemplified leadership within her BFA cohort, while also recognizing the importance of stepping aside to allow others the opportunity to lead.”
The Kamelia Massih Endowment for the Arts was established in memory of former PSU student Kamelia Massih. It was funded after her passing in 2010 with gifts from friends, family and colleagues, as well as by a donation from Massih’s brother, PSU alumnus Fariborz Maseeh, through the Massiah Foundation. Past faculty award winners include jazz musician Darrell Grant, former opera program director Christine Meadows, graphic design professor and artist Kate Bingaman-Burt, PSU Chamber Choir director Ethan Sperry, and violin professor Tomás Cotik.
The prizes are accompanied by a cash award to honor the faculty and student achievements.
A beloved Portland optometrist, Kamelia Massih was a true American success story. Born and raised in Tehran, she came to the United States in 1978, initiating her studies in biology at Portland State University and subsequently graduating 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 University campus. She cared deeply about others and gave her time and resources to a wide range of national charities. She was a dedicated wife and mother who loved travel, the outdoors, and above all else, fine arts, music and dance.
For more information about giving to the College of the Arts, please contact:
Kailin Mooney
Senior Director of Development
mooneyk@psuf.org | 503-725-5031