2009 Alumni Award Recipients

James Rose

Distinguished Alumni Award

James Rose, of Portland, first began his career as a student at Eastern Oregon College in 1944. The 17-year-old took a leave of absence from his studies to serve in the U.S. Air Force, returning after a three-year tour to earn his teaching certificate in 1951 and a bachelor’s of science degree in elementary education in 1953. He received his doctorate in education from the University of Oregon in 1967. Now a professor of education emeritus at the University of Colorado-Boulder, Rose got his start in teaching in the Milton-Freewater and Junction City school districts. He later moved to Lake Oswego where he served as a classroom teacher, school principal and assistant superintendent of schools for seven years. He has directed numerous education development projects and served on national boards. His expertise took him overseas as an education consultant working in the Philippines, Thailand, Malaysia, Indonesia and China. Following his retirement in 1986, Rose continued to consult internationally on projects in The Gambia, Afghanistan, Pakistan and Laos.

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Craig Braseth

Dixie Lund Service Award

Craig Braseth, of La Grande, is a founding member of the EOU Mountaineer Booster Club and is serving his seventh consecutive year as the club’s president. In 1999, he joined other key community members to form the Booster Club as a way to help foster a connection with the community to support student athletes at EOU. In the past five years the Booster Club has awarded $180,000 in scholarships for student-athletes, and under Braseth’s leadership the club has established a solid endowment for scholarships with 26 lifetime memberships. Braseth is the owner of Mountain West Moving and Storage Company and he often employs students who have received Booster Club scholarships. He is involved with countless other organizations that help young people succeed and his business is a major sponsor for the United Way of Eastern Oregon fundraising drive.

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Gerald Young

Dixie Lund Service Award (posthumous)

Gerald Young served EOU for more than three decades as a faculty member, dean and later as president of the EOU Foundation. He passed away April 29 of lymphoma at the age of 76. Young was born and raised in the La Grande area and his family has deep roots in the Grande Ronde Valley. He graduated from La Grande High School in 1951 and attended Eastern Oregon State College for two years. He later attended Oregon State University, earning a degree in agriculture in 1955 and later a Ph.D. in general science with a chemistry emphasis in 1969. Young joined Eastern’s faculty as a chemistry professor in 1959 and later became division head of the science department and then dean of the School of Arts and Sciences. After retiring in 1995, Young continued serving EOU. He was a member of the EOU Foundation and part of the recent presidential search committee. On the civic front Young was also ever present and was a member of numerous boards and outreach organizations.