Tribute To An Oregon Treasure

Those who know me know that I hold a special affinity for the Oregon Institute of Technology. Growing up in Klamath Falls, I was fed a steady diet of Hustlin' Owl sports over the years.

That affinity is why I was sad to read of the passing of Martha Ann Dow. The longtime OIT president died Saturday after a year-long battle with breast cancer at age 68.

My interactions with Dr. Dow were few, but as I understand her she was far from an ivory tower university president. She was a roll-up-the-sleeves worker willing to do anything that would benefit OIT and its students. She is the reason why Tech has beefed up its medical technology offerings. There is a reason why the state named the Oregon Center for Health Professions at OIT (a program sure to compete with my beloved Pacific) is named for her.

One memory, however, sticks out to this day. I had the unique opportunity in 2001 to fill in for Mr. Hustlin' Owl himself, Bobby Thompson, as play-by-play voice for OIT basketball for games at Warner Pacific and Northwest Christian.

I am sitting inside Warner Pacific's gym about a half hour before the game, hastily preparing for the broadcast. Who should come across the court but Dr. Dow along with a couple of fellow administrators, including academic dean Doug Yates (a former Scoutmaster of mine). They had been in Portland all day for Oregon University System meetings and thought a great way to spend the evening would be in Warner's cracker box of a gym and watch the Owls (who lost that night to an up-and-coming Knights' team).

I was impressed. Rather than spend the evening dining with her fellow presidents and taking in the opportunity to spend Friday night in Portland, Dr. Dow was sitting down, bag of popcorn in hand, to watch her school's men's basketball program. I have never known a university president to come and attend a non-playoff road game before or since. It was a true demonstation of Dr. Dow's love and dedication for the school she ran.

Oregon Gov. Ted Kulongoski called Martha Ann Dow "a true Oregon treasure." I couldn't agree more, and anyone affiliated with OIT feels the loss. Oregon Tech, and Klamath Falls, are better places bacause of her.