Announcing the 2020 Alumni Award Recipients
The Pacific University Alumni Board of Representatives is pleased to announce the 2020 Alumni Award recipients.
Breanne McGhee MEd ’16, OD ’16 — Emerging Leader Award
McGhee was described by former College of Optometry Dean Jenny Coyle as “a powerhouse” who has shown has shown “graceful persistence, maturity and dedication not only to the profession of optometry, but the greater world around her.” As a student, she was a leader in university and professional organization and was awarded the Dean’s Award in 2016. She is practicing optometry in her native New Orleans, but most notably, is deeply committed to humanitarian work, from encouraging diversity in the profession of optometry to assisting with COVID-19 testing in her community. She founded a nonprofit called EYES, which offers disadvantaged, underserved community members with free comprehensive eye exams and eyeglasses.
Matt Meyer ’75 — David and Sandy Lowe Outstanding Alumni Service Award
Matt Meyer has been an engaged and committed alumni member of the Pacific University Council since 2014. He is also an active member of the Boxer Club, and he volunteers frequently to serve at Homecoming events and to lead campus tour groups of elementary-age students, all on a volunteer basis. Outside of his engagement at Pacific, he operates Meyer Appraisals, a respected property appraisal firm in Portland.
Dennis Carline ’79, MST ’88 — Outstanding Alumni Award
Dennis Carline is a longtime, successful high school educator and athletics coach who has made his greatest mark as a leader of young people. He coached women’s basketball at Benson Tech in Portland, taking a team that was winless when he arrived to the state tournament 16 times. At Portland’s De La Salle North, he was head volleyball coach and head men’s and women’s track coach, taking teams to the state tournament multiple times. He’s also boosted participation as coach of track and volleyball teams at Fort Vancouver High School in Vancouver, Wash., and Portland’s Roosevelt High School. He long has served in communities of poverty, earning multiple coach of the year awards and creating clubs and activities for young people who otherwise would have been unable to participate.
Scott Pike ’68, OD ’70 — Outstanding Alumni Award
Scott Pike has had a distinguished career as an optometrist, operating practices in Montana and Oregon and serving as clinical professor at Pacific University’s College of Optometry. But his exceptional service to the profession and to people is demonstrated by his work in Guatemala, where Enfoque Ixcán, the nonprofit he founded, has provided eye care and trained community health workers to provide eye care services to the Ixcán, the indigenous, underserved people who occupy the area. He has made return trips to Ixcán for 22 years, bringing with him Pacific University students and working with Guatemalan providers to provide a range of services from free eyeglasses to cataract surgery. To support his work, he also has procured donations from service organizations and other groups.
We hope you will join us in congratulating each of these four impressive alumni.