Stephen Edward Epler (1909–1997) was an American academic administrator who founded what is now

Portland State University Portland State University (PSU) is a public research university in Portland, Oregon, United States. It was founded in 1946 as a post-secondary educational institution for World War II veterans. It evolved into a four-year college over the next ...

. In 1934 he developed six man football for small high schools, and in 1940 became the dean of men at Southern Oregon College in

Ashland, Oregon Ashland is a city in Jackson County, Oregon, United States. It lies along Interstate 5 in Oregon, Interstate 5 approximately 16 miles (26 km) north of the California border and near the south end of the Rogue Valley. The city's population w ...

. After serving in the

United States Navy The United States Navy (USN) is the naval warfare, maritime military branch, service branch of the United States Department of Defense. It is the world's most powerful navy with the largest Displacement (ship), displacement, at 4.5 millio ...

World War II World War II or the Second World War (1 September 1939 – 2 September 1945) was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War II, Allies and the Axis powers. World War II by country, Nearly all of the wo ...

, he founded the Vanport Extension Center in 1946, which later became PSU; he succeeded in keeping the institution running after the building housing it was destroyed in the 1948 Vanport flood. After being passed over as dean and later president of the institution, he accepted presidency of Reedley College in California and then the

College of Marin The College of Marin, (known as Marin Junior College, 1926–1947) is a Public college, public community college in Marin County, California, with two campuses, one in Kentfield, California, Kentfield, and the second in Novato, California, Novat ...

. In 1966, he was chosen as first president and superintendent of

Ohlone College Ohlone College (Ohlone or OC; ) is a public community college, a member of the California Community College System, with its main campus in Fremont and a second campus in Newark. The Ohlone Community College District serves Fremont, Newark ...

. He died in

Carmichael, California Carmichael is a census-designated place (CDP) in Sacramento County, California, Sacramento County, California, United States. It is an Unincorporated area, unincorporated suburb in the Sacramento metropolitan area, Greater Sacramento metropolitan ...

, in 1997. A residence hall at PSU is named for him.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Epler, Stephen 1909 births 1997 deaths American academic administrators Presidents of Portland State University