Performing and Fine Arts
College of Arts and Sciences
Development
October 26, 2017
The family of the late Bonnie Toon-Sweeney ’94, a longtime figure in the Portland theater community, has endowed a $50,000 scholarship in her name that will assist students studying theater at the University of Portland to complete their degrees.
Bonnie Toon-Sweeney, who passed away in 2013 after a long battle with ovarian cancer, received her degree in Theater Management from the University in 1994 at age 40, after years of working during the day at the Meier & Frank department store and in theater productions around the Portland area at night.
The family hopes, through endowing the scholarship in her name, to help theater students who are struggling financially. The scholarship will provide four theater majors each year with the financial assistance to complete their degrees.
“Theater and education were two of Bonnie’s passions in life,” said her husband Pat Sweeney. “Bonnie’s family and I see this scholarship fund as a most appropriate way to honor her memory, support those passions, and thank the University of Portland for the support it provided many years ago.”
In an effort to grow the scholarship’s endowment, the Toon-Sweeney family is offering to match, up to $10,000, any additional donations to the scholarship fund. For those interested in learning more about how they can contribute to helping the next generation of theater professionals succeed, please go to giving.up.edu/bonnie or contact Connie Ozyjowski at 503-943-7479 ozyjowsk@up.edu.
About Bonnie Toon-Sweeney
Bonnie Toon-Sweeney was a longtime figure in Portland’s theater community, with a career that spanned some 35 years. She began her Portland career acting and directing with Summus Theatre Ensemble, a company established by Fort Wright College alums. Her later work was primarily as a stage manager and producer for several local theater companies, including Oregon Stage Company, Classic Greek Theatre, Lakewood Theatre Company, Coho Productions, Quintessence Language & Imagination Theater and the Portland Revels. She managed everything from one acts at the annual Fertile Ground Festivals, playing some of the more intimate venues around town, to Portland Revels productions.
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