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CORVALLIS, Ore. - Oregon State University's 2006 Women of Achievement Award recipients will be honored at a public reception from 3:30 to 5 p.m. on Friday, April 28, at the campus Women's Center.

The OSU Women's Center is recognizing five women this year, including Diane Crocker, a teacher at Philomath Middle School; Lisa Ede, Barb Gartner and Donna Champeau, faculty members at OSU; and Paula Krane, an active member of the League of Women Voters of Oregon.

These annual awards are to honor the contributions and commitment of women whose work has benefited the women of OSU, the local community and Oregon.

Crocker has taught band at Philomath Middle School for 25 years, instilling a love of music to hundreds of students. Through her teaching and her struggle with breast cancer, she has been a role model, say her students and colleagues, inspiring young women to be "strong, brave and independent." Crocker is an inspiration to staff, students and community members, says and colleague, adding that she "shows all of us how we can make this world a better place."

Champeau, an associate professor in the Department of Public Health at OSU, has worked locally and globally to improve the health and status of women. She wrote a textbook and created a course on AIDS and sexually transmitted diseases that she teaches to more than 1,500 students per year at OSU. She conducts research and teaches health courses in Botswana, Lesotho, Malawi and Oregon on HIV/AIDS prevention. Champeau has received OSU awards for her excellence in teaching, and has dedicated much of her work to equality and furthering the causes of women, particularly disadvantaged women.

Ede, a professor in OSU's Department of English, has been a tireless and caring teacher, role model and a "model of feminist principles of generosity, collaboration and relationship," according to her students and peers. She has mentored female students to pursue graduate work and professional careers and is active in supporting women's studies on campus. A prolific scholarly publisher in rhetoric and composition, Ede directs the Center for Writing and Learning on campus.

Gartner, a professor in OSU's Department of Wood Science and Engineering, is committed to excellence in teaching and inspires female students to excel in a traditionally male-dominated field, say her colleagues. She conducts internationally recognized research in wood quality and tree physiology, and continually works to support, encourage and be a role model for women in her disciplines.

She also is active in supporting the broader community of women in sciences and encourages grade school girls to seek careers in science, engineering and math.

Krane has been active in the League of Women Voters since 1969. She served as president of the Corvallis chapter, then Oregon's statewide chapter. As a dedicated and hard-working volunteer, she championed the Vote-By-Mail ballot measure in Oregon, which allows more stay-at-home women to vote in Oregon. Krane's peers say she is a tireless advocate for citizen rights for access and input to legislative session in Salem. She has made a commitment to equality and dedicated her work to furthering the status of women.