Film on Campus Sexual Assault to be Screened at SOU

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(Ashland, Ore.) —The Hunting Ground, the latest documentary from Academy Award-nominated filmmakers Kirby Dick and Amy Ziering, will be presented at Southern Oregon University on Friday, May 1, at 6 p.m. Described as “a startling expose of sexual assault on U.S. campuses, institutional cover-ups and the brutal social toll on victims and their families,” The Hunting Ground was premiered at the 2015 Sundance Film Festival and has been shown at colleges and universities around the nation.
“This is such an important issue in our nation right now that we wanted to bring it to our community and make sure that SOU students and others throughout the Rogue Valley have the opportunity to view it,” said Mary Vest, coordinator of SOU’s Women’s Resource Center, which is sponsoring the screening.
Southern Oregon University is widely regarded as a national leader on the issue of campus sexual assault response. University staff have testified at both the state and national level during legislative hearings on the issue and SOU’s “Campus Choice” program has served as a model for proposed federal legislation currently working its way through the US Senate.
The Hunting ground features SOU as a university that handles reports of campus sexual assault in a positive manner.
Following the screening of the film, there will be a question and answer session with members of the Jackson County Sexual Assault Response Team, Ashland Police Department’s “You Have Options” program, SOU’s “Campus Choice” program and more.
The screening is free and open to the public. For more information on The Hunting Ground, visit www.thehuntinggroundfilm.com.
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About Southern Oregon University
Southern Oregon University provides outstanding student experiences, valued degrees, and successful graduates. SOU is known for excellence in faculty, intellectual creativity and rigor, quality and innovation in connected learning programs, and the educational benefits of its unique geographic location. SOU was the first university in Oregon—and one of the first in the nation—to offset 100 percent of its energy use with clean, renewable power, and it is the first university in the nation to balance 100% of its water consumption. Visit sou.edu.

Oregon Center for the Arts at Southern Oregon presents “Dance You Monster,” performed by the SOU Jazz Ensemble and SOU Jazz Collective

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(Ashland, Ore.) – The Music program of the Oregon Center for the Arts at Southern Oregon University presents “Dance You Monster,” performed by the SOU Jazz Ensemble and SOU Jazz Collective on Friday, May 15 at 7:30 p.m. in the SOU Music Recital Hall.
The title piece performed by the SOU Jazz Ensemble is “Dance You Monster to My Soft Song!,” a composition by Maria Schneider inspired by the 1922 Paul Klee painting of the same name. “This piece uniquely mixes jazz and symphonic sounds in unpredictable ways that are not usually heard at standard jazz performances,” said director Dan Kocurek. “It’s relentless, intense and creepy cool” as it recreates Klee’s painting for the mind’s eye.
In contrast, the concert program includes Dan Cavanaugh’s “Having Built in Deeper Water,” which offers a beautiful, slow build of bright, simple, colorful chords, all the way to the end. It drops a bright, shimmery, hopeful note into the evening.  The program will include the Snarky Puppy tune “Binky,” arranged by percussion student Jake Riggs, and Gershwin’s famous “Embraceable You,” arranged by saxophone student Daniel Chavez and featuring vocalist Taylor Tavares.
The second half of the program features the SOU Jazz Collective, directed by Master of Music Performance graduate student Tony Hayes. The Collective features six horns, a rhythm section of keyboard, guitar, drums and bass, and singers Tavares and Corin Wesman. The group will perform “What is Hip?” by Tower of Power; “Sir Duke” by Stevie Wonder; a Miles Davis medley; and “Freedom Jazz” by Eddie Harris. Hayes arranged all four songs for the Collective.
Kocurek leads the trumpet studio at the Oregon Center for the Arts at Southern Oregon University and the SOU Raider Band. “I’m new to SOU, having just come here in January, and we’ve completely reworked the jazz program,” he said. “There hasn’t been a big band sound at SOU in a long time. I am blown away that these students are performing at a professional level in our second term together. I performed these same sets at the Jazz Lab at University of Oregon, one of the top jazz groups in the country, and here SOU students are doing a professional job of it, right away.”
Kocurek has made multiple appearances with the University of British Columbia Symphony Orchestra, Wind Ensemble and Chamber Strings, as well as the Vancouver Bach Choir, the Pro Nova Ensemble and the Vancouver Metropolitan Orchestra. He also was the lead trumpet in the world-renowned Dallas Brass. His travels have led to performances with Jens Lindemann,Mark Gould, Ryan Anthony, Marty Hackleman, Alain Trudel, Nancy DiNovo and Bobby Shew, among many others. He plays trumpet in this season’s Oregon Shakespeare Festival production of “Guys and Dolls.”
Hayes is an accomplished saxophone musician who attended Berklee College of Music and studied saxophone with Jerry Bergonzi, George Garzone, Joe Viola and Jerry Coker. He has extensively toured with such groups as Mikey Dread, Arturo Sandoval, Sugarcreek and Bill Deal and the Rhondells. He also wrote original songs for Robbie Wyckoff and co-produced a solo recording for Bobby Thomas, Jr., of the Weather Report.
Tickets are $10 for regular admission, $5 for senior citizens and free to full-time students. The Performing Arts Box Office is located in the Music Recital Hall lobby. Box office hours are noon to 6 p.m. Monday through Friday and two hours prior to each performance. Tickets can be purchased with a credit card over the phone by calling 541-552-6348 or online at oca.sou.edu/box-office. Contact the box office for discounts offered to SOU alumni, Osher Lifelong Learning Institute participants and SNAP/Oregon Trail cardholders.
About Southern Oregon University
Southern Oregon University provides outstanding student experiences, valued degrees, and successful graduates. SOU is known for excellence in faculty, intellectual creativity and rigor, quality and innovation in connected learning programs, and the educational benefits of its unique geographic location. SOU was the first university in Oregon—and one of the first in the nation—to offset 100 percent of its energy use with clean, renewable power, and it is the first university in the nation to balance 100 percent of its water consumption. Visit sou.edu.
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The Oregon Center for the Arts at Southern Oregon University presents William Shakespeare’s “The Winter’s Tale”

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(Ashland, Ore.) – The Theatre Arts program of the Oregon Center for the Arts at Southern Oregon University presents William Shakespeare’s “The Winter’s Tale” in the Center Stage Theatre on the Southern Oregon University campus. Performances run Thursday-Saturday, May 21-23 and May 28-30 at 8 p.m. and Saturday-Sunday, May 30-31 at 2 p.m.
One of the last plays Shakespeare ever wrote, “The Winter’s Tale” is also one of his most extraordinary, moving from tragedy to pastoral romp to transcendent magic act. King Leontes of Sicilia seemingly destroys his entire family by inexplicably accusing his innocent queen of adultery. After this catastrophic start, the play shifts locales and leaps ahead 16 years, focusing on the king’s abandoned daughter who, unaware of her true identity, holds the key to a series of unexpected reconciliations, culminating in one of the most famous denouements in theater history.
The SOU production sets the play in an abstract ancient setting, modeled on Arthurian Britain, and plays up the importance of women in orchestrating the play’s sublime finale. The play’s middle section, set at a pastoral “Sheep-Shearing Festival,” will feature live Celtic music performed by Kevin Carr and Pat O’Scannell.
“The play was relatively unappreciated for centuries,” says production dramaturg Laura Beresford. “Scholars and directors both sort of re-discovered it in the 1970s. Just like that, it became clear to everyone that ‘The Winter’s Tale’ is one of Shakespeare’s greatest achievements.”
One such production in the 1970s took place at the Oregon Shakespeare Festival. Directed by Audrey Stanley and starring James Edmondson as Leontes, it had a major impact on David McCandless, who directs the SOU production. “I was quite young at the time but, by the time the show was over, I knew that I wanted to be involved in making theater,” said McCandless, who grew up in Medford and has returned to the Rogue Valley after stints as a professor at UC Berkeley and Carleton College and is in his fifth year as Professor of Theatre Arts and Director of Shakespeare Studies at SOU.
His most recent productions include “The Metal Children,” “Invisible Threads” (which he also wrote) and “A Midsummer Night’s Dream.”
The cast of “The Winter’s Tale” includes Sarah Brizek, Nicole Bruno, Connor Bryant, Jon Cates, Connor Chaney, Caitlin Curtis, Wyeth Eliason, Truett Felt, Halli Gibson, Alice Glass, Cameron Gray, Jon Alan Hulbert, Valerie Huntington, Jamin Jollo, Galen Molk, Esau Mora, Scott Padian, Jacob Phillips, Nolan Sanchez, Kyle Sanderson, Henry Steelhammer, Martha Thatcher, Mig Windows and Aleah Zimmer, along with understudies Reid Honeywell and Rachel Kostrna.  The scenic designer is James Leyson, costume designer is Deborah Rosenberg, lighting designer is Mitch Weisbrod and sound designer is Noah Beauregard. Stage manager is J Ching, and assistant director is Katrina Christiansen.
Tickets are $21 regular admission, $18 senior, and $6 for students. The Performing Arts Box Office is located in the SOU Music Recital Hall lobby. Box office hours are noon to 6 p.m. Monday through Friday and two hours prior to each performance. Tickets can be purchased with a credit card over the phone by calling 541-552-6348 or online at oca.sou.edu/box-office.
About Southern Oregon University 
Southern Oregon University provides outstanding student experiences, valued degrees, and successful graduates. SOU is known for excellence in faculty, intellectual creativity and rigor, quality and innovation in connected learning programs, and the educational benefits of its unique geographic location. SOU was the first university in Oregon—and one of the first in the nation—to offset 100 percent of its energy use with clean, renewable power, and it is the first university in the nation to balance 100 percent of its water consumption. Visit sou.edu.
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SOU In the News: April 18 – 24

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HECC Approves New Outcomes-Based Funding Model:
Mail Tribune – New Funding Formula Awards Universities for Graduating More Students: https://www.mailtribune.com/article/20150420/NEWS/150429986/0/SEARCH
JPR – Jefferson Exchange: Funding State Universities by Outcomes (audio included): https://ijpr.org/post/funding-state-universities-outcomes
JPR – Jefferson Exchange: Meeting Legislators (Again) on Funding and Tuition (Interview with SOU student, audio included): https://ijpr.org/post/meeting-legislators-again-funding-and-tuition
Daily Tidings – Our View: Fun with University Funding Formulas (editorial): https://www.dailytidings.com/article/20150424/OPINION/150429880/0/SEARCH
 
Earth Week Celebrations Take Place at SOU (and Other Sustainability/Green News):
KDRV – SOU Earth Week Celebrations (video included): https://www.kdrv.com/news/SOU_Earth_Week_Celebrations.html
World News – SOU Celebrates Earth Week: https://article.wn.com/view/2015/04/17/SOU_Celebrates_Earth_Week_2015_Southern_Oregon_University/
KOBI – SOU Kicks Off Earth Week with Earth-Friendly Event (video included): https://kobi5.com/news/local-news/item/sou-kicks-off-earth-week-with-earth-friendly-event.html?category_id=3#.VTfLCpO2pCA
World News – SOU Named One of “Most Environmentally Responsible Colleges”: https://article.wn.com/view/2015/04/17/SOU_Named_One_of_Most_Environmentally_Responsible_Colleges_S/
News JS – SOU Named One of “Most Environmentally Responsible Colleges”: https://www.newsjs.com/news/view/2015/04/17/SOU-Named-One-of-Most-Environmentally-Responsible-Colleges-S/
 
Impact of Marijuana Legalization in Southern Oregon, at SOU:
KDRV – The Impact of the Marijuana Industry in Southern Oregon (interview with Dr. Echo Fields about marijuana forum): https://www.kdrv.com/news/local/The_impact_of_the_Marijuana_Industry_in_Southern_Oregon.html
KDRV – SOU Won’t Allow Marijuana on Campus After its Legalization July 1 (video included): https://www.kdrv.com/news/local/SOU_Wont_Allow_Marijuana_on_Campus_after_its_Legalization_July_1.html
 
SOU to Host Interactive Marketing Speaker Panel:
World News – SOU to Host Interactive Marketing Speaker Panel: https://article.wn.com/view/2015/04/20/SOU_to_Host_Interactive_Marketing_Speaker_Panel_Southern_Ore/
SOU News Blog – SOU to Host Interactive Marketing Speaker Panel: https://news.sou.edu/2015/04/sou-to-host-interactive-marketing-speaker-panel/
 
SOU to Host Emerging Media Convention:
World News – SOU to Host Emerging Media Convention: https://article.wn.com/view/2015/04/21/SOU_to_Host_Emerging_Media_Convention_Southern_Oregon_Univer/
The Siskiyou – SOU’s Second Annual EMCon: https://siskiyou.sou.edu/2015/04/22/sous-second-annual-emcon/
SOU News Blog – SOU to Host Emerging Media Convention: https://news.sou.edu/2015/04/sou-to-host-emerging-media-convention/
 
“SOU Raider Day” at the Capitol:
World News – SOU Students Honored at Capitol: https://article.wn.com/view/2015/04/24/SOU_Students_Honored_at_Capitol_Southern_Oregon_University/
SOU Students Honored at Capitol: https://news.sou.edu/2015/04/sou-students-honored-at-capitol/
 
Miscellaneous:
Deseret News – How One School in Oregon is Changing the Discussion on Campus Sexual Assault: https://www.deseretnews.com/article/865627020/How-one-school-in-Oregon-is-changing-the-discussion-on-campus-sexual-assault.html?pg=all
JPR – The Jefferson Exchange: Shakespeare Comes Alive (interview regarding ShakespeareAmerica Institute, audio included in link): https://ijpr.org/post/shakespeare-comes-alive-sense
KOBI – SOU Classified Employees Rally Amid Contract Negotiations: https://kobi5.com/news/local-news/item/sou-classified-employees-rally-amid-contract-negotiations.html?category_id=3#.VTpYYJO2pCA
The Siskiyou – SOU Women’s Resource Center: End Rape Culture: https://siskiyou.sou.edu/2015/04/22/sou-womens-resource-center-end-rape-culture/
The Siskiyou – The Run for Office at SOU—Who is on the Ticket?: https://siskiyou.sou.edu/2015/04/22/the-run-for-office-at-sou-who-is-on-the-ticket/
Mail Tribune – Foreign Language Film Festival Set at SOU: https://www.mailtribune.com/article/20150423/NEWS/150429780/101064/NEWS
 
 
 
 

SOU Students Honored at Capitol

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(Ashland, Ore.) —The Oregon House approved a resolution Tuesday honoring the Southern Oregon University football team for winning the NAIA National Championship last December. House Concurrent Resolution 17, which was sponsored by Representatives Peter Buckley, Sal Esquivel, Wayne Krieger, Duane Stark, and Senators Alan Bates and Jeff Kruse passed the Oregon House by unanimous vote.
The text of the Resolution reads in part, “Be It Resolved by the Legislative Assembly of the State of Oregon: That we, the members of the Seventy-eighth Legislative Assembly, honor the Southern Oregon University Raiders football team for their victory at the 2014 National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics Football National Championship.”

SOU students, staff, and Board members on the steps of the Oregon Capitol.

SOU students, staff, and Board members on the steps of the Oregon Capitol. Photo by Al Case


The team was also recognized and honored by the Oregon Senate, which gave team members and coaches a standing ovation on the Senate Floor.
Members of the Raiders football team, along other student athletes and representatives of the student body as a whole, and accompanied by President Saigo and three SOU Trustees, traveled by bus to Salem to take part in “SOU Raider Day at the Capitol” on Tuesday. In addition to the actions taken by the Oregon House and Senate, SOU students met with Governor Kate Brown, Representative Buckley, Senator Bates, Senator Baertschiger, and other individual legislators.
Members of the SOU volleyball team meet Oregon Governor Kate Brown.

Members of the SOU volleyball team meet Oregon Governor Kate Brown. Photo by Al Case.


Students also took the opportunity to express support for increased state funding for Oregon’s public universities during meetings with legislators, calling for the Legislature to meet the public university presidents’ request of $755 million in state support for higher education, and Sports Lottery funding for athletic programs.
President Roy Saigo, head football coach Craig Howard, and members of the NAIA Championship Football team meet with Oregon Governor Kate Brown and Oregon Senator Herman Baertschiger.

President Roy Saigo, head football coach Craig Howard, and members of the NAIA Championship Football team meet with Oregon Governor Kate Brown and Oregon Senator Herman Baertschiger. Photo by Al Case.


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About Southern Oregon University
Southern Oregon University provides outstanding student experiences, valued degrees, and successful graduates. SOU is known for excellence in faculty, intellectual creativity and rigor, quality and innovation in connected learning programs, and the educational benefits of its unique geographic location. SOU was the first university in Oregon—and one of the first in the nation—to offset 100 percent of its energy use with clean, renewable power, and it is the first university in the nation to balance 100% of its water consumption. Visit sou.edu.

SOU Student Earns Prestigious Research Internship

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(Ashland, Ore.) —Michael Menefee, a student at Southern Oregon University and member of the Ronald E. McNair Post-Baccalaureate Achievement Program, has been selected for a prestigious summer research internship at Harvard University.
Participation in the 2015 Summer Research Opportunities at Harvard Program provides Michael with the chance to work and study alongside Harvard faculty and graduate students and enjoy firsthand access to the resources of Harvard University while living on campus.
The Summer Research Opportunities at Harvard program is available to currently enrolled undergraduates who are considering pursuing a PhD in the humanities, social sciences or life or physical sciences. At SOU, Michael is pursuing a bachelor of science degree in sociology with a minor is statistics. He has worked closely with SOU faculty to develop his skills in quantitative data analysis and his knowledge about the relationship between mass incarceration and social inequality.
At the Summer Research Opportunities at Harvard Program, Michael will be working with Harvard Professor Devah Pager, who has completed extensive research and publication on the topics of mass incarceration and labor markets.
“This is an outstanding opportunity for me to further my education, improve my research skills, and learn from one of the world’s foremost experts on mass incarceration,” Michael said.
Michael is on track to graduate with honors from SOU in June 2016. The Summer Research Opportunities at Harvard Program includes funding for all course-related expenses, food allowance, housing, travel to and from the program, and a living stipend. The program runs June 8 through Aug. 16.
Michael’s full profile is available online at https://www.sou.edu/mcnair/scholars/michaelmenefee.html.
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About Southern Oregon University
Southern Oregon University provides outstanding student experiences, valued degrees, and successful graduates. SOU is known for excellence in faculty, intellectual creativity and rigor, quality and innovation in connected learning programs, and the educational benefits of its unique geographic location. SOU was the first university in Oregon—and one of the first in the nation—to offset 100 percent of its energy use with clean, renewable power, and it is the first university in the nation to balance 100% of its water consumption. Visit sou.edu.

Oregon Center for the Arts at Southern Oregon presents “Labyrinth,” performed by the Siskiyou Saxophone Orchestra

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(Ashland, Ore.) – The Music program of the Oregon Center for the Arts at Southern Oregon University presents the world premiere of “Labyrinth,” performed by the Siskiyou Saxophone Orchestra, on Tuesday, May 12 at 7:30 p.m. in the SOU Music Recital Hall.
“Labyrinth,” composed by renowned Nebraska composer Randall Snyder, is a “Steampunk” style craft, influenced by the sci-fi novel “Perdido Street Station” by China Mieville. It features the bass saxophone played by graduating SOU student Andrew Farina. The concert features bass clarinet quartet Bassilisk, as well as New Specs Quartet, recently selected to perform at the 17th World Saxophone Congress in France, and the SOU Graduate Saxophone Quartet. The program is an eclectic mix of avante-garde, pop music and opera for saxophone and clarinet.
“I’m excited by the eclectic mix of steampunk-influenced music and pop music by Freddie Mercury of Queen,” said Dr. Rhett Bender, director of woodwind studies at SOU. “From bass clarinets to bass saxophone, this concert will have immense variety, infusing it with pure fun for both the artists and the audience.”
Dr. Bender is a founding member and soprano saxophonist with the Mazama Quartet and Globe Saxophone Quartet, and the director of both the SOU Siskiyou Saxophone Orchestra and SOU Cascade Clarinet Consort. The Mazama Quartet performed at the World Saxophone Congress in St. Andrews, Scotland, in 2012. Bender is the director of the summer Ashland Chamber Music Workshop. He serves as the Region 1 Director of the North American Saxophone Alliance (Alaska, Idaho, Montana, Oregon, Washington, and Wyoming). His book, American Saxophone Quartets, is published by Lambert Academic Publishers. Bender is a Yamaha Performing Artist.
Tickets are $10 for regular admission, $5 for senior citizens and free to full-time students. The Performing Arts Box Office is located in the Music Recital Hall lobby. Box office hours are noon to 6 p.m. Monday through Friday and two hours prior to each performance. Tickets can be purchased with a credit card over the phone by calling 541-552-6348 or online at oca.sou.edu/events. Contact the box office for discounts offered to SOU alumni, Osher Lifelong Learning Institute participants and SNAP/Oregon Trail cardholders.
About Southern Oregon University
Southern Oregon University provides outstanding student experiences, valued degrees, and successful graduates. SOU is known for excellence in faculty, intellectual creativity and rigor, quality and innovation in connected learning programs, and the educational benefits of its unique geographic location. SOU was the first university in Oregon—and one of the first in the nation—to offset 100 percent of its energy use with clean, renewable power, and it is the first university in the nation to balance 100 percent of its water consumption. Visit sou.edu.
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Photo by Hayden Teachout

SOU to Host Emerging Media Convention

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(Ashland, Ore.) —The week of April 26-May 2 will be a busy one for students and faculty in media-related programs at Southern Oregon University.
Independent Media Week—now in its 11th year—kicks off with a “Media Circus” in the downtown Ashland Plaza from 12-4 p.m. April 26. According to its Facebook page, Independent Media Week “showcases a coalition of independent media producers, local activists, and community groups organized around the theme that ‘a well-informed citizenry is a cornerstone of democracy.’”
Many events will take place throughout the week, including a keynote address given by Austin Powell and Debra Van Poolen on the topic of “Local Roots, Global Reach.” Powell is managing editor of DailyDot.com, one of the highest-trafficked news sites on the World Wide Web. From his home in Ashland, Powell remotely manages a staff of more than 30 employees.
Van Poolen is perhaps best known for her courtroom drawings of Pvt. Chelsea Manning’s trial on charges related to the release of confidential government documents.
The keynote event will take place Thursday, April 30 at 7 p.m. in the Rogue River Room inside the Stevenson Union on campus at SOU. It is free and open to the public.
“These are amazing speakers who I think exemplify the concept that the media need not be place-bound,” said Dr. Erik Palmer, assistant professor of convergent media at SOU. “This is an outstanding opportunity not just for SOU students, but for the entire community to come out and hear about the world of emerging media from two great perspectives.”
Rogue Valley Indy Media Week
Additionally, on April 29, SOU’s UN Club will host a series of films and workshops showcasing local independent media, a workshop on self-broadcasting techniques, and a panel discussion on the future of independent media in the Rogue Valley. This is an all-day event beginning at 8 a.m. and running through 10 p.m. in the Meese Room inside the Hannon Library on SOU’s main campus in Ashland.
SOU’s second annual Emerging Media Convention runs 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Friday, May 1, and 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday, May 2. It features panel discussions and professional development opportunities on animation and gaming, copyright law and more. One of the highlights of the convention is Artist Ally, which provides students an opportunity to display their work for both the SOU and Rogue Valley community to view.
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The Emerging Media Conference is an event designed to allow businesses, SOU students, and alumni to collaborate and expand their support network. Its primary goal is to attract a wide audience consisting of students, faculty, high schools, and the community.
“In addition to providing a venue to display their creative works, Artist Alley offers students a chance to network with potential employers, gain freelance opportunities, and meet with students who share similar passions,” according to Dr. Palmer.
For more information on the Emerging Media Convention, visit www.souemcon.com. Information on Independent Media Week can be found at www.sodmc.tumblr.com.
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About Southern Oregon University
Southern Oregon University provides outstanding student experiences, valued degrees, and successful graduates. SOU is known for excellence in faculty, intellectual creativity and rigor, quality and innovation in connected learning programs, and the educational benefits of its unique geographic location. SOU was the first university in Oregon—and one of the first in the nation—to offset 100 percent of its energy use with clean, renewable power, and it is the first university in the nation to balance 100% of its water consumption. Visit sou.edu.

Hundreds of Middle, High School Students to Study Shakespeare at SOU

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(Ashland, Ore.) —By the time spring term ends in June, the Oregon Center for the Arts at Southern Oregon University will have hosted nearly 2,000 middle and high school students as part of the University’s Center for Shakespeare Studies’ Visiting Group Program.
The program, which began in 1986, provides an opportunity for students to stay in dorms on the SOU campus while attending shows at Oregon Shakespeare Festival. Although many groups come from Oregon public schools, the workshops help fulfill the mandated requirement for non-public and out-of-state visiting groups to take four hours of academic instruction when staying on campus. Groups often take a combination of workshops at SOU and at OSF. The 50 minute workshops, which are offered on a variety of topics, incorporate a hands-on approach designed to get students excited about Shakespeare and theater.
“These workshops are not designed just for students already interested in theater or active in their schools’ drama clubs,” said Helen Eckard, SOU’s visiting groups coordinator. “There’s something for everyone and kids can learn about stage combat, acting, Elizabethan fashion and costume design, theatrical makeup, music during the time of Shakespeare, and much more.”
The workshops also provide students an opportunity to meet and interact with professional actors and others making a living in theater. “While we want to show the students who are interested in theater that there are many options out there in terms of education and career,” Eckard said, “we also want all of the students who take part in this program to get excited about attending college in general and to leave with an appreciation for SOU, but, of course, we do hope they fall in love with the theatre.”
The nearly 2,000 students that will take part in the program this spring come from more than 40 schools and clubs representing six states plus British Columbia. One group is coming from as far away as New York.
 
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About Southern Oregon University
Southern Oregon University provides outstanding student experiences, valued degrees, and successful graduates. SOU is known for excellence in faculty, intellectual creativity and rigor, quality and innovation in connected learning programs, and the educational benefits of its unique geographic location. SOU was the first university in Oregon—and one of the first in the nation—to offset 100 percent of its energy use with clean, renewable power, and it is the first university in the nation to balance 100% of its water consumption. Visit sou.edu.

SOU to Host Interactive Marketing Speaker Panel

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(Ashland, Ore.) —Southern Oregon University will host its fifth annual Interactive Marketing and e-Commerce Panel later this month. The panel, which is free and open to the public, features executives and managers from Fire Mountain Gems, Harry & David, Lithia Motors, and Motorcycle Superstore discussing the latest interactive marketing practices as well as employment opportunities in the field.
“Though the Interactive Marketing and e-Commerce Panel is organized with an emphasis on SOU students in related fields, it is certainly open to the public and we feel there are many in the community who may benefit from it,” according to Dr. Joan McBee, chair of SOU’s School of Business. “Small business owners and managers may be interested in learning about the latest developments in the field of interactive marketing and what it takes to succeed in this field.”
This year’s panel will feature Cathy Fultineer, Chief Marketing Officer with fire Mountain Gems; Mark Conner, Assistant Vice President of Marketing with Litha Motors Web Marketing; Tarik Dakkar, Vice President of Digital Commerce with Harry & David; and Scott Huddelston, Vice President of Marketing with Motorcycle Superstore.
“We really want to thank our community partners who make this panel possible,” said Professor McBee. Anyone interested in learning more about SOU’s Certificate in Interactive Marketing and e-Commerce is encouraged to contact Dr. McBee at mcbeej@sou.edu.
The panel will take place Tuesday, April 28 at 5 p.m. in the Meese Room inside the Hannon Library on SOU’s main campus in Ashland.
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About Southern Oregon University
Southern Oregon University provides outstanding student experiences, valued degrees, and successful graduates. SOU is known for excellence in faculty, intellectual creativity and rigor, quality and innovation in connected learning programs, and the educational benefits of its unique geographic location. SOU was the first university in Oregon—and one of the first in the nation—to offset 100 percent of its energy use with clean, renewable power, and it is the first university in the nation to balance 100% of its water consumption. Visit sou.edu.