Design Patterns and AI: Computer Science evolves at SOU

Design Patterns and AI: Computer Science evolves at SOU

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(Ashland, Ore.) — A new “Design Patterns” course in Southern Oregon University’s Computer Science program leans on artificial intelligence to perform coding tasks, allowing students to focus on the big picture and serve as architects rather than carpenters.

The course – an upper-division elective intended primarily for Computer Science majors – reflects an ongoing shift toward AI in software engineering by taking a deeper look at the structure of software, teaching students how to recognize recurring problems in programming and apply reusable solutions, or patterns.

“The main difference (from other coding courses) is the students aren’t doing much coding at all in this class,” said David Pouliot, an SOU associate professor of Computer Science and instructor for the course. “Instead they are designing the code, which is more like creating the blueprints and defining the functionality of the different pieces of software and how they interact.

“This approach lets different teams work independently, makes it easy to upgrade parts without breaking the whole system and keeps complex software manageable,” he said.

The Design Patterns course – offered for the first time this fall – acknowledges that tools such as ChatGPT and GitHub Copilot have become capable of generating short, functional pieces of computer code, and the role of computer scientists is moving from line-by-line implementation toward a higher-level of thinking.

AI can quickly generate snippets of code, but it still struggles with things that come more naturally to humans, such as design. Programmers still need the same core engineering skills to use AI effectively, as artificially generated code often contains bugs, logic errors or vulnerabilities that inexperienced developers may not recognize.

“Students analyze how programs are structured rather than the nitty-gritty details of the program,” Computer Science student Felicity Johnson said of the Design Patterns course. “You can think of it like how an architect creates blueprints for a building, but the builder actually makes the building itself.

“It teaches students how to structure software so that it’s flexible, efficient and easier to maintain.”

Students in Design Patterns learn how to think about structure, choosing between composition and inheritance, where to apply abstraction and how to design programs for scalability and flexibility. Those are decisions that require judgement, creativity and a good understanding of software architecture – traits that even the most advanced AI tools today don’t possess.

The course is intended to help students learn how to use AI as an assistant and increase their programming productivity. The field is moving in the direction of developers spending more time at the structural level, making design decisions and defining interfaces, while AI handles more of the low-level and repetitive work.

“First, they get experience designing large projects – something they don’t normally get until they have graduated and been in the industry for a while,” Pouliot said. “The other thing I hope is that this class will help prepare students for changing roles.

“It should help prepare students for any class where the students complete larger projects – primarily our capstone sequence where groups of students work on a real project over multiple quarters.”

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SOU’s Small Business Development Center to close

SOU’s Small Business Development Center to close

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(Ashland, Ore.) — Southern Oregon University’s Small Business Development Center, which has served Rogue Valley businesses for 41 years, will close to the public at the end of December after the university and state of Oregon were unable to reach agreement on a plan to maintain U.S. Small Business Administration funding for the center.

SOU has historically augmented the federal funding, but the university’s plan to rebuild itself as a smaller, more resilient institution reduces its ability to help pay for all services. The university submitted a joint proposal with Rogue Community College to combine SOU’s Medford-based Small Business Development Center with RCC’s Josephine County-serving SBDC, but the state office that coordinates Oregon’s 18 SBDCs rejected that plan.

“We definitely knew that the budget environment would mean less capability to subsidize the SBDC’s operations, but we did in earnest work with the state to find a creative solution to continuing services,” SOU President Rick Bailey said. “We went back-and-forth with the state in our effort to create a single center for Jackson and Josephine counties – despite our budget issues – but ultimately were unable to move our proposal forward.”

More than 11,000 entrepreneurs and small business operators have tapped the services offered by SOU’s SBDC, which is located in the RCC/SOU Higher Education Center in Medford. The center works closely with SOU’s School of Business to teach and advise students and collaborate with faculty. It offers help to anyone who operates or is planning to open a business and also runs a Market Research Institute that can offer in-depth, applied market research to SBDC clients.

“The Rogue Valley owes a sincere debt of gratitude to all the amazing staff at the SOU SBDC and Market Research Institute for their service to our community and our region,” President Bailey said. “They have been role models of dedicated, heart-centered service.”

Small Business Development Centers are operated by each of Oregon’s 17 community colleges. SOU’s SBDC in Medford is the only one managed by a university, after Eastern Oregon University closed its SBDC office a year ago. Oregon’s SBDC offices are part of a national network and provide advising, training, online courses and resources for businesses throughout the state.

SBDC offices in Oregon are associated with both the U.S. Small Business Administration and Business Oregon, the state’s economic development agency.

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SOU Ashland's Chandler Campbell and Jacob Nowack present research on artificial intelligence

Graduate and current student present SOU research at national conference

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(Ashland, Ore.) — Southern Oregon University computer science graduate Chandler Campbell and current student Jacob Nowack attended a conference of research software engineers in Philadelphia last month to showcase their work on a pair of closely related projects that hinge on the use of artificial intelligence to simplify and organize highly complex research tasks.

Campbell presented a paper on his study of tacit knowledge in research settings – gathering, storing and retrieving the unspoken practices of academic teams that sometimes are lost when a project is disrupted or ends – and Nowack spoke about using a tacit knowledge tool to help UCLA astronomers rapidly expand their efforts to survey billions of distant galaxies. Both Campbell and Nowack work on their AI projects under Bernadette Boscoe, an SOU assistant professor of computer science who builds and researches infrastructures and tools to help domain scientists do their work.

Campbell and Nowack were presenters at the third annual national conference of the US Research Software Engineer Association, an organization that supports those who use expertise in programing to advance research. The association is a project of a California-based nonprofit.

“I got to meet a lot of really interesting people from all over the country, and learned more about cutting-edge AI technologies and software development techniques which I think will help me a lot in my future career,” Nowack said, describing his experience at the conference.

“I was a bit nervous initially going into it, but when the time came I had a great time presenting,” he said.

Nowack’s project is intended to help astronomers who measure the distances to far-flung galaxies so they can better understand how the universe has expanded and evolved. Spectroscopy, the traditional method of measuring those distances, is expensive and time-consuming.

“Our project uses machine learning to solve this problem,” Nowack said. “We trained an AI model on approximately 286,000 galaxies whose distances were already measured using spectroscopy. Once trained, (the AI model) can estimate distances over 1,000 times faster than traditional spectroscopy, making large-scale cosmic surveys practical.”

His work with the UCLA astronomers is based on a Large Language Model (LLM) of artificial intelligence that is used to archive the group’s protocols.

Boscoe’s research group at SOU has developed a Retrieval-Augmented Generation (RAG) system – an AI framework that pairs an LLM with an information retrieval system to improve accuracy and relevance of resulting data. Her research has received grants over the past two years from the Sloan Foundation and the National Science Foundation, and Boscoe has worked with Campbell to build the project’s RAG-LLM tool – AquiLLM, which was the subject of Campbell’s presentation at last month’s conference.

“Our work on AquiLLM is part software development and part social research,” he said. “We’re investigating the potential for an AI-enabled knowledge repository to improve how academic research groups function.”

Tacit knowledge – which can include informal practices such as notes, meeting transcripts and group communications – can sometimes be lost when participants come and go from academic research groups.

“Our hope is that if we can ingest enough informal communication into the system, and give an LLM access to that information, it will be able to help group members access the tacit knowledge of the group,” Campbell said. “To do this, we’ve written a custom Retrieval-Augmented Generation tool (AquiLLM) specifically for researchers. We have a beta version deployed for astronomers at UCLA, and we’re currently working on fleshing out more functionality.”

The Philadelphia conference included representatives from several national research labs and dozens of top research universities, and Campbell said many were thinking about the same issues that his work addresses.

“I got a lot of valuable feedback on our work, and got to see how other researchers are trying to use AI to solve adjacent problems,” he said. “I was very proud to be there in the mix, representing SOU.”

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New SOU Ashland program in Ghana funded by Matt and Ella Essieh.

Gift from SOU alumni leads to partnerships in Ghana

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(Ashland, Ore.) — A couple who gained a global perspective and the academic foundation for success from their education at Southern Oregon University are funding a pilot project to provide similar opportunities for others, through a partnership between SOU and a pair of universities in the African country of Ghana.

The program begins this academic year with Collaborative Online International Learning (COIL) partnerships between SOU and PALM University College in Kordiabe, Ghana, and Catholic University of Ghana, in Sunyani. Recently signed memoranda of understanding for those partnerships are preliminary steps toward a shared business course between SOU and one of the Ghanian universities that will include a two-week, reciprocal exchange program during the 2026-27 academic year.

The project is being funded by a grant from the Essieh Family Foundation, a philanthropic entity established by alumni Matt and Emmanuella Essieh, who met as international students at SOU. The Essiehs’ five-year commitment will enable SOU to develop its relationships with the Ghanian universities and complete planning for the pilot project.

“Thanks to my education at SOU, my worldview was greatly expanded,” Matt Essieh said. “With the success I’ve been blessed with, the time has come for me to pay it forward.”

Matt Essieh, who is from Ghana, earned his bachelor’s degree in business in 1982 and his master of business administration degree in 1983, and is the founder and CEO of Beaverton-based EAI Information Systems – a computer software company that helps banks, brokers and insurance companies track and manage their investments. Emmanuella Essieh, who is from Nigeria, earned her bachelor’s degree in business at SOU in 1982, and is the cofounder and president of KMJ Asset Management – a residential property investment and management firm in Portland.

Matt Essieh still has family in Ghana, and his software company has an office in the Ghanian capital of Accra.

The online and in-person exchange program is the first of its kind for students in Ghana; SOU students can participate in a similar hybrid exchange program in business with the Universidad de Guanajuato – the Global Innovation Scholars Program – in Mexico.

“Our partnership with Ghana reflects what’s possible when education transcends borders,” said Dee Fretwell Carreon, the director for SOU’s Center for Continuing and Professional Education, and is also director of the new Ghanian program.

“It’s a powerful reminder that peace and progress begin with collaboration, and that the next generation is ready to lead us there,” she said.

The Essiehs’ project is intended to foster cultural exchange by providing students opportunities to collaborate with peers from around the world, embracing differences while working together to solve hands-on business problems. The interactions between students from SOU and the Ghanian universities could result in changed perspectives and transformative life experiences – particularly for students from rural areas.

“My hope is to give students the experience of collaborating with each other across the world,” Matt Essieh said. “It will give them the opportunity to learn, appreciate and respect each other’s’ cultures.”

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Three new members appointed to SOU Ashland Board of Trustees

Three new members appointed to SOU board

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(Ashland, Ore.) — A local credit union president and CEO with extensive public service experience, a Southern Oregon University alumna and administrator, and a student in the SOU Master’s in Business Administration program have been appointed by Oregon Gov. Tina Kotek and confirmed today by the Oregon Senate to serve on the Southern Oregon University Board of Trustees.

Matthew Stephenson will be one of 11 at-large members on the board, and his term will end in June 2027. Ashley King, a nonfaculty staff member of the board, was appointed to serve an unexpired 2-year term that ends in June 2026, plus a full two-year term that ends in June 2028. Rose Harwood, the board’s graduate program representative, will serve a partial two-year term that expires in June 2027. All are full voting members of the board.

“I am very pleased to welcome this group of devoted public servants to our organization,” said SOU Board Chair Sheila Clough. “These new board members have common ground in their love for the university and their appreciation of the value that SOU brings to our region and the state. Their individual strengths and experiences will enrich our board and the university.”

Matt Stephenson is the president and CEO of Rogue Credit Union, where he began in 2004 as manager of the Information Services Department. He served in a progression of leadership roles before reaching his current position in 2022. Before joining RCU, he worked at Clark County Credit Union in Las Vegas. Stephenson has served in a variety of community service roles, including as a member of the Central Point City Council, the Jackson County Budget Committee, the Chamber of Medford/Jackson County Board of Directors, the Medford School District’s Facilities Optimization Committee, Rogue Community College Budget Committee and the board of Southern Oregon Regional Economic Development Incorporated (SOREDI). He earned a bachelor’s degree in information systems management and a master’s degree in business administration from the University of Nevada, Las Vegas. He graduated with highest honors from Western CUNA Management School and received the prestigious Charlie Clark Memorial Award. He also holds the Certified Chief Executive designation from the Credit Union Executives Society CEO Institute.

Ashley King is the compliance coordinator for SOU, developing and implementing policies and procedures to ensure university compliance with various state and federal laws. She has expertise in public procurement, contract administration and policy development, and supports university compliance for contracting and risk management. She has worked at SOU for more than 10 years, with previous roles including service center manager and senior purchasing and contracting specialist. King served as the inaugural chair of the SOU Staff Assembly, which represents the interests of the university’s non-faculty employees, and has also been a member of the SOU Budget Committee, SOU Planning Committee and SOU Policy Council. Her professional honors include the 2023 SOU Outstanding Staff Award and the 2021 SOU Service Excellence Award. King earned her bachelor’s degree in communication at SOU, graduating summa cum laude, and had dual minors in psychology and women’s studies. She was named the top graduating senior in human communication at SOU and the top graduating senior in women’s studies, awarded by the SOU chapter of the American Association of University Women.

Rose Harwood is currently completing master of business administration degree with a focus on arts management at SOU, and earned a bachelor of fine arts degree in acting from the University of Southern California. They are a freelance writer and actor who has appeared on television and in films, and have been heard on national commercials. Harwood has produced, managed financials and run logistics for several independent films, and is the founding executive director of Unseen Films Oregon – a nonprofit that provides opportunities and mentorship for diverse populations working in the various aspects of media production. Harwood also works as a freelance grant writer and project manager for the Friends of the Oregon Caves and Chateau, and coaches at CrossFit Iron Haven in Ashland.

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SOU Ashland alumni awards recipients

Four to receive annual SOU alumni awards

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(Ashland, Ore.) — This year’s Southern Oregon University alumni award winners will be a business lawyer who has conducted an investigation of Las Vegas city officials and managed litigation for a $4 billion real estate firm; a lifelong educator who has written three books and made more than 500 educational presentations; a former legislator who made a film documenting the Klamath River restoration; and an award-winning novelist whose short stories have been featured in various publications.

This year’s four award recipients were chosen by the SOU Alumni Association Board of Directors: Catherine Meulemans for the Distinguished Alumni Award; Sue Teele, Ph.D., for the Alumni Excellence in Education Award; Jason Atkinson for the Stan Smith Alumni Service Award; and Abbigail Rosewood for the Outstanding Young Alumni Award. The awards will be presented during a celebration at 11:30 a.m. on Thursday, Oct. 2, in the Schneider Museum of Art. RSVPs at (541) 552-6127 are required.

Meulemans
The Distinguished Alumni Award is presented each year by the university and the SOU Alumni Association to recognize someone whose personal and professional achievements have significantly benefited humankind and brought distinction to the university. This year’s honoree, Catherine Meulemans, graduated magna cum laude from SOU in 1985 after serving as an exchange student at the University of Massachusetts, Amherst. She earned her law degree from Georgetown University, then co-founded a multi-state boutique law firm that specialized in complex business litigation, real estate and civil appeals. She conducted a high-profile investigation of several Las Vegas city officials on behalf of the Office of the Nevada Attorney General, and managed the litigation portfolio for a $4 billion privately held international real estate brokerage. Meulemans is now the utilities team co-leader in the San Francisco office of Frost Brown Todd, a firm with law offices across the U.S.

Teele
The Alumni Excellence in Education Award recognizes career achievement in education, service to community and commitment to SOU. Sue Teele, who will receive this year’s award, earned her bachelor’s degree from the University of Redlands in Southern California, then received her teaching credentials from the University of Alaska before accepting a teaching position in Medford and enrolling in a graduate program at what was then Southern Oregon College. She received her master’s degree in 1969, taught at the junior high level for 11 years, then spent 36 years as a higher education administrator – first at California State University, San Bernardino, and then at the University of California, Riverside. She was responsible for 50 different educational certificate and state approved credential programs that served 12,000 educators annually while at Riverside. Teele has written three books on teaching and learning, and developed an assessment tool, the “Teele Inventory for Multiple Intelligence (TIMI),” which has been used in throughout the U.S. and in dozens of other countries to quickly identify how students learn.

Atkinson
The Stan Smith Alumni Service Award recognizes alumni who have demonstrated an outstanding commitment to the community and service to people. Jason Atkinson earned his bachelor’s degree in history and political science at what was then Southern Oregon State College in 1992, then a master’s degree in business administration and public administration at Willamette University. He started a consulting business, then was elected to the Oregon Legislature – first the House of Representatives and then the Senate. He took a sabbatical to make the film “A River Between Us,” documenting the Klamath River restoration, and ultimately worked on the project for three decades before dam removals began in 2022. Atkinson has been recognized as one of the top 20 most influential fisherman of the West, served as a commissioner for the Oregon Department of Fish & Wildlife, and was named a hero of conservation by Field and Stream.

Rosewood
The Distinguished Young Alumni Award is presented to a recent university graduate who has demonstrated distinction in career, civic involvement or both. Abbigail Rosewood received her bachelor’s degree at SOU in 2013, focusing on creative writing, then earned her master of fine arts degree in fiction from Columbia University in 2017. She won the Michael Baughman Fiction Award while at SOU. She has written numerous essays, reviews, articles and creative works for online and print publications. Her debut novel, “If I Had Two Lives,” was published in 2019 by Europa Editions and her second novel, “Constellations of Eve,” was published in 2022 by Texas Tech University Press. Her works have appeared in publications including TIME Magazine, Harper’s Bazaar, Salon, Elle U.K, Pen America, BOMB and Cosmopolitan. Rosewood has been nominated for the Pushcart Prize, Best of the Net and Best American Short Story 2020, and she won first place in the Writers Workshop of Asheville Literary Fiction contest.

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SOU's Sojka and de Vries co-author book on transgender experiences

SOU faculty members co-author book on transgender experiences

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(Ashland, Ore.) — SOU’s Carey Jean Sojka and Kylan Mattias de Vries – both faculty members in the Gender, Sexuality and Women’s Studies Program, and both previous recipients of the university’s Distinguished Teaching Award – have co-authored a new book about the identity experiences of transgender people.

The book, “Transgender Intersections: Race and Gender through Identities, Interactions and Systems of Power,” was published last month by Polity Books, an international publisher in the social sciences and humanities – often on topics with general readership and that draw media discussion. The company has offices in Cambridge and Oxford in the U.K., and in Boston and New York in the U.S.

“While transgender lives are at the forefront of contemporary politics, what do we really understand about the complexity of trans experience?” the publisher asks on the new book’s webpage. “Trans people who go through various aspects of gender transition experience shifts not only in their gender, but also with regards to other categories of identity such as race, social class, sexuality, disability and more.

“Centering the stories of trans people and their loved ones, Sojka and de Vries investigate how intersectionality operates at various levels of social meaning – the individual, the interpersonal and the structural – in the experiences of transgender people.”

Reviews of the book say it effectively captures the breadth of trans experiences and social connections through the stories it shares of transgender people and their loved ones.

“In a time of hostile stereotyping of trans groups by right-wing politicians and media, it is refreshing to meet the reality, clearly presented: complex lives, shaped by the whole spectrum of differences and relations of power across the contemporary USA,” Raewyn Connell of the University of Sydney said in an online review.

Sojka is an associate professor whose research and teaching interests include transgender studies, embodiment, gender, sexuality, race, disability and fat studies. She conducts community trainings on LGBTQ issues in southern Oregon. Sojka earned bachelor’s degrees from Luther College in Women & Gender Studies and Sociology. Her master’s degree in Women’s Studies and doctorate in Sociology are from State University of New York at Albany.

de Vries is a professor with a joint appointment in the GSWS and Sociology & Anthropology programs at SOU. His academic interests include inequalities, transgender studies and social psychology. He earned a bachelor’s degree in Communication at Antioch University Santa Barbara, and a master’s degree and doctorate in Sociology at Southern Illinois University at Carbondale.

Sojka received SOU’s Distinguished Teaching Award in 2020, and de Vries received the award in 2017. Sojka and de Vries co-chair SOU’s Gender, Sexuality and Women’s Studies Program.

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SOU embraces energy resilience with new solar projects

SOU expands solar and energy resilience footprint

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(Ashland, Ore.) — Southern Oregon University has embraced its role as an energy resilience leader in the region – supporting both the SOU community and the surrounding community – by completing two new solar arrays and installing its first battery system for energy storage. The moves edge SOU closer to its goal of generating 100% of the daytime electricity needed on campus.

The two most recent arrays – at Lithia Motors Pavilion and The Hawk Dining Commons – added a total of 402 kW (241.2 Lithia and 160.9 Hawk) of capacity and include SOU’s first battery-based storage system, providing both renewable generation and resilience benefits.

Battery storage for energy resilience at SOU AshlandThe projects were installed by Ashland-based contractor True South Solar as part of SOU’s first round of funding from the Oregon Department of Energy Community Renewable Energy Program. Additional support for the Hawk projects came from SOU’s Student Green Fund and a state sustainability allocation for its four technical and regional universities.

“It was great to work with local solar installer True South Solar on such significant project for SOU – the largest solar array in City of Ashland (on Lithia Motors Pavilion) as well as SOU’s first battery energy storage system,” said Becs Walker, SOU’s Director of Sustainability. “True South competitively bid for the contract and have installed a number of arrays on campus.”

Walker said the most recent projects “focus on strengthening emergency response infrastructure,” as SOU works with the city of Ashland, the Ashland School District and Jackson County to plan for potential disasters or crisis events.

“We are positioning SOU as a leader in energy and community resilience,” she said.

Walker, True South Solar representatives, facility management employees and economics faculty member Bret Anderson – who also serves as research director for SOU’s Institute for Applied Sustainability – conducted a recent test of the new solar and energy-storage facilities at The Hawk Dining Commons. External power to the building was shut down, and the dining hall’s basic components – lighting, one cooler and one cooking area – instantly powered back up by drawing from the solar array. The energy storage batteries will power the same essential components through the nighttime hours.

SOU now has 10 solar arrays on its campus, totaling 804.21 kW of capacity, in addition to one array on the Higher Education Center in Medford and six pole-mounted STrackers located on land leased to a nonprofit. Three of the on-campus arrays support net-zero buildings, underscoring SOU’s commitment to deep decarbonization and long-term energy savings.

SOU has been awarded $5.8 million in state and federal funding in recent years to support energy generation and energy resilience on campus – three $1 million grants from the state’s Community Renewable Energy Program, a $2 million congressional appropriation and $800,000 through an allocation from the Oregon Legislature for Sustainability Funding at Oregon’s Technical and Regional Universities.

Part of the $2 million federal appropriation will be used this year launch a new Community Resilience and Leadership (CRL) Student Fellows Program – the flagship curricular initiative of SOU’s Institute for Applied Sustainability (IAS). The fellowship program is being developed in partnership with academic programs and departments across campus to link the university’s solar infrastructure with its academic offerings around sustainability. It will prepare emerging leaders from all majors to strengthen communities and respond to the challenges of wildfire, extreme heat, smoke and other climate-related disruptions.

The year-long student fellowships will combine coursework, field experience and career pathways, and will offer mentorship, professional skill development, experience working on regional challenges and stipends to support students’ participation.

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Philanthropy accounts for second-highest total ever in 2025

Fiscal year 2025 among best for SOU philanthropy

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(Ashland, Ore.) — Southern Oregon University continued its historic fundraising run in fiscal year 2025, raising $14.17 million.

The philanthropic total for FY25 is the second-highest annual total ever raised for the university; in fiscal year 2023, the university raised more than $19 million, including $10 million from Lithia Motors and Green Cars.

“We’re generating momentum for the future of the university, and we are seeing that play out each year,” said Janet Fratella, SOU’s Vice President for University Advancement and Executive Director of the SOU Foundation.

Strong engagement with SOU alumni and solid campus partnerships were two of the keys to success for the fiscal year that ended June 30. The year’s gifts increased support for SOU’s academic core, including projects for faculty, student affairs and athletics. More than $4 million is earmarked specifically for scholarships.

Projects that will be funded by recent commitments include a new kitchen at The Farm at SOU, scholarships and new mentors for students in the University Coaching & Academic Mentoring (UCAM) program, a new fleet of mountain bikes for the Outdoor Adventure Leadership program, a new international exchange program with a university in the African country of Ghana, a new piano lab and vocal isolation sound booth, marimba music performances, support for students in STEM summer research programs, and new faculty fellowships in SOU’s Education, Music and STEM programs.

SOU received gifts from more than 4,000 donors during FY25 – the first time that milestone has been reached.

“Our long-term goal is to ensure that all our donors have an exceptional experience and that they continue their support,” Fratella said. “Our SOU donors are pivotal to the success of the university, as philanthropy creates a level of excellence that state dollars alone cannot provide.”

Fratella also said that many donors are supportive of the university’s current efforts to “right-size” and rebuild the institution to be financially stronger and more capable of withstanding periodic budget issues.

“Our donors are standing by us,” she said. “Our goal is to reshape SOU to be a more resilient university.”

Fratella also noted that the SOU Foundation Board of Trustees – the separate, university-affiliated foundation – have been in lock-step in helping SOU achieve its goals.

“I commend the foundation trustees, who are personally giving of their time, talent and treasure to ensure that the university is well positioned for the future,” she said.

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SOU Digital Cinema makes MovieMaker list of top film schools

SOU Digital Cinema named to national Top 30

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(Ashland, Ore.) — Southern Oregon University’s Digital Cinema program has been ranked among the nation’s Top 30 film schools by MovieMaker Magazine for the second consecutive year – a recognition of SOU’s role in preparing Oregon’s next generation of creative professionals.

MovieMaker cited SOU Digital Cinema’s distinctive blend of hands-on training, industry partnerships and cross-disciplinary collaboration. The program emphasizes practical skill areas such as directing, cinematography, editing, sound and production design. Students gain real-world experience on live-streamed events, commercial shoots and independent feature films, with strong ties to the region’s production community. The program’s innovative, 12-credit “Crew Experience” course serves as an intensive, term-long production boot camp in which students create a short film from concept to completion.

The Digital Cinema program is the only film program on MovieMaker’s list in the Pacific Northwest region (Oregon, Washington, Idaho). The honor comes shortly after the Oregon Legislature approved $40 million in capital construction bonds for SOU to develop a new Creative Industries complex, focused on workforce development in media and entertainment. Planned upgrades include a sound stage, screening room and multimedia production labs. The cross-disciplinary project will help secure Oregon’s position as a national leader in the creative sector.

“We are incredibly proud of our SOU Digital Cinema program, and grateful to MovieMaker Magazine for acknowledging our outstanding team for the second year in a row,” said SOU President Rick Bailey. “This important recognition is a testament to our brilliant students, faculty and staff, and their commitment to opening doors of opportunities throughout the creative industries.”

Housed in SOU’s College of Arts and Humanities, Digital Cinema students also collaborate with Theater, Creative Writing, Emerging Media & Design, Music Industry & Production and other programs. This interdisciplinary approach positions SOU graduates to thrive in today’s interconnected creative industries. Oregon’s creative sector generates about $9.3 billion annually and supports more than 62,000 jobs.

“For many years now, Oregon’s film and media industry has relied on the training and experience that is provided by SOU’s Digital Cinema program,” said Tim Williams, executive director of Oregon Film. “Many of their graduates are now at the heart of our working crews and fueling the growth of our creative economy.”

Sustainability is another cornerstone of SOU’s vision that MovieMaker highlighted in its story. The university is a member of the Green Film School Alliance, and has already reduced energy use in its existing Digital Media Center by 75% with a new LED lighting grid and plans to integrate LEED enhancements and solar power. SOU’s goal is to produce 100% of its electricity by 2035.

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