Creativity Conference at SOU

Second annual Creativity Conference at SOU to expand global conversation

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Southern Oregon University will expand the global academic discussion of imagination and ingenuity this summer by presenting its second annual Creativity Conference at SOU – a four-day event expected to attract hundreds of participants from around the world.

The conference – on the SOU campus July 11-14 – is intended primarily for those who study creativity, but will also offer insights for those who consider themselves creative and those looking to leverage creative thinking in their fields.

Presentations will cover a wide variety of academic specialties, and working professionals will be able to participate in applied workshops featuring hands-on activities for developing and using creativity in the workplace.

Last year’s inaugural SOU Creativity Conference drew more than 300 people from 28 countries, to participate in about 175 presentations.

“I have been immersed in this field for over 30 years,” said Mark Runco, executive director of the SOU Creativity Conference and recently hired director of Creativity Research and Programming for the university.

“I have never seen an event anywhere near the one we had at SOU in 2018 – and will have again in July 2019,” he said. “Heck, 28 countries were represented, and many ‘big names’ in the field were here, and will be again. There really has been nothing like this – ever, anywhere.”

Runco has served as an endowed professor and creativity researcher at the University of Georgia and a research fellow at the American Institute of Behavioral Research and Technology. He is editor of the Creativity Research Journal and co-editor of the Encyclopedia of Creativity, and has served as president of a division of the American Psychological Association dedicated to art, creativity and aesthetics.

Keynote speakers at this year’s Creativity Conference at SOU are Teresa Amabile, a Baker Foundation professor at Harvard Business School; and Dean Simonton, a professor emeritus of psychology at the University of California, Davis.

Amabile’s work focuses on individual creativity and productivity, and organizational creativity and innovation. Her keynote address will be presented by LEGO, a corporate sponsor of this year’s event.

Simonton’s studies have focused on human intelligence, creativity, greatness and the psychology that drives science.

Other featured speakers at this year’s conference will include Min Tang, director of the Institute for Creativity and Innovation at Germany’s University of Applied Management; Ron Beghetto, professor and director of the University of Connecticut’s Innovation House; Yael Katz, vice provost for academics at Canada’s Sheridan College; Jonathan Feinstein, professor of creative development at Yale University; Adam Green, of Georgetown University, founder and current president of the Society for the Neuroscience of Creativity; and Roger Firestien, senior faculty member and president of Innovation Resources, Inc., at State University of New York, Buffalo State.

Dan DeNeui, a conference organizer and director of SOU’s Division of Social Sciences, said the annual event provides an opportunity for creativity researchers to collaborate and broaden their network.

“The conference (last year) was a great way to get together and talk about how we can use creativity to solve problems,” DeNeui said.

This year’s program has not yet been announced, but is likely to be wide-ranging. Last year’s presentations ranged from “Fostering Creativity Through Virtual Environments” and “Attitudes toward creative people and innovators,” to “Rumination and Reflection During Art-Making.”

SOU has adopted the goal of serving as Oregon’s “university for the future.” Its strategic plan – the university’s roadmap into the future – places an emphasis on creativity, innovation and other human skills that augment technical skills and are particularly valued by employers.

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SOU lock-in event

Annual Lock-In event to draw large police presence at SOU on Friday

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SOU’s Criminology and Criminal Justice students will get plenty of hands-on training, and representatives from a variety of law enforcement agencies will be on campus to present workshops when the university’s Criminology Club hosts its yearly Lock-In event on Friday.

The 18th annual event will draw on the expertise of agencies including the Ashland and Medford police departments, Oregon State Police, Jackson County Sheriff’s Office, Jackson County District Attorney’s Office and the federal Drug Enforcement Agency. The Lock-In will begin at 11 a.m. and wrap up at 7 p.m.

A large police presence will be visible primarily in and around Taylor Hall and the Stevenson Union. All officers, including SWAT members, will be in uniform or will visibly display their badges.

Simulation notices will be posted on the buildings, along the perimeter of the area and in each room where a simulation is held. Explorer Scouts from the Medford Police Department will be stationed near SWAT vehicles to ensure safety and answer questions from passers-by.

Officers will present workshops on topics such as felony traffic stops, active shooter scenarios, the use of drug detection dogs, defensive tactics, jail management and shoot/don’t shoot situations.

Students attending the Lock-In event will choose three stations in which to participate, and will rotate periodically from one station to another. The event provides opportunities for networking and camaraderie, along with practical training.

Those with additional questions may contact Associate Professor David Carter, chair of SOU’s Criminology and Criminal Justice Department.

Danny Santos-SOU Board of Trustees

Santos reappointed to SOU Board of Trustees

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(Ashland, Ore.) — Daniel Santos – a Southern Oregon University alumnus and member of the university’s Board of Trustees – was notified today by Gov. Kate Brown today that he has been reappointed for a second four-year term on the SOU board.

Santos was appointed by the governor and confirmed by the Oregon Senate.

He is a retired associate dean for the Willamette University College of Law, where he oversaw student affairs and administration. He previously served in various capacities for four Oregon governors – Neil Goldschmidt, Barbara Roberts, John Kitzhaber and Ted Kulongoski. His roles included service as Roberts’ legal counsel and Oregon Board of Parole and Post-Prison Supervision chair, and as a senior policy advisor for Kulongoski.

Santos earned his bachelor’s degree in criminology at SOU in 1975, then received his law degree from the Willamette University College of Law. He has remained involved in education throughout his career, serving as a founding member of Scholarships for Oregon Latinos, and in guiding roles with Willamette University’s Willamette Academy for students from underserved communities and the Leadership Council for Oregon Mentors.

He also currently serves on the boards of directors of the Oregon Shakespeare Festival and the Mid-Valley Literacy Council.

SOU was granted authority by the state to form its own independent Board of Trustees beginning July 1, 2015, following the legislature’s dissolution of the Oregon University System and State Board of Higher Education. SOU’s board is responsible for governance and oversight of the university.

Eleven at-large trustees serve four-year terms, and one voting position each are reserved for an SOU student, a faculty and a non-faculty staff member – each of whom serve two-year terms.

Trustees are limited to serving two consecutive full terms. The university president serves in a non-voting, ex officio capacity on the board, bringing total membership to 15.

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Earth Week 2019

SOU’s ECOS accepting ideas for Earth Week events

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Earth Week 2019 is just over 1 ½ months away, and SOU’s Ecology and Sustainability Resource Center (ECOS) has invited groups on campus to submit ideas for events they could host as part of the university’s overall observance.

Those interested in organizing and hosting events during Earth Week, April 15 to 19, should complete and submit a form on the ECOS website. Clubs and organizations should apply by March 1 to reserve time slots.

ECOS – a collaborative office and community space for sustainability and service – organizes SOU’s Earth Week observances, which have occurred for at least the past five years. The mission of ECOS is to inspire environmental, social and economic responsibility among SOU’s students.

None of this year’s Earth Week events have yet been announced, but activities in past years have included film screenings, educational fairs, workshops, how-to demonstrations, discussions, tabling and rallies.

The first Earth Day occurred on April 22, 1970, when more than 20 million Americans participated in peaceful demonstrations to inspire environmental reform.

April 22 continues to be celebrated annually as Earth Day across the U.S. and in nearly 200 other countries. However, many universities such as SOU set aside the entire week to raise awareness of environmental issues.

Those who have questions about the SOU observance may email ecos@sou.edu for more information.

Story by Bryn Mosier, SOU Marketing and Communications intern

Tristen Holmes-academic all-district

SOU’s Holmes makes Academic All-District team – again

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For the second straight year, SOU men’s basketball player Tristen Holmes has been named a Google Cloud Academic All-District 4 selection – nominated and voted upon by the College Sports Information Directors of America.

The honor recognizes the top student-athletes in the nation for a combination of their academic and athletic performances. Holmes, a point guard for the Raider men’s basketball team, was one of just 22 players in the NAIA to earn the distinction.

Each will be considered for the Academic All-America team, which will be announced next month.

Holmes, an All-Cascade Conference performer from North Medford High, is an interdisciplinary studies major focusing on pre-dentistry. With a cumulative GPA of 3.84, he’s a McNair Scholar and has already been accepted to attend Oregon Health & Science University upon his graduation at SOU.

Holmes has also been one of the most productive all-around players in team history while helping the Raiders win 82 games in his four years. Among CCC players, he ranks ninth in points per game (16.6) and eighth in assists (3.5), and in conference games he was one of just two players with top-15 marks in points, rebounds and assists.

Holmes has scored at least 20 points on nine occasions this season and led the Raiders in scoring 14 times. In the process, he’s also become the only Raider ever to amass at least 1,000 points, 500 rebounds and 400 assists in a career.

He recently recorded 19 points and nine rebounds to spark SOU’s 78-77 defeat of Northwest Christian in the CCC Tournament quarterfinals. He and the Raiders will play at Corban in Saturday’s semifinal round.

This story is reposted from souraiders.com

French Dinner-reminder

SOU’s annual French Dinner nearly sold out

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(Ashland, Ore.) — Those who haven’t bought tickets but are still hoping to attend the 23rd annual French Dinner of the Southern Oregon University French Club are being advised that there will likely be no tickets available at the door of the Feb. 28 event.

The five-course meal for students, employees and community members is nearly sold out – only a handful of advance tickets remain on sale at SOU’s Stevenson Union information booth. Tickets are $9 for students and university employees, and $13 for other community members.

The dinner, in the student union’s Rogue River Room, promotes French culture on campus and in the community. It is an annual project of the university’s French Club, with help from student union staff, and French and other international students. For the first time, SOU student-athletes are also helping with this year’s event.

Doors will open at 6:30 p.m. and orders will be taken at 7 p.m. Dinner begins with soup, followed by a palate cleanser, quiche, salad and cheese, French bread, dessert and coffee or tea. Vegetarian options are available for the soup and quiche courses.

Wine donated by various Oregon wineries can be purchased at $3 per glass for those who are 21 and older.

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Dea Kiss music scholarship recipient

Saturday concert to benefit music scholarships

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The annual Joyce Stevens Benefit Recital, which raises money for music scholarships, will be held at 3 p.m. on Saturday, Feb. 23, at Southern Oregon University’s Music Recital Hall.

Anthony Bock, music scholarship recipient

Anthony Bock, music scholarship recipient

The concert will feature a program of classical favorites, performed by a variety of musicians: SOU faculty members Alexander Tutunov, Christine Eggert and Madeline Abel-Kerns; SOU students Anthony Bock and Dea Kiss, who are recent recipients of the Joyce Stevens Scholarship; and piano teachers Pat Daly of Phoenix, Michele Alspach of Ashland and Joyce Stevens of Jacksonville.

The program will include music by Bach, Chopin, Tchaikovsky, Mahler, Poulenc and Scott Joplin.

Admission to the concert will be by donation to the fund for music scholarships, which is named for Stevens in honor of her lifelong contribution to the arts in Oregon and beyond. She is a nationally certified piano teacher.

The concert is sponsored by the SOU Music Program and presented by the Rogue Valley Chapter of the Oregon Music Teachers Association.

The OMTA – a professional organization of music educators made up of private studio teachers and college music faculty across Oregon – is a 501(c)3 non-profit organization, and all donations to it are tax deductible.

More information is available from Margie Daly of the OMTA at (541) 535-2089.

Governor's Food Drive SOU

Governor’s Food Drive heads into home stretch at SOU

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Just over a week remains in the annual Governor’s Food Drive, and SOU employees and students are encouraged to participate through food donations or payroll deductions.

The food drive, which runs through February, draws donations from state government and public university employees throughout Oregon to support the Oregon Food Bank Network. However, all food donated at SOU goes directly to the university’s Student Food Pantry, which provides food and other basic necessities to students who are in need.

Individual students and employees have stepped up to participate in the Governor’s Food Drive, as have various university departments and programs. SOU’s Oregon Center for the Arts sponsored a benefit concert, “Feed the Body and Soul,” which raised more than $200 in cash donations and 200 pounds of items for the food drive last week.

All SOU employees have been provided red collection bags, which they can fill with donated items and then return to barrels located in buildings throughout campus. A reward of coffee and snacks will be provided by SOU Dining and A’viands to employees from the building that collects the most food.

Employees’ monetary donations can be made by signing up for monthly or one-time payroll deductions, and submitting the completed form to Michele Barlow in Human Resources. Those donations support food assistance programs at ACCESS, Jackson County’s community action agency.

All employees who sign up for payroll deductions are entered into drawings for various prizes.

Zappos-Fred Mossler-SOU alum

SOU and Zappos alumnus Fred Mossler: Big shoes to fill

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The first sentence in a Wikipedia entry for Fred Mossler includes the terms “business executive,” “fashion guru” and “philanthropist.” He has also been called a customer experience expert, digital visionary and serial entrepreneur.

But it is Mossler’s humble roots in rural California that keep this wildly successful “original shoe guy” of Zappos.com grounded.

Mossler was by all accounts a typical college student. He attended classes and worked in a local shoe store. When he graduated from SOU in 1990, Mossler moved to Seattle and began working at Nordstrom, where he learned the art of customer service and nurtured his penchant for fashion. From Seattle, Mossler moved to San Francisco, where he became a merchandise buyer for the company.

Mossler was approached by Shoesite.com founder Nick Swinmurn in 1999 to join a budding venture. Swinmurn had secured enough capital to launch one of the nation’s first online shoe retailers, but he needed someone with fashion sensibility and a proven background in customer service. That was Fred Mossler.

Although the name Shoesite.com didn’t last, the company made an important impact on the online retail industry. Shoesite.com was replaced by the name Zappos.com within several months of the launch so the company would have the flexibility to sell more than shoes.

First-year sales were minimal, but sales in 2000 reached $1.6 million. By 2009, when it was acquired by Amazon, Zappos.com had more than $1 billion in sales.

As head of the day-to-day operations at the company, Mossler was at the epicenter. His assignments during 17 years with the company included merchandising, logistics and customer care. He also drove great innovation that included many groundbreaking e-commerce and customer experience moves, such as responsive, highly-personal service and free returns that set a new standard in the e-commerce industry.

At Zappos, Mossler helped build the company’s culture into a competitive differentiator. The 4 C’s: Culture, Clothing, Customer Service and Community were the foundation of a quality experience for all employees and customers.

Zappos made its debut on Fortune magazine’s “100 Best Companies to Work For” list in 2009, making the list again in 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014 and 2015.

Much of the reason for Zappos’ appearance on the Fortune list was an unrelenting focus on building a company culture that valued its employees and their lives.

“My whole focus was to help bring people in at entry levels and help them develop skills that made them more valuable employees and more valuable people in their communities and in the world,” Mossler said. “I’ve tried to do that in all my work, and it was at SOU that I realized that was something I really loved to do.”

Mossler credits SOU with giving him a strong academic foundation and the confidence to follow his business instincts and dive into new ventures.

“My time at SOU absolutely helped shape my career path,” he said. “SOU gave me the confidence to pursue a career in the business world, and my experience as an RA in the residence halls taught me some valuable lessons in terms of managing people.

“I’ve built my business career on management, and a lot of the skills I apply in management I learned as a residence hall director.”

Mossler stepped away from Zappos in 2016 to focus on other entrepreneurial and philanthropic ventures. Along with Zappos CEO Tony Hsieh, Mossler is setting out to revitalize downtown Las Vegas. And he has been a major player in producing the Life Is Beautiful Music & Art Festival, which brings music, culinary and art into the revitalized downtown area each year.

Additionally, Mossler and a former Zappos executive have launched an upscale, après ski-inspired shoe brand called Ross & Snow. Mossler also produced the 2018 film “Viena and the Fantomes” featuring Dakota Fanning.

But perhaps Mossler’s most intriguing venture is that of restaurateur. Mossler and several partners opened Nacho Daddy in Las Vegas in 2010. With four locations, Nacho Daddy has its signature scorpion shot, but it does something even more unique. It donates a portion of every entre purchased to a child in need.

Since 2016, Nacho Daddy has contributed some 250,000 meals through Three Square, Southern Nevada’s only food bank.

Mossler’s philanthropic work extends to the Goodie Two Shoes Foundation, where he is an honorary director. Goodie Two Shoes provides children in crisis with new shoes and socks, and other essential items to ensure good health and positive development.

Looking back, Mossler said that a strong sense of community led to his active involvement while on the SOU campus. In addition to his residence hall work, he played intramural sports and helped organize campus fundraisers.

“My advice to students is to get involved,” he said. “SOU provides a great entrepreneurial environment. It gives students freedom to create and learn and pursue their interests.

“I was deeply involved in campus life and those experiences were priceless.”

Reposted from the Fall 2018 issue of The Raider, SOU’s Alumni Association magazine

Ignorance and Wisdom-books and flowers

Campus Theme: Ignorance and Wisdom presentations this month

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The 11th year of SOU’s Campus Theme continues with a pair of presentations this month, beginning at 7 p.m. on Wednesday, Feb. 20, with “To not know: Is It Ignorance or Wisdom?” by Fred Grewe, chaplain at Providence Medford Medical Center.

The talk, which is free and open to the public, will be in Room 319 of the Stevenson Union. It will be followed on Thursday, Feb. 28, by “Wisdom and Compassion: Awakening Human Capacities to Build Resilient Communities,” by Paul Condon, an assistant professor of psychology at SOU. That presentation will be at 7 p.m. in Room 323 of the Stevenson Union.

Both events are part of SOU’s campus theme for the 2018-19 academic year, “Ignorance and Wisdom.” This year’s campus theme presentations all explore those two concepts and their relationships.

The university adopts a theme each year for a series of lectures and discussions. Last year’s was “Truth,” and the previous year was “Shapes of Curiosity.” The series, presented by SOU’s Arts and Humanities Council, creates opportunities for students, faculty, staff and community members to engage in intellectually stimulating conversations.

In this week’s talk, “To Not Know,” Grewe will explore the teachings of various religious thinkers – Christian, Buddhist, Taoist and Jewish – and what each has contributed to the understanding of what constitutes both wisdom and ignorance. A promotional flyer for the event cites the words of the late Supreme Court Justice Potter Stewart, when asked in a pornography case to define the threshold for obscenity: “I know it when I see it.”

Grewe has served as chaplain for the Providence Hospice in Medford since 2012, and served previously as a hospice chaplain at Asante Ashland Community Hospital and at St. Louis University Hospital in Missouri. He has published several articles and books about dying and the clergy’s role in end-of-life preparations.

The Feb. 28 presentation, “Wisdom and Compassion,” will look at the conflict and divisiveness that increasingly characterizes today’s political world. The talk will draw on Buddhist philosophy and cognitive science, and suggest that a fundamental problem is the mind’s tendency to portray others in limited ways that deny their full humanity.

Condon will explore a potential solution: current research on addressing relational and societal challenges through meditation and the human capacities for wisdom and compassion.

Condon’s research lab at SOU examines the social and relational processes that contribute to mental and physical wellness – particularly, through compassion and meditation.

SOU faculty members are asked to encourage their students to attend and participate in the Campus Theme presentations.