Student presentation at 2018 SOAR conference

SOAR conference returns to SOU with 80-plus events in four days

(Ashland, Ore.) — The Southern Oregon Arts & Research (SOAR) conference – an annual showcase of Southern Oregon University talents, interests and innovations – will begin Tuesday, May 14, and continue through Friday, May 17.

The 12th annual forum will feature a film screening and discussion about citizen activists’ creative efforts to bridge America’s deepening divides; a “language roundtable” at which international students and language club members discuss the importance of language programs in the global era; and more than 80 other separate events presented over four days by SOU students, faculty and staff.

SOAR’s events – which come in a variety of shapes and sizes, ranging from 20-minute demonstrations or performances to multi-day exhibitions – capture SOU’s unique and inclusive spirit.

This year’s conference features a total of 16 exhibitions, or displays of original creative work; 25 presentations of projects, capstone experiences, research elements or theories; 20 symposia on group projects; 11 performances of music, drama, dance, readings and other creative expressions; five demonstrations of skills or activities; and six food outlets. There will also be 120 poster presentations.

All SOAR events are free and open to the public. Those who are attending SOAR events may park for free in SOU’s Mountain Street parking lot. Information about this year’s conference is available on the SOAR website.

The Oregon Writing Project at SOU and the university’s Multicultural Resource Center will cohost a screening of the PBS documentary “American Creed,” which first aired in March 2018. The documentary – with former U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice and Pulitzer-winning history David Kennedy – explores the efforts of prominent and everyday citizens to overcome philosophical or political differences in America. The screening is at 4:30 p.m. on Thursday, May 16, in the Hannon Library’s Meese Room and will be followed by a discussion moderated by Alma Rosa Alvarez, chair of SOU’s English Program.

SOU language club students and international students will discuss the importance of languages and language programs, despite the current trend language programs being cut at universities across the nation in a symposium on Tuesday, May 14. The students will share the experiences they could not have had without a second or third language—from study abroad and internship possibilities, to personal growth and cultural exchanges that have led to life-long multinational friendships. The event will be at 12:30 p.m. in Room 323 of the Stevenson Union.

A full schedule of this year’s SOAR events is available online.

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