SOU joins First-gen Forward

SOU recognized as “First-gen Forward” institution

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(Ashland, Ore.) — Southern Oregon University has been selected to be part of the 2022-23 cohort of First-gen Forward, a nationwide initiative to improve academic outcomes for first-generation college students. SOU will become one of about 300 higher education institutions to have received the designation, becoming eligible for professional development opportunities, community-building experiences and access to the research and resources of sponsoring organizations.

“This is a recognition of our hard work to level the playing field for first-generation and other non-traditional students,” said Neil Woolf, SOU’s vice president for enrollment management and student affairs. “Our strategic planning process a few years ago identified seven ‘strategic directions’ for SOU, one of which is to create a diverse, equitable and inclusive environment where all learners will flourish. We are committed to providing services to assist students from under-represented backgrounds to be successful.”

Higher education institutions must apply for the First-gen Forward designation, and demonstrate both buy-in by campus leaders and their campuses’ efforts to help students from non-academic backgrounds make the transition to college life. Existing SOU programs that focus either largely or wholly on supporting the needs of first-generation students include the Bridge Program, Advanced Southern Credit, Success at Southern/TRIO-SSS, the McNair Scholars Program and University Coaching & Academic Mentoring.

First-gen Forward is an initiative of the National Association of Student Personnel Administrators, known as NASPA – Student Affairs Administrators in Higher Education, and the Suder Foundation.

NASPA is a U.S.-based organization for student affairs professionals with more than 15,000 members at 1,200 campuses worldwide. It is dedicated to cultivating student success in collaboration with the missions of its institutional members. Texas tech and commercial real estate entrepreneurs Eric and Deborah Suder launched the Suder Foundation in 2008 with the goal of increasing graduation rates for first-generation college students.

“First-gen Forward is an exciting opportunity for Southern Oregon University to join a dedicated community of professionals prepared to share evidence-based practices and resources, troubleshoot challenges, generate knowledge and continue to advance the success of first-generation students across the country,” said Kevin Kruger, the president and CEO of NASPA. “We are excited to see a groundswell of activity from the First-gen Forward cohort and know SOU will be a significant contributor.”

The full 2022-23 cohort for First-gen Forward has not yet been announced, but other institutions that have achieved the designation since the program was launched in 2019 include just three others in Oregon – Portland Community College, University of Portland and Oregon State University.

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Outstanding Staff Award nominations are open

Nominations open for SOU’s Outstanding Staff Award

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Have you noticed commendable work by an SOU classified or unclassified staff member? You can nominate them through the end of March for the university’s Outstanding Staff Award, which honors two people each year for their achievements, service, leadership and dedication to the university.

Nominees will be considered by a campus-wide selection committee, and the 2022 recipients of SOU’s top award for staff members will be recognized at the university’s annual, end-of-year celebration breakfast in June. Each will receive a $750 honorarium and glass trophy, and the winners’ names will be added to a perpetual plaque in the first-floor hallway of Churchill Hall.

The Outstanding Staff Award has been presented each year since 2018. All current staff members who have worked at least three continuous years at SOU in a regular, non-faculty position are eligible. Previous winners are not eligible.

The selection committee will determine this year’s winners by considering to what extent each of the nominees meet the award criteria: goes above and beyond to build relationships and enthusiastically assists colleagues and/or customers; is dedicated and loyal to the university; demonstrates expertise in their job; exhibits creativity, resourcefulness and initiative; and consistently demonstrates one or more of SOU’s values.

Nominations for the Outstanding Staff Award may be made online through 5 p.m. on March 31.

Faculty members are ineligible for the staff award, but can instead be recognized through SOU’s Distinguished Teaching, Distinguished Service and Distinguished Scholarship awards.

Pacific Islander students from SOU

SOU to offer Pacific Islander Studies course

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(Ashland, Ore.) —Southern Oregon University will offer a course this spring on Pacific Islander Studies, as part of the university’s new Ethnic and Racial Studies Program. The course – ERS 399, Introduction to Pacific Islander Studies – will offer students the opportunity to learn about, and from, the Oceania and the Moana peoples.

Pacific Islander Studies instructor Kris GalagoInstructor Kris Haina Galago, a Native Hawaiian scholar and Pacific Islander advocate, will share her knowledge and experiences.

“It is my hope that by teaching this course, I can bring Pacific Islander perspectives and presence to SOU and add to the growing and thriving Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander student community,” Galago said. “Students will be encouraged to join the conversation, contribute to the learning community and share lived experiences.”

Students will examine Pacific Island peoples’ origins and migration theories, the Pasifika hip-hop/island reggae movement, Polynesian sports representation, kava drinking ceremonies and more. The experiences of those who represent the largest populations in the United States will be examined, including Tongan, Samoan, Hawaiian and Maori.

The in-person course with a Zoom option will be offered on Monday and Wednesday evenings from 3:30 to 5:20 p.m., beginning March 28. SOU students can enroll in ERS 399, Introduction to Pacific Islander Studies, by using the CRN 7194.

To apply for admission to Southern Oregon University visit: https://sou.edu/admissions/apply/. Community members age 65 and over can audit the course tuition-free when space is available and with instructor approval; for details, visit https://sou.edu/student-services/academic/senior-audits/.

To learn more about the Ethnic and Racial Studies Program, visit sou.edu/academics/ethnic-racial-studies/ers-minor/.

SOU launched the Ethnic and Racial Studies Program last fall, offering a 24-credit ERS minor. Learners in the program critically examine the myths and contradictions of race and racism, and explore what purposes these constructs serve in societies where hierarchies and inequalities exist. Students analyze the complex intersections of race and ethnicity within U.S. political and social structures, gaining insights into historic and contemporary racial inequality. They consider the effectiveness of various solutions put forth by public policy, academics and community activists.

The addition of the course in Pacific Islander studies advances SOU’s commitment to a diverse, equitable, inclusive community where learners will flourish.

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Composers of color featured in SOU concert

“Splinter” woodwind concert features composers of color

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The SOU Music Program will present “Splinter”  – a woodwind concert featuring composers of color and directed by SOU’s Rhett Bender – at 7:30 p.m. on Tuesday, February 22, in the SOU Music Recital Hall. Tickets are $10 for general seating, and SOU students, faculty and staff are free.

Three SOU woodwind groups will perform: Quintet of 7 Reeds, saxophone quartet Saxistential and newly the formed clarinet quartet Panic in the Practice Room. The small ensembles are made up of SOU music faculty, graduate and undergraduate students, and alumni.

The performance will open with Piotr Tchaikovsky’s “Album of Music” with “Winter Morning” and “Russian Dances,” followed by Rodgers and Harts’ “My Funny Valentine.”

The Saxistential Quartet – made up of Amanda Esser, Jack Kovaleski, Reese Lanier and Randy Nguyen – will perform “Ragtime Dance” from African-American composer Scott Joplin (aka, the “King of Ragtime). Joplin is well known for more than 50 original ragtime pieces, one ragtime ballet and two operas. Joplin grew up in a musical family of railway laborers in Texarkana, Arkansas, and developed his own musical knowledge with the help of local teachers. He left his job as a railroad laborer in the 1880s and traveled as a musician, visiting Chicago for the World’s Fair of 1893 – which played a major part in making ragtime a national craze by 1897. Joplin moved to Sedalia, Missouri, in 1894 and earned a living as a piano teacher. He began publishing music in 1895, and publication of his “Maple Leaf Rag” in 1899 brought him fame. The piece had a profound influence on writers of ragtime.

“Royal Garden Blues,” by African-American composers Clarence Williams and Spencer Williams (not related), will make up the middle of the program. The two collaborated in 1919 on the piece, which was popularized in jazz by the Original Dixieland Jazz Band and has since been recorded by numerous artists and has become a jazz standard. The song is considered one of the first popular songs based on a riff. Clarinet quartet “Panic in the Practice Room” – made up of Jack Boulter, Randy Nguyen, Martin Bichinsky and Jackie Lu – will perform the work.

Also featured during the program will be composure David Bennett and his “Prelude and Scherzo.”

Written for reed quintet, Marc Mellits’ “Splinter” will wrap up the program and feature eight movements that convey the musical characteristics of different majestic hardwood trees – including red oak, sugar maple and weeping willow – which gives the concert its title. The piece will be performed by Quintet for 7 Reeds, is made up of music faculty Lorin Groshong and Rhett Bender, students Jack Boulter and Randy Nguyen, and SOU alumus Travis Muñoz.

To learn more about concerts and performances at the Oregon Center for the Arts at Southern Oregon University, visit https://oca.sou.edu. For tickets, contact the OCA Box Office at 541-552-6348 or by email at boxoffice@sou.edu, or purchase tickets online at https://sou.universitytickets.com.

Story courtesy of the Oregon Center for the Arts at SOU

SOU Rotaract Club raises $10k

SOU Rotaract Club raises $10,000 for ShelterBox

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The SOU Rotaract Club has now raised $10,000 in a three-year fund-raising commitment to ShelterBox, a charity that works in international disaster relief by providing families with shelter and other supplies.

Students from the club did multiple fundraisers, including selling Christmas decorations, hosting an Easter egg hunt and volunteering at local events. It is part of a three-year commitment made by the club to raise money for ShelterBox.

ShelterBox was established in 2000, and has since provided disaster relief in 97 different countries. The organization, an official partner organization of Rotary International, offers relief to displaced families who have lost their homes due to natural disasters. Families are given shelter boxes that each contain a large tent “house,” water purification kit, blankets and other equipment.

SOU’s current chapter of Rotaract – an entry-level version of Rotary International, geared toward young adults – was formed less than five years ago, and now has a steady core of active members and several others who have been interested in specific club projects. Rotaract chapters must take on both local projects and “world service” projects each year.

SOU’s Rotaract Club went all in on ShelterBox, resulting in a huge fundraising landmark. They’re not done yet though, with plans to continue fundraising for ShelterBox and increase student engagement during the 2022-23 academic year.

Students looking for a great way to get involved with their community and gain leadership skills in a fun environment can contact SOU’s Rotaract Club to learn about membership opportunities. More information is available on the club’s Twitter page or its website.

SOU News sat down with the club’s president, Teal Hamner, to discuss the club and the ShelterBox fundraising in this podcast interview below.

Story and photos by Nash Bennett, SOU Marketing and Communications student writer

Bella McCord Winchester and other SOU students resumed international experiences this year

SOU students get back to international experiences after COVID pause

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International experiences have resumed this year for many Southern Oregon University students, following a pandemic-related pause that limited travel for most SOU programs.

Outdoor Adventure Leadership programs led the way in summer 2021, with eight students traveling to Ecuador, and nine to Mexico and Belize, as part of OAL’s signature international expedition experiences. Another 12 students traveled to a total of nine countries during fall term 2021, by way of study abroad and exchange programs offered through SOU’s Office of International Programs.

International programs offer students experiential education, in which every moment inside and outside the classroom can be a chance to dig deeper into language, culture and society. International travel is also a crash course in planning and preparation – even more so during COVID. For those students who navigated visa delays, vaccination and testing requirements for flights, and arrival quarantines, the payoff was worth it.

International Studies major Alia Sager wanted to improve her French language skills abroad, but getting there tookAlia Sager's international experiences were in France flexibility when her initial program location closed, and when French visas took extra long to be processed.

“My advice for other students studying abroad in the COVID era is not to get discouraged,” Sager said. “There were many days where I didn’t know if the trip would be possible or not.  Plan for the best!  Even if things seem unlikely, in my case it all pulled together right before and I was able to go.”

She spent the semester in Lyon, France through study abroad partner provider USAC, in the company of students from around the world.

“The one language we had in common was French,” Sager said. “I realized just how challenging the term would be … because I had to push myself out of my comfort zone so far on a daily basis I came back a completely different person who feels more confident and secure in who I am and what I have to offer.”

SOU Education Abroad advisor Ariel Bloomer, who helps students explore program options and provides guidance during the application and pre-departure process, said that students who step outside their comfort zone tend to “step into the growth zone.”

“Everyone’s comfort zone is different, though, which is why our study away program portfolio includes such a broad range of options,” Bloomer said.

The National Student Exchange program offers opportunities within the U.S. and Canada, while SOU direct exchanges and study abroad partner providers offer options around the world.

“These experiences can also help demonstrate to employers a range of desired skills, including cultural agility, adaptability, creative problem-solving, language and ability to navigate through new processes around visas and travel,” Bloomer said.

Isaac Wilson enjoyed international experiences in FinlandBusiness major Isaac Wilson’s highlights in Finland came from a trip into the Arctic Circle, where he met reindeer, rode snowmobiles and saw the magnificent lights of the Aurora Borealis.

“Studying abroad is an opportunity to mature as a person and a way to become more independent as a person coming into adulthood,” said Wilson, who is pursuing one of the unique year-long exchange options for business majors that results in a dual degree from his European host university after graduation.

“I was incredibly fortunate to be able to study in Korea during COVID,” said Communication major Sophie Haney, who spent the fall in Gwangju, South Korea.

“I would encourage anyone who wants to study abroad right now to find a way to do it safely because it was truly a life-changing experience,” Haney said. “I think the most important thing is to understand the safety procedures of whatever country you want to visit and make sure you are following them, because then you’ll be able to fully enjoy whatever opportunities are there.”

Exchange partner university Chonnam National University in South Korea was unable to hold in-person classes during the semester due to COVID, which was initially a disappointment for Emerging Media and Digital Arts major Ezra Farner, who also studied in Gwangju this fall.

Sophie Haney and Ezra Farner had many international experiences in South Korea“My advice to students traveling in COVID is to make the most of the opportunities you have and to not dwell too much on the things you can’t control,” Farner said. “I was hoping to be able to have in-person classes when I traveled abroad and that ended up not being the case – but the advantage of that was being able to travel to other cities and take classes from various places around the country!”

Senior Communication major Bella McCord recalled the re-opening of British theatre as one of the highlights of her semester on exchange with the University of Winchester.

“I saw four shows throughout my four months away and it was so fulfilling to be able to enjoy theatre again when COVID had taken it away for so long,” McCord said. “Plus, they were all favorites I had never seen live, or shows I had never seen before but I had been waiting for the opportunity to see for years (Wicked!).”

This year’s intrepid crop of student travelers emphasized safety and risk-mitigation as key to a successful time abroad.

“If you get sick while abroad it does feel like you’re wasting what precious little time you have. Wear your mask in public places even if others aren’t, and book the correct kind of COVID tests before entering and exiting,” she said, because countries specify which of the many types of tests are acceptable.

Business major Kyle Hart, studying for the year at University of Nottingham in the United Kingdom, said to “make sure thatKyle Hart's international experiences took him to Nottingham you are fully vaccinated and take care of yourself … but there is a lot more joy and things to learn than fear when you go abroad.”

Sophie Haney added that South Korea “had really strict quarantine procedures when we first got there and more limited public gathering options than the U.S., but it meant that we felt safe traveling within the country and taking advantage of the fun events and opportunities.”

Students wanting to explore options for travel for summer or during academic year 2022-23 should contact the Office of International Programs to set up an appointment to speak with an Education Abroad advisor, explore the OIP page on Inside SOU to browse available programs and talk with their academic advisor(s) about studying away for their major or minor.

Story by Ariel Bloomer, SOU Education Abroad advisor

SOU prepares for transformational change to software infrastructure

SOU to begin “transformational” shift in tech infrastructure

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(Ashland, Ore.) — Southern Oregon University is heading into the first stages of a transformational change to its primary operational software that will result in far-reaching improvements for both students and employees.

Students will see streamlined registration options, an adaptable academic planner, and an integrated and effective mobile app. Employees will juggle fewer systems and see modernized workflows with increased automation, improved analytics and better security.

The university recently completed an assessment of Banner, its core information system, and will move to Workday. The SOU Board of Trustees approved this transition last month, and the university will begin shifting its systems this summer, with full implementation expected to take several years.

SOU’s current contract for Banner’s Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) and Student Information System (SIS) will expire in late 2024. The university’s goal is to begin the shift to Workday by July of this year, with new modules for human resources, payroll and finance fully implemented one year later. The shift to Workday’s student module will then begin, with that implementation schedule expected to take another two years.

The transformation will affect how students register for and view courses. Workday will be their primary platform to create academic plans, manage financial aid and perform other necessary functions throughout their academic careers. Many of those functions will be accessible via Workday’s comprehensive mobile app.

Workday will become the main application for managing employee information and benefits, along with institutional functions such as accounting, budgeting and finance. It will become the primary portal through which the registrar will schedule and manage courses, and where faculty members and advisors will view and edit students’ transcripts and course progress.

SOU will vet and hire an implementation firm within the next month or two to help manage and guide the university through the lengthy and complex process.

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SOU Esports teams practice daily at the Student Recreation Center

SOU Esports progresses to the next level

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The Esports Management minor had its first graduate last fall, and the Raider Esports team has officially been accepted into the NACE StarLeague, the national league of college Esports. The association hosts tournaments in the spring and fall, in which schools from all over the country compete in various video game competitions.

SOU Esports currently has Rocket League and League of Legends teams registered, and is looking to add a Valorant team soon. Each competes with other teams, playing those specific video games. The SOU teams will compete regularly against other college and university teams, including UCLA and University of California, Bakersfield. They are currently looking for new players, and information about upcoming tryouts is on the team’s Instagram (@sou_esports). The team is holding practices throughout the week at the Esports Hub in the SOU Student Recreation Center, in preparation for upcoming competitions, which will be streamed live on Twitch.

SOU Esports lead Ashley RadThe Esports lead, SOU student Ashley Rad, has been hard at work guiding the team into this next phase.

“We heard back in about a week that we got accepted and I was super excited that our team was able to get this opportunity,” she said, regarding the application process for getting into NACE

Ashley became the team lead at the beginning of fall term 2021, and has quickly taken the team to new heights. She hosts tryouts, runs practices and registers for tournaments. She has lots of ambition and big plans for the team.

“I absolutely love this job and the Esports industry,” she said. “I have plans to expand more next year and I aim to make Esports a much bigger organization at SOU.”

Esports is a burgeoning industry that has only skyrocketed since the introduction of the Esports Management minor at SOU last year. Jeremy Carlton, a business faculty member at SOU who oversees the program, said “enthusiasm is off the charts” in an interview with SOU News. There are currently 10 students who have declared the minor, but many more who have expressed interest in declaring – and almost every Esports class fills up quickly each term. The program also saw its first graduate with the minor last fall – someone interested in working in the industry as a mental health advisor for professional Esports teams.

Interest in Esports is expected to continue rising following the pandemic, with 577 million viewers by 2024. It’s still in its infancy, and SOU is ahead of the curve in offering educational opportunities in the field. Courses in the university’s minor offer structural principles for the world of Esports, addressing the ethics of the industry, focusing on diversity, stomping out toxicity and teaching efficient business management. The minor complements majors of all kinds, but has lots of double-dipping opportunities in the Business, Communication and Emerging Media and Digital Arts programs. Goals for the program in the future are to bring in professional Esports competitors as guest speakers, and increase connections between the team and the minor.

Learn more about the Esports Management minor here and don’t forget to watch the Raider Esports Team on Twitch Mondays and Tuesdays.

Story and photos by Nash Bennett, SOU Marketing and Communications student writer

Former state Supreme Court judge Virginia Linder and SOU employee Katherine Cable appointed as SOU trustees

SOU employee and retired state Supreme Court justice appointed to university board

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(Ashland, Ore.) — Retired Oregon Supreme Court Justice Virginia Linder and Katherine Cable, a registration systems analyst at Southern Oregon University, have been appointed by Gov. Kate Brown and confirmed today by the Oregon Senate to serve on the university’s Board of Trustees. Both will begin their service to the board in July.

Linder will serve a four-year term and will succeed Megan Lightman, who left the board in June 2021. Cable will succeed janelle wilson, who has served as the SOU non-faculty staff member on the 15-member board since 2018. She will serve a two-year term.

“As a graduate of SOU, I have a deep fondness for the university and for southern Oregon,” said Linder, who earned her bachelor’s degree in political science at SOU in 1975.

“SOU is a vital asset to this region of our state,” she said. “I am honored by this appointment and look forward to engaging and contributing to the board’s work in meeting the needs of SOU’s students and the surrounding community.”

Cable has a bachelor’s degree in emerging media and digital arts from SOU and is working on a second bachelor’s degree in English.

“As a lifelong student, I’ve attended classes on many campuses in three states, and SOU is by far my favorite of them all,” Cable said. “I’m proud to call myself an alumna and staff member of this university, and I look forward to serving and doing my part to make SOU the best we can be.”

Linder received her law degree from the Willamette University School of Law in 1980, then practiced in various capacities with the Oregon Department of Justice until 1997, when she was appointed to the Oregon Court of Appeals. She served there until 2006, when she was elected to the Oregon Supreme Court, where she served through December 2015. She also served as an adjunct professor of law at Willamette Law from 1997 through 2006.

Linder, who lives in Salem, said she is proud of her work as a lawyer and judge that has helped to break barriers for women, the LGBTQ community and others who have been traditionally excluded or marginalized.

Cable came to SOU as an academic records coordinator in 2016 and is now the registration systems analyst supporting the registrar’s office with information technology and systems. Prior to her time at SOU, she worked as a lifeguard, fugitive investigator, Arabic linguist, U.S. Marine, emergency medical technician and network services engineer, among many other roles.

“The SOU Board of Trustees is pleased to welcome these trustees to the board in July,” said Daniel Santos, the board chair. “Their diverse expertise and insight will help advance the mission of SOU and the work of the board. We also thank Trustees Lightman and wilson for their tremendous contributions to the SOU Board.

“We are doubly lucky that Virginia and Katherine both have been appointed,” Santos said. “As alumni who both have remained engaged in this institution, I know their care for SOU will only strengthen our future work together.”

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President Rick Bailey will support Special Olympics with a "Polar Plunge."

President Bailey, SOU Raiders, make splash for Special Olympics

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SOU President Rick Bailey will join other members of the campus community this year as they “take the plunge” as part of a local benefit for Special Olympics Oregon.

Bailey will line up Saturday morning on the edge of the unheated, outdoor pool at Rogue Valley Country Club in Medford with students from the Oregon Center for the Arts at SOU. Bailey and other members of the team will jump into the pool – whose water temperature is expected to be about 44 degrees – as part of the annual Southern Oregon Polar Plunge. More than a dozen SOU Raiders are expected to participate in the event, which is free and open to the public.

“Although I am not a fan of jumping into cold bodies of water, I am a HUGE fan of Special Olympics and the wonderful things that organization does,” President Bailey said. “I’m excited to help bring awareness to a great and worthwhile cause.”

Polar Plunge for Special OlympicsAn SOU contingent joins hundreds of other teams made up of students, law enforcement, gyms, corporate partners and thrill seekers across the state each February to make an icy dip. Proceeds from the events provide uniforms, sports equipment, and regional and national travel opportunities for athletes with intellectual disabilities.

“My sister and I are both plunging this year,” said Elena Patterson, a senior music major at SOU. “Our brother is a below-the-knee amputee and he has dyslexia. He’s 15 and a freshman at AHS. I like plunging every year because it’s a fun event. You show up and everyone is nervous but excited and finally it’s your turn to go up and the water is so cold! But everyone is cold together. Can’t wait!”

Raiders have been plunging for three years in-person, and students participated virtually last year because of the pandemic. Martin Bichinsky, a sophomore music major at SOU, plunged for the cause at home by submitting a video of himself being doused with a bucket of ice water in his backyard.

SOU alumnus Jared Brown ’17, the Youth Orchestra Manager with Pacific Symphony in Los Angeles, is sponsoring two students by donating $100.

“I continue to support Special Olympics year after year out of love for my cousin, Thomas, who lives with non-verbal autism and aphasia,” Brown said. “I greatly appreciate the effort folks exhibit through activities like Polar Plunge as they bring awareness and visibility to those living in our communities with special needs.”

Another alum, Jayme Dittberner ’21, a teacher at Talent Middle School said, “I like plunging because I love having the opportunity to raise awareness and money for the Special Olympics athletes. It’s really amazing to see so many people in the community coming together for something so important. It’s been a lot of fun the last two years that I’ve done it, and I know how much of an impact we are making by participating in the event.”

The SOU community can join the SOU Raider team by plunging, donating or coming out to watch the event. The Southern Oregon Polar Plunge begins with registration at 9 a.m., costume contest at 10:30 a.m., and opening ceremonies and the plunge at 11 a.m. For more information, contact event manager Kim Andresen, or go to www.plungeoregon.org.