Global Innovation Scholars from SOU and UG in Guanajuato

Global Innovation Scholars unite to serve U.S. and Mexican businesses

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(Ashland, Ore.) — Nine students and two faculty members from Southern Oregon University have been working for most of the past week with their Mexican counterparts at Universidad de Guanajuato on the annual Global Innovation Scholars program – a multicultural business development initiative to help organizations and businesses in both Guanajuato and Ashland while providing students with experience in international collaboration.

“Southern Oregon University’s 56-year relationship with the University of Guanajuato is a testament to the wonders that can come from a foundational bond built on love, admiration and mutual respect,” SOU President Rick Bailey said. “We have demonstrated that we can move mountains when we come together, united in purpose, to serve others and to help make our world a better place.”

Students from SOU and UG in Global Innovation Scholars programThe 18 combined students from the two universities spent the past week researching and analyzing three Guanajuato businesses before concluding the visit by offering suggested development plans to the business owners. The students will reunite for a week in Ashland beginning on April 26, to provide the same services to three Rogue Valley businesses or organizations.

The 20-week Global Innovation Scholars program includes international, online coursework for participating students during each year’s winter and spring terms, in addition to the opportunity for immersive social and cultural experiences. The SOU and Guanajuato delegations met last week with various leaders of the Mexican university and with the region’s political leaders. Students typically spend a total of more than 250 hours on their projects, including the two site visits.

Global Innovation Scholars was developed by the two universities’ business schools as part of the “100,000 Strong in the Americas” program, sponsored by the U.S. State Department, the U.S. Embassies and the nonprofit organization Partners for the Americas.

“I believe that economic prosperity and peace are best built hand-in-hand across all borders,” Vincent Smith, dean of SOU’s School of Science and Business, said in his opening remarks for the gathering last week. “Our students are a symbol of hope.

“They are working together to build economic prosperity and community in both Mexico and the United States of America,” Smith said. “They symbolize not only the importance of international trade, but of international friendship. They are a reminder that real strength comes from building friendships, not walls. They remind us that we are better together.”

A key point of discussion during this year’s Global Innovation Scholars session in Mexico was the new U.S. tariffs and growing trade war. Guanajuato’s primary economy is the export of automobiles and automobile parts.

SOU and UG have initiated a variety of exchange and cooperative projects since they became sister universities in 1969. The link between the two schools has led more than 1,000 students, faculty members and others to participate in exchanges – and has resulted in more than 80 marriages that have tied people from Ashland and Guanajuato over three generations.

“The opportunity to do the Global Innovations Scholar program has made a tremendous difference in my skills in teamwork and my international worldview,” said Tiana Gilliland, president of the Associated Students of Southern Oregon University and one of the business students in this year’s program.

“I have had the opportunity to work closely with several other scholars to make a real difference in businesses that are striving to make a difference in their community,” Gilliland said.

Another student leader – Garima Sharma, a student member of the SOU Board of Trustees – said she has learned much about the power of connection and making a change in the world through her involvement with the Global Innovation Scholars program.

“I have learned that building relationships with students from both Southern Oregon University and Universidad de Guanajuato is a privilege which not many have,” Sharma said. “I have … gained a deeper understanding of our shared goals and how we can use our differences to create innovative solutions.”

The current Global Innovation Scholars project grew out of a previous partnership between the two schools – the Collaborative Online International Learning (COIL) program – which brought together classes of upper-division business students to work on the development of international business relationships.

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Raider Education Day and keynote speaker Jay Schroder come to SOU Ashland

Raider Education Day for new and prospective teachers

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(Ashland, Ore.) — Author, teacher and consultant Jay Schroder will deliver a keynote address, highlighting the third annual Raider Educator Day – an event on Saturday, April 5, that will allow new and prospective teachers to gain insights into the field. The forum, from 10 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. in the Rogue River Room of SOU’s Stevenson Union, is hosted by Southern Oregon University’s School of Education, Leadership, Health & Humanities.

The annual Raider Education Day provides an opportunity for prospective and current students, and recent alumni, to connect with seasoned education professionals and explore career opportunities.

Schroder has taught high school English and social studies for 24 years. He’s the creator of the “Teach from Your Best Self” professional learning programs and the author of the book “Teach from Your Best Self: A Teacher’s Guide to Thriving in the Classroom.” Schroder is an affiliate faculty member at SOU, a teacher consultant for the Oregon Writing Project and a certified instructor of social emotional learning and character development.

Schroder currently works for the Southern Oregon Regional Educator Network (SOREN), supporting schools and educators throughout the region. He offers professional learning experiences that help educators increase resiliency, avoid burnout and thrive in the challenges of education.

“Jay Schroder is a tremendous resource for our region and for those who have chosen careers as teachers,” said Dustin Walcher, dean of SOU’s School of Social Sciences and interim dean of the School of Education, Leadership, Health & Humanities. “Raider Educator Day gives newcomers to the field of education a chance to learn from our most respected educators.”

Schroder has received High School Teacher of Excellence Awards from both the Oregon Council of Teachers of English and the National Council of Teachers of English. Schroder has also trained for more than 25 years in the martial arts, and holds a sixth-degree black belt in karate. He was recently inducted into the United States Martial Arts Hall of Fame.

Other presenters at the event include South Umpqua School District Superintendent Erika Bare and Tiffany Burns, principal at Ashland’s Walker Elementary, who are co-authors of the book “Connecting Through Conversation: A Playbook for Talking with Students.” Bare and Burns will lead a breakout session on tools and strategies for communicating and building relationships with students that enable learning while avoiding power struggles.

Raider Education Day each year includes sessions and mock interviews with superintendents, administrators, hiring managers and teachers from local school districts – many of whom are SOU alumni. School of Education faculty members and student leaders also participate.

The day is intended to provide valuable career and pathway advice to attendees. Topics include teacher preparation programs, scholarships and insights into the evolving landscape of the education field.

Raider Educator Day is open at no charge to all who are interested. The schedule and sign-up information are available online. More information about the event is available from Mary Patridge, student success coordinator for the School of Education, Leadership, Health & Humanities, by email or by phone at (541) 552-7154.

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Brain Bowl participants during recent tournament at SOU Ashland

SOU offers 48th “Brain Bowl” for local students

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Middle and high school students from throughout the Rogue Valley came together recently to participate in the 48th annual Southern Oregon Brain Bowl, a quizbowl tournament organized by the Youth Programs Office at Southern Oregon University.

The annual Brain Bowl tournament is a fast-paced quiz competition in which teams from local schools compete to answer questions for points in categories including science, math and history. The round-robin format guarantees that all participating schools have the opportunity to face each other.

Middle School
Throughout January and February, 15 middle schools took part in the Brain Bowl tournament. The seven weeks of matches were held at rotating schools. Talent (4-1), Eagle Point (6-0) and North (4-1) middle schools earned championship titles in their respective divisions.

High School
Taking place on the SOU campus, 11 high schools and more than 100 students competed in this year’s tournament on Saturday, March 15. One participant from South Medford shared that the Brain Bowl tournament has made an impact by “helping build leadership skills and self-confidence.”

This year, the Team Challenge competition allowed teams five minutes to answer a question or solve a problem collaboratively. Scores from this challenge were recorded separately and did not impact overall standings or advancement to the finals. Team Challenge awards were presented to Chesterton Academy, Phoenix High School and Logos Charter School.

In April, the students from the highest-scoring high schools will compete for championship titles in their respective divisions.

Televised finale
The championship round will be aired on Southern Oregon Public Broadcasting Service (SOPBS) on Sunday, April 20, starting at 4 p.m., with the Junior Varsity division. The 90-minute segment will be rerun on Friday, April 25.

In the Varsity Division A round, Cascade Christian (5-0) will face Ashland (3-2), while Chesterton Academy (3-0) and Rogue River (2-1) will battle for the title in Division B. The Junior Varsity Division competition will feature Logos Charter (5-0) and St. Mary’s School (4-1).

The Southern Oregon Brain Bowl, based on game show Jeopardy, began in 1977 as a local academic competition between southern Oregon middle schools and high schools.

More information about SOU Youth Programs competitions and academic offerings is available online.

Southern Oregon firefighters at LA wildfires

SOU student applies classroom experience to work on LA wildfires

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(Ashland, Ore.) — Bryan Cohee was juggling his usual responsibilities back in January – as a husband, father, battalion chief with Jackson County Fire District 3 and undergraduate student in Southern Oregon University’s Innovation and Leadership Program. A phone call resulted in yet another role, and both opportunities and challenges for Cohee: it was an offer to serve as co-leader for a deployment of southern Oregon firefighters to help battle the historic Los Angeles wildfires.

Participation was voluntary, but the nature of the assignment required a quick decision.

At LA wildfire, Bryan Cohee (left) and the co-leader of southern Oregon deployment

At LA wildfire, Bryan Cohee (left) and his co-leader on the southern Oregon deployment

“With three kids at home and a wife who has her own career and is also a student, there is never an entirely ‘convenient’ time,” Cohee said.

“We had about four hours to prepare for this instance; this gave me ample time to have a conversation with my wife and get most of my affairs in order,” he said. “Deployment opportunities typically only happen once or twice a year, so I want to take advantage of all the experiences I can to sharpen my skills for our local events.”

But there were balancing acts beyond those on the domestic front. Cohee is on what he calls his “third crack” at a bachelor’s degree. He lacked focus during his first attempt following high school, then about 15 years later was doing well with his second attempt until a kitchen remodel caused him to take a term off – which turned into seven years.

He didn’t want to jeopardize his current standing as a senior in SOU’s Innovation and Leadership Program, a multidisciplinary bachelor’s degree completion program for working professionals. His winter term schedule includes Psychology 438, Group Dynamics – a five-week, accelerated course with one class session per week – and accepting the deployment would cause Cohee to miss one or two of the classes, depending on how long the firefighters remained in Los Angeles.

He immediately contacted SOU senior instructor Erica Knotts, who teaches the Group Dynamics course.

“I often encourage students to bring their own initiatives into the learning space,” Knotts said. “In Bryan’s case, he was actually the one who made the connection between Group Dynamics and his experience fighting fires. Once he shared the parallels he was experiencing, I worked with him to shape an assignment so he could apply course concepts to his real-world experience in a meaningful way.”

Cohee and Knotts collaborated on a plan – he would go about his deployment with group dynamics in mind, noting learning moments and other situations worth discussing with his classmates. For example, trust and accountability became issues because Cohee had worked with some but not all of the personnel from the five southern Oregon departments that sent members on the deployment, and effective firefighting is dependent on the confidence that comes from close working relationships.

Oregon apparatus at LA wildfires“The Group Dynamics material allowed me a deeper understanding of the root of the difficulties, which will lead to a change in how I will address similar situations moving forward,” Cohee said.

Other conditions on his absence from the class included keeping up with materials from the sessions he would miss, and during his deployment he was assigned to a group to work with on a final presentation for the class. He also wrote a four-page summary of his experiences, and the dynamics among those on the task force of about 15 firefighters that he helped to manage.

“Once we knew Bryan would be out, I let the class and his group members know where he was so they could show their support,” Knotts said. “He was also able to briefly Zoom into one of the sessions, which gave everyone a chance to check in with him.

“The INL program is incredibly supportive, and when he returned, there were plenty of conversations about his experience and the cohort felt ‘whole’ again.”

SOU’s Innovation & Leadership Program offers an accelerated bachelor’s degree for working professionals hoping to develop skills in academic areas including organizational leadership, project management, systems thinking, communication, emerging media, and data management. The degree can be completed either in-person or fully online.

Cohee and a coworker from Fire District 3 – which includes Central Point, Gold Hill, White City and Eagle Point – are the fourth and fifth members of that department to attend the SOU program.

“There’s no buyer’s remorse; it’s been a fantastic fit from a convenience and application standpoint,” Cohee said. “The content, facilitation and convenience make it a natural fit for police and fire agencies.”

Knotts said the INL program worked as it was designed in Cohee’s case – it incorporated and drew from practical experience to enhance the classroom experience.

“Hands-on learning and real-world application make education more meaningful, and as an instructor I personally try to create those opportunities whenever possible,” Knotts said. “Of course, normally we have more time to plan and structure these kinds of experiences – but sometimes unexpected opportunities arise, even in challenging and devastating situations like these fires.”

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Bill Thorndike passes away unexpectedly

SOU to host official memorial service for William Thorndike, Jr.

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(Ashland, Ore.) — Southern Oregon University will host a public gathering and celebration of the life of William Downie (Bill) Thorndike, Jr. – a prominent statewide civic servant, the university’s first board chair and recipient of SOU’s highest honor – on Sunday, April 27.

Those who attend the event, at 1:30 p.m. in the SOU Music Recital Hall, are encouraged to wear something identifying their affiliation with Thorndike – whether a hat, uniform, sweatshirt or organizational nametag.

“We are honored to host Bill’s memorial service. His service to our university, and to organizations and groups throughout Oregon and beyond, was absolutely unmatched,” SOU President Rick Bailey said. “We will join his family in paying tribute to him and to the wide variety of causes that were so meaningful to him.”

Thorndike passed away at age 71 while vacationing with his wife, Angela, at the family’s cottage on Whidbey Island, Washington, on Feb. 15. He was a third-generation native of the Rogue Valley, graduating from Medford Senior High School in 1972.

He attended Simon Fraser University in Vancouver, B.C., then graduated from Portland’s Lewis and Clark College in 1976 with a bachelor’s degree in business administration. He then began his lifelong employment with the Thorndike family’s business, now known as Medford Fabrication. He was the company’s president and board chairman at the time of his death.

Thorndike’s public service included terms as president or chair of Asante health system, Pacific Retirement Service, SAIF Corporation, Oregon Business Council, Oregon Cultural Advocacy Coalition and Crater Lake National Park Trust. His particular interest in education led to his service as a member of the SOU Board of Trustees since its inception in 2015 and the board’s first chair, president of the SOU Foundation Board and member of the State Board of Higher Education, the Oregon Independent College Foundation, the Oregon Senate Committee on Educational Excellence and the Rogue Valley Workforce Development Council.

His influence also reached beyond Oregon’s borders. His expertise in finance and economics led to his service, including as chairman, with the U.S. Central Bank’s Federal Reserve Bank of San Francisco (Portland Branch).

He was particularly proud of being a fellow of the American Leadership Forum, and his many honors and awards included the SOU President’s Medal, the Chamber of Medford/Jackson County First Citizen Award, the Jackson County Community Service Coalition Person of the Decade, Willamette University’s Glenn L. Jackson Leadership Award and SOLV’s Tom McCall Leadership Award.

Thorndike is survived by his wife, Angela; brothers Dan and his wife Joan, and David and his wife Sally; and by five nieces and nephews.

In lieu of flowers, contributions can be made to the Oregon Community Foundation for the William and Angela Thorndike, Jr., Arts, Educational and Cultural Interest Fund (oregoncf.org/thorndike-fund).

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SOU shows up at sustainability conference

SOU participants make a splash at regional sustainability conference

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(Ashland, Ore.) — Southern Oregon University students, staff and faculty made their presence felt at last week’s Washington Oregon Cascadia Higher Education Sustainability Conference (WOHESC) in Portland, where SOU participants shared the university’s stories of success in sustainability with peer institutions.

The conference was hosted this year by Portland Community College and was attended by representatives from colleges and universities throughout the Northwest. SOU and its Institute for Applied Sustainability served as one of three “leading host sponsors” for the three-day event, March 5 through 7.

SOU Sustainability Director Becs Walker presented on two of the university’s major successes in the past year: its groundbreaking work on solar installations and commitment to produce 100% of its daytime electricity by 2035; and its development of The Institute for Applied Sustainability, which has brought together sustainability professionals from academic affairs, student life and campus operations to establish sustainability as a pillar of excellence at SOU.

“Southern Oregon University has led efforts to institutionalize sustainability in higher education for more than two decades,” said Vincent Smith, Ph.D., dean of the School of Science and Business. “The invitation to share our successes this year with an audience of more than 300 WOHESC attendees speaks to our continued leadership in this important field.”

Walker said in her presentation that SOU is set apart by its unique partnerships across various areas of campus. Last week’s conference was attended by a diverse group who were drawn together through the SOU Sustainability Council.

“Our success stems from a solutions-focused collaboration driven by student passion,” Walker said.

The Washington Oregon Cascadia Higher Education Sustainability Conference is registered as a Certified B Corporation – a for-profit company that meets established standards for social and environmental performance and accountability, and whose operations benefit all stakeholders. WOHESC is described on its website as “a platform for inspiring change, facilitating action, and promoting collaboration related to sustainability and social justice within the region’s higher education institutions.”

The conference featured a lineup of main stage keynote speakers – PCC President Adrien L. Bennings, author Sarah Jaquette Ray, Portland State University faculty member Judy Bluehorse Skelton and Samoan climate activist Brianna Fruean – along with six plenary speakers and more than 90 session speakers. This year’s conference theme, “Cultivating Sustainable Communities, was an exploration of the intentional care required to build inclusive and resilient communities.

SOU Honors College student Sierra Garrett attended this year’s WOHESC – including a workshop on sustainability student engagement – as a representative of the Associated Students of SOU and Director of Student Engagement for the Institute for Applied Sustainability.

“I love learning from other colleges about how they are engaging students in sustainability, but it is so rewarding to be able to share our work at SOU with others,” she said. “Students I meet from other schools are always amazed by what we are doing at SOU.”

This year’s attendance and sponsorship of WOHESC is an important part of SOU’s Institute for Applied Sustainability’s strategic plan, which emphasizes establishing sustainability education, research and operations as a pillar of excellence for SOU, as a means to recruit students and external funding. IAS staff and faculty fellows have already raised over $12 million to support SOU since the institute’s inception three years ago.

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Klamath River documentary by SOU alum Jason Atkinson

SOU alum returns to screen Klamath River film

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The SOU Alumni Association and multiple campus partners will present a screening of the award-winning documentary “A River Between Us,” about the Klamath River, that was written and produced by 1992 SOU graduate Jason Atkinson. He will return to campus for the free event at 1 p.m., Friday, April 11, in the Art Building’s Meese Auditorium and will entertain questions after the 90-minute film.

Atkinson’s documentary debuted in 2014 and was shown at 20 film festivals, winning awards at multiple events including the Wild & Scenic Film Festival, the Real West Film Festival and the Cinema Pacific Film Festival.

“We set out to show the human side of the problems in the basin by not taking sides,” Atkinson said. “I believe we accomplished that. The film was used in key states on the East Coast to help provide political cover for President Barack Obama to sign off on during the last six months of his presidency.”

His concept for the film – which began on a cocktail napkin in 2004 – came to fruition and helped influence and educate a presidential administration about the forgotten human side of the water wars. “I followed my heart and did what I believed to be right on this issue. I believe it was all worth it. And now the (Klamath River) dams are out, in 2024, and we will be able to begin the healing and recovery process.”

Atkinson grew up in Sacramento until his family moved to Ashland when he was 13. He graduated from Ashland High School, and chose what was then Southern Oregon State College to earn bachelor’s degrees in both history and political science. He spent time pursuing competitive bicycle racing in Europe and as a ski school instructor at Mt. Bachelor before entering graduate school at Willamette University in Salem, where he earned master’s degrees in business administration and public administration.

He began a consulting business and ran successfully for positions in the Oregon House of Representatives and then the State Senate, serving a total of 14 years. Atkinson began working on Klamath River restoration during the Bill Clinton presidential administration and continued into the George W. Bush administration. He took a break from public service to make a documentary about the complex water war over the river, which involved two states and five tribal nations.

Gender-based violence survivors have new resource at SOU

SOU enters partnership to support survivors of gender-based violence

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(Ashland, Ore.) — Southern Oregon University has a new resource to support students and employees who have experienced gender-based violence such as stalking, sexual assault and dating or domestic violence. Community Works, a Medford nonprofit, is offering free on-campus sessions two days per week with a specially trained confidential advocate.

SOU and Community Works recently signed a memorandum of understanding to make the advocacy services available, as required by state law.

“We previously needed to refer folks to off-campus agencies for this same support,” said Sarah Olejniczak, Ph.D., SOU’s interim director of equity grievance and Title IX coordinator.

“We are only in our first few weeks of this partnership, so only a small handful of individuals have been referred – but we certainly hope it will make a difference for the campus community. (The confidential advocate’s) services are open to any member of the SOU community – student, staff and faculty.”

Community Works confidential advocate Hannah Neudorfer is available to meet with students or employees on Tuesday and Thursday afternoons in the Dean of Students Office, at Room 321 of the Stevenson Union. Hannah can also be reached during business hours at (541) 951-3406 or hneudorfer@community-works.org.

All incidents of discrimination, harassment and sexual misconduct should be reported via online form to SOU’s Office of Equity Grievance and Title IX. Members of the university’s Equity Grievance Team will respond to and manage all such reports, contacting involved parties and enforcing university policies.

SOU has a long history and national reputation for effectively addressing instances of sexual harassment and violence through its Office of Equity Grievance. The university also offers a wide range of in-person and remote counseling options for both students and employees.

The Dean of Students Office offers a website full of resources for survivors of sexual violence. Counseling for any mental health crises or other concerns is available to students through the La Clinica Student Health & Wellness Center; in-person or remote sessions can be scheduled through the online health portal or by calling the SHWC at (541) 494-4875.

On-demand, no-appointment sessions by phone or chat are available to students at any time through SOU’s affiliation with TELUS Health Student Support, at (866) 743-7732. Assistance is also available from the SOU Care Coordinators Office.

SOU employees can seek guidance through SOU’s employee assistance program, Canopy (formerly Cascade Centers), by calling (800) 433-2320 or visiting the organization’s website.

Neudorfer is a full-time advocate with Community Works, serving clients based on their requests and needs. The Community Works organization was selected for the partnership with SOU in part because of its experience with higher education clientele.

“Community Works was able to provide this (service) for us at no additional cost, and they have previously served another campus community, so understand how this position can interact positively within SOU’s community,” Olejniczak said.

Under terms laid out in the memorandum of understanding, Community Works will also help with training and prevention programming at SOU. The university will help prepare the organization’s confidential advocates to support clients through potential campus processes, in addition to their typical work with supporting clients through criminal proceedings.

Title IX – a federal law that in part prohibits exclusion or harassment based on sex – applies to all educational institutions, both public and private, that receive federal funds.

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new Inside SOU website

Look and feel of Inside SOU website to change

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SOU students and employees will have a new user experience as they access features on the Inside SOU website beginning next week, when the university migrates from one platform to another. The new Inside SOU will have a more compact and easier-to-navigate layout, but will still offer secure access to most of the web-based information available on the website’s previous version.

Inside SOU – the internal website for members of the campus community – will migrate from the Joomla content management system to WordPress at 1 p.m. on Sunday, March 9. The previous version of the website will no longer be available.

The new website will still offer links to features and apps protected by Okta, SOU’s multi-factor authentication provider, including email, calendar, Google Drive, moodle, Workday and box. It will also provide access to SOU News; quicklinks to sites including the SOU academic calendar and course catalog; student resources such as registration tools, Degree Works and EAB Navigate; current highlights from the SOU Events Calendar; and more.

The most noticeable feature that will be missing from the new Inside SOU is the current online directory for faculty, staff and students – which is difficult to maintain and has long been out of date. But employees, including student employees, will still be able to securely look up contact information for other faculty or staff members by using tools available on either Zoom or Workday.

Once logged into Workday, for instance, employees’ contact information and job titles can be found by simply typing their first or last names into the search box at the top of the page. Employees who have been assigned Zoom phones, based on their roles and business needs, can call each other in that app.

The new Inside SOU page also offers a campus directory link with basic contact information for SOU departments. And faculty or staff using Workday can type in a department name in the search field and all employees in that department will be shown.

More than 40 “online services,” listed with links on the right-hand side of the current version of Inside SOU, will available on the new website via the Okta dashboard. Apps for some of those services may need to be loaded from the “Add Apps” icon on the Okta dashboard. Users can continue to log into Okta from Inside SOU following the transition, or can log in directly at https://okta.sou.edu 

The new platform for Inside SOU is intended to make navigation easier and more efficient, with better performance, reliability and security. Those who have difficulty accessing Inside SOU following Sunday’s migration should clear their browser’s cache; if that doesn’t resolve the issue, the Information Technology Department’s Help Desk can be reached at helpdesk@sou.edu.