SOU Academic Stories

SOU teacher preparation programs achieve accreditation

SOU teacher preparation programs receive national accreditation

(Ashland, Ore.) — The seven teacher preparation programs offered by Southern Oregon University’s School of Education, Leadership, Health & Humanities have achieved accreditation from the Association for Advancing Quality in Educator Preparation, meeting the Oregon Legislature’s mandate that all programs in the state that offer licenses to teachers or administrators must be nationally accredited by […]

Michael Parker, sculpture

The convivial artist: engaged teaching & art with Michael Parker

Michael Parker is no ordinary teacher and no ordinary artist. In fact, his enthusiasm for teaching socially engaged art is exhilarating. His teaching philosophy resonates with students as it’s situated in the relational and the inspired, which is what many young artists are looking for when entering the arts discipline in college. Since his arrival […]

Digital Cinema students on location

Digital Cinema at SOU offers options for all

Southern Oregon University’s hands-on Digital Cinema program now offers aspiring filmmakers three bachelor’s degree options and nine stand-alone certificates that prepare graduates for careers in film and entertainment. Students can choose to pursue a bachelor of fine arts degree in Digital Cinema Production Arts or a bachelor of arts or bachelor of science degree in […]

General education requirements at SOU will be pared down and refocused

SOU streamlines and refocuses general education requirements

(Ashland, Ore.) — Southern Oregon University will join a groundbreaking trend among universities across the country when fall term begins in September – the core, “general education” courses that students of all majors must take to earn their undergraduate degrees will be pared down and focused on six skills or “capacities” that students need and […]

Britt Gardens archaeological dig

SOU Laboratory of Anthropology receives grant for Britt analysis

(Ashland, Ore.) — The Southern Oregon University Laboratory of Anthropology has received a grant of about $16,000 from a division of the Oregon Parks and Recreation Department to complete a “faunal analysis” of artifacts unearthed during 2010-11 digs at Jacksonville’s Peter Britt Gardens. The excavations by SOULA were conducted as the city of Jacksonville prepared for a restoration […]

SOU transitions to schools rather than divisions

SOU shifts to four academic “schools”

(Ashland, Ore.) — Southern Oregon University’s 46 undergraduate and 10 graduate-level academic programs will be distributed among four “schools” rather than the university’s seven current “divisions” when the 2023-24 academic year begins in September. The organizational shift will eventually eliminate the cost of three director-level positions and will build greater efficiency into SOU’s administrative structure. […]

Early learning consortium receives grant

SOU and early learning consortium awarded $1.75 million grant

(Ashland, Ore.) — The Early Childhood Development program at Southern Oregon University will receive a $1.75 million grant from the Oregon Department of Education’s Early Learning Division to lead and expand a collaborative effort to provide education and support for early-learning professionals in the region. SOU will become the fiscal agent and lead institution for […]

President Rick Bailey at SOU Commencement Ceremony

SOU’s 97th Commencement Ceremony

(Ashland, Ore.) — More than 1,300 degrees were conferred when Southern Oregon University celebrated its 97th Commencement Ceremony at Raider Stadium on Saturday, June 17. The ceremony was also livestreamed on Rogue Valley Community Television. This year’s SOU Commencement featured three student speakers – graduating seniors Morgan Ulu of American Samoa, Aiki Deguchi of Japan […]

Faculty Spotlight: Erica Knotts

Faculty Spotlight Podcast: SOU’s Erica Knotts

Off-season strawberries in Oregon likely came from Baja California

From SOU’s HON 319: The Reality of Strawberries from Mexico

Imagine: Late last night you and your son arrived in Los Reyes, Michoacán, Mexico – Mexico’s top strawberry producer. You stayed with your cousin who lives in Los Reyes. He let you sleep in the living room, tomorrow you’ll have to find somewhere else to stay. You pretended to sleep so your son could do […]