Presidents of Oregon's TRUs visit Taiwan

Oregon’s regional universities build strategic international partnership in Taiwan

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(KAOHSIUNG, Taiwan) — The Presidents of Oregon’s public technical and regional universities (TRUs) – Southern Oregon University, Western Oregon University, Eastern Oregon University and Oregon Institute of Technology – signed a memorandum of understanding on Aug. 15 with Wenzao University in Kaohsiung, Taiwan.

The MOU aims to foster teacher-student exchanges, student mobility programs, joint research initiatives and Chinese language programs, all with the goal of cultivating international and cross-disciplinary talent.

The delegation was led by Oregon State Rep. Paul Evans (District 20) and was made up of key leaders from Oregon’s universities, including Rick Bailey, president of Southern Oregon University; Jesse Peters, president of Western Oregon University; Kelly Ryan, president of Eastern Oregon University; and Nagi Naganathan, president of Oregon Institute of Technology; along with Sheila Clough, chair of the SOU Board of Trustees.

The signing ceremony was attended by dignitaries including Kaohsiung Mayor Chen Chi-mai, Oregon State Rep. Evans and former state Rep. Brian Clem. Others present included director of the Kaohsiung Branch of the American Institute in Taiwan, Neil H. Gibson; Wen Hongguo, leader of the cultural newsgroup of the Kaohsiung Branch of the American Institute in Taiwan; and additional cultural and educational stakeholders.

The partnership marks a new chapter in global academic cooperation, as Wenzao University continues to establish itself as a hub of international education.

“Wenzao’s alliance with a well-known higher education institution in the United States has great symbolic significance,” Wenzao University President Zhuang Huiling said.

Wenzao University was founded in 1966 by a group of nuns from the Saint Ursuline religious order in Rome, and Huiling said the school has always adhered to the spirit of “internationalization.” Wenzao University has more than 320 sister schools around the world, where its students have the opportunity to study abroad. At the same time, Wenzao hosts students from 19 countries to integrate multiple cultures into the campus.

This is an important milestone between Wenzao University and Oregon’s public, technical and regional universities. It not only strengthens each institution’s connection with the world, but also opens up a new era for academic exchanges and development.

The presidents from Oregon’s TRU institutions value the importance of international educational exchanges.

“International educational exchanges are essential for fostering global understanding and collaboration,” the presidents said in a joint statement. “They provide students and faculty invaluable opportunities to learn from diverse perspectives, enriching both their academic and personal growth. We are deeply grateful for the warm hospitality extended during our visit and look forward to nurturing and growing this partnership.”

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Marcus Mariota donates football shoes to SOU

Heisman Trophy winner Mariota donates to SOU football

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(Ashland, Ore.) — For those who don’t agree that first impressions are lasting impressions, talk to Marcus Mariota. The former Heisman Trophy-winning quarterback of the University of Oregon and current member of the NFL’s Washington Commanders has donated new Nike cleats for every member of the Southern Oregon University football team – a total of 140 pairs – based on a visit he made to SOU with his brother several years ago.

Mariota’s donation – valued at about $16,500 – was distributed to members of the SOU football team when they arrived for a morning practice on Monday, Aug. 19, at the football locker room in Raider Stadium.

The donation was orchestrated in part by SOU alumnus Ed Nishioka, who – like the Mariotas – hails from Hawaii.

“He really appreciates the fact that the team has many Hawaii players and the school has good Hawaii representation,” Nishioka said.

Marcus Mariota visited SOU when his brother, Matt, was considering a transfer from the UO to the Ashland campus. Matt Mariota, a tight end, wound up playing at the UO for four years, ending with the 2019 season.

Marcus Mariota, whose coaches at the UO included SOU alumnus Mark Helfrich, also donated cleats to football players at Lahainaluna High School after it was devastated by the Maui wildfires of 2023.

SOU football coach Berk Brown said his players were enthusiastic about the new cleats. Members of the news media were welcome when the football shoes were distributed.

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Training exercises will be held at Cascade complex

SOU’s Cascade complex to host variety of first responder training exercises

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(Ashland, Ore.) — First responders are likely to become  a common sight at Southern Oregon University’s defunct Cascade student housing complex for the remainder of this summer, as the university has offered the site for a variety of training exercises before demolition of the sprawling facility ramps up in the fall.

Agencies including Ashland Fire & Rescue, Ashland Police Department, Medford Police Department, Medford Fire Department and SWAT teams from Medford, Jackson County and Oregon State Police are coordinating with SOU Campus Public Safety & Parking to conduct drills at the site through Aug. 31. The groups are planning to practice their procedures for building searches, tactical search and rescue, door and window breaching, ladder operations and more.

“This collaboration helps foster our relationships with our first responders and provide them with the opportunity to gather data and experience on the tactics and tools they use to keep our community safe,” said Robert Gibson, director of SOU’s Campus Public Safety & Parking.

SOU programs and offices that are located near the Cascade Complex – a five-acre parcel at the southeast corner of campus – have been advised to expect a frequent presence of first responders in the area, now through the end of August. Each agency will post “Training In Progress” signs outside the complex to advise neighbors and passersby that they are present for training, rather than a live event.

The Cascade complex, which was completed in 1967, has been largely vacant for the past decade, when the costs associated with extending its useful life became prohibitive. The facility – eight residence halls situated around a central cafeteria – has numerous roof leaks, defunct HVAC and steam systems, and degraded plumbing. At least two of its wings have been condemned.

The 2021 Oregon State Legislature allocated $3.5 million for SOU to raze the Cascade Complex, which will eliminate a $12 million deferred maintenance backlog on the facility – the amount it would cost to correct its current physical deficits. Some interior destruction is underway this summer and fall, and general demolition is expected to begin in early 2025. The project will include concrete crushing to fill and level the basement and old tunnels that were used for the structure’s mechanical systems.

The site is expected to be ready for redevelopment by the middle of 2025. President Rick Bailey and other SOU leaders have begun exploratory conversations with potential private partners for the development of a senior living facility to be built at the Cascade complex location. The senior living center is seen as an entrepreneurial opportunity the create a unique synergy between its residents, SOU students, the Osher Lifelong Learning Institute (OLLI) at SOU and the university. The facility could be completed as early as fall 2027.

This summer’s pre-demolition access to the Cascade complex will give first responder agencies an opportunity to train in situations and surroundings that are not typically available to them.

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SOU sociology and anthropology group at Maxville

SOU receives grant for archaeological project at African-American logging town of Maxville

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(Ashland, Ore.) — A recent $20,000 grant from the Oregon State Historic Preservation Office will enable staff and students from the Southern Oregon University Sociology and Anthropology Program to conduct archaeological investigations at the northeast Oregon town of Maxville – a logging town that was home in the early 20th century to both African American and white loggers.

SOU will collaborate on the project with the Maxville Heritage and Interpretive Center of Wallowa County – a museum established and run by descendants of Maxville’s inhabitants, and dedicated to the history of African American, Indigenous and immigrant loggers in the Pacific Northwest.

The Maxville townsite was acquired by the museum in 2022 to be developed as an interpretive, educational and communal space. SOU anthropology professor Mark Axel Tveskov was the lead author on a nomination that led the National Park Service to place Maxville on the National Register of Historic Places.

Those efforts led the Maxville project to earn a 2024 Oregon Heritage Excellence Award from the State of Oregon.

The grant will allow students from the SOU Sociology and Anthropology program to gain professional experience in archaeological survey, excavation and analysis through field work that will take place this September, and through laboratory work that will occur over the coming academic school year.

“This project will allow our students to engage in practical work on one of the most significant heritage projects currently underway in the Pacific Northwest,” Tveskov said.

Oregon’s State Historic Preservation Office offers matching grants for rehabilitation work that supports the preservation of locations listed on the National Register of Historic Places, or for work that helps to identify, preserve or interpret archaeological sites.

SOU students will work with Maxville Heritage personnel on geophysical survey and traditional archaeological excavation that will identify significant features of the Maxville townsite and gather a representative sample of artifacts to better understand the lived experiences of Maxville’s inhabitants.

“Uncovering our hidden history has been a through-line within our mission and vision,” said Gwendolyn Trice, executive director of the Maxville Heritage and Interpretive Center. “Research, oral histories, journals and archives are some of the ways in which we uncover and discover our history.

“Archeology takes this uncovering to the next level, using scientific methods above and below ground to reveal our past in a way that established collection of information, textiles and artifacts cannot achieve,” Trice said.

Other partners in the Maxville project include the Anthropology/Sociology Program at Eastern Oregon University and the Anthropology, Art History and Environmental Studies programs at Whitman College in Walla Walla, Washington.

Maxville, about 13 miles north of the town of Wallowa, was once home to about 400 residents and was the county’s largest railroad logging town from the mid-1920s to mid-1930s. Loggers and their families came to Maxville in the 1920s from the South and the Midwest in search of work, and the Bowman-Hicks Lumber Company – which owned the town – hired Black loggers despite Oregon’s exclusion laws of that period.

Maxville’s African American families lived in segregated housing, attended segregated schools and played on a segregated baseball team, but Black loggers worked side-by-side with their white counterparts.

Maxville’s eventual decline was due to economic conditions, including the Great Depression and a consequent downturn in the lumber market.

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Digital Media Center lighting upgraded

SOU Digital Media Center moves to energy-efficient studio lighting

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(Ashland, Ore.) — Southern Oregon University’s Digital Media Center has addressed sustainability and improved educational resources for students in a recent, transformative upgrade to its studio lighting. The studio is now operating with state-of-the-art LED film and TV lighting fixtures, dramatically reducing energy consumption while enhancing the quality of its productions.

“This project has been a dream for some time, but until now has been cost-prohibitive,” said Brandon Givens, director of the DMC. “Thanks to a consortium of campus partners – as well as abnormally generous pricing from the manufacturer, ARRI Lighting – we were able to complete this incredible upgrade all at once.”

Better for users, better for the environment.
The new lighting system uses cutting-edge LED technology, reducing energy use by approximately 75% and aligning with SOU’s commitment to green energy. The lights are expected to run directly from the campus solar grid in the future, as SOU continues to add arrays of solar panels and expands its generating capacity to become the first public university to produce enough electricity to meet all of its daytime energy needs. The LEDs also produce far less heat than the lights they replaced, conserving energy by reducing the need for air conditioning.

The DMC project was funded largely by the Associated Students of SOU’s “Green Tag Fee” – an assessment of $14 per student each term that was approved in a student vote several years ago to promote sustainability projects. SOU Sustainability Director Becs Walker said the Green Tag Fee is “designed to empower student-led sustainability projects that not only benefit our campus but also set a precedent for environmental stewardship in higher education.” The DMC and SOU’s Sustainability Office and Institute for Applied Sustainability each contributed additional funding for the project.

“The new lighting capabilities in the studio allow students to experience a form of artistic expression they may not have otherwise cultivated,” said student Riley Carter, who is majoring in Sustainability with a minor in Digital Cinema.

“This program preaches collaboration on all fronts and I have gained experience and knowledge from every person I have had the opportunity to work with,” said Carter, who spearheaded the application for Green Tag funding.

Benefiting a variety of current and future users
The high-quality ARRI lighting fixtures, known for their durability and professional-grade performance, are expected serve the SOU community for decades. The improved studio environment benefits SOU student filmmakers and a variety of other campus programs, including digital and performing arts, The Fringe Festival, Rogue Valley Television, Community & Government Access, and Southern Oregon PBS.

The old lighting equipment was donated to local middle and high schools, aiding their lighting setups and promoting sustainability by avoiding unnecessary disposal.

An intersection of sustainability initiatives
The DMC’s lighting upgrade is an example of SOU’s efforts to make sustainability a team sport by encouraging collaboration and interconnected projects. The university is striving for a comprehensive model of sustainability that improves educational and community resources, prioritizes re-use of materials by way of local donations and opens potential revenue streams to expand access and opportunity for students.

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SOU Commencement 2024

SOU Commencement: good weather and optimism

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SOU’s 98th Commencement Ceremony on June 15 centered squarely on those receiving about 1,300 bachelor’s and master’s degrees – and on the recipient of a rare, honorary doctorate in humane letters. Sid DeBoer, who guided Lithia Motors from a single dealership in Ashland to the largest automotive retailer in the U.S., was honored for his business and civic accomplishments, and his longtime friendship with SOU.

“Lithia is one of just two Fortune 500 companies based in Oregon, and the only one without a swoosh as its logo,” SOU President Rick Bailey said, drawing a laugh from the crowd in his introduction of DeBoer.

The chair of Lithia’s board of directors – modestly referring to himself as a “used car salesman” – then encouraged the day’s other degree recipients to use what they have learned to take action and make their mark on the world. “It’s your moment every day when you get up,” DeBoer said.

Graduates and the near-capacity crowd at SOU’s Raider Stadium cheered and applauded throughout the 2 ½-hour ceremony – from the remarks by student speakers Edward Minasian, Emilio McCutcheon and Mimi Pieper through the awarding of diploma covers to the hundreds of new graduates who individually walked across the stage, shook hands with Bailey and posed for photos.

The graduates were asked to return to their seats after receiving degrees, to support those who followed them to the stage, and most did. The weather cooperated, with cooler-than-normal but dry conditions throughout the event.

Provost and Vice President for Academic and Student Affairs Casey Shillam, emceeing her first SOU Commencement Ceremony following her hiring early this year, pointed out that many of the day’s graduates missed out on their high school commencements when the COVID-19 pandemic broke out four years ago.

“Many of those walking today were denied that honor four years ago,” she said.

Pieper, one of the three student speakers and also a student member of the SOU Board of Trustees, told her classmates that the uncertainty of life “is what makes it an adventure.”

She was the only woman graduate in the Computer Science Program, receiving her bachelor’s degree with a GPA of 3.95. Pieper tutored fellow students in computer science and math, and also served as SOU’s Student Sustainability Coordinator.

SOU's inaugural Business Venture Tournament this week

Inaugural SOU Business Venture Tournament: innovative ideas across disciplines

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(Ashland, Ore.) — Southern Oregon University (SOU) will host its inaugural Business Venture Tournament this week. The groundbreaking competition – designed to nurture entrepreneurial ideas from students across all academic disciplines – is intended to transform innovative ideas into successful business ventures, with generous support from SOU alumni Jim Teece and Dena Matthews.

The tournament’s final competition and gala event will be held from 5 to 6:30 p.m. on Thursday, June 6, in Room 217 of Britt Hall on the SOU campus. Seventeen students from various academic disciplines have submitted their venture ideas, and seven finalists will present their projects in Thursday’s final round.

The tournament’s primary goal is to help students understand that regardless of their major, any idea with an organizational structure inherently involves crucial business elements. That knowledge is essential for students pursuing any passion – from an Environmental Science major aiming to rescue endangered species to a Theatre major planning to open a children’s space for learning drama and dance.

By participating in the tournament, students gain hands-on experience in idea proof-of-concept, market research, venture promotion and presentation skills, preparing them for the real world.

The competition offers significant prizes: $3,000 for first place, $700 for second place, $250 for third place and $500 for the best sustainability features. Students who vote for a pitch and attend the gala will also be entered into a drawing for a $500 gift certificate at Southern Oregon Wilderness Adventures.

Teece and Matthews provided the initial funding for the Business Venture Tournament, envisioning a competition that would be inclusive of students from all academic backgrounds. That vision was brought to life by Vincent Smith, Ph.D., director of the School of Science and Business, and Douglas Daley, coordinator for SOU’s MBA program. Daley developed and executed the competition’s structure with support from Smith and graduate intern Jenny Chynoweth.

Thursday’s final round event will feature sponsors and table hosts, including the Ashland Food Co-Op, Southern Oregon Wilderness Adventures, Talent MakerCity, the SOU Small Business Development Center, SCORE Jackson County, Seed Collective, Rogue To-Go, Crater Works & Direct Involvement Recreation Teaching (DIRT), the SOU Institute of Applied Sustainability and Rogue Valley Women in Business.

For more information, visit venture.sou.edu.

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Rogue Valley Television now available on largest streaming platforms

Rogue Valley Television now available to cable-cutters and others

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Rogue Valley Television, the community- and government-access station operated by Southern Oregon University’s Digital Media Center, is now available as an app or channel on the five largest streaming platforms: Roku, Amazon Fire, Apple TV and mobile apps for iOS and Android. The change makes RVTV – which is also available over-the-air and on local cable – available anywhere, without an antenna or cable subscription.

RVTV offers four cable channels across Jackson and Josephine counties: RVTV Prime, RVTV Civic, RVTV Voices and RVTV Grants Pass. The stations serves as the government television service provider for Jackson County and the cities of Ashland, Grants Pass and Medford, carrying all public hearings live and on replay. Public meetings from the Ashland School District and Rogue Valley Transportation District are also available.

On its Voices channel, the station also carries community-access programming on well-being and lifestyle, news and politics, education, nature and ecology, entertainment and music, and more.

RVTV has been has been available through cable providers in the Rogue Valley for almost 35 years, and began streaming live channels from its website in the mid- to late-2000s. RVTV is considered a Public, Education and Government (P.E.G.) access television network.

The station began working with the Telvue Corporation in 2011 to migrate to an all-digital playback server, operating four cable channels with simultaneous live streaming. RVTV and Telvue began work last fall to develop mobile and OTT (over-the-top) streaming video channels across the five largest streaming platforms, to broaden the reach of both its live channels and on-demand video content from its government partners. OTT refers to technology that streams content by way of internet-connected devises.

RVTV continues to seek the most effective means of providing civic information and community media to southern Oregon residents, with support from Southern Oregon University, Jackson County and the cities of Ashland, Grants Pass and Medford.

Creativity Conference at SOU set to begin

Sixth annual Creativity Conference at SOU set to begin May 16

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(Ashland, Ore.) — The 6th annual Creativity Conference at Southern Oregon University will kick off Thursday, May 16, and run through Sunday, May 19. The four-day event features a dynamic, global lineup with over 100 presenters, including five keynote speakers.

Drawing together many of the world’s leading scholars, researchers and practitioners from the field of creativity, alongside a diverse array of professionals seeking to infuse creativity into their endeavors, the conference is set to spur curiosity and innovation, and generate conversations to transform and inspire creative thinking. The conference will feature research presentations, artistic exhibits and performances, and hands-on demonstrations. See the conference website for a full listing of this year’s program.

The conference will feature both in-person and remote presentation formats. In-person presentations, demonstrations and performances will run Thursday, May 16, through Saturday, May 18. Attendees joining in-person will have the option to view these sessions in designated venues in SOU’s Stevenson Union. Sunday, May 19, is devoted exclusively to remote presentations. All sessions – remote and in-person – will be accessible via livestream, ensuring inclusivity and engagement. Additionally, archived presentations will be available for viewing post-event.

“This conference showcases internationally renowned speakers, researchers and artists who are at the forefront of creativity research and application,” said Conference Co-Executive Director Dan DeNeui. “Their insights will ignite imagination and challenge attendees to reimagine their ideas about creativity.”

This year’s conference will again feature unique presentations and demonstrations on artificial intelligence and creativity. On Friday, the conference will feature an AI forum where attendees can learn about how faculty, students and innovators are using AI technology, and get hands on experience with AI tools.

Attendees can expect a diverse range of formats, including 60-minute panel discussions, 40- to 50-minute individual presentations, 15-minute “boom talk” sessions delivering concise insights, and engaging poster presentations. Each format will provide ample opportunities for interactive dialogue and exchange.

Distinguished keynote and invited speaker/performers for this year’s conference include:

  • Indre Viscontas, Associate Professor at the University of San Francisco
  • Tuomas Auvinen, Dean of the School of Arts, Design, and Architecture at Aalto University in Finland
  • Sandra Russ, Distinguished University Professor Emerita at Case Western Reserve University
  • April Matson, Executive Director of Rock The Rez
  • Bob Root-Bernstein, Professor of Physiology Emeritus at Michigan State University
  • Derek Keller, Assistant Professor of Music, Southern Oregon University

The SOU Creativity Conference serves as a global platform, offering cutting-edge insights and resources for individuals interested in the science and application of creativity research. The event fosters collaboration among creativity researchers, facilitating the expansion of professional networks and knowledge exchange.

Aligned with SOU’s strategic vision, which prioritizes creativity, innovation and essential human skills, the conference underscores the significance of creativity in driving progress and meeting the evolving needs of society.

Interested individuals can register for the conference by visiting the Creativity Conference website.

Those with questions can reach out to either Dan DeNeui at deneuid@sou.edu or Mark Runco at runcom@sou.edu.

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SOU's Hannon Library and the legacy of Tony and Betty Shively

Past to present: The Hannon Library’s Shively legacy

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T.S. Eliot famously penned that “the very existence of libraries affords the best evidence that we may yet have hope for the future,” beckoning toward the treasured Hannon Library at SOU. Located in the heart of campus, the Hannon Library is a remarkable place of knowledge. More than just a quiet space to study, the Hannon Library serves as a vital resource for students and the wider community. Its extensive collections, both physical and digital, empower learners to navigate the ever-expanding world of information. The Hannon Library bridges the gap between past and present with its historical archives, ensuring that students and community members alike have the tools they need for research and academics.

One such member of the Hannon Library community was Thornton T. Shively – known by most as Tony – who left his mark on SOU in more ways than one. Not only was he a resident of Ashland, but he also actively participated in the community’s renowned cultural scene. He graced the stage of the Oregon Shakespeare Festival (OSF) between 1948 and 1952. His love for literature extended beyond performance, as he transitioned to working at Southern Oregon College (now SOU) as a librarian from 1959 to 1962. Shively even explored the world of authorship under the pen name “Thorne Lee,” with his book “Summer Shock” drawing inspiration from a local Ashland production of “King Lear.”

The Shively family established the Thornton T. Shively Memorial Fund at Hannon Library in 1980, after Tony’s death. The fund was created to acquire important editions of William Shakespeare’s works and the works of Shakespeare’s contemporaries for the Hannon Library’s Margery Bailey Renaissance Collection.

Tony and Betty were close friends with Dr. Margery Bailey, who particularly admired Tony’s reading of Shakespeare. Tony was cast as the Earl of Kent in the OSF’s 1951 production of “King Lear.” Family lore has it that Dr. Bailey believed Tony should have instead been chosen for the lead role of King Lear. Tony’s wife, Betty, also worked at the library and volunteered actively with the OSF’s Tudor Guild and costume shop.

The Shively Memorial Fund has significantly enriched the Hannon Library’s collection of Shakespeare and early dramatic works. The very first item acquired with the fund was a landmark piece: the fourth folio edition of Shakespeare’s collected works, published in 1685 and presented by Susan Elizabeth Shively, also known as Betty, in 1981. This acquisition was followed by others of equal importance, including the Beaumont and Fletcher second folio of 53 plays (1679), the William Pickering edition of Shakespeare’s plays (1825), and the Nonesuch edition of Shakespeare’s plays (1936).

The fourth folio includes 36 plays found in the earlier folios, plus another seven plays thought at that time to have been written by Shakespeare. The Shively copy is bound in 19th century calf by Bayntum of Bath. The folio can be viewed by appointment in the archives at SOU’s Hannon Library. In fact, as SOU’s Theatre Department is bringing Shakespeare’s “Pericles” to life on-stage this spring, a curious theatre arts student cast in the production came to the archives to examine a copy of the fourth folio. To their surprise, they discovered a single word variation between the historical text and the script used in the current production. This encounter exemplifies the enduring value of the SOU archives. Even today, these resources serve as a vital resource for scholarly exploration, enriching the understanding and appreciation of theatrical works such as “Pericles.”

Betty passed away in 1984, and the name of the fund was changed to the Thornton T. and Susan Elizabeth Shively Memorial Fund.

“It pleases me to know this resource is available to scholars, educators and interested visitors,” says Susan Zare, Tony and Betty Shively’s daughter. “I recall reading in a library newsletter about an actor from the festival who used the folio for research. This cross-fertilization between SOU and OSF, and the value this collection brings to the university and the local community, feels truly rewarding.”

Zare and her sister, Sally Legakis, continue to support the Hannon Library as a cornerstone of SOU and the Rogue Valley community’s cultural heritage. It houses irreplaceable archives and collections that not only tell the stories of the past but also inspire creativity and scholarship for future generations.

Story by Melissa Matthewson, SOU Director of Development Communications