SOU Ashland Native students join lobby effort

SOU Native students bring voices to Oregon Capitol

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Southern Oregon University students Luke Wolgamott and Savannah Holliday joined Native student leaders from across Oregon on June 16 for the annual Tribal Student Grant Lobby Day, bringing their stories, experiences and aspirations directly to state lawmakers at the Capitol.

Representing SOU alongside approximately a dozen Native students from Oregon’s seven public universities, Wolgamott and Holliday spent the day meeting with legislators and staff from five to seven legislative offices. The students shared how access to higher education is shaping their futures and discussed the importance of continued investment in programs such as the Oregon Tribal Student Grant, which helps Native students pursue college degrees while maintaining strong connections to their tribal communities and cultural heritage.

The impact of those conversations was evident almost immediately. SOU Director of Government Relations Marc Overbeck shared that Senate President Rob Wagner sought him out to share the impact these visits had, calling the visit with Luke’s small group of students “transformational.”

“That is exactly why opportunities like this matter,” Overbeck said. “When students share their lived experiences directly with policymakers, they help shape understanding in a way that no report or briefing paper ever can.”

For Wolgamott and Holliday, the day was about more than advocating for financial aid. It was an opportunity to ensure that Native student voices are heard in conversations about Oregon’s future. Their participation showcased the leadership, resilience and commitment that Native students bring to campuses across the state and reflected SOU’s ongoing dedication to supporting Indigenous student success.

The Tribal Student Grant Lobby Day also demonstrated the power of student advocacy. By stepping into the halls of the Capitol and engaging directly with elected officials, Wolgamott, Holliday and their fellow student leaders helped put a human face on higher education policy. Their efforts left a lasting impression on legislators and reinforced an important message: when students are invited to tell their stories, they become some of the most effective advocates for opportunity, access and educational success.

Student worker appreciation at SOU Ashland

Campus community’s student worker appreciation

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The SOU campus thrives thanks to the dedication of more that 400 student workers and the mentorship of 100-plus staff and faculty supervisors. To honor that partnership, the university recently hosted its first campus-wide Student Worker Appreciation Event, bringing together students and supervisors for an evening of celebration, reflection and friendly competition.

A previous version of the event over the past two years focused specifically on PEAK workers, but the sunsetting of that program inspired a new, more inclusive tradition. This year, the horizon expanded to celebrate every student worker who helps keep the campus running.

The highlight of the evening was recognizing the outstanding individuals who represent the very best of our campus workforce.

Student worker of the year
Competition was stiff this year, resulting in a three-way tie for second place. Deep appreciation goes out to the runners-up:

  • Death Morales (Nominated by Sweets Underwood)
  • Ku-Huan Chien (Nominated by Patrick Smith)
  • Jayda Hage (Nominated by Trystan Stephens-Tregarth)

Taking home the top honor of student worker of the year was Eli Samas (nominated by Sweets Underwood). Eli was celebrated for going above and beyond the standard student role, showcasing natural leadership and creating an inclusive, welcoming atmosphere where fellow students feel deeply valued and encouraged to participate.

Supervisor of the year
Exceptional student employment relies heavily on stellar mentorship. Gordon Carrier (nominated by Elliot Glenn) took home a well-deserved second place.

The ultimate supervisor of the year award was presented to Marc Overbeck (nominated by Maisie Bandel-Ramirez). Marc was praised for providing the perfect balance of guidance and independence, giving his student workers a strong foundation to build the confidence needed to spearhead major projects. Marc concluded the evening by sharing a few words of gratitude and reflection on the vital role student workers play.

The launch of the Skill Up: Enhance your Career Skills initiative on Moodle was Central to this year’s student employment experience. All student workers were given access to the professional development hub, allowing them to complete a self-assessment across eight core career-readiness competencies: career and self-development, communication, critical thinking, equity and inclusion, leadership, professionalism, teamwork and technology.

Beyond self-assessments, the Skill Up Moodle opened doors to concrete career-building opportunities. Students were encouraged to join the National Society for Leadership and Success, join the Raider Network to connect with alumni, complete job simulations via Forage, engage with the Indeed Job Search Academy and take specialized DiSC or Strengthsfinder assessments.

The impact was clear – attendees shared how the program helped them transition from passive learning to structured self-improvement. Students learned to break down broad professional ambitions into specific, measurable actions, navigate new platforms like Career Launch and realize that critical soft skills require deliberate focus and consistent action over time.

The recent appreciation event wasn’t just about looking back; it was also about building community in real-time. Attendees kicked off the festivities with a “Speed Connection” game, followed by a lively reflection from student speaker Logan Maxwell.

A campus-centric trivia game kept energy high, testing attendees’ knowledge on everything from the physical location of the Career Connections office (SU 310) to identifying the platforms used for off-campus job hunting. The excitement peaked with a live drawing, sending lucky winners home with free access to DiSC and Strengthsfinder assessments.

Student employment is a win-win for the SOU community – campus departments rely heavily on the vital, daily contributions of student workers, and the students gain hands-on, holistic experience that builds essential career-readiness and social consciousness.

Student Film Festival at SOU Ashland

SOU’s 21st annual Student Film Festival

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The SOU Digital Cinema program will stage its 21st annual Student Film Festival, screening 14 films by student filmmakers at 6:30 p.m. on June 1 at the Varsity Theater (66 E Main St, Ashland, OR 97520) in downtown Ashland, with a reprise screening at 7 p.m. on June 11. General admission tickets are $5 (free to SOU students).

The festival is produced by the Digital Cinema program’s course “Film Distribution and Festival Promotion.”

Student Film Festival at SOU AshlandThis year’s festival class accepted films written and directed by students from any major who are currently enrolled at SOU, and alumni who graduated in spring 2025 or later. Films could be any genre, but must be 15 minutes or shorter. A total of 28 films were submitted this year.

The Festival awards prizes in 12 categories, judged by a jury of more than 20 local filmmakers and media professionals. Local business Coming Attractions Theatres, owner of The Varsity, donates the use of one of its theaters for the festival.

The festival is also presenting a short screenplay contest, with a live reading of the top three scripts at SOU’s Meese Auditorium on at 5 p.m. on May 29. Fourteen scripts were submitted this year, representing a wide range of genres.

The SOU Student Film Festival allows SOU students to share their work and make professional connections beyond their college careers.

“We have a strong lineup that features an array of student films across lower- and upper-classmen,” said student festival director Sophia Guerrero, a Digital Cinema senior. “There’s a pretty even spread across different genres and I think the audience will be impressed with the level at which students are creating.”

Christopher Lucas (lucasr@sou.edu), professor of Digital Cinema at SOU, is the faculty supervisor for the festival and instructor of the course.

Tickets will be sold at SOU’s Digital Media Center. Information about ticketing prices and film festival updates can be found on the film festival’s Instagram (@soustudentff).

Microsoft competition: SOU Ashland sweep

SOU students sweep in Microsoft competition

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Students from Southern Oregon University have earned all of the top 10 placements in the Microsoft Excel category of the Oregon Spring Qualifier round for this year’s Microsoft Office Specialist U.S. National Championship.

Students from SOU School of Business computer applications courses typically take two or three of the top spots in Microsoft’s annual statewide competition, but this is the first time that SOU has swept the category.

“Excel remains one of the most sought-after workplace skills employers want from college graduates,” said David Parker, a Senior Instructor II who coordinated this year’s entrants in the contest. “Here in the School of Business, we are preparing students with practical, marketable skills that help them stand out as they move into internships, jobs and long-term careers.”

Chase Barnes, a business student at SOU, earned first place in the Microsoft Excel (Office 2019) category and has been invited to represent Oregon at the 2026 MOS U.S. National Championship next month in Nashville, Tennessee. SOU’s Shiv Patel finished second in the Excel competition and was followed by Alexa Ibarraran, Stephanie Cortes, Simon Turquety, Kathryn Mack, Alana Albarran, Ryan McGinley, Katlyn Carnes and Zoe Manouvrier.

The clean sweep by SOU in the Spring Qualifier followed another notable effort in Oregon’s Fall Qualifier for the Excel category, when SOU students earned five of the top 10 spots – including the top three. SOU’s Paige Hoene won that competition, followed by Patrick Wooley in second place, Phoebe Knight in third, Zachary High in eighth and Mason Labow in 10th.

Students between the ages of 13 and 22 earn eligibility to compete in one of six competition tracks for the Fall or Spring Qualifiers by submitting a qualified passing score on the MOS Word, Excel or PowerPoint certification exams. First-place students from each competition track are invited to represent their state at the MOS U.S. National Championship. The winner of each track at the national competition will earn a trip to represent the U.S. at this year’s MOS World Championship in Anaheim, California.

“We have seen amazing results from the MOS program at Southern Oregon University as students learn and validate key workforce skills,” Parker said. “The MOS U.S. National Championship further motivates students to get certified, and we are incredibly proud of Chase Barnes for earning the opportunity to represent Oregon at the national level.

“We are also proud of all 10 SOU students who earned top placements in the state. This achievement reflects their hard work, technical skill and commitment to preparing for the modern workforce.”

The Microsoft Office Specialist certification is the only official Microsoft-recognized certification for Microsoft Office globally. The certification helps assess students’ skills and prepares them to apply Microsoft Office knowledge in academic, professional, and real-world settings.

Amy Bowers Cordalis at SOU Ashland

Student voices, river stories: Amy Bowers Cordalis at SOU

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Southern Oregon University recently hosted an inspiring evening – defined by hope, intergenerational storytelling and a powerful connection to place – as Yurok Tribe member, attorney and fisherwoman Amy Bowers Cordalis visited as part of the Institute for Applied Sustainability’s mentorship event series.

The Institute for Applied Sustainability hosted and sponsored the event, convening students, faculty and community partners around the shared significance of the Klamath River. Partners including Trout Unlimited, Jackson County Library Services and Bloomsbury Books helped create a community-centered atmosphere.

Amy Bowers Cordalis at SOU AshlandLast week’s event kicked off with a break-out session to give students an opportunity to speak directly with Cordalis. About 450 students, staff, faculty and community members then gathered in the Rogue River Room for a student-led program that brought forward diverse and personal connections to the river. Students from the Community Resilience and Leadership cohort; Environmental Science, Policy and Sustainability program; and the Native American Student Union shared stories that reflected their lived experiences and academic interests.

Cordalis, the evening’s keynote speaker, grounded the event with a broader story of resilience and restoration. Her work has been central to the historic Klamath Dam Removal, the largest dam removal project in U.S. history and the most significant salmon restoration effort in the world. She spoke as an attorney and advocate, and as a fisherwoman and member of a family deeply tied to the river. In a moving moment, members of her family joined her on stage, including her niece, Keeya Wiki, an Ashland High School senior.

“It was incredible to see the steadfast hope that Amy brings to her work,” SOU senior Maisie Bandel Ramirez said. “Hearing from the younger generations in her family, and their stories about going from dreaming of an undammed Klamath to getting to experience a free river, really encapsulated just how monumental their work has been.”

Amy Bowers Cordalis at SOU AshlandFirst-year student Jes Muhlenkamp Joranco echoed that sentiment.

“It was truly inspiring to hear not only about Amy’s story but also her family stories,” Joranco said.

Cordalis returned to the central theme of hope grounded in action throughout the evening.

“When we equally value the rights of Indigenous peoples, nature and business, world renewal is possible,” she said. “Balance returns, life returns and so does hope.”

Three days after the removal of Iron Gate – the last dam standing on the Klamath – the lead salmon, or “ney-puy,” passed the former dam site and began a journey to spawning grounds not visited in 100 years.

“The salmon remembered,” Cordalis said.

That return has been both symbolic and measurable. Within the first year, 7,000 Chinook salmon swam past the former Iron Gate Dam site. In 2025, more than 13,000 salmon swam past the site and traveled into 400-plus miles of spawning habitat.

Ziona Christy, an OHSU nursing student at SOU Ashland

Historic Red Cross selection for OHSU nursing student at SOU

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Ziona Christy, a first-year nursing student with Oregon Health & Science University’s program on the Southern Oregon University campus, has been selected as one of only 16 students nationwide for the American Red Cross Collegiate Leadership Program – the first student in OHSU history to receive the honor.

The program will take place over two weeks in Washington, D.C., where she will work at the American Red Cross national headquarters to gain hands-on experience in humanitarian operations and leadership development. Students selected for the Red Cross course each receive $3,000 a scholarship, along with travel and housing for the program.

Christy’s background in emergency medical services, along with experience working with a local youth program, contributed to her selection by the Red Cross. She has demonstrated a strong commitment to service with several years in high-pressure, patient-centered care, and plans to pursue a career in emergency or critical care nursing.

Following the Red Cross program, she will begin organizing blood drives on campus next fall, aiming to engage fellow students in service and leadership opportunities.

OHSU operates its nursing program at SOU independently from SOU’s academic programming. But nursing students on the Ashland campus are otherwise integrated into SOU campus life, with full access to student dining facilities, the Hannon Library, the Student Recreation Center and climbing center, the Outdoor Program and gear rentals, the La Clinica Student Health & Wellness Center and more. Graduates of the OHSU nursing program also take part in SOU commencement ceremonies.

Student fellows sought for leadership program at SOU Ashland

SOU seeking student fellows for new Community Resilience and Leadership program

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(Ashland, Ore.) — Southern Oregon University’s Institute for Applied Sustainability is recruiting students for its new Community Resilience and Leadership Student Fellows program – an opportunity for a cohort of 15 of students to help create meaningful solutions to urgent challenges facing local communities. The one-year fellowship – a cornerstone of the institute’s Living Laboratory concept – offers a total of 12 credit hours plus monetary stipends to students who are selected for the fellowships.

The Community Resilience and Leadership (CRL) fellows program is an opportunity for students to participate in hands-on projects through field-based learning and close partnerships with a variety of local organizations. It is built on the idea of the Living Laboratory – a classroom formed by partnerships between SOU, the southern Oregon region and community organizations.

“CRL is not a class you sit through,” the program’s website says. “It’s an experience you step into.”

The program consists of a spring Local Innovation Lab course that meets two hours per week and offers four academic credit hours; a summer Field School that offers eight credit hours and meets for six weeks beginning in early August; and fall options that include internships, peer mentoring and capstone research projects. The student fellows will receive $1,000 stipends for participating in the spring Local Innovation Lab and $3,000 stipends for the summer Field School.

“The experience of meeting with community partners, exploring ambiguities and personal values with my peers, and the helpful and insightful guidance of the instructors is invaluable,” said one student who has completed the Local Innovation Lab course. “I believe the lab attracts students who are curious, full of life, and willing to learn how to ride the waves of ambiguity and uncertainty.”

Another student said the lab is “not just learning about different tools and ways to improve yourself, but also of ways to impact and affect other individuals in the community, beginning with yourself.”

Students from any major who are interested in the CRL fellows program can attend an information session from 12:30 to 1:30 p.m. on Monday, Jan. 26, in Room 319 of the Stevenson Union. Lunch will be provided, and questions about the program are welcome. Applications to be part of the 2026 cohort – which begins this spring term – can be submitted online, with a priority deadline of Feb. 2.

The Institute for Applied Sustainability envisions SOU as what it calls a “Living Laboratory,” in which students can turn ideas into action, and theory into real-world solutions. Students use real challenges, data and partners to test ideas, solve problems and create impacts in their community – tackling issues such as energy, water, food systems, forests and community well-being.

The CRL Student Fellows Program, an integral part of the Living Laboratory model, has grown out of the Local Innovation Lab project – which started as a response to local problems caused by the COVID-19 pandemic and the September 2020 Almeda Fire. SOU economics professor Bret Anderson and several members of the local community created the lab in partnership with the university.

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SOU Ashland Board of Trustees member Micelle Fuentes

SOU student joins Board of Trustees

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(Ashland, Ore.) — Southern Oregon University student Michelle Fuentes, a Criminal Justice and Sociology major from Central Point, has been appointed by Gov. Tina Kotek and confirmed Wednesday by the Oregon Senate to serve on the university’s Board of Trustees.

Fuentes, whose two-year term begins July 1, will succeed Garima Sharma as one of two undergraduate student members of the 17-member board.

She is a nontraditional student – a mother of two – and is pursuing bachelor’s degrees in Sociology and Criminology & Criminal Justice. She is the recipient of a Ford Foundation Scholarship, is a Policy Council member for HeadStart and has served in a variety of leadership roles, on- and off-campus.

Fuentes has served as a detention specialist for the Jackson County Juvenile Services Department, coordinator of SOU’s Pirates to Raiders pathway program for Latino/a/x youth, instructor for Academia Latina and Juntos en Familia programs in SOU Youth Programs, summer school assistant at Phoenix High School, teacher’s assistant at the Southern Oregon Education Service District’s Espial Child Environment, receptionist at Asante heath system and after-school aid at Kids Unlimited. She is serving a policy and advocacy internship with the nonprofit Our Children Oregon and will begin work April 21 as a family coordinator for state Department of Human Services.

“As I continue my own education, I will take what I have learned from my students, my own experience growing up and the mentors that have helped me along, and prepare myself to better support my community,” Fuentes said.

She is the second undergraduate member of the SOU board to be appointed and then confirmed this year by the Oregon Senate, following Ryan Goodrich in February.

“Student members provide a unique and valuable perspective on the Board of Trustees,” said Sheila Clough, the board’s chair. “Michelle is an incredibly accomplished student with an obvious commitment to public service. We look forward to welcoming her onto SOU’s governing board.”

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Criminology & Criminal Justice students from SOU Ashland

SOU Criminology & Criminal Justice class visits historic UK sites

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A group of Criminology & Criminal Justice students from SOU spent their spring break on an immersive academic journey to Nottingham, London and other locations in the United Kingdom, delving deep into the UK’s rich legal and criminal justice history. The students in Alison Burke’s CCJ 389 class visited two prisons, a British courtroom and even the area of Jack the Ripper’s crimes.

Criminology & Criminal Justice students from SOU AshlandStudents in the fall term 2024 class immersed themselves during classroom sessions in the United Kingdom’s criminal justice history, then concluded their studies with the spring break study abroad trip.

The visit began in Nottingham, where students explored the city’s original prison, gaining firsthand insight into historical penal conditions. A highlight of the visit was a dynamic session at Nottingham Trent University with Phil Rudkin of the Centre of International Law. Students had the unique opportunity to engage in meaningful dialogue alongside three police constables and a dozen NTU students, comparing international perspectives on policing, law,  justice and education.

The journey carried on with a memorable guided tour of Shrewsbury Prison, a decommissioned Victorian-era facility that offered a haunting glimpse into life behind bars. After exploring the historic cells and corridors, students put their wits to the test in a prison-themed escape room — but despite their best efforts (and their professor’s), no one managed to break free.

In London, the group stepped into the grandeur of the Royal Courts of Justice, where students brought a real court case to life in an original courtroom, complete with robed and wigged judges presiding. The hands-on legal simulation offered a rare and memorable glimpse into the inner workings of the British legal system.

The journey concluded with a chilling Jack the Ripper walking tour through the darkened streets of Whitechapel, tracing the path of one of history’s most infamous unsolved crime sprees.

The impactful experience blended historical exploration with modern legal insight, allowing students to engage critically and creatively with issues of justice, law and public safety across some of the UK’s most iconic locations.

Students in next year’s CCJ 389 sequence will study and visit Ireland, and all majors are welcome. Contact CCJ professor Alison Burke at burkea@sou.edu for more information.

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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