WOU in the news: For level, Western Oregon football outperforms Ducks, Beavers with 2018 in-state recruiting

Photo of South Medford's Jaylin Parnell looks for the end-zone for a touchdown at the end of the 2nd quarter.
Who deserves the in-state recruiting championship belt? The Oregon Ducks? They signed just one of seven in-state four-star prospects in the class of 2018, missing out on elite athletes Talanoa Hufanga, Chase Cota, Braden Lenzy, Trey Lowe, Eli’Jah Winston and Draco Bynum. The Oregon State Beavers? They failed to sign a top-nine prospect in the state, according [more…]

WOU in the news: CEI names president

Photo of the College of Eastern Idaho's logo.
IDAHO FALLS, Idaho (KIFI/KIDK) – The College of Eastern Idaho has named Rick Aman as president. More than 46 candidates were interviewed after a national search since the community college was changed from a technical college. Aman was one of four finalists named on November 27th. He was the Interim President of the College of Eastern Idaho. He [more…]

WOU in the news: Holidays with the Trail Band

Photo of the Trail Band.
The NW Natural Holidays with the Trail Band concert series benefitting Friends of the Children returns to the Aladdin Theater!  This is a unique event that attracts music lovers throughout Oregon. The band’s selection of classical and modern holiday music will get you into the holiday spirit. See for yourself why so many people make [more…]

12 local events to honor Martin Luther King Jr.

Photo of Martin Luther King Jr.
April 4 marks 50 years since the assassination of Martin Luther King, Jr. But, before that, the third Monday of January is dedicated to honoring the memory and contributions of the civil rights and religious leader. This year, Martin Luther King Jr. Day falls on his birthday, Jan. 15. It’s not just a day off. Local businesses, [more…]

WOU in the news: College hosts keynote scholar

Photo of Walidah Imarisha.
The community is invited to hear Portland scholar and activist Walidah Imarisha speak at Western Oregon University for their annual Martin Luther King Jr. commemorative dinner on the school’s campus in Monmouth on Wednesday, Jan. 17 at 6 p.m. “We chose Walidah Imarisha because of her scholarship and background,” said Emmanuel Macias, educational advisor for [more…]

WOU in the news: Local high schools students get jump start on college

Photo of Western Oregon University campus
Some students worry they can’t afford college. Others think it will be too hard. Many aren’t sure if they’re really that interested in the classes. The partnership between local high schools and Western Oregon University is designed to quell those doubts by giving students an introduction to college in a low-cost, familiar atmosphere. Willamette Promise [more…]

WOU in the news: Local college students visit MHS classes

Eighteen Madras High School graduates, who are now attending college, visited MHS guide room classes to talk to juniors and seniors about their experiences and share advice on Dec. 20. That morning, the college kids gathered in the library, where they enjoyed catching up with each other and teachers before heading out to classrooms. One [more…]

WOU in the news: Concert band sets Christmas concert for Dec. 16

The Willamette Valley Concert Band is gearing up for its annual free Christmas concert. The 60-minute performance will be at 2 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 16, at Linn-Benton Community College’s Russell Tripp Performance Center, 6500 Pacific Blvd. SW, just south of Albany. Featuring a variety of old and newer Christmas music, the concert will open with [more…]

WOU in the news: CHS seniors snag acceptance letters during College Application Week

Photo of Dawson Hall, Brooklyn Olsen, Maria Winczewski, Katie Wills, Austin Carlisle, Rayne Burke, and Elaine Zinsli.
Last month Colton High School participated in Oregon’s statewide College Application Week. The program assists students in preparing for and applying to colleges. The goal of the week-long event was to help all CHS seniors apply for some type of post high school education including certificate programs, two-year degree programs and four-year programs. “Oregon College [more…]

WOU in the news: Former outlaw keeps rolling

Photo of Western Track and Field team runners.
Enterprise alum and current Western Oregon University cross country and track and field standout David Ribich continues to gather accolades. Last winter, Ribich was part of a record-setting national championship run in the distance medley relay in the National Collegiate AthleticAssociation Division II indoor track and field championships. In the spring, he claimed the outdoor [more…]

WOU in the news: Finalists announced for President of College of Eastern Idaho

Photos of the four finalists.
IDAHO FALLS, ID — The College of Eastern Idaho (CEI) Board of Trustees is pleased to announce that we have selected four finalists for the presidency of CEI. We recruited a highly competitive and strong pool of candidates from throughout the state, region and nation. Your contribution to CEI’s many accomplishments was instrumental in attracting [more…]

WOU in the news: Organ donation ‘is about life, not death’

Photo of Kelli Little.
Kelli Little graduated from high school at 16 and attended Western Oregon University. She bounced from pre-dental to business to pre-nursing, until she took a contemporary health issues class that changed her life. “I immediately changed my major to community health education,” Little said. “I knew this was my calling, and I’ve never looked back.” [more…]

WOU in the news: Clatskanie native, Yamhill sheriff honored for mental health service

A Clatskanie local who became the sheriff in Yahmhill County was recently honored for his commitment to mental health training. The 7th Annual Northwest Regional Crisis Intervention Training (CIT) Conference was recently held with the goal of drawing awareness to techniques for dealing with people in a vulnerable state of mental health. As part of [more…]

WOU in the news: New director of developments joins Youth Villages Oregon

Portland, Ore. (Oct. 5, 2017) – Shauna Lugar was recently named director of development for Youth Villages Oregon.  In her new role, Lugar will be tasked with leading the development and implementation of an integrated development strategy to increase engagement from individuals, corporations, and foundations. Prior to joining Youth Villages, Lugar served as development director [more…]

WOU in the news: New Principals at Elementary Schools

Christine Bowlby standing in front of the Keizer Elementary sign.
Two Keizer elementary schools will have new principals when the 2017-18 year begins on Wednesday, Sept. 6—Christine Bowlby at Keizer Elementary and Stacey Lund at Weddle Elementary. Bowlby is transferring from Washington Elementary, where she was principal for the last five years, but she already calls Keizer home. Her oldest son will be a seventh [more…]

WOU in the news: New Glenwood Resource Center Superintendent Appointed

Logo for the Iowa Department of Human Services
DES MOINES, Iowa (KCRG-TV9) — Iowa Department of Human Services Director Jerry R. Foxhoven announced on September 1 that he has appointed Jerry A. Rea as superintendent of the Glenwood Resource Center. Iowa has two resource centers that provide a full range of active treatment and habilitation services to individuals with severe intellectual disabilities. The resource [more…]

WOU in the news: Pack on the Hunt

Western Oregon's football team in action.
MONMOUTH — Western Oregon University’s football team is coming off an uneven 2016 season. But with a solid core of returning players, the Wolves may be ready to challenge the Great Northwest Athletic Conference’s top teams — if questions at key positions are answered quickly. On offense, WOU returns eight starters. The Wolves will look [more…]

WOU in the news: Adam Watkins is new CHS principal

Portrait of Adam Watkins
Adam Watkins has been selected as the next principal at Creswell High School, Superintendent Todd Hamilton announced Thursday. Watkins comes to Creswell from the Salem-Keizer School District, where he currently serves as a district-level administrator supporting instructional services and career technical education programs, Hamilton said. Before joining the Instructional Services Department, Watkins spent 11 years [more…]

WOU in the news: Discover MiTown on Saturday

Costume Kreation members shown together
MONMOUTH/INDEPENDENCE — A few changes are in store for the third annual Discover MI Town Saturday from 3 to 7 p.m., sponsored by the Monmouth-Independence Chamber of Commerce. “Discover MI Town is an opportunity to stop in and check out many local businesses,” said Ryan Kingsella, chamber executive director. “Each location will be giving away [more…]

WOU in the news: WOU opens campus for eclipse rentals

MONMOUTH — Western Oregon University is open for eclipse viewers. The college is renting dorms, apartments and camping spots — both for tents and recreational vehicles — for the weekend of the Great American Eclipse, Aug. 19 and 20. Costs vary, depending on accommodations, and apartments are selling fast, said Erin McDonough, executive director of [more…]

WOU in the news: Western Oregon runner David Ribich is having quite a year – Oregon track & field rundown

A picture of David Ribich in the process of running.
Thumbs up for Western Oregon junior David Ribich, who ran last weekend’s fastest 1,500-meter time by any college runner regardless of classification. Ribich clocked a time of 3 minutes, 41.45 seconds while winning at the Oregon State High Performance Meet on Friday. It’s a WOU and Great Northwest Athletic Conference record, and would tie him for [more…]

WOU in the news: The Corvallis Half

If you milled around the starting line of the Corvallis Half Marathon before the race got underway, you would have seen a microcosm of Corvallis: People of all ages talking, knots of people in matching group shirts taking photos together, people with signs to support family members and friends, a toddler throwing a tantrum in [more…]

WOU in the news: ‘The Great War’: PBS documentary finds haunting parallels between World War I and U.S today (review)

A screenshot from the documentary showing a crowd of marching people.
Debates about whether the United States should intervene in wars fought in other countries; African Americans, women and other minority groups demanding equal rights; citizens resenting the federal government’s encroachment into their daily lives; and the government cracking down on those who dare question the rightness of the U.S. approach to national emergencies. That list [more…]

WOU in the news: Avgi Chases Football Dream

MONMOUTH — There have been few names that have stood as tall in Western Oregon University athletics as Andy Avgi. On the hardwood, he helped lead the men’s basketball team to the NCAA Division II Final Four during the 2015-16 season. On the gridiron, he played football for the last two years, and had 16 [more…]

WOU in the news: The man behind ‘Oregon, My Oregon’

A black and white picture of John Andrew Buchanan
John Andrew Buchanan was a teacher, attorney, poet, state representative and municipal judge, but he’s best known as the lyricist behind the state song, “Oregon, My Oregon.” His granddaughter, Carol Lambert, 85, is the proud keeper of his legacy. She’s raising money to erect a two-sided, granite memorial at his grave in Warrenton’s Ocean View [more…]

WOU in the news: Les Watanabe on Alvin Ailey, Lar Lubovitch, Donald McKayle and his life in dance

Picture of Les Watanabe preforming "Reflection in D" choreographed by Alvin Ailey.
At 2 and 7:30 pm on Saturday, January 21, Laura Stilwell, Felice Moskowitz, Terry Brock and Emma Mochnick will dance Les Watanabe’s Love Songs, part of Fertile Ground’s Groovin’ Greenhouse, hosted by Polaris Dance Theatre. I was initially interested in learning more about Watanabe when I heard that Love Songs was being performed by a [more…]

WOU in the news: Chamber director ready to jump in

A picture of
MONMOUTH/INDEPENDENCE — Ryan Kingsella has a passion for helping his community in positive ways. “There’s no cooler feeling than knowing that I’ve really helped a business succeed,” he said. Kingsella, 28, started his job as director of the Monmouth Independence Chamber of Commerce and Visitor’s Center on Sunday, though the work didn’t really start until [more…]

WOU in the news: An Anchorage police officer tries a new approach to tackle neighborhood crime concerns

Picture of Robin Nave standing against a fence in the city of Anchorage.
As a crime prevention student at an Oregon college, Robin Nave researched local crime concerns with a door-to-door survey. Nearly two decades later, Nave, now a 12-year veteran of the Anchorage Police Department, is bringing back her college research technique to help Anchorage residents feel safer. Earlier this year, Nave created a crime survey for [more…]

WOU in the news: Clackamas Community College, Western Oregon University partner in dual enrollment agreement

Western Oregon University President Rex Fuller (left) and Clackamas Community College President Joanne Truesdell signing a dual enrollment agreement
Clackamas Community College and Western Oregon University signed a dual enrollment agreement Nov. 14 that creates a supportive pathway for students between the two schools. “We are excited to work with Western Oregon University in creating another opportunity for Clackamas Community College students who want to complete their bachelor’s degree,” CCC President Joanne Truesdell said. [more…]

WOU in the news: Science teachers net prestigious awards

Terry Evers and Toni Hanson both demonstrating a science experiment with a foam airplane and measuring tape.
Science teachers Terry Evers and Toni Hanson have quite a bit in common. Both have spent their entire careers in the Newberg School District, at Ewing Young elementary and Mountain View middle school, respectively, and split their time between the classroom and serving as instructional facilitators. Each is also known for designing hands-on learning activities [more…]

WOU in the news: Western invites community input

Cec Koontz, middle, speaks with Marshall Guthrie, left, and Paul Sieber, right, about WOU’s goals. Koontz and Guthrie are both on the Western Oregon University board of trustees, as well as on the strategic planning committee.
MONMOUTH — When Rex Fuller was first hired as Western Oregon University’s president in April 2015, he anticipated having conversations with the campus community and residents of the surrounding area. This year, those conversations took a more formal approach. In April 2016, a committee of 25 people representing a cross-section of campus started working in [more…]

WOU in the news: Smart comes to Western Oregon

Western Oregon University's Sign
MONMOUTH — Oregon’s largest volunteer-based literacy program, SMART (Start Making A Reader Today) announced it will open a program at The Child Development Center at TRI on the campus of Western Oregon University. SMART delivers one-on-one reading support for TRI’s preschool students, who also will receive up to 14 new books to take home and [more…]

WOU in the news: Visiting professor helps music teachers combat student anxiety

A picture of Dr. Diane Baxter
Musicians and music teachers learned about combating performance anxiety on Saturday during a workshop with Dr. Diane Baxter. Baxter is a Professor of Music at Western Oregon University and has performed all over the world. The free public workshop in Hermiston was made possible by the Oregon Music Teachers Associations and Oregon Community Foundation. Baxter [more…]

WOU in the news: Former JDHS QB racks up 445 yards, 4 TDs for Western Oregon

Western Oregon University's quarterback Phillip Fenumiai and kickoff runner Torreahno Sweet are both shown running the ball
No matter the situation, Western Oregon University quarterback Phillip Fenumiai of Juneau goes all out on the football field. His effort isn’t dictated by the scoreboard. So when the Wolves trailed Humboldt State by three touchdowns in the second half he just kept playing. In the end, Fenumiai didn’t get the win. But he gained [more…]

WOU in the news: Indy Latino liaison reaches out

A photo of Erubiel Valladares.
INDEPENDENCE — For three years, the city of Independence has had a community liaison focused on improving connections between government and Latino residents. Community liaisons were filled by interns, until now. The outreach was so successful, the city hired a full-time community liaison, Erubiel Valladares. “My job is to figure out how the community interacts with [more…]