Class of 2016

WOU’s 159th Commencement

Lisa Catto Posted on June 11, 2016 1407 views

Congratulations to the class of 2016! Today marks the 159th Commencement for Western Oregon University. Check out some of these interesting stats about our graduating class and stories about many of them. The graduating class of 2016 totals 1,323 individuals that have earned a total of 1,333 degrees. 900 are attending commencement today. 83 percent of [more…]

Class of 2016 | Science & technology

Maria & Alma Pastega Award for Excellence in Teaching: Cheryl Beaver

Lisa Catto Posted on June 11, 2016 1631 views

Dr. Cheryl Beaver has found a way to balance her academic interests at Western Oregon University: mathematics and education. This year’s Mario and Alma Pastega Award for Excellence in Teaching recipient, she has flourished as a math educator. She and her husband, Dr. Scott Beaver, joined WOU in 2005. Prior to becoming a collegiate educator, [more…]

Arts & culture | Class of 2016

Mario & Alma Pastega Award for Excellence in Scholarship: Darryl Thomas

Lisa Catto Posted on June 11, 2016 1507 views

Darryl Thomas’ interest in dance began with the hope of meeting girls, but quickly grew into a deep adoration for the poetry and beauty of human movement. Thomas, this year’s Mario and Alma Pastega Excellence in Scholarship and Creativity Award recipient, has had an eventful and productive career in dance. It all began in Detroit [more…]

Class of 2016 | Student life

Julia McCullough Smith Award: Han Vu Gia Nguyen

Lisa Catto Posted on June 11, 2016 1656 views

The year before she came to Western as a freshman, Han Vu Gia Nguyen had moved to the United States from Vietnam with her parents. Now, just five years later, this year’s Julia McCulloch Smith award recipient for outstanding senior female is fluent in a new language, achieved significant academic and extracurricular success, and is [more…]

Arts & culture | Class of 2016

Delmer Dewey Award: John Goldsmith

Lisa Catto Posted on June 11, 2016 1565 views

Some students find comfort in classes, some in sports, some in extracurricular activities, while others are happiest with a mix of involvement during their college career. John Goldsmith, this year’s Delmer Dewey award recipient for outstanding senior male, took advantage of as many academic and leadership opportunities as his time and interest afforded. On the [more…]

Class of 2016 | Health & wellness

Golden Lamp Award: Kayla Corwin

Lisa Catto Posted on June 11, 2016 1531 views

There is no traditional route to Commencement, as Kayla Corwin learned. This Oregon Health & Science University (OHSU) graduating student has been an undergraduate for nine years. “I had a long road getting here,” she said. Science has always been a strength of Corwin’s. In high school she took an anatomy class and while her [more…]

Alumni | Class of 2016

Alumni Award of Excellence: Dennis Tichenor

Lisa Catto Posted on June 11, 2016 1468 views

Dennis Tichenor has dedicated his life to serving others. This year’s recipient of the Alumni Award of Excellence, Tichenor has made a lasting impression on the lives of countless children and young adults. He learned that lesson from his parents, who told him, “If you’re going to do anything, give some things back.” He found [more…]

Class of 2016 | Health & wellness

Grad profile: Ashley Baxter

Grace Salud Posted on June 10, 2016 1422 views

Ashley Baxter Hillsboro, Ore. Community health education major Undergraduate Ashley Baxter is a graduating community health major. Baxter chose WOU because she heard it was affordable and when she toured the campus, she fell in love with the beauty. “I just knew I’d be happier here at this type of university.” Baxter enjoyed the amount of [more…]

Class of 2016 | Health & wellness

Grad profile: Matt Turner

Grace Salud Posted on June 10, 2016 1429 views

Matt Turner Prince George, British Columbia Applied exercise science major Undergraduate Matt Turner is a graduating applied exercise science major. He chose WOU because his academic advisor from Chemeketa Community College suggested it for what he was doing, which at the time was pre-physical therapy. His advisor said that WOU was a great school with smaller [more…]

Class of 2016 | Education

Grad profile: Mashael Alansari

Grace Salud Posted on June 10, 2016 1409 views

Mashael Alansari Saudi Arabia Master’s in Education Graduate Mashael Alansari is a graduating masters student getting her master’s in education. She chose WOU because her close friend studied here before her and talked about classes that were interesting. Her friend then encouraged Alansari to apply. She looked at the program and liked the description of [more…]

Class of 2016 | Health & wellness

Grad Profile: Dominik Heidemeyer

Emily Carlston Posted on June 10, 2016 1436 views

Dominik Heidemeyer smiling and and leaning on a fence with ancient Ruins in the background

Many move great distances to attend school, but not many in this year’s graduating class traveled as far as Dominik Heidemeyer. Heidemeyer is originally from a small town called Hülm that is on the outskirts of Goch, Germany. He came to Western because it was close to where he ended up living with his wife [more…]

Class of 2016 | Science & technology

Grad profile: Kaylee Church

Nicole Larsen Posted on June 10, 2016 1682 views

Name: Kaylee Church Age: 21 Major/Minor: Mathematics/psychology Hometown: Damascus, Ore. Favorite campus event: New Student Week/Wind Down Wednesday Best study spot: Study room in Math building Advice to incoming freshman: “Don’t doubt yourself, go with what you like in your activities and studies.” Affordability is what put WOU on Church’s radar when she began searching for colleges. Out-of-state tuition deterred her from [more…]

Class of 2016 | Student life

Grad profile: Conner Williams

Nicole Larsen Posted on June 10, 2016 1466 views

Name: Conner Williams Age: 22 Major/minor: Humanities/economics Hometown: Molalla, Ore. Favorite campus event: New Student Week Best study spot: Terry House Advice to incoming freshman: “Get involved a little earlier. As a freshman, you can easily get caught up in the mindset of having a college experience as it’s shown in movies, but there’s much more to your time in college.” For [more…]

Class of 2016 | Student life

Grad profile: Shay Guyton

Nicole Larsen Posted on June 10, 2016 1504 views

Name: Shay Guyton Age: 21 Major/Minor: Community health education/psychology Hometown: Hillsboro, Ore. Favorite campus event: New Student Week Best study spot: Floor of residence halls, or study rooms in Hamersly Library Advice to incoming freshman: “Keep doing the things you love. Don’t let other people tell you not to do them. I was hesitant to join things as a freshman, but [more…]

Class of 2016 | Education

Grad profile: Cassie Owens

Kyle Kern Posted on June 10, 2016 1524 views

Cassie is originally from Lakewood, Wash. and majored in American Sign Language (ASL) studies and minored in special education and chose Western Oregon University because of its location which was close to home. While completing her undergraduate degree Cassie was involved in many things to help the campus. She enjoyed that as a small university [more…]

Business & global affairs | Class of 2016

Grad profile: Megan Cabison

McKenzie McClure Posted on June 10, 2016 1435 views

Megan Cabison is graduating from Western Oregon University with a double major in business management and communication studies, and a minor in entrepreneurship. Cabison is from Hilo, Hawaii and chose to come to Western because of the undergraduate exchange program for Hawaiian students. She had never visited the university before move in day, but as soon as she [more…]

Class of 2016 | Health & wellness

Grad profile: Amanda Stevens

Emily Carlston Posted on June 10, 2016 1494 views

University is often where people find their passion and that is no exception for Amanda Stevens. Stevens has a great passion for health and in particular women’s health. She originally came to Western for its nursing program, but soon found that community health education was her true passion after finding it frustrating the amount of [more…]

Class of 2016 | Student life

Grad profile: Tuyen Bolton

Nicole Larsen Posted on June 10, 2016 1369 views

Name: Tuyen Bolton Age: 22 Major/Minor: Interdisciplinary studies with focuses in humanities, social science and health/physical education Hometown: Raised in Eugene / born in Soc Trang, Vietnam Advice to incoming freshman: “Remember that it’s important to maintain a solid GPA throughout college to graduate and get into graduate school and beyond, but they are not [more…]

Class of 2016 | Health & wellness

Grad profile: Hannah Towle

Kyle Kern Posted on June 10, 2016 1442 views

Hannah Towle works as one of our advocate staff leaders as the sexual violence resource coordinator. She has assisted on multiple projects related to the Campus Against Sexual Assault grant associated with Abby’s House. Additionally, Towle has initiated her own projects in the realm of sexual violence prevention playing a key role in the CounterACT Violence campaign [more…]

Class of 2016 | Sports & recreation

Grad profile: Emmi Collier

Nicole Larsen Posted on June 10, 2016 1366 views

Name: Emmi Collier Age: 22 Major/Minor: Exercise science/focus in physical education Hometown: Warrenton, Ore. Favorite campus event(s): Home Track & Field meets, WOUMania, and New Student Week Best study spot: Third floor of Hamersly Advice to incoming freshman: “Make friends with new people while at Western! You may come here with friends from high school, but make sure you get out [more…]

Class of 2016 | Education

Grad profile: Audrey Loudenback

Nicole Larsen Posted on June 9, 2016 1422 views

Name: Audrey Ramirez-Loudenback Age: 35 Graduate program: Masters of Arts in Interpreting Studies Hometown: Milwaukie, Ore. Favorite campus event: First Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Celebration at WOU Best study spot: First floor study rooms in Hamersly Advice to incoming freshman: “Enjoy the ride. Enjoy the unknown, there’s no way you can predict your path. Go easier on yourself.” Back in 1999, Ramirez-Loudenback [more…]

Class of 2016 | Sports & recreation

Grad profile: Stephanie Stuckey

Kelsie Johnson Posted on June 9, 2016 1466 views

Stephanie Stuckey is a dedicated, hardworking student who has worked very hard to get where she is today. She exceeds the expectations of others despite the circumstances she has overcome. She took the time out of her busy schedule to answer a few questions for us while she was in Florida for the NCAA Outdoor Track & [more…]

Class of 2016 | Student life

Grad profile: Madison Malot

Nicole Larsen Posted on June 9, 2016 1436 views

Name: Madison Malot Age: 21 Major/Minor: English literature/American Sign Language Hometown: Central Point, Ore. Favorite campus event: Performance by Dip-Hop rapper WAWA, part of Western Accessibility Awareness Month (WAAM) Best study spot: Rick’s Place or the second floor of Hamersly Library Advice to incoming freshman: “Be more confident and don’t freak out if you make changes [more…]

Campus & community | Class of 2016

Grad profile: Elani Elkins

Kelsie Johnson Posted on June 9, 2016 1447 views

Elani Elkins is a 2016 Western Oregon University graduate, graduating with a degree in business. Coming from Albany, Ore., Elkins originally chose WOU because it was close to home and she was interested in the education program. Like many other college students, after taking a few college classes she decided that she was more interested in [more…]

Class of 2016 | Education

Grad profile: Nikole Davis

McKenzie McClure Posted on June 9, 2016 1381 views

Nikole Davis from Salem, Ore. will be graduating from Western Oregon University this June with a major in ASL/English Interpreting and a minor in Special Education and Rehabilitation Counseling. Davis chose to go to WOU because of the highly regarded interpreting program and has enjoyed the opportunities for growth and learning the university has provided. [more…]

Class of 2016 | Health & wellness

Grad profile: Becca Hazel

Grace Salud Posted on June 8, 2016 1427 views

Becca Hazel standing near a body of water wearing a denim vest.

Becca Hazel Hillsboro, Ore. Community health major Undergraduate Becca Hazel is a graduating community health major. She has been very involved and interested in the community health projects here at Western. She chose to come to WOU because it has the OHSU nursing campus and the really small class sizes. Another reason for choosing Western [more…]

Arts & culture | Class of 2016

Grad profile: Joleen Braasch

Kelsie Johnson Posted on June 7, 2016 1634 views

Joleen Braasch is a student from Salem, Ore. who will be graduating from Western Oregon University with a Bachelor of Arts degree in English Literature. She decided to come to WOU because it is close to home, she liked the idea of small class sizes, and at the time, she was interested in becoming a [more…]

Class of 2016 | Education

Grad profile: Tabitha Mortensen

McKenzie McClure Posted on June 7, 2016 1480 views

Tabitha Mortensen is graduating from Western Oregon University this June with a major in American Sign Language studies and a minor in psychology. Mortensen is from Salem, Ore. and is a full time mother to Zoe and Ezekiel. Her favorite lunch spot in Monmouth is Yang’s, and her favorite study spots on campus are the [more…]

Class of 2016 | Education

Commencement speaker: Betty Komp

Lisa Catto Posted on June 6, 2016 1449 views

WOU alumna, Representative Betty Komp, did not start college right after high school. At age 18 she got married and started a family. Seventeen years later she was raising four kids on her own and wanted a life change. It was time to go to college. Komp knew she wanted to be an educator and [more…]