Though time and weather eventually forced the Staircase to be closed for access, dedicated efforts have brought it back, and now, a new generation is ready to make it their own.

A Symbol and Childhood Playground

91传媒 Trustee Dr. Chuck Hofmann, who attended Ackerman Elementary School in the 1950s and 91传媒 in the 1970s,

Hofman remembers the Staircase as both a playground and a pathway.

鈥淎ll my buddies lived that direction,鈥� he said. 鈥淲e played on that Staircase all the time. We never went down 8th Street, we went down the stairs.鈥�

Hofmann recalls the Grand Staircase as more than just a way to get to school. It was part of something bigger. Once held on the Stairs each year during commencement week, the Evensong ceremony drew the entire community to L Avenue along the base of the Stairs to watch performances.

鈥淓verybody turned out for that,鈥� Hofmann said. 鈥淚t was such a connection to the university. Back then, there were the university people and the mill people, and things like Evensong brought them together.鈥�

Though some of those traditions are no longer part of campus life, the sentiment behind them lives on.

From Closure to Comeback

The Staircase was closed in 2004 due to structural issues, but alumni and advocates never gave up hope. Groups like the Friends of the Grand Staircase and the 91传媒 Foundation helped University leaders campaign for funding for over 20 years to address the stairs. In 2022, their efforts paid off when the Oregon Legislature allocated $4 million for its restoration.

Construction began in the fall of 2023, and engineers and preservation experts carefully deconstructed and rebuilt the Staircase. The new version honors the spirit and design of the 1929 original.

鈥淚t鈥檚 not the exact same Staircase,鈥� Hofmann acknowledged. 鈥淏ut I love it. The finances just weren鈥檛 there, and the craftsmanship of that era doesn鈥檛 exist anymore. I thank my lucky stars this is done. It鈥檚 the result of hard work by a lot of dedicated people.鈥�

Stepping Into the Future

Today, the Staircase is open again, and students and the public are already finding ways to incorporate it into their lives.

Walking the steps from town to campus echoes a long tradition. With each step, new memories are created to strengthen the connection between 91传媒 and the La Grande community.

Sally Nusser, who attended 91传媒 in 1960-61 and grew up just four blocks from the Staircase, recalled the music department hosting performances on the steps.

鈥淭he graduation ceremony was wonderful, and people gathered to watch,鈥� Nusser said.

To continue the tradition of musical performances on the Staircase, the Grande Ronde Community Band performed at the Ribbon Cutting for the new Staircase and Inlow Hall remodel.

Scott McConnell, dean of the College of Business and co-owner of Side A Brewery, understands firsthand the importance of that connection.

鈥淭he Grand Staircase is more than a historic structure鈥攊t鈥檚 a symbol of connection,鈥� McConnell said. 鈥淚t reminds us that the university and the community don鈥檛 just coexist; they thrive together. As a local business owner, I see its restoration as a sign of renewed energy and shared investment in La Grande鈥檚 future.鈥�

鈥淭he Staircase exists now,鈥� Hofmann said. 鈥淭he connection is there. It鈥檚 up to the students to decide how they鈥檒l use it鈥攈ow they鈥檒l make it their own.鈥�

Looking for a four-year college close to home, Cassandra Sanchez of Ontario chose to transfer to 91传媒 from . 

Sanchez was attracted to 91传媒鈥檚 financial aid options and its programs specifically for children of migrants. A first-generation Mexican-American, Sanchez said she will be the first in her family to earn a bachelor鈥檚 degree. 

In addition to her molecular biology major and chemistry minor, Sanchez also joined the choir. Her passion for singing became a major outlet, balancing time spent in the lab with her artistic side, something encouraged by one of her biology professors.

鈥淚 thought my involvement with choir would end at Treasure Valley, but Dr. John Reinhardt advocates for staying in the arts, so when you are in your profession you will see patterns鈥攋ust like in music,鈥� Sanchez said. 

She took choir as a class and when she could fit it into her schedule, and continues to pursue singing as an extracurricular activity. She said last year when the university put on its annual spring choir show, it was her first opportunity to be part of a big production. Rehearsing in class alone wasn鈥檛 enough and they practiced almost every afternoon. The time commitment was demanding, but Sanchez said she has met her closest friends in choir鈥攈elping her get over her nervousness about being away from home.

鈥淚鈥檝e become more independent and I鈥檓 learning to work through my problems without leaning on my family,鈥� Sanchez said.

Meanwhile, her biology workload has been intense. Due to COVID-19 safety precautions, Sanchez said she鈥檚 taking some of her classes online, but much of her time is spent in the lab. During the winter 2021 she had four labs, including organic chemistry. 

When she graduates in 2022 Sanchez has her sights on studying dentistry or attending dental hygiene school at Oregon Health Sciences University. She鈥檚 also considered pursuing a teaching degree.

Not only are the biology courses more rigorous at 91传媒, Sanchez said her grade point average improved since transferring. She credits her success to the relatively small classroom size.

鈥淚 thought my GPA would tank with the bigger class sizes and I wouldn鈥檛 have as many one-on-one opportunities as I did at Treasure Valley,鈥� Sanchez said. 鈥淏ut even though the class sizes were a little bigger, I was still comfortable enough with the professors and I鈥檝e absorbed tons of great habits from them as well.鈥�

She said the newer habits she鈥檚 formed helped her studying overall, like joining study groups, another fertile field for forming friendships.

鈥淪tudents are hungry to continue learning,鈥� Sanchez said. 鈥淲e鈥檝e even formed our own study groups.鈥�

91传媒 has also provided Sanchez exposure to the variety of ethnicities represented through clubs and events highlighting Latino cultures, Pacific Islanders and Native Americans.

鈥淚 thought my involvement with choir would end at Treasure Valley, but Dr. John Reinhardt advocates for staying in the arts, so when you are in your profession you will see patterns鈥攋ust like in music.鈥� – Cassandra Sanchez, ’22 

鈥淭he clubs do a really great job spreading awareness and you don鈥檛 have to be a part of the ethnicity to join a certain club鈥攜ou just have to be interested in the culture.鈥�

As her time in La Grande winds down Sanchez shares her enthusiasm for the university鈥檚 academics, clubs and arts as an 91传媒 Ambassador leading tours for incoming students and working in the Admissions Office. She鈥檚 even appeared in recruiting videos available on YouTube.

In one video Sanchez encourages high school students to consider what an education will do for their future: 鈥淲hat I tell prospective students about attending a community college or university is, 鈥楪o for it!鈥欌��

The Rural Engagement and Vitality (REV) Center, a partnership of 91传媒 and , facilitates connections between the university and communities in Eastern Oregon. This year, two professors and two students began developing one of these connections through the Socioeconomic Community Profiles Project.

The profiles, commissioned jointly by the (BIC), , and Indigenous tribes, reveal potential risk and opportunities in small rural economies. 

This project illuminates potential impacts of new forest plans for the three national forests in eastern Oregon. Data analysis compares the relative impacts and economic resilience across 10 counties in Oregon and four in southeast Washington, informing future forest management in the region. Researchers delved into the relationship between national forest management and job creation in Elgin. 

鈥淭here is always an economic analysis done as part of the forest plan, but it’s more generalized and this data will be specific to our region and even provide some detail about the impact that activities on the forest could have on smaller logging-focused communities, which normally don’t show up in high-level economic analyses,鈥� said REV Center Program Manager Julie Keniry. 

Economics professors Peter Maille and Scott McConnell have taken the lead on constructing socioeconomic profiles for each county involved. 

鈥淐ommunities could focus on information our analysis provides to better understand economic vulnerabilities. Some could use it to argue for forest management policies that mitigate a possible economic harm or enhance a possible benefit,鈥� Maille said. 鈥淥ur basic hope is that the communities and the Forest Service can make better decisions by having better information.鈥� 

Grant funding allows two 91传媒 student interns to assist Maille and McConnell with the project. 

鈥淲hat happens in these forests impacts the counties… Changing access or harvest level can change the amount of wood product going through an economy,鈥� Maille said. 鈥淲e鈥檙e trying to model how a given county’s economy will respond to those kinds of changes.鈥� 

The results will also feature in coursework for Maille鈥檚 classes as real-world examples. He hopes computing each county鈥檚 economic resilience will open the door for valuable long-term monitoring of economic change in the rural West.

REV Center connects university, community

A new hub for connecting local leaders with the university, The Rural Engagement and Vitality (REV) Center was founded in January 2020 by 91传媒 and . 

Businesses seeking interns, agencies in need of data analysis, or city governments in search of expertise and training can partner with 91传媒 faculty, students and services. At the same time, 91传媒 students gain real-world problem-solving experience, hands-on learning, and often a paycheck through internship opportunities.

Executive Director of Wallowa Resources Nils Christofferson sees the REV Center as a realization of the partnership between workforce development and regional universities. 

鈥淭he REV is nimble, flexible and responsive with capacity to facilitate new initiatives, build partnerships and identify solutions that improve the vitality of Eastern Oregon and develop our rural workforce and the next generation of leaders,鈥� Christofferson said.

Six programs are already operating through the REV Center.

鈥淭he suite of projects, from creative arts to social economic analysis, speaks to the breadth of potential the REV Center offers to really be an important vector in economic development,鈥� Christofferson said. 鈥淭his is not just about making 91传媒 a bigger, better university, but ensuring that 91传媒 is truly supporting and contributing to revitalization in the region.鈥滾earn more about the REV Center at .

From a few acres of land in rural China, Guojie Wang鈥檚 parents grew nearly everything they needed to support their family of four. If they needed oil for cooking, they grew sunflowers. If they wanted to eat tofu, they grew soybeans. Without heavy equipment or high-tech analysis, they provided nutrients for their sons and enough profit to cover Wang鈥檚 tuition. 

He left the farm to study ecology and then natural resource management, in hopes of improving the lives of his parents and others like them. 

鈥淚 graduated debt-free, but my parents鈥� life is very hard,鈥� Wang said. 鈥淲hat鈥檚 the big deal if I get a degree, but my parents still have to suffer? So I study how to manage those farms with less labor or higher profit.鈥�

Wang is a forage agronomist who teaches Crop and Soil Science at (OSU) in La Grande. 91传媒 houses faculty and courses from OSU鈥檚 College of Agricultural Sciences on campus at 91传媒 so students from the rural areas of the state have access to experts like Wang. 

His research, conducted at the OSU Experiment Station in Union, explores how to grow forage for livestock with less water than conventional methods. Increasing ecological restrictions on water use from local streams has strained agricultural needs in recent decades, and Wang hopes to provide a sustainable solution. 

The Catherine Creek watershed is home to a variety of fish, Wang explained, and if any threatened or endangered species are listed, based on Endangered Species Act landowners will have very limited access to their water sources. In-stream water flow and temperature in summer have the biggest impact on aquatic life.

鈥淚n order to conserve these species, we aim to use less water for agriculture in summer, however, this region would be impossible to farm in summer without irrigation,鈥� Wang said. 鈥淪o we try to use water more efficiently than before.鈥� 

He hopes to develop viable ways for agricultural producers to use less water to grow more or the same amount, or at least achieve neutrality between agriculture and conservation efforts.

Wang鈥檚 research began in 2016, and he plans to complete the first phase of projects this year and move to the second phase next year. Although the eight trials he鈥檚 run so far show significant effects, making an impact will take more than raw numbers. 

鈥淎doption for this system is not just data,鈥� he said. 鈥淚t鈥檚 other social and economic factors, too.鈥�

Before Wang embarked on this work, he interviewed local farmers and ranchers to identify industry needs and priorities. The results reinforced his assertion that growing forage, or feeding material, is the No. 1 cost for livestock producers in this region. 

鈥淎 cow eats roughly 30 pounds of hay a day,鈥� Wang said. 鈥淲e need a lot of forage, but at the same time we do not have a lot of water.鈥�

Wang and fellow researchers host field tours each summer for farmers to visit the Experiment Station to see the plots and demonstrations. Last year鈥檚 visitors were most concerned with the costs and effort required to implement Wang鈥檚 low-water strategies. 

鈥淵ou cannot continue to draw water from this watershed, but producers want to keep doing what they鈥檙e doing right now,鈥� Wang said. 鈥淢y dad does the same thing. I hope the producers can be proactive and respect the data, and make some changes. I鈥檓 trying to demonstrate this is a true alternative, not a fantasy.鈥�

Wang鈥檚 parents have commercialized since he moved to America. The diversity of their farm has dwindled, and they don鈥檛 eat hardly any of what they grow. 

鈥淚鈥檓 a rural farmer鈥檚 kid who is now teaching in America: I am the American Dream,鈥� Wang said. 鈥淚 went from a small farm in China doing everything by hand, to heavily equipped, big farms in America.鈥�

Wang plans to publish the results of his five-year study in a scholarly journal after analyzing the 2021 growing season data. 

The Ground We Walk On

鈥淲e touch soil almost every day,鈥� said Crop and Soil Science Professor Goujie Wang. 鈥淥ut here, no matter where you work, you will touch the soil for sure.鈥�

And it鈥檚 worth doing right every once in a while. 

鈥淭he first thing to do is feel it,鈥� Wang said. 鈥淪oil is a soft, porous medium.鈥�

He talks about soil like it鈥檚 his favorite pet: living and breathing and just asking to be cared for. 

鈥淪oil will present all the things plants need,鈥� he said. 鈥淗uman beings don鈥檛 need to add very much to the soil to support industry. Fifty years ago there were no pesticides or fertilizers, and the world still produced a high quantity and quality of food.鈥� 

He recommends even casual gardeners test their soil regularly. Think of it like a wellness check-up or a blood draw to make sure everything looks good, and proactively respond to potential problems. 

鈥淪oil is a living, soft, fertile resource鈥� show you care by doing an annual check,鈥� Wang said. 

Organic matter is the key to almost everything in soil. Add those leaves and little roots back to it to nurture a rich humus layer. 

鈥淗umus is a glue to keep the soil healthy and functional,鈥� Wang said. 鈥淚mprove it, and the soil will do it back to you.鈥�

Mostly, though, leave soil alone. It鈥檚 more stable and resilient than most people give it credit for. 

鈥淪oil is a reliable natural resource for our foundation as a community and country,鈥� Wang said. 鈥淭his is the energy for human beings. Of course you can destroy soil by pushing the boundary to where it breaks, but it鈥檚 resilient and will come back. After a wildfire, flood or severe drought, the soil always will come back if we don鈥檛 break that threshold鈥攋ust like the community did not break with the pandemic. We will bounce back鈥攚e have the capability.鈥�

A life of military service and a legacy of giving began with teammates who stood together in defeat, agreeing to enlist en masse if they lost one more game. 

In the fall of 1948, the entire EOSC football team capped their losing season with a march downtown to join the . Among them was Willard 鈥淏ill鈥� Carey, 鈥�49, who would go on to serve as the youngest federally recognized brigadier general in the Army National Guard of the United States. 

Carey earned his associate degree at 91传媒 and transferred to the , where he was student body president and president of Phi Kappa Psi. From there, he earned a law degree from Willamette University. 

In 1959, he married the love of his life, Audrey, and they set up a life and a law practice in La Grande, eventually with three children. Toward the beginning of his law career, Carey started the 91传媒 Foundation and continued to contribute to the university until his passing in May 2001.   

鈥淗e wanted young men and women to have the kind of opportunity that he had.” – Audrey Carey

鈥淐oming back to his own community, he recognized the need for a fundraising source for the college, so he formed the Eastern Oregon Advancement Association,鈥� Audrey said. 鈥淗e鈥檇 go out and raise money among the business people in Eastern Oregon to fund this committee, which then became, under his leadership, the [91传媒] Foundation.鈥� 

When Carey took an assignment at the in San Francisco, he commuted from his La Grande Law office and was the Deputy Commanding General for Reserve Components, Sixth US Army, which covered the 13 Western States. During this time, Carey was responsible for over 100,000 people, his wife said. 

鈥淚t was just the most wonderful experience,鈥� Audrey said. 鈥淚 got to watch him go from Captain and La Grande Company Commander all the way to Major General.鈥� 

Carey was the first President of the 91传媒 Foundation and served on the board for 24 years. In 1982, he was awarded the Distinguished Alumnus Award and was twice recognized with the Jaycees Distinguished Services Award in addition to being named Man of the Year by the Chamber of Commerce in 1966 and 1986. His wife remembers Carey teaching a business class at the college as well. 

When he retired from the military in 1987, Carey鈥檚 troops gifted him with their personal funds to start the 鈥�Major General Willard Carey Scholarship鈥� and he continued to put his money into it, too. At the time of his death, Carey鈥檚 family directed donations in his honor to expand the scholarship even further.  

鈥淗e had a close attachment to Eastern and that鈥檚 why the scholarship became [what it did],鈥� Audrey said. 鈥淗e wanted young men and women to have the kind of opportunity that he had. It was becoming more financially difficult for people to go to college and so it was really important to him that there was this scholarship. He wanted it to go to people who were going to have a military career, as well a college education.鈥� 

The scholarship provides up to $2,500 annually, and has allowed students to access higher education since 1989. To qualify for the annual scholarship, students must be part of the GOLD program, which aims to strengthen the officer candidate program at 91传媒 while providing training exercises and trips to historical military sites across the country. 

Audrey Carey has received many letters of thanks from student recipients over the years, and she treasures their words of gratitude. One excerpt reads: 

鈥�I look forward to the day I am also able to give back to young soldiers like myself and continue the tradition of loyalty, duty, respect, selfless service, honor, integrity, and personal courage throughout our armed forces community. I promise you, personally, I will continue to work hard and become an exemplary model for others to follow.鈥�

I am thrilled to be on-board as the Executive Director of Philanthropy, and am looking forward to getting involved in La Grande and surrounding communities that 91传媒 serves.

I am originally from Moscow, Idaho but spent many years moving around the Pacific Northwest. I returned to Moscow in 2000 and began my career in higher education. I spent 10 years working in development at the University of Idaho鈥檚 Department of Athletics, specializing in annual giving, board development, campaign project management, stewardship and special events. Most recently, I served as a major gift officer in the College of Agricultural, Human and Natural Resource Sciences at .

I look forward to working with our constituents and communities to help build on the foundation that already exists through the great efforts of the 91传媒 Foundation Trustees and University Advancement staff. Working together, I believe we can accomplish our fundraising goals and fulfill the mission of the Foundation.

I love spending time with my two teenage kids, attending their sporting events, helping them with homework and seeing them grow as wonderful young adults. I also enjoy being outdoors, hiking, running, biking, kayaking and camping, and I am excited to explore the Grande Ronde Valley. 

鈥楨ngage, Invest, Enhance鈥� through the 91传媒 Foundation

Visions, missions and strategic plans have a bad habit of accumulating dust, but leaders of the 91传媒 Foundation are determined to keep theirs living and breathing. 

Chair of the Finance Committee Marcy Haines is a fifth-generation East Oregonian, and although she only attended 91传媒 for a year, the university鈥檚 critical role in the region inspired her to get involved. 

鈥淚 think it鈥檚 so important to increase the economic viability of our rural communities, and the college and foundation do that,鈥� Haines said. 

After earning a degree from and starting a financial planning business, her commitment to improving lives through education led Haines to a position as a Foundation Trustee.

鈥淚鈥檓 so impressed with the amount of scholarships being awarded, and the generosity of gifts to the foundation,鈥� she said. 鈥淲e have a broad base of support from different people from a wide range of places.鈥�

The foundation鈥檚 renewed focus boils down to 鈥淓ngage, Invest, Enhance.鈥� Trustees, led by the Board of Directors, hope to expand involvement and increase philanthropic giving in line with 91传媒鈥檚 strategic plan, 鈥�The Ascent: 2029.鈥�

鈥淭here鈥檚 been a focus on engaging and reaching out to more people,鈥� Haines said. 鈥淚鈥檓 realizing how many people have a love for 91传媒 and want to support it鈥攊t had been here all along, but I鈥檝e seen it accelerate.鈥� 

She said more people are investing in Oregon鈥檚 Rural University through gifts of cash, stock, estates, payroll deductions, and credit card donations. 

鈥淭he vision for the foundation is to grow at a reasonable rate and continue expanding our impact on campus and online,鈥� Haines said. 鈥淲e鈥檙e focused on enriching that experience and allowing students to thrive.鈥� 

A new range of locally based philanthropic committees have emerged in metro centers across the Northwest for 91传媒 stakeholders in Boise, Spokane, Portland and other areas to connect with one another.

鈥淏eing able to build a tribe within your community鈥攊t鈥檚 really about those personal relationships in the long-term,鈥� Haines said. 鈥淲e really are very global at this point, and expanding 91传媒鈥檚 global-ness means more impact.鈥�
The 91传媒 Foundation can be reached at foundation@eou.edu or 541-962-3740.

The Mountaineer is primarily funded by the 91传媒 Foundation. Visit eou.edu/foundation and make a gift to support the alumni magazine!

returned to the diamond in February 2021, following a hiatus that lasted 14 years, nine months and four days. Off-season recruiting and COVID-19 safety protocols are beginning to pay off as the reinvigorated team competes this spring. Plans are in development for an on-campus baseball field and expanded scholarship offerings to student-athletes. Contact the 91传媒 Foundation for more information and to get involved!聽

Alexander Zuluaga

Psychology, 鈥�21

Men鈥檚 soccer (Forward)

鈥淚 was expecting to see a lot of student-athletes like myself that have the same goals in mind, to find like-minded people, which I have.鈥�

鈥淚t鈥檚 easy to get distracted in a bigger city, but being here has kept me focused on what I want to achieve in soccer and academically.鈥�

鈥淚鈥檇 like to try out for a soccer team. I want to get my bachelor鈥檚 degree as a thank you to my parents for everything they did for me. Maybe I鈥檒l go to vocational school to become a vitals monitor in surgical rooms.鈥�

鈥淭he university needs to be open to criticism, and willing to hear people out. They need to listen to students鈥� concerns because there鈥檚 a lot of opportunity to progress.鈥�

Noel Orozco

Business Administration, 鈥�21

Wrestling (Heavyweight)

鈥淚t鈥檚 a very close community, very supportive. Everybody knows each other, and it鈥檚 very welcoming.鈥�

鈥淚 want to absorb everything from my teachers, become a national champion and just be involved on campus.鈥�

鈥淭he university could add a free resource to help students learn and understand what people of color go through. There are a lot of people from small towns in Eastern Oregon where they just haven鈥檛 been exposed or they just aren鈥檛 really educated on what people of color deal with.鈥�

鈥淧roviding counseling for people of color who need it would make a difference.鈥�

Yahaira (Yaya) Chavarria-Mondragon

Exercise science, 鈥�22

Women鈥檚 soccer (Defense)

鈥淚 was looking for a school with small classes, where professors know you and want to help you. I鈥檝e loved it so far.鈥� 

鈥淟a Grande is a small town with a hugely supportive community.鈥�

鈥淚 would love to attend grad school and go into occupational therapy.鈥�

鈥�91传媒 is a very welcoming place. There鈥檚 so many opportunities for everyone.鈥�

鈥淓veryone鈥檚 allowed to grow and follow their dreams. In order to continue making 91传媒 a place where everyone feels welcomed and supported, the university should reach out to students, professors and staff to continue looking for ways to make 91传媒 a great place to be.鈥�

Marco Retano

Physical education, 鈥�22

Wrestling (Heavyweight)

鈥淚 definitely expected to adjust because I grew up in one town my entire life. I had to learn what it鈥檚 like to not be known and how to build new relationships.鈥�

鈥淚 know people who are my dear friends now who just needed that exposure. It鈥檚 about finding a way to create experiences for people coming in from rural areas who just haven鈥檛 had that opportunity.鈥�

鈥�99% of it is a great experience 鈥� I have white friends who are getting to know me and I鈥檓 getting to know them, and we鈥檙e learning about each other. When we get our education, it鈥檚 not just about the books, it鈥檚 about meeting new people and learning about the world.鈥�

As families around the world coped with isolation, illness and financial hardship, 91传媒 faculty members shaped a new concentration and licensure specialization that prepare teachers to respond to their students鈥� needs. 

The Trauma in Educational Communities concentration and specialization are the only programs of their kind in Oregon. Housed under the fully online degree, both offerings opened for enrollment this fall.聽

Even before the coronavirus pandemic struck, Dean of the College of Education Matt Seimears found a significant need for trauma-invested teachers in the region.聽

鈥淪uperintendents were calling me to ask what we can provide to help with traumatized students,鈥� Seimears said. 鈥淲e built this because of the demand in our schools.鈥� 

A team of 91传媒 faculty began developing trauma-specific courses in September 2019 and worked collaboratively with K-12 schools to refine them. 

鈥淔aculty are in the schools seeing things first-hand. Most program developers never see that,鈥� Seimears said. 鈥淲e have the potential to be the leading institution in the state of Oregon with trauma and resilience.鈥�

Associate Professor of Education Amanda Villag贸mez coordinates the program and led the faculty planning team. 

鈥淪chool districts offer some training, but they鈥檙e often expensive or hard to access. Plus, we wanted to dig deeper than a one-time training,鈥� Villag贸mez said. 鈥淭he coursework looks at individual and systemic traumas.鈥�

She said the curriculum development team was intentional about approaching the topic through a culturally responsive and equitable lens. The College of Education prioritizes cultural responsiveness in developing educators: running the , hosting the Center for Culturally Responsive Practices, sending faculty to the , and incorporating English for Speakers of Other Lanugages (ESOL) training into undergraduate degrees. In 2020, that inclusive approach has become even more valuable.

鈥淭he COVID pandemic is bringing trauma to the surface,鈥� Villag贸mez said. 鈥淐ertain populations are having higher rates of impact, and it鈥檚 revealing inequities.鈥�

Looking ahead, the college plans to continue its work toward integrating cultural responsiveness and equitable practices into teacher coursework. 

The Trauma in Educational Communities concentration addresses age groups from preschool through high school. Interactive elements and a flexible start term mean that students can complete all required courses in just three terms. The content is accessible and applicable for administrators, recent undergraduates, substitute teachers, and even those who鈥檝e spent years in the classroom. 

鈥淲e always have the lens of how this affects teachers in our area,鈥� Villag贸mez said. 鈥�91传媒 is all about relationships, and that鈥檚 a big part of the coursework. A lot of what 91传媒 stands for aligns well with principles of trauma-invested care.鈥�

More information about the Master of Science in Education program and the Trauma in Educational Communities concentration and specialization is available at . 

91传媒 established the Office of Student Diversity and Inclusion (SDI) in 2018, expanding the role of the MOSAIC Center. Bennie Moses-Mesubed, 鈥�99 and 鈥�13, has built up the department鈥檚 educational and support services.

She explained that advocating and providing resources for students who are marginalized because of their gender identity, sexual orientation or ethnicity is only half of her job. The department also organizes events and discussions that equip white students with a more complete understanding of inclusion, equity and diversity. Moses-Mesubed said she hopes all 91传媒 students gain a truly global perspective at 91传媒, and then apply it in academics and as active community members.

鈥淲e are just as accountable for providing education about privilege and white fragility for our white students, as we are for providing validation and support for students of color who experience microaggressions,鈥� she said. 

Moses-Mesubed and her staff talk to white students about race as a construct, but add that white people have been excluded in conversations about racism. 

鈥淥ur culture has conditioned them to think that race and racism is not about them,鈥� she said, pointing out how difficult it is for students to name a white person who walked with MLK. 鈥�, and others have historically been excluded in white conversations about the racial justice movement. This results in young white people not having role models or seeing how diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) impact them.” 

91传媒鈥檚 student population is 70% white, nearly half of last year鈥檚 freshman class came from low-income homes, and about a third were first-generation college students. Part of 91传媒鈥檚 rural mission means walking alongside students who are just beginning to understand concepts like diversity, equity and inclusion.

鈥淲herever students are in understanding DEI, we want to be there for them as a resource,鈥� she said. 鈥淚t鈥檚 OK to make mistakes, it鈥檚 OK to fumble, and we will pick each other up and figure out where to go from there. The key is to not be discouraged.鈥�

The benefits of difference

鈥淏eing different is not bad,鈥� 91传媒 business professor Michael Fields said. 鈥淲hen we understand each other better, we work together better, learn together better and create a better society for people to work and succeed in.鈥� 

Fields鈥� research explores intercultural competence: a set of skills, knowledge and abilities to communicate and interact with people who are different from one another in a positive and productive manner. He found that the value of intercultural competence and its impact aren鈥檛 widely known. 

Fields chairs 91传媒鈥檚 Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Committee. He said part of the committee鈥檚 work involves compliance with , which requires that all public universities work to improve intercultural competence.

He furthered his research by inviting five international graduate students to attend his undergraduate classes for weekly mentoring sessions. The experience marginally improved students’ competency, and the graduate students showed even more improvement. Fields found that high-contact, positive experiences with people who are different from one another influence intercultural competence. 

As a business faculty member, Fields said intercultural competency is key for future managers, leaders, employees, neighbors and participants in the global economy. 

鈥淥ne of the aspects of intercultural competence is communication, which is something we do daily as humans, as faculty members, as parents, as community members, as coaches and more,鈥� he said. 鈥淲e are often speaking to people who have different views than us, and intercultural competence prepares people for that.鈥�

View Fields’ Colloquium talk here: .

In March 2020, 91传媒 transitioned all spring term courses to remote-access in response to the quickly spreading coronavirus pandemic. Students, employees, alumni and stakeholders created new ways of teaching, learning, leading and interacting as the world went into lockdown.聽

As people emerged, they did so with a new set of habits. Face coverings, physical distance and take-out became ubiquitous with everyday life. The Mountaineer spirit of resilience and innovation has never shone out so clearly. 

Hear from more members of the 91传媒 community and add your story at eou.edu/coronavirus/eou-story-map.

鈥淨uarantine and the cancellation of in-person classes led to my moving back home to Willowcreek to be with my family. This sudden and unexpected change was tough on me as I was enjoying my independence and freedom in La Grande. However, spending time with my family has been wonderful, as my brother and cousins are all out of school. Being able to work on my family鈥檚 farm and ranch every day has been quite relaxing. This pandemic has changed the way 91传媒, America and the world operates, in this time of uncertainty it is critical to hold onto family, community and friends.鈥�

Emma Kindschy (Student)
Vale, Oregon

鈥淥ne of my students, Gloria Wagner, completed her degree during winter term.  Gloria is an exceptional student. She finished her degree with a 4.0 91传媒 GPA and an overall GPA of 3.770. While that in itself is an accomplishment, her most outstanding attribute is that Gloria is 81 years old!鈥�

Kerrie Wylam (Staff)
Roseburg, Oregon

鈥淚 attempted to offer the best remote learning for my students, and provide them with support as needed. I am following the guidelines set forth by the government agencies for social distancing. I volunteered with the high school graduation planning and assisted with the construction of infrastructure for the virtual graduation. I have been supporting my family and their needs as well.鈥�

David Ford (Student)
Central Point, Oregon

鈥淚 have been volunteering at a local food bank. It has been great to see all of the extra donations during this time!鈥�

Jessica Coughlin (Faculty)
Bend, Oregon

鈥淣ow that I have become an RA, COVID-19 has heavily impacted the way that programs and physical interactions take place. For instance, residents will not be able to go inside other halls or into other individuals rooms/suites. A positive take away is being able to be creative. In other words, finding alternatives for programming to make sure we are abiding by mask/social distancing guidelines. Additionally, finding other ways to create that community within your own hall and floor. This experience has and will continue to challenge me throughout the year and I’m excited to have this leadership opportunity during a global pandemic.鈥�

Joseph O’Brien (Student)
Boardman, Oregon

鈥淒an and I have been taking walks together. I’ve been restoring Orff instruments for teachers as Dan learns Spanish. Each night my friend calls and we pray for first responders, safety, support for all and wisdom for a cure.鈥� 

Dan and Ann Hutchinson (Alumni)
Boise, Idaho

鈥淚 had recently accepted a position as a Peace Corps Response Volunteer to serve in Peru another year as an At-Risk Youth Social Reintegration Specialist, but with COVID there was no post to go back to鈥�. I now work as a Mentor in Outdoor Recreation Therapy for a residential young adult transition program! I am planning on staying with this company to grow as an individual in this industry, learn about somatic outdoor therapy and finish school. I plan to focus on mental health, while advocating to increase access to outdoor recreational activities for all.鈥� 

Alondra Esquival (Alumna)

鈥淐eramic artists have a love-hate relationship with the material because the limitations and the resistance of the material is the thing that actually allows you to do more while pushing against the boundaries. Bouncing off the walls of our limitations sets up the failures that lead to our next big idea. These new boundaries limit us, but how can we use those parameters in a way that鈥檚 exciting? This is going to force some really interesting changes society-wide.鈥� 

Nate Prouty (Faculty)
La Grande, Oregon

“I never expected my first year as a nurse to include a pandemic 鈥� one where I began to care for only one type of patient that can present, decline, and improve in a multitude of ways,” said Christensen. “I never expected to gain some of the experiences I have so fresh in my career and yet being thrown into the fire has allowed me to learn and be witness to some of the most interesting medical interventions.”

Sierra Christensen (Alumna)
Tri-Cities, Washington

鈥�Virtual Preview Day was the most rewarding admissions event I鈥檝e ever been a part of. It went really well and the student engagement was incredible. Students and families from Saipan, Colombia, New Jersey and Georgia joined us! Most times, families from distant locations can鈥檛 attend an on-campus event, but taking it online eliminated the barriers to visiting 91传媒.鈥�

Genesis Meaderds (Staff)
La Grande, Oregon

The Native American Program at 91传媒 is the reason Katie Harris-Murphy, 鈥�16, stuck around to complete her chemistry degree.

Four years later, she鈥檚 the reason Jordan Patt hasn鈥檛 given up.

Now the Director of the Native American Program on campus, Murphy said getting involved in clubs like Speel-Ya kept her engaged with her education. Students in the club now look to Murphy for the same kind of mentorship and encouragement.

Patt, who was president of Speel-Ya in 2019-20, said a constant cycle of activities, fundraisers and events keep club members busy year-round. Speel-Ya is the oldest Native American student club in the West, and its legacy is a testament to the longstanding partnership between 91传媒 and nearby tribes.

The club鈥檚 largest annual event, the spring Pow Wow and Indian Arts Festival, would have seen its 50th anniversary in May. The event was canceled as part of state and university efforts to curb the spread of COVID-19.

鈥淧eople come from Montana, Washington and Idaho for the pow wow,鈥� Patt said.

A junior studying business, Patt grew up on the Warm Springs Reservation. In addition to her presidential duties, she also has two on-campus jobs.

Speel-Ya鈥檚 presence on campus has grown recently, with Native American Heritage Month programs, exhibitions in the Nightingale Gallery, and partnerships with other student clubs.

鈥淲e鈥檙e learning how to stand up and push ourselves out so others will see us,鈥� Patt said. 鈥淭here鈥檚 still assumptions that we don鈥檛 do a lot, even though the door of our office is covered in posters of our events.鈥�

Posters for fry bread sales, craft nights, art exhibits, film showings, and activism to raise awareness about Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women (MMIW) were designed by Joseph O鈥橞rien, who is the student Native American Program Assistant and Indian Arts Coordinator for 2019-20, and a junior on a pre-nursing track.

Patt created an eye-catching poster for MMIW, which became a Facebook post that got 500,000 views and was shared 7,500 times.

鈥淲e have an 91传媒 student whose mother went missing in the 1980s,鈥� Murphy said. 鈥淣atives know about this issue, but the general public isn鈥檛 aware.鈥�

O鈥橞rien is a member of the Pit River Tribe, and is also heavily involved on campus. Murphy said co-curricular activities equip students for success in their lives and careers, while keeping them connected to an on-campus community.

鈥淚 always suggest that students get out of their comfort zones,鈥� she said. 鈥淢y students know how to show up and try new things, they鈥檙e not afraid to volunteer, and that鈥檚 important when you get a job.鈥�

A member of Nez Perce, Cayuse, Umatilla and Karuk tribes, Murphy has helped students enroll in tribal membership. Her small office is frequented by students seeking an understanding ear.

One of the very first peers Patt shared an 91传媒 classroom with had never met a Native American person before. O鈥橞rien said his identity has been met with skepticism because his appearance is different from stereotyped images of Native Americans.

鈥淚 was fighting stereotypes on the daily [as a student], with people thinking my ethnicity didn鈥檛 exist,鈥� Murphy said. 鈥淭he Native American Program helps students find their community and subtly teaches others who we are and that we鈥檙e proud.鈥�

Special recognition at the 50th annual Spring Pow Wow was planned to draw attention to the ongoing partnership between 91传媒 and the region鈥檚 indigenous people. Murphy said many 91传媒 alumni typically reunite at the event, and online students who study from their homes on nearby reservations often choose the occasion to visit campus. Club members now look toward spring 2021 to celebrate this auspicious anniversary.

鈥淲e鈥檝e always been here,鈥� Murphy said. 鈥淧ow Wow is a great way to exhibit the diversity on campus and to see something different.鈥�

An abandoned sawmill became a booming center of commerce, culture and city life in Bend after The Old Mill District debuted in 2017.

Transforming former industrial sites into meaningful community spaces has become an industry of its own in rural Oregon. A new 91传媒 degree program equips students to serve as leaders in this emerging field.

Starting in fall 2020, students in the Sustainable Rural Systems program will investigate aspects of rural communities that make Oregon鈥檚 cities, farms and forests livable. The on-campus degree is open to transfer students, as well as first-time freshmen.

Courses designed for group-based learning take on real-life challenges alongside community and industry partners. Students builddistinct skill-sets to address environmental remediation or restoration, public policy, economic development, natural resource management and other community-building projects.

鈥淭his multi-disciplinary degree prepares students for careers in community building and project leadership,鈥� said Joe Corsini, an 91传媒 biology professor who will teach courses in the Sustainable Rural Systems program starting this fall. 鈥淭hese multi-year projects connect theoretical concepts to the realities of working with agencies, nonprofits and businesses, and teach students to think creatively as they guide rural communities into the future.鈥�

Students select a concentration in either Environmental Resources or Economics of Rural Systems and move through the program with a cohort of peers. As they advance, students take on more responsibitity and become project managers, who model teamwork and mentorship for incoming freshmen.

In an innovative new format, students will work to solve real issues in rural communities. A partnership with Baker Technical Institute provides the program鈥檚 first cohort their long-term project: restoring former industrial and commercial sites in Eastern Oregon that have been affected by environmental contamination. With remediation, these brownfields become useful community spaces once again.

Future projects could include refurbishing a historic building, analyzing industry changes after a timber mill closes, or exploring new methods of delivering healthcare in rural areas. Students can explore a wide range of academic fields, but the program’s core includes environmental biology, economics and project leadership courses. By tailoring their curriculum toward specific interests, students can earn a Bachelor of Arts, Bachelor of Science or Bachelor of Applied Science degree in Sustainable Rural Systems.

鈥淎s an employer, we鈥檙e looking for graduates who can demonstrate their skills in the field,鈥� said Les Penning, CEO of Oregon Trail Electric Cooperative (OTEC). 鈥淭his program is designed to do exactly that by putting students in leadership positions to complete hands-on projects.鈥�

For two years, Cheryl Martin, 鈥�76, got to teach in the same school where her grandmother had first inspired her to become a teacher. She spent another 25 years in North Powder, where her experience ranged from kindergartners up to high school psychology classes.

Her “range” also includes the cattle range. Martin has lived and worked on a ranch in Eastern Oregon throughout her career and now in her retirement.

She has a surprising amount in common with chemist and professor Abel Mendoza, 鈥�72. Both serve on 91传媒鈥檚 Board of Trustees, and both are deeply committed to serving the region鈥檚 students.

Including Martin, over a dozen people in her family have attended 91传媒. Mendoza, meanwhile, was the first in his family to go to college. Since then, he鈥檚 gone on to earn a Ph.D., conduct research and teach at 91传媒’s chemistry department. He even saw his daughter graduate in the blue and gold.

Vice Chair of the Board this year, Mendoza sees his volunteer trusteeship as an act of giving back. He enrolled as an international student from Mexico, and found the surrounding mountains a cozy reminder of home.

鈥淔or most people, education is the key to joining the middle class, that鈥檚 why I鈥檓 committed to being involved in it,鈥� Mendoza said. 鈥淔or me, it was the door to a better way of life. I met professors from a variety of fields who made me feel welcome.鈥�

Mendoza and Martin both joined the inaugural 91传媒 Board of Trustees in 2015. Martin said the experience has strengthened her relationship with the campus community.

鈥淚 love 91传媒, my heart is there,鈥� she said. 鈥淚 love the world of education, and it has been rewarding for me to be part of 91传媒 at a different level.鈥�

One of the primary responsibilities of trustees is ensuring the university鈥檚 financial stability, a task that has shifted in the five years since the board was chartered.

鈥淚t鈥檚 no secret that the school has gone through difficult times as you look back at the last 15 years,鈥� Mendoza said. 鈥淭he most gratifying part of being a trustee is that we have made a huge difference.”

Being Oregon鈥檚 Rural University comes with a commitment to affordability. Martin grew up in rural Oregon and said the designation calls attention to the board鈥檚 focus on ensuring access to higher education.

鈥淲e want so badly to keep that tuition level where students can afford to come to 91传媒 without massive debt,鈥� Martin said. 鈥淪tudents need to have options and availability for their paths, whether that鈥檚 a two-year or four-year degree or beyond.鈥�

Mendoza鈥檚 initial college experience inspired him to eventually earn a doctorate in chemistry and pursue an extensive career with Dow Chemical, where he obtained 28 U.S. patents and over 100 international patents. His 14 siblings have also benefited, and many of his nieces and nephews have followed his lead and graduated college. After retiring from Dow, Mendoza moved to Haines, Oregon and taught at 91传媒 for a number of years before retiring again.

Martin said rural-ness and affordability go hand-in-hand with 91传媒鈥檚 hands-on learning and meaningful mentoring relationships.

鈥�91传媒 students get to experience a lifestyle of wide-open spaces, a friendly handshake at a local business, a smile from another as they walk down a sidewalk, a short trek to the mountains for recreation, and a university that puts that all together for a great lifetime experience,鈥� she said. 鈥淚t means that every student feels the compassion and caring of our faculty, board and administration while getting a second-to-none educational experience.鈥�

During the second week of October 2019, 30 91传媒 students and three faculty members spent four very long days outside of Prineville, Oregon, excavating a partial mammoth skeleton from a gravel quarry. The site was owned by late 91传媒 alumnus Craig Woodward, ’69, who decided to donate the fossils to his alma mater.

Woodward passed away shortly after construction workers uncovered the fossils, but members of his family carried his enthusiasm forward. They worked with university leaders and faculty to make this final donation official with a memorandum of understanding.

Workers from Knife River Corporation had leased the land to extract sand and gravel, when they uncovered tusks about 30 feet below the surface. 91传媒 students and faculty members from the anthropology and biology departments collaborated with construction crews to carefully remove the bones.

Anthropology professor Rory Becker said students in his introduc-tory classes got a first-hand look at archeology in action.

鈥淚 think a lot of the students were surprised at how much work was involved,鈥� he said. 鈥淚t takes coordination of many, many moving parts 鈥� plus, straight digging holes.鈥�

For many of them, Becker said, it was a chance to decide whether fieldwork would be a suitable career path. The team鈥檚 12-hour days from Oct. 9 to 13 often began and ended in the dark.

Becker led the dig with fellow anthropology professor Linda Reed-Jerofke and biology professor Joe Corsini. All three agreed that the experience offered once-in-a-lifetime opportunities for 91传媒 students.

鈥淭he students were working hard, talking about their ideas, leading their peers,鈥� Corsini said. 鈥淭hey were all excited to get out there.鈥�

Students from three anthropology courses helped remove giant arm bones, including the ulna, radius and humerus, as well as tusks, a cranium and several vertebrae. Becker and Corsini said they suspect the mammoth may have been a juvenile because the ends of the long bones don鈥檛 appear to be fused to the shaft.

鈥淭he type of sediment surrounding it suggests that it may have been in slow-moving water,鈥� Corsini said.

He was surprised that they didn鈥檛 encounter an assemblage of other fossils, such as camels, sloths, bison, and rodents, near the larger mammoth bones.

Mammoths and mastodons both roamed North America about 2 million years ago, and the last of these creatures died out on the continent 10,000 years ago. Eons of sediment and pressure had preserved the bones, so exposing them to air made, particularly the tusks, vulnerable to delamination.

To protect them, the team removed the bones packed in sediment, covered them in plaster, and transported them to campus on a flatbed truck. Corsini, an experienced paleontologist, worked quickly with super glue at the site to stabilize the tusks. All of the elements are now securely stored adjacent to biology and anthropology labs on campus.

鈥淚t鈥檚 a load of work,鈥� he said. 鈥淕etting them back [to campus] intact is the biggest challenge and achievement.鈥�

It also means that smaller bones like teeth and fingers might still be enclosed within the larger sections. Teeth could clarify whether the find is actually a mastodon, and reveal details about the animal鈥檚 diet.

Becker said the find will provide three to five years of research papers, conference presentations and capstone projects for 91传媒 students.

鈥淲e anticipate enduring opportunities for student contact with the bones,鈥� Becker said. 鈥淔ar beyond the 30 students who helped dig them out.鈥�

Eventually, they hope to display the remains for visitors to see. The partial skeleton means that an exhibit might be set up to recreate the dig scene. Corsini said he looks forward to sharing the find with students and the community.

鈥淚t鈥檚 always amazing to see something like that 鈥� this huge creature that鈥檚 no longer on the planet,鈥� he said. 鈥淚 always feel a little bit of awe.鈥�

Q&A with student participants

Erin Blincoe is a junior from Baker City, Ore., studying anthropology.

My role on the dig: I was in the upper division class, so I helped oversee some of the other students.

What surprised me: I love working with bones. It was a salvation dig, so it wasn鈥檛 a typical dig. We had four days to get everything out of the ground, so it was speedy.

What I learned: I never thought of myself as a leader, but I鈥檓 very patient and that worked.

Lydia Hurty is a senior from Stanfield, Ore., studying anthropology and sociology.

My role on the dig: I did all the photo documentation, the shots with a clipboard showing where bones were found.

What surprised me: I got to go around to every item that we found. It was surprising to see the size of it!

What I learned: The ins and outs of what you do on a dig, and watching all the processes that go into it was really informative.

Christopher Smith is a sophomore from La Grande studying anthropology and sociology.

My role on the dig: I have kids, so I couldn鈥檛 go on the dig, but we鈥檝e been helping remove sediment from the cranium now that it鈥檚 back on campus.

What surprised me: The bones are very brittle after they鈥檙e exposed to air. They鈥檙e about the texture and fragility of balsa wood. I鈥檇 never thought of fossils as being that brittle.

What I learned: In the classroom you get an idea of what you鈥檙e about to encounter, but it鈥檚 really cool to actually dig in the dirt.

Hannah Wilhelm is a junior from La Grande studying anthropology.

My role on the dig: I did a lot of plastering, covering the bones in plastic and wet newspaper after they were pedestalled.

What surprised me: It was really cool to be near this animal that鈥檚 been in the ground for 10,000 years. It takes you to a different time.

What I learned: Taking what I learned in the classroom and seeing it actually happening helped me realize that I want to focus on paleoanthropology.

“It is something I had only ever seen in movies,鈥� Brittney Hamilton said. 鈥淭his activity does not exist where I come from.鈥�

Cheerleading was far from the kind of dancing Hamilton, a junior studying business at 91传媒, had been doing in Saipan. This year, though, she embraced it and became the first Pacific Islander selected for the Mountaineer Cheer and Dance Team.

Hamilton now expresses herself in two forms of movement 鈥� one that honors her native culture and one that developed on the U.S. mainland. She has performed traditional dance and fire poi in the Island Magic Show and the International Dinner and Show.

鈥淒ancing is a way to protect and respect where I come from,鈥� Hamilton said. 鈥淚t is our responsibility and duty to inform people of our existence, and dance is how we share ourselves with this community.鈥�

The first time she saw cheerleaders, Hamilton said it sparked her curiosity. She was nervous to try out because the style of dance was so different from what she鈥檇 experienced in Saipan. Ultimately, the opportunity to dance again drew her in.

鈥淚t took a lot of courage for me to put myself out there like that,鈥� she said. 鈥淚n cheerleading, the dance moves are solid motions and back home dancing has more fluid motions.鈥�

Some members of Hamilton鈥檚 hometown questioned her actions since this type of dance was unfamiliar to them.

鈥淢y friends were telling me not to do it, but I knew I had to do it for myself,鈥� she said.

Cheerleading keeps Hamilton motivated and occupied, she said. The team practices four days a week for two hours at a time, plus three workouts at the gym each week. In her position as a base, Hamilton focuses on arm and leg exercises to prepare to lift fellow student-athletes in the air. She and her teammates have to maintain stamina and strength.

Out of all of the sports Hamilton has played, she believes cheerleading requires the most trust between team members.

鈥淚 don’t think cheerleading is any different than other sports teams in the sense that we all have responsibilities, trust, sportsmanship, honesty, integrity and other values that create a winning, positive team鈥� those are the values we all share,鈥� she said.

Hamilton鈥檚 team extends beyond the cheer and dance squad. A network of alumni from the Pacific Islands first connected her with 91传媒.

鈥淚 saw I could get the same degree with the same authenticity here as opposed to
at another university,鈥� Hamilton said. 鈥淚 also wanted to experience all four seasons. I was
amazed by the snow.鈥�

Winter weather was another phenomenon she鈥檇 only seen on-screen before Hamiltonarrived in Eastern Oregon. With plans to offer marketing services or start her own business in the islands, Hamilton has learned to keep one foot dancing in each culture.

Almost 50 years after he set the record for most runs in a season, Steve Carter, 鈥�06, is leading his Mountaineer teammates once again.

Carter established the 91传媒 baseball program鈥檚 first endowed scholarship earlier this year. Now, he鈥檚 encouraging fellow alumni to step up to the proverbial plate.

After transferring to 91传媒 in 1970 and scoring a record 33 runs, Carter was drafted to fight in Vietnam, where he flew 76 combat missions as a helicopter door gunner. He returned to 91传媒 for the 1972 season, batting .368 over his two years at 91传媒 and earning all-league, all-district, all-regional tournament, and 2nd team All-West Coast awards. Carter started a career in real estate before finishing his degree.

But when they reunited for Homecoming in 2006, a group of his peers escorted Carter to the Registrar鈥檚 Office to complete a final writing requirement. The team was being inducted into the 91传媒 Hall of Fame, and he decided it was time to be a graduate, as well as an alumnus.

The only one out of five siblings who attended college, Carter credits his baseball scholarships with his career success.

鈥淚f it hadn鈥檛 been for baseball, it wouldn鈥檛 have happened,鈥� he said. 鈥淲hen I was going there, I was church-mouse poor. You get to a point in your life where you reflect a little bit, and I decided I wanted to give back to get baseball rocking and rolling again.鈥�

The scholarship will support baseball recruits, in hopes that their time at 91传媒 becomes the same launchpad it was for Carter. He challenged his teammates to think of their cherished memories, and do their part to create the same opportunities for future Mountaineers. In addition to scholarships, the revitalized program has already begun fundraising for additional support.

鈥淚f everybody who played for Coach Howard Fetz gave to that fund, that鈥檚 going to make a dent,鈥� he said. 鈥淓ven if it鈥檚 a few hundred dollars, we have strength in numbers.鈥�

To learn more about scholarships and giving to the baseball program, visit or call 541-962-3740 today!

Meet Head Baseball Coach Mike McInerney

91传媒 baseball is set to return under , who spent the past eight years as Associate Head Baseball Coach at Western Oregon University in
Monmouth.

At WOU, McInerney enjoyed great success as a pitching coach. In 2019, the team had four draft picks and one professional signing, the most of any school in NCAA Division II.

“I am really excited about the opportunity to be at 91传媒 and to restart a historic baseball program,鈥� McInerney said. 鈥淢y family and I are enthused to join this great university and community, and I
can’t wait to get started.”

Work began immediately for McInerney, who already started getting his first signings for the program, while adding to his coaching staff as he prepares for the 2021 season.

Head Women’s Lacrosse Coach Monica Plut announced the team鈥檚 first-ever signing with Sydney Shaughnessy of Meridian High School in February.

“Sydney is a great asset to our school, team and athletic program,” Plut said. “She is always one of the hardest workers in the room, very dedicated, and has such passion for our sport. She is excited about helping to build a legacy at 91传媒 and for our team.”

Shaughnessy became the after an outstanding high school career. At Meridian last year, she posted 49 goals and six assists as a midfielder.

“If I were starting a college program, I would want to have a team of players like Sydney Shaughnessy coming onboard,” said Tom Welsh, Meridian High School head girls’ lacrosse coach.

“She is a great athlete, student and most importantly, a great teammate. I have no doubt that her work ethic, positive attitude and infectious personality will help Coach Plut build a first-class program at 91传媒.”

Shaughnessy is the first player from Meridian High School lacrosse to sign with a collegiate program. She will also be the first person in her family to attend college when she starts at 91传媒 in the fall.

“Ever since I was a kid, my family has always told me to follow my dreams and that nothing can stop me if I put in the hard work and dedication,” Shaughnessy said. “91传媒 felt like that second family, guiding me to my dreams that just became reality.”

The signing marks the first steps for the 91传媒 women’s lacrosse program as it continues to build toward the 2021 season.

Meet Head Lacrosse Coach Monica Plut

Monica Plut became 91传媒鈥檚 earlier this year. She led the women’s lacrosse program at Adams State University, a NCAA Division II school in Colorado, most recently.

Plut started her coaching career in 2014 in Chicago, then coached the state runner-up in 2017. The next year, Plut led her team to the league semifinals and earned a No. 1 spot in the East District.

“Between athletics and academics, 91传媒 has so much to offer for student-athletes,” Plut said. “The coaches and sport programs at Eastern have a strong culture and passion for success, both on the field and in the classroom. I’m excited to join that culture and build upon it with a new sport.”

She started playing lacrosse at 11, and has organized clinics, camps and a travel team to grow the sport. Plut has plans to establish middle and high school lacrosse teams in the area that will eventually bring lacrosse players to campus.

Plocher joined the with a cheek swab in 2012 to support a soccer player who helped coordinate the drive on campus. Six years later, he got a phone call that there was a potential match.

The cheek swab collects DNA from donors to assess whether they might be able to provide bone marrow or other needed tissues for patients with blood cancers like leukemia.

鈥淢y dad had cancer and was in that situation,鈥� Plocher said. 鈥淚 would hope that if anybody was in a position to help, that they would follow through.鈥�

And that鈥檚 what he did. Additional lab work and blood tests confirmed that the match was viable, then Plocher flew out to Portland, where he received two shots a day for five days to increase the cells in his bone marrow. Extracting the bone marrow took six hours.

鈥淚 had a big needle in each arm, and I鈥檓 not a big needle person,鈥� he said.

Following the procedure, Plocher experienced bone and back aches, flu symptoms and fatigue.

鈥淚t was worth doing and I hope anybody who has the opportunity would do it,鈥� he said. 鈥淚 got a little bit nervous, but I wasn鈥檛 thinking of it as a big deal.鈥�

Giving back is an ingrained part of Plocher鈥檚 paradigm for himself and his soccer players.

鈥淎ltruism is something we preach within our program,鈥� he said. 鈥淲e want to help these students become better people to benefit the community here and where they live.鈥�

When he came to the women鈥檚 soccer program in 2017, he found plenty of talent but a lack of focus and team unity. In his first season as head coach, he brought the team together to win the regular season, as well as the Cascade Collegiate Conference tournament, for the first time in program history.

In 2018, the Mounties did it again and progressed to the second round of the NAIA national tournament to finish at No. 14. is packed with top-25 teams this fall, and Plocher has his sights set even higher.

鈥淭here鈥檚 been some buzz and momentum after the last couple of years, but every season is completely different,鈥� he said. 鈥淚 want us to be a cohesive unit and make a run at another conference title.鈥�

New turf in Community Stadium has created an energized playing environment for both men鈥檚 and women鈥檚 soccer at 91传媒. High-quality facilities pair with Plocher鈥檚 recent success to make 91传媒 a tempting offer for new recruits. A large incoming class of freshmen and transfer student-athletes means competition among teammates will be high, which Plocher sees as positive.

鈥淲e should be an even deeper team than we were last two seasons,鈥� he said. 鈥淏eing right there in the stadium under the lights brings a lot of energy, especially to big time games, and it creates the competitive atmosphere that everyone wants to be a part of.鈥�

Fully recovered from his surreal experience donating bone marrow last spring, Plocher brings common sense altruism to his team.

鈥淚t鈥檚 just the values that were instilled in my upbringing — I wanted to be able to help someone,鈥� he said. 鈥淚 don鈥檛 know anything about the recipient, and it doesn鈥檛 matter if I know them or not. It鈥檚 what I hope anybody would do if they were in that situation.鈥�

The first year away from her island home in was full of difficult transitions.

鈥淚 had never been away from island life, and the transition to American living was overwhelming,鈥� Camacho said. 鈥淚 come from a very low-income home 鈥� poverty-stricken, really.鈥�

Culture shock soon led to depression, but staff from TRIO Student Support Services, the 91传媒 Counseling Center and the MOSAIC Center reached out and made sure Camacho had the resources she needed to be successful.

Since then, she鈥檚 become dedicated to developing public health systems in her own community.

鈥淢ental health isn鈥檛 really talked about in the islands,鈥� Camacho said. 鈥淚 had never had access to counseling before, but then I realized how important all the aspects of health 鈥� mental, spiritual and physical all work together.鈥�

In 2018 she received a grant from the 鈥檚 (UHF) Asian Pacific Islanders Fund that will help finance the rest of her bachelor鈥檚 degree. Scholarship recipients from across the country were invited to attend the annual .

Camacho represented 91传媒 at the three-day conference last spring in Washington, D.C., where she discussed a range of contemporary healthcare issues with undergraduate, graduate and doctoral students. Scholars met with policymakers and thought leaders, networked with peers and guest speakers, and shared their own ideas and experiences.

鈥淭he conference taught me the importance of staying compassionate and humble while keeping your confidence,鈥� Camacho said.

With a minor in psychology, Camacho said she hopes to build a career in public health policy.

鈥淚 want to go back to my island and help my people,鈥� she said. 鈥淲e need to combat obesity, preventable diseases,聽and addiction, and to provide safe spaces for youth that are encountering mental health issues.鈥�

She鈥檚 considering starting a nonprofit that would provide holistic health for indigenous people, such as nutrition education.

鈥淚t is hard in the islands,鈥� Camacho said. 鈥淧eople vacation where we live, but they don鈥檛 see deeper into the poverty and struggle that are part of the community.鈥�

She served as AS91传媒鈥檚 Director for Political Affairs in 2018-19, and learned about the policies that shape the region, as well as the university community. This year, she鈥檚 the AS91传媒 Director for Diversity and Equity, representing minority groups on campus.

鈥淚鈥檓 narrowing down what I鈥檓 passionate about,鈥� Camacho said. 鈥淚 enjoyed working to find solutions to issues, and encouraging students to engage in politics because it affects us all.鈥�

From her first experience living in a two-story building, to finding mentors on campus, Camacho has built a vision of her future during the last couple of years at 91传媒. She said staff in TRIO and Student Affairs provided advice and support that kept her committed to her education.

鈥淧eople from 91传媒 have really helped me grow as an individual and form how I want my life to look five years from now,鈥� she said.

Looking forward, Camacho said she feels prepared for the challenge of bringing healthcare services to some of the most isolated communities in the Northern Mariana Islands.

鈥淗ealthcare providers put themselves through so much work and sacrifice to keep giving back and that鈥檚 beautiful to me,鈥� she said. 鈥淭he world is hard enough, we need to come together to make it better for everyone.鈥�

Last year alone, 27 students benefited from 91传媒 Foundation Crisis Awards. The funds support online and on-campus students who find themselves in difficult situations, where medical expenses, car trouble or childcare costs could threaten their progress toward earning a degree. These private funds close the gap to keep students on track, and, alongside other student services, support them on the way to timely graduation.

Higher education was never part of Megan Brown鈥檚 plan for her life. Her parents hadn鈥檛 gone to college, and she鈥檇 followed them into the working world right after high school. But after seven years of working double-shifts as a waitress to support her young son, Brown decided to make a change.

鈥淚 got fed up and quit one day,鈥� she said.

Brown did odd jobs and worked harvest for a year, but after being turned down for more professional positions because she didn鈥檛 have a degree, she enrolled at 91传媒.

Now in her senior year, Brown is determined to complete her business degree a year early and graduate in June 2020. She hopes a minor in communication and concentrations in marketing and management will equip her to promote athletics teams or work in a sports information office.

A little over a year ago, Brown鈥檚 dream was almost derailed. She was three terms into her education as a first-generation student, working two jobs and attending classes full-time.

鈥淭hings got really tight,鈥� she said. 鈥淢y son has health issues, including asthma and allergies, and I鈥檇 been trying to make every penny stretch. I have a lot of pride. I鈥檝e worked since I was 15, I moved out on my own at 17. It鈥檚 really hard for me to ask for help.鈥�

Brown talked to Scholarship Coordinator Danny Bailey, who told her about Crisis Awards from the 91传媒 Foundation.

鈥淚 wrote my letter, and I didn鈥檛 expect anything,鈥� she said, but hardship funds opened her eyes to the generosity of the 91传媒 community. 鈥淚t showed me that people are out there to help, and they recognize that things happen. It鈥檚 really nice to know that there are people who want to help. I would love to thank that donor, to say how much it helped my family.鈥�

At 33, Brown is a non-traditional on-campus student, and she hopes to bridge the gap for single parents and older students who need some inspiration. She鈥檚 getting her career jump-started as sports information director鈥檚 intern this year at 91传媒.

鈥淚 never saw myself going to college, especially in my 30s,鈥� she said. 鈥淕etting the Crisis Award has kept me on track, and I hope that one day I can be in a financial situation where I could help someone like me.鈥�

More than 2,000 miles separated Tanisha Willis from her family in Fort Benning, Georgia when she moved to La Grande in 2017.

She鈥檇 spent about two years in Texas, working and taking classes full-time. Eventually the strain of 80-hour weeks became too much and her mental health suffered. After a brief return home, Willis followed her partner to 91传媒 and enrolled as a junior, bringing credits from four prior institutions.

After stints in the medical field and other careers, Willis found inspiration in 91传媒鈥檚 art facilities and embraced her passion for creating.

鈥淚鈥檝e always loved art, but my family didn鈥檛 want me to become a 鈥榮tarving artist,鈥欌�� she said. 鈥淎rt 101 was a turning point for me. It got me thinking about art in a different way and really opened my eyes to contemporary art.鈥�

For a class project, she made a cardboard box with an infinity mirror in it to communicate big ideas about modern issues.

鈥淚t was the most ambitious thing I鈥檇 attempted and I was really impressed with what I was able to create,鈥� Willis said.

Meanwhile, though, her relationship and mental health were deteriorating. Willis reached out to Mike Williams in the TRIO Student Support Services office, and he connected her with emergency housing in the residence halls, as well as counseling services.

Williams also referred her to Financial Aid staff to learn more about her eligibility for a Crisis Award. When the relationship broke down and Willis lost her housing, she also lost some of her belongings.

鈥淚 had one blanket and a pillow when I moved to the residence hall,鈥� she said. 鈥淚 used the Crisis Award for a comforter, groceries, towels and soap. It made me feel good that there was someone I could go to for help getting those items that make you feel human.鈥�

As president of the Gender and Sexuality Resource Center and Vice President of Art Club, Willis said she tries to do her part to create inclusive, welcoming communities on campus.

鈥淎s a student of color, it鈥檚 hard to accept that if you want to affect change you have to be brave enough to participate, to put your foot in and go to those places you feel out of place,鈥� she said. 鈥淏ut nothing would鈥檝e changed if I had just stayed home all the time.鈥�

She鈥檚 set her focus on print media and plans to graduate in March 2020. Coming from metropolitan areas in the opposite corner of the country, Willis said she鈥檚 become more open to rural communities during her time at 91传媒.

鈥淭he world we live in is a harsh one, I don鈥檛 think we should make it worse,鈥� she said. 鈥淚t鈥檚 important to be kind and help one another.鈥�

Learn more about how you can support students at eou.edu/foundation today!

Adjunct vocal instructor Jamie Jacobson walked 500 miles over 40 days this summer, following the ancient through northern Spain. She said the physical, mental and spiritual challenges and triumphs of the camino equipped her to better guide aspiring musicians. Learn more about her experience on Facebook.

5 things I鈥檓 bringing with me

1. Fear: of the unknown and unplanned (like not having a bed, unsavory characters, and injury). I don’t want fear to keep me tied up in my life, but I cannot deny its existence. So I will lean in to what’s uncomfortable while relying on my common sense to keep me safe.
2. Gear: limited and cultivated gear that weighs 14 pounds in a bright red pack that feels like it was made for me! I have two sets of clothing, three pairs of socks, foot care, shower products, guidebook, journal, water bottles, hiking poles, sandals, a sleeping bag liner, travel pillow and a stone from home to leave along the path at the .
3. My village: my family and friends who support this endeavor are coming with me both in my heart and as represented by a scallop shell I will carry on my pack. I couldn’t do this without the support of my village, especially my husband Sam and my son Ethan.
4. An open heart: I鈥檓 ready for whatever lessons the camino has to offer while I’m on this journey. I am ready to meet new people from all walks and areas of life, endure physical pain and emotional and mental struggles as I push my body and mind to new heights.
5. My trusty adventure hat and tons of sunscreen: it’s the middle of summer in Spain and there鈥檚 a heatwave all over Europe. I’ll need my wide brim hat to help keep me cool and protected from the sun. I’m going to use a sunscreen stick to avoid coming home with just one half of my body kissed by the sun from only walking westward.

5 things I鈥檓 bringing home

1. Understanding of the importance of human connection, and the knowledge that every interaction is impactful no matter how brief. Sometimes goodbye means see you later and sometimes see you later means goodbye.
2. The idea that we cannot teach or be taught. We can only put ourselves (and our students) in situations to allow for learning. I was taught to count to at least 10 in every language I encountered.
3. An ingrained knowledge of what 31*C and 28k feel like without needing to convert them.
4. Grounded confidence in myself and a new understanding of fear.
5. The ability to wash my clothes, hair and body with only one bar of soap in a cold shower that is just big enough to turn around in.

Photos, stories and videos posted online keep alumni and community members connected to the university, while reaching new and prospective students with an authentic picture of life on campus. Over the last several years 91传媒 has upped its social media efforts on all platforms, and a new internship position boosted its standing even further.

By December 2018, 91传媒 outpaced all other regional and technical universities in Oregon with the fastest growing fanbase on Facebook and Instagram. Engagement with followers also reached a new high last fall, according to site analytics.

A significant part of this growth comes from the work of and student Berenice Chavez, who served as social media intern for admissions throughout 2018-19. Her photos and posts capture campus life from a student perspective and engage alumni, students and stakeholders in university culture.

A first-generation student, Chavez鈥檚 focus on photography as an art form dovetails with an interest in documenting civilizations and customs.

鈥淢y dream is to be a photojournalist, where I could document people and their stories in photos,鈥� Chavez said. 鈥淭his internship has given me a whole new way to apply art in modern media.鈥�

Chavez has introduced a series of 鈥淧eople of 91传媒鈥� posts that feature authentic stories from students. She said she takes the responsibility seriously, and seeks to balance the weightiness of academia with the lighthearted world of emojis and 鈥渓ikes.鈥�

鈥淚t鈥檚 a lot of pressure to represent an institution and capture that in an image,鈥� she said. 鈥淚 play a big part because of how many people view my photos, or interact with the polls and questions I post.鈥�

Her inaugural post on quickly became the most-liked photo 91传媒 has ever posted on platform. Since then, she鈥檚 combined her creative approach with distinct strategy and goals.

鈥淭his is totally setting me up for success,鈥� she said. 鈥淣ow I can see myself being able to do this for another institution because I could show them the increased engagement and followers we鈥檝e gotten this year.鈥�

Chavez plans to complete her art capstone this spring, and wrap up her anthropology capstone next year. She said her experience as an intern has improved her confidence and enthusiasm to collaborate with a team.

鈥淲henever you do something new, you鈥檙e going to be scared and there are going to be challenges, but you have to just do your best,鈥� Chavez said.

Follow us!

Nancy Knowles, an 91传媒 English professor, has coordinated the event since 2005, and said about 150 students in grades 3 to 12 attend the event with their teachers or parents. Students choose from a range of age-appropriate workshops, then revise and edit their work before sharing at the Open Mic session.

鈥淭he goal is to make it fun,鈥� Knowles said. 鈥淲riting in school is often more about assessment than the student鈥檚 individual voice, but every time we write we鈥檙e expressing ourselves.鈥�

She said if students view writing as pleasurable they鈥檙e more likely to succeed in exams and required assignments throughout their education. In fact, she鈥檚 had multiple alumni of the Student Writers鈥� Workshop enroll in her 91传媒 classes later in life.

Knowles volunteers her time to write grants and organize the day-long event, but said she hopes the positive experience influences attendees to pursue higher education at 91传媒.

Groups bus in to campus from places like Monument, Prairie City and Milton-Freewater for half-a-dozen lower level and three upper level workshops led by teachers. 91传媒 student-teachers, those enrolled in the College of Education and in their final stage before graduating to classrooms of their own, often run three or four workshops at the event.

鈥淚t鈥檚 a great opportunity,鈥� Knowles said. 鈥淭hey get to run the same

Nancy Knowles, 91传媒 English Professor

lesson four times and tweak it, testing it with different kids.鈥�

Knowles recalled a favorite workshop where the teacher used a parachute, industrial fans, and fishbowl on an overhead projector to create an underwater experience for upper-level writers. She said the closing session remains the best part of the day, though.

鈥淭he Open Mic is always amazing,鈥� she said. 鈥淵ou see these kids, in the course of a day, go from unsure to 鈥業 have something to say,鈥� and they鈥檙e standing there on stage in McKenzie with a microphone.鈥�

She said she plans to develop an online anthology chronicling the students鈥� work, but she鈥檚 most passionate about fostering connections among young writers as they find their unique voices.

Get Writing!

Draw a map of a favorite place. Label key features. Choose one of the key features, and write a story about something that happened there or that might happen there.

The iconic Grand Staircase at 91传媒 has touched generations of students and community members as a link between campus and downtown La Grande.

Anne (Hanford) Olson remembers when graduation and Evensong took place on the steps. As the ceremony concluded, graduates carried their lit candles (the light of knowledge) out into the community. Today, the staircase is on the National Register of Historic Places but has fallen into disrepair. The includes funding for its restoration and historic preservation, which is currently before the Legislature for consideration.

Olson and her younger sister Marcia (Hanford) Loney, 鈥�73, grew up at the base of the Grand Staircase, climbing it each day to attend Ackerman Elementary School. Although their interest began on a personal note, Loney said her passion for the project has become a point of regional pride.

鈥淲e need to identify it as the architectural treasure that it is,鈥� she said. 鈥淲hen I started writing about the staircase, it was based solely on nostalgia and sentimentality, but with research it became apparent that there weren鈥檛 very many staircases like this.鈥�

Loney and her sister got involved with restoration efforts about five years ago and have partnered with , the , the , the 91传媒 Foundation and the to continue building awareness and funds. Private donations to the 91传媒 Foundation鈥檚 staircase renovation fund are designated toward restoration efforts, and will assist in returning the Grand Staircase to its original glory.

Support from the university and the 91传媒 Foundation, as well as research by Loney, recently culminated in the installation of interpretive signs at the top and bottom of the staircase. Loney said the illustrated stories create a sense of place, and her sister echoed the feeling.

鈥淭he signs are important because they declare that this place is important,鈥� Olson said. 鈥淭hey鈥檙e a symbol of the value of this public place, and that it鈥檚 worth preserving.鈥�

The cultural and historical significance of restoring the Grand Staircase combines with its very practical uses, she said. It was and could again be a connector 鈥� symbolically and logistically 鈥� between campus and town.

鈥淓verybody has a story attached to it that鈥檚 significant to them,鈥� Loney said. 鈥淚t holds significance to the community as well as the campus. I鈥檓 always surprised at how many people said they鈥檇 just go and sit there.鈥�

Generations of La Grande children walked it every morning on their way to school. Olson and Loney were among them, and developed a curiosity about it then.

鈥淚 remember looking up the street, seeing the staircase and asking my mother what that was because it was so different from the other things I had seen,鈥� Olson said. 鈥淓ven as a small child, I knew on an intuitive level how amazing it was.鈥�

Learn more about the Grand Staircase, plans for restoration聽and its status in the state legislature for funding at savethegrandstaircase.org

Tyana Musrasrik, ’18

New advocate gives sexual assault survivors options

Privilege means more than special treatment for Tyana Musrasrik, 鈥�18. In her new role as Privileged Campus Advocate at 91传媒, it signifies her ability to provide resources and services while keeping information confidential.

Musrasrik, who earned her degree in social welfare, has an on-campus office, but technically works for , a domestic violence and sexual assault organization in Island City. She was an intern at the nonprofit last spring before applying for the full-time, grant-funded position.

Since starting the job last summer, she has spent most of her time raising awareness among student, faculty and staff.

鈥淚 want students, staff and faculty to know about and use these services, especially students because they鈥檙e often the most vulnerable population,鈥� she said.

Colleen Dunne-Cascio, Title IX Coordinator at 91传媒, worked with Shelter from the Storm to secure funding from the Oregon Crime Victim and Survivor Services Division. The grant requires applicant institutions to partner with organizations that have a history of effective work concerning domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault and stalking.

Those who have been impacted by abuse can connect with the PCA and access services without the pressure of mandatory reporting or investigation. The PCA is a resource for students and employees to access without involving the Title IX Coordinator, who is required to report incidents and pursue investigations to their resolution. 91传媒 joins many colleges across Oregon that have already initiated or will be initiating this program to close gaps and remove barriers to services.

鈥淭his position closes the gap,鈥� Dunne-Cascio said. 鈥淎ll 91传媒 staff and faculty members are considered 鈥楻esponsible Employees鈥� and must report to Title IX, but sometimes survivors prefer a different first step.鈥�

Musrasrik said the Title IX process can re-traumatize people and the results are often disappointing, especially when survivors aren鈥檛 clear on the extent of investigations required.

鈥淓mployees can refer students to me first so they can make an informed decision about when and whether to report through Title IX or access these resources confidentially,鈥� she said.

Students and employees have access to safety planning, emotional support, emergency shelter, information and referrals, assistance with protective orders, escort to court or law enforcement interviews, transportation, gas vouchers, food boxes, clothing, legal representation, art therapy, 24-hour hotline and transitional housing.

Originally from the Micronesian island of , Musrasrik now considers Oregon her home. Starting the program from scratch has meant adapting existing practices to 91传媒鈥檚 rural environment.

鈥淚 can go to court or on-campus hearings with them, bring a detective here to my office, transport them to medical appointments, complete restraining orders right here,鈥� she said. 鈥淚t鈥檚 all in one place through one person so they don鈥檛 have to re-tell their story to strangers over and over again in places that can be intimidating.鈥�

For more information and resources, contact Shelter from the Storm at 541-963-7226 or their crisis hotline at 541-963-9261.

The Carl and Sandra Ellston Ars Poetica Literary Lecture Series invites professional writers to visit campus in La Grande each term, where they read from published work, answer questions, and collaborate with students.

Mason was a dean and professor of English at 91传媒, and she and her late husband participated in a range of cultural events.

鈥淥ne of my major joys was to recognize and celebrate the way in which 91传媒 is the cultural center of the region,鈥� she said. 鈥淚 thought it would be nice to have our name attached to an experience like that for students and the community.鈥�

Now retired, Mason has published four books since 2011 including the well-received novel 鈥淭he Lighthouse Ghost of Yaquina Bay,鈥� and she has two more in the works. She has met Toni Morrison, Seamus Heaney, multiple Poet Laureates and other well-known writers who inspired her to keep honing her craft.

鈥淥ver my own lifetime, some of the things that made a lasting impression on me were poets and writers reading their own work,鈥� she said.

Her gift to the Foundation established an endowment that provides ongoing funding to keep writers coming to 91传媒 for generations, passing on the experience that meant so much to her.

鈥淗ow great to bring in working writers to share the details of their craft, as well as the fruits of their labor,鈥� she said.

Mason reflected on her own experience entering the field during great upheaval of traditional literary criticism and the canon itself.

鈥淲hen I was a student, especially as I became a grad student, the discipline of English was starting to blow apart,鈥� she said. 鈥淎s we became professors, the curriculum changed to be more inclusive first of women and then people of color. It was a sea-change of the whole degree program.鈥�

Mason stays engaged with literature and writing programs on Oregon鈥檚 central coast. She鈥檚 been running a writers鈥� group for about a decade, and served as president of the nonprofit Writers on the Edge. Mason organized and hosted a region-wide conference called The Northwest Poets’ Concord for six years, and she co-founded Turnstone Books of Oregon, which publishes volumes by Oregon writers.

鈥淚 endowed the Ars Poetica series to ensure that students could experience writers 鈥榦ff the page,鈥欌�� Mason said.,鈥�…reading their own work and discussing the creative process.鈥�

91传媒鈥檚 all-time winningest coach and the said she鈥檚 driven by a fear of failure more than a love for trophies. That humility grounds Weissenfluh, who said she鈥檚 grateful for the many supportive coaches and staff members in the athletics department.

鈥淭here are new challenges and rewards every day,鈥� she said. 鈥淚t鈥檚 result-driven, which adds pressure, but you get to see the outcome right away.鈥�

Almost two decades as a coach and five years as Athletic Director haven鈥檛 dulled Weissenfluh鈥檚 passion for the game or the students she gets to know each season.

At the helm of more than 50 coaches and staff members in the department, Weissenfluh said the group is united by a competitive spirit and a willingness to pitch in.

鈥淚t鈥檚 not just me running the show, we have a good team,鈥� she said. 鈥淓veryone helps, coaches, administrative staff, assistants, everyone steps up and fills the gaps. There鈥檚 no way you could balance coaching and being an A.D. otherwise.鈥�

She said the balance is a tricky one, but her win percentage has increased since taking on the leadership role in addition to coaching. Kaki McLean Morehead, 91传媒鈥檚 head volleyball coach since 2007, has worked with Weissenfluh throughout her long tenure and said she appreciates having a leader who is also a teammate.

鈥淪he understands the demands of coaching and what it takes to be successful,鈥� McLean Morehead said. 鈥淚n her time at Eastern, she truly has done a great job of getting the athletic department all on the same page.鈥�

Weissenfluh鈥檚 philosophy as a coach all comes back to trusting relationships and high expectations.

鈥淜ids don鈥檛 care how much I know about basketball until they know how much I care about them,鈥� Weissenfluh said. 鈥淚鈥檓 not an easy coach. I push our team and individuals, and I constantly want to get better, but they know where it鈥檚 coming from.鈥�

Weissenfluh was a four-year starter for the women鈥檚 basketball team, and coached the first Mountaineer softball team for 11 seasons. Her own legacy mingles with the university鈥檚 as both grow in national acclaim.

鈥�91传媒 has always made a strong commitment to athletics,鈥� she said. 鈥淚鈥檓 grateful the university recognizes the value athletics brings to the community and the vitality it brings to campus.鈥�

Student-athletes are retained at a higher rate than the general student population on campus, and athletics encourage a sense of pride that forms the foundation of school spirit.

Weissenfluh said she鈥檚 proud of recent investments in campus facilities. The new stadium turf and competition track promise expanded capacity for athletes and spectators alike.

Weissenfluh said increasing funding for scholarships, programs, staff and facilities are creating more opportunities for students to be part of 91传媒, and the new indoor fieldhouse widens possibilities even further. The planned structure will house an indoor track, climbing wall, lab and classroom space, as well as training rooms.

The Oregon legislature approved $9 million toward the project. While additional funds are needed, construction is set to begin in 2020. External events like trade shows and concerts could make use of the large gathering space, as well as athletic tournaments and 91传媒 varsity teams.

But Weissenfluh still has a soft spot for the arena she鈥檚 spent most of her life in.

鈥淭here鈥檚 nowhere I鈥檇 rather be than Quinn Coliseum,鈥� she said. 鈥淚鈥檝e been walking into that building for 30 years. It鈥檚 been my home.鈥�

And throughout those years, she鈥檚 opened her home to colleagues, community members and students. She鈥檚 developed an atmosphere that instills what she calls 鈥渢he intangibles鈥� 鈥� the values and principles that athletics impart to every person who comes in contact with the community Weissenfluh has built.

Season to season, her team is a winning one.

WINNING STATISTICS

Win-Loss record: 437-149

Win percentage: .746

15 seasons of 20+ wins

11 appearances in the national tournament

11 CCC regular season titles

6 conference tournament championships

First head coach in program history to earn 100th career victory

Best season in program history with a 33-3 overall record (2012-13), and first team in CCC history to accomplish the feat

First NAIA Division II Women鈥檚 Basketball National Championships victory

10 NAIA All-Americans

4 CCC Player of the Year honorees

23 All-Conference selections

School record holder for steals (227)