鈥淚 give to the 91传媒 Foundation because the University has been a part of my life for forty plus years. I enjoy the opportunity to give back to 91传媒, which has done so much for our community. As an alumni of 91传媒, and having family members attending the university, this makes for an easy decision.鈥�

鈥� Jessy Watson, ’21, 91传媒 Head Men’s Soccer Coach

“A few years back, a former 91传媒 president said ‘no matter how small your gift, it’s important to give back and leave it better than you found it’ and that really resonated with me. I can’t imagine what my life would be like without 91传媒. My dad went to college here; my daughter is now a third-generation Mountaineer. I started kindergarten in Ackerman Hall and learned to swim in Quinn. Eastern is woven into the fabrics of my family history and I will always support 91传媒 to help make it better for the future.”

鈥� LeeAnn Case, MBA ’18, Associate Vice President of Finance and Administration

“We give to the 91传媒 Foundation because of all the ways that Eastern blesses our family, community, and region through educational opportunities, athletic and cultural events, and sharing facilities and resources”

鈥� Tim & Linda Gleeson, 91传媒 Foundation Trustees

鈥淚 give to the 91传媒 foundation because I love the impact our university has within our community and contributing to sustaining the future of that relationship is important to me as a local.”

鈥� Amanda May, ’10, Alumni Association Vice President

“I give to the Foundation because I believe in the work we do at 91传媒. I am passionate about my students and about the programs we offer. Giving to the Foundation is one way I can help students access higher education through scholarships and emergency funding.

鈥� Dr. Karyn Gomez, Professor, College of Education

The post Mounties, Alumni, and Friends show their support for 91传媒 appeared first on 91传媒 .

Michelle Mudder, 鈥�14, Assistant Director of Annual Giving & Alumni Engagement

Q: What鈥檚 something you are working on that you鈥檙e excited about?

A: Growing our Alumni social media presence and continuing to build our alumni community. I鈥檓 also excited about planning the 2022 Homecoming!

Q: How has 91传媒 changed since you were a student? What has stayed the same?

A: The biggest change at 91传媒 since I was a student has been the turf field at Community Stadium. As a former 91传媒 soccer player, I鈥檓 so happy to see that addition. It鈥檚 great to see upgrades to buildings on campus too. What has stayed the same is how supportive the professors, faculty, coaches and staff are on-campus and how they want their students to succeed.

Q: What impact does your work have on students?

A: Annual giving directly impacts students through scholarships and support for clubs, events, athletics and academic programs. On the other side, alumni engagement connects students to alumni for mentorship, advice and finding belonging within the 91传媒 community.

Suzannah Moore Hemann, 鈥�08, 鈥�09, 鈥�10, Assistant Director of Scholarships & Stewardship

Q: What鈥檚 something you are working on that you鈥檙e excited about?

A: We鈥檙e reviewing applications to award scholarships for 2022-2023, and it is truly inspiring to glimpse into the educational and career aspirations of the upcoming generation of graduates. It is amazing to see how many donors support these students through scholarships.

Q: How has 91传媒 changed since you were a student? What has stayed the same?

A: While the historic architecture and beauty of the natural surroundings continue, it鈥檚 remarkable how much has changed since I was a student. There is an ever-growing expansion to the programs offered to really help leverage recruitment of diverse individuals who have multitudes of interests.

Q: What impact does your work have on students?

A: Our work directly impacts students every day, but they may never see us! Not only does our work help with more tangible things, such as increasing scholarship opportunities, but it also develops avenues for internships and making connections that may not have otherwise been as readily accessible.

The post Welcome Home Mounties appeared first on 91传媒 .

Doctor Abio Ayeliya, ’08, was selected by the 91传媒 Alumni Association as the 2022 Distinguished Alumni for his work helping others and he continues to affect change years after his graduation from 91传媒.

The young man, who once went to a school without electricity or water, slept in the school he was attending, and had to scavenge for food he cooked over a fire, has come a long way. Ayeliya holds a bachelor’s degree in business administration from 91传媒, and a Master鈥檚 in Public Administration (MPA) from The University of Utah. He is also the Executive Director and founder of Sabu Help International, a nonprofit organization focused on eliminating poverty and transforming lives through microloans, training and education in Africa.

In 2007, while Ayeliya was a student at 91传媒 a flood hit his village in Ghana, Africa. As a senior, Ayeliya decided his capstone project would be to fundraise to make a difference in the lives of those affected back home. The community of La Grande responded to his call to action with clothes and donations. The high cost of shipping delayed those donations until a local church stepped in.

鈥淚t was going to cost $7,000 to ship (the donations) home,鈥� Ayeliya recalled. Instead Ayeliya made a deal with the church and traded the donations for cash. 鈥淚t was a temporary solution and I was looking for something permanent.鈥�

Ayeliya feels indebted to the La Grande community members who helped him establish his charity. They raised money and helped teach his village to be self-sufficient to “mulitply and give a them a lifetime of sustainability, not just clothing or shoes that will last less than a year.” The funding raised was the seed of his microloans project.

“Growing up, there were times there was never food in the house; I was always hungry,” Ayeliya recalled. “Having the opportunity to come here to get the education, I was empowered to change my situation. I could change my family’s dynamics. But, I didn’t want to just change my home, I wanted to change the community.”

Ayeliya鈥檚 opportunity for education came after Izaak Edvalson, a Peace Corps worker from La Grande, met him in Ghana. Eventually Edvalson would raise funds to send Ayeliya to an academy in Ghana that prepared him for his education at 91传媒.

鈥淎merican education is designed to teach people to think critically about issues; it鈥檚 not just memorizing or following the majority. Education gives you a way to think for yourself.”

“91传媒 is my second home. This was a community that gave me a sense of belonging, purpose, and a sense of empowerment to make me think critically. And because of this, I need to give it to other generations,” Ayeliya said.

When asked how he measures success, Ayeliya recalls a story about his father in Africa. 鈥淢y dad has always been an example of putting people first,鈥� Ayeliya said. He remembers when a man from a neighboring village came looking for a chicken to feed a sick child and his father gave the man the family鈥檚 last chicken. 鈥淚t comes back to you,鈥� Ayelia said.

鈥淚t鈥檚 not the material things that make you successful,鈥� Ayeliya said. 鈥淚 am happy where I am, I am happy I am able to help people and feel a sense of purpose in society. I believe God created us for a reason. If there was no reason for you, why would God have created you?鈥�

I look at my family, my children, my brothers and sisters back home, and they don’t miss their meals. The clients we are supporting are able to go to college,” Ayeliya said. “That is the level of standard for life; I consider that a success.”

Ayeliya, who is still at the head of Sabu Help International, speaks passionately about empowering individuals and communities, from microloans to providing goats to make sure new families have milk, to supporting exceptional students from year one to graduation.

鈥淚 was the only one in my village to have earned a college degree, and also a master’s degree. I think with that, people will call for help with initiatives. The government alone can not provide that.鈥� Ayeliya said.

The founder of Sabu Help International said he has been conditioned to look inside himself to be the change.

鈥淚 create tools to help people help themselves,鈥� Ayeliya, an ambassador for change, said. 鈥淲e all have a sense of responsibility, if they can they should help us to raise the resources, stand up and help.鈥�

Ayeliya said he remains grateful to the community of La Grande. 鈥淚 want to express appreciation to the people who continue to support this organization in the city of La Grande and Portland areas, and across the state. They open up to share with others in need. But, I cannot do it by myself, it takes a village,鈥� Ayeliya said. 鈥淚 wouldn’t be where I am today without Izaak, without the La Grande community and without 91传媒. I love Eastern. It is like my home, it is my spirit. Eastern is in the heart of me and I really want to express that.鈥�

The post An Ambassador for Change appeared first on 91传媒 .

After graduating from Eastern Oregon College cum laude in 1969 the 91传媒 guitar and banjo instructor was hired in 1973 to teach music. Eastern Oregon State College would not change its name until 1997 when it became 91传媒. At that time the state of Oregon required education majors to learn to play an instrument.

Sitting in a nondescript office in Loso Hall on the 91传媒 campus, with pegboard for walls, Boyer is surrounded by sheets of music and guitar cases. An analog clock ticks away above his head. Hanging to the left is a proclamation ceremoniously presented to Boyer during an 91传媒 Board of Trustees meeting in 2022, celebrating a man who has dedicated his life to teaching music.

Boyer said he didn鈥檛 think about his footprint for a long time.

鈥淚 guess at this point, looking back,鈥� Boyer said, 鈥� it feels like I鈥檝e thrown a big rock out into the water and the waves have rippled out in all directions.鈥�

Boyer smiles broadly and appears modest about his life鈥檚 work. When encouraged, he admits he has created a musical community he could not have fathomed after 4,000 91传媒 students.

鈥淚 do feel a sense of accomplishment, and it is becoming more apparent as I meet more and more people I had as students, who express they still enjoy music and still play,鈥� Boyer said. 鈥淚t makes me feel like I wasn’t just here spinning my wheels.鈥�

The Power of Music

Boyer said former students will occasionally reach out to him. In fact, he tells a story about a student who contacted him using social media. The student asked, 鈥淎re you the Duane who taught guitar at 91传媒?鈥�

The student, who took guitar lessons the first year Boyer taught, said he had always wanted to thank him.

鈥淚鈥檝e wanted to thank you for years and years; you鈥檝e given me the motivation to keep going,鈥� the former student told him.

Every term a new wave of students comes through the building and Boyer said they are what keeps him going. He knows some students will set the instrument in the closet after the term, but his hope is that some will continue.

鈥淭o watch someone who is learning to play, to see the light come on as they develop the ability to play, is a great feeling,鈥� Boyer said. 鈥淚 thrive on that.鈥�

Boyer said when he first started teaching he had no idea where it was going to lead.

鈥淚鈥檓 still here because I enjoy it. I enjoy working with the students and I鈥檓 two or three years past legitimate retirement age, to say the least,鈥� Boyer jokes.

Boyer believes in the power of music, and is not shy about saying music can help students with other stresses. He encourages students to pick up an instrument, let go of the tension and worry. Put simply by a man with decades of experience, 鈥淚t cleanses the palate.鈥�

Generational Ripple

One of Boyer鈥檚 most successful students is 91传媒 alumni Jesse Jones, 鈥�05. Jones earned his masters degree at the University of Oregon, taught at Eastern for a year, and went to Cornell for his doctorate. Today, Jones is an Associate Professor of Composition and Director, Division of Contemporary Music at Oberlin Conservatory in Ohio.

The former Mountaineer has played music around the world.

鈥淭he thing about Duane is he has been a constant in my life and that is rare,鈥� Jones said. 鈥淗e is incredibly generous with his time.鈥�

Jones said Boyer got him interested in music while he was still in high school. Jones, who had broken his arm, asked Boyer to help him learn a few chords, after watching Boyer tutor a friend.

Jones called Boyer his biggest champion. The former student of Boyer鈥檚 said as he gets older he appreciates his former instructor for more than just music.

鈥淪ince I am teaching, a lot of him goes to the next generation, a sort of generational ripple,鈥� Jones said.

King of Loso

Boyer jokes, 鈥淚 thought maybe they would make me king or something if I stayed long enough.鈥� 鈥淟ooking back over 50 years, I want to be remembered for what kind of appreciation for music I developed in [the students]. In particular what it has meant to them, what it has meant to others, from teachers to performers.鈥�

The post The Ripple Effect of a Musical Legacy appeared first on 91传媒 .

Conrad Woodhead, a 2002 91传媒 alum, was looking for a one-of-a-kind experience and found it in remote Alaska.

鈥淚 was in this village, a remote whaling community with a totally subsisting lifestyle. You can look over and actually see the Siberian Mountains. We were looking through the International Date Line. And this was on a whale and walrus hunt!鈥� Woodhead recalled of his first few moments in Gambell, Alaska. 鈥淣ot a lot of people get to experience that and I love it. I have never looked back. I was looking for something completely different and I found it.鈥�

How exactly do you end up going from Canby, Oregon, to an undergraduate student at 91传媒 to a village off the grid, off the North American road network in the Alaskan Bush? While two alumni took very different paths to the Lower Yukon School District, their passion for community resonates in all they do.

Though nearly a decade apart in studies, 91传媒 alumni Woodhead and Samantha 鈥淪ammy鈥� Carlon, ’10, have found camaraderie in Alaska as they reminisce over memories of 91传媒. 鈥淚 grew up in a town of less than 250, my triplets and I were three of thirteen in our graduating class,鈥� Carlon said. 鈥淚 got up to this village and life was so similar to eastern Oregon. Everyone is so caring. Even now, I鈥檒l video-conference with current students of the professors I had. I still feel so connected to 91传媒.鈥� Woodhead reflected on his time at Eastern, 鈥淚 felt connected and supported all the way. Everyone was rooting for me and supporting me.鈥�

After a number of years teaching in different Alaskan villages, Woodhead and Carlon鈥檚 paths crossed at the Lower Yukon School District in an innovative project focused on creative ways to prepare students for all aspects of life.

鈥淔our years ago the Lower Yukon School District invested in a project to help close the gap between what rural and urban students get out of Alaska career and technical education,鈥� Woodhead said. 鈥淢ore than $2 million was invested to convert a hotel into the Kusilvak Career Academy, home of King Tech High Boarding School. We are becoming an example of how school districts are getting creative at providing opportunities for our kids. So far, we鈥檝e secured nearly $10 million in grants since we started.鈥�

At the Kusilvak Career Academy, students learn everything from team building and leadership skills, to acclimating to modern amenities, like ordering from a restaurant menu, navigating traffic and sidewalks, or shopping in a grocery store. Students also gain exposure to skills and careers unknown in their home villages, and vocations they can use to supplement their traditional ways. Things many people take advantage of knowing. 鈥淲e are really teaching kids how to survive in any setting they find themselves in,鈥� Woodhead said. People can survive in the bush, but the skills they learn at this school offer them an opportunity to be successful elsewhere.

鈥淚n La Grande and at Eastern, every single person – faculty, staff, advisors – had that very close investment in each and every single one of its students. Everyone was so great to work with; someone was always willing to help or point you in the right direction,鈥� Carlon said of her time at 91传媒. 鈥淣ow, we have the same opportunity. I have a very unique position where I don鈥檛 teach in a traditional classroom setting. I don鈥檛 administrate by sitting in an office in the traditional sense. I get to do a little bit of everything for these students. I am an educator in the broadest sense. Working with students is how I want to spend my life, helping them learn and grow into their potential.鈥�

Teaching was in both Woodhead鈥檚 and Carlon鈥檚 genetics, as was a sense of adventure. 鈥淢y adoptive grandmother and father became teachers, my sister is a teacher,鈥� said Woodhead. 鈥淚 remember being five or six and telling my uncle, who was a professor at Southern Oregon, how I wanted to be a teacher. I don鈥檛 remember a time in my life when I wanted to do anything else,鈥� recalled Carlon. 鈥淚t might be ironic that we鈥檙e working together, but it鈥檚 not uncommon for 91传媒 and Alaska to draw folks who are looking for an adventure,鈥� Woodhead commented as he and Carlon visited.

Woodhead’s father was one of seven children born in Alaska and put up for adoption. 鈥淓verything about my dad鈥檚 culture, I read in a book. I wanted to come here and experience it firsthand.鈥� While at Eastern, Woodhead was a recipient of the 91传媒 Foundation’s First Citizen Scholarship, and recognized the influence this had on his decision to pave a path from 91传媒 to Alaska. 鈥淲hen Eastern invested in me, it was the push and incentive to finish strong. But, it鈥檚 also the thing that said 鈥榊ou know what, I鈥檓 coming to Alaska because I want to do right by the people who made the investment in me.鈥� It was really what made me know that going back to my family roots was the right path for me. 91传媒 is so good at showing its students support. And now it鈥檚 my turn to pay forward that same support to these students.鈥�

The post Far From Home appeared first on 91传媒 .

Jose de Jesus Melendez went to college at the age of 27 in order to expand his career opportunities. By the time he graduated, education was both the journey and the destination.

Born and raised in a remote village in Mexico with no electricity or services of any kind, Melendez said he was barely literate in his own language when he came to the U.S. He attended first through fourth grade, but those years were constantly interrupted.

鈥淭he teachers assigned to our village were not willing to teach school there,鈥� Melendez said. 鈥淲e would get a young teacher who would stay a couple months and then leave. Then there would be several months before we would get another teacher.鈥�

When he was 15 Melendez came to the U.S. The oldest child in his family, it was his responsibility to join his uncles in California and make money to help support the family in Mexico. He said he worked in the Greater Salinas Valley for many years in the produce industry. By the time he was 24, he was still struggling to master the English language.

鈥淚 started to feel a strong desire to access systems that were obviously English-only systems of employment,鈥� Melendez said.

Melendez said he started focusing on learning English, bought books and was Sesame Street鈥檚 No. 1 fan.

鈥淚 was glued to the TV to learn from that little program,鈥� Melenedz said.

Eventually, learning English wasn鈥檛 enough and Melendez wanted an education. At 27, while living in Southern Oregon, he hurt his back while doing migrant labor work. He wanted to improve his situation and while reflecting on what to do next, he was encouraged to enter a 12-week, on-campus, GED program at the University of Oregon. But there were obstacles.

鈥淲hen I showed up they said the program was for recent high school dropouts who were no older than 20, but I convinced them to let me stay,鈥� Melendez said.

One of his teachers, Donna Wong, had also come to the U.S. as a child and understood the language and culture barriers. She helped him navigate the system and was integral in his success not only earning a GED, he said, but getting him to apply to college. He received a full scholarship to what was then called Southern Oregon State College in Ashland.

Lack of education and cultural differences continued to present challenges for Melendez.

鈥淚 was struggling so much I almost dropped out,鈥� Melendez said. 鈥淚 didn鈥檛 have the background to carry the class load.鈥�

While at Southern Oregon, his counselor helped him get into appropriate academic classes and steered him toward 91传媒 and its bilingual education minor. Melendez jumped at the suggestion, but what he expected to be a program taught in two languages turned out to be an English for Speakers of Other Languages minor. He felt isolated and again considered dropping out of school.

鈥淭he 91传媒 Ambassadors Coordinator, Mindy Morrison, told me, 鈥楴o, you are not leaving, end of story.鈥� She convinced me that going to college was the greatest missed opportunity I would ever have.鈥�

Morrison helped Melendez navigate a system that confused him and pointed him to the Learning Center and tutoring programs.

鈥淚 was their best customer, getting help with science, math, and geography,鈥� Melendez said.

With the transfer and the extra year of classes necessary to teach school, Melendez finished his degree in five years. During his student teaching stint in Ontario, he kept an eye out for a job working with second language learning students. He was hired to teach dual language split kindergarten and first grade classes.

鈥淭hey had a contract for me to sign before I finished student teaching,鈥� Melendez said.

There was a lot of regional interest in my teaching career. Local newspapers covered his first day in the classroom.

Education was no longer the path to a lifelong career for Melendez鈥攊t was the career and a calling as a student and a teacher. He taught elementary school for several years and earned a master鈥檚 degree in curriculum and instruction with emphasis on English Language Learner education.

Wanting to move into administration, Melendez earned another master鈥檚 degree in educational leadership. He became an elementary principal. Still hungry for learning, he went on to earn an Educational Specialist Degree, culminating with his superintendent credentials.

He helped open a new school in Mesa County in Colorado, then returned to the Northwest to serve the Meridian School District outside of Boise. His next stop was Washington state before coming to La Grande last year to head up the school district as its Director of Student Success.

He said the position is to assist families, connect them with community resources and help students be successful in La Grande鈥檚 K12 system.

鈥淥ur initiative is to create a culture of care,鈥� Melendez said. 鈥淲e make sure children are socially and emotionally healthy. We watch carefully and monitor when we include or exclude students and why.鈥�

The other part of his job is coaching the district鈥檚 elementary school principals.

鈥淚 really love that part,鈥� Melendez said. 鈥淲hen I was a school principal I needed coaches, too.鈥�

The successful lifelong learner and educator, Melendez said he had some discouragement along the way, but chose to focus on the positive reinforcement he received.

Melendez said , 鈥淧eople would ask, 鈥榃hy are you struggling here? You could go back to where you came from and you would be way better off.鈥� But I relied on the folks who gave me life and hope because they wanted what was best for me.鈥�

The post A student鈥檚 teacher, and a teacher鈥檚 student appeared first on 91传媒 .

Katy Nesbitt

Somewhere between a miscommunication and the eagerness to start a new career, Lynette Longchamps found herself teaching kindergarten, a job she vowed to never have.

After graduating from 91传媒 with a bachelor;s degree in education Longchamps interviewed for a third grade position in Shoshone, Idaho.

鈥淎fter the interview I was told the job announcement was listed wrong, it was actually for kindergarten,鈥� Longchamps said. 鈥淚 needed to pay off student loans, so I took the job.鈥�

While she said she had the utmost respect for kindergarten teachers, Longchamps didn鈥檛 think she had the patience for the job.

鈥淭hat first day鈥攕taring at 22 faces鈥擨 thought, what did I get myself into? I have to get them ready for first grade in nine months!鈥�

Now in her sixth year, Longchamps wouldn鈥檛 change her position for the world.

鈥淚 love the growth I get to see them go from babies to independence. It’s fantastic to watch the confidence that grows in them,鈥� Longchamps said.

From her earliest memories, Longchamps knew she wanted to teach. She grew up in the northern Nevada town of Battle Mountain and attended Boise State University before transferring to 91传媒 to study English for Speakers of Other Languages and complete the teaching program.

Longchamps said she teaches in a Title 1 school, meaning 40 percent of enrollment or more are from low-income families. Many of the children have no preschool education, so to prepare 20 or more children for first grade with no para-professional help is a tall order, but she has some tried and true methods to keep order and deliver the children鈥檚 lessons.

To get their attention, Longchamps rings a doorbell she wears around her neck.

鈥淎s soon as they hear it, they put their hands on their heads and eyes on me to listen for directions,鈥� Longchamps said.

It takes training to have 20 kids with different rhythms at home work as a cohesive unit.

Longchamps keeps a stack of M&Ms on her desk and feeds her students large doses of compliments and positive feedback.

鈥淧raise is huge for my little people, but treats don鈥檛 hurt!鈥� Longchamps said.

She said teaching young children is all about the little processes.

Longchamps said, 鈥淛ust to teach kids to raise their hands before they talk takes six or seven steps!鈥�

Once her students get into the rhythm of Ms. Longchamps鈥� kindergarten class, they readily adapt.

鈥淭hey love their routine,鈥� Longchamps said. 鈥淚f I miss something, they ask for it.鈥�

Favorite class time activities, Longchamps said, include timed math tests, being the line leader or even better, the line caboose who gets to hold the door as the students walk out to the buses.

The rudimentary lessons of kindergarten are so integral in the preparation for the entire K-12 existence, and Longchamps said she wants to give her students a solid foundation for entering school.

鈥淓veryone remembers their kindergarten teacher,鈥� Longchamps said. 鈥淓very person I ever talked to since I took this job said they remember her name and they always have fond memories. I would like to give that to my kids.鈥�

Her commitment, dedication and passion for her work has not gone unnoticed. In May of 2021, the students, parents and staff at her school recognized her as Teacher of the Year.

Longchamps said her reward as a kindergarten teacher goes beyond the accolades and the progress her students make during their first year in a formal education environment.

鈥淭hey teach me acceptance,鈥� Longchamps said. 鈥淚鈥檝e had some tough students鈥攍ike a table flipper鈥攁nd the other kids take them in with their whole heart and love them with genuine joy.鈥�

Longchamps may not have felt prepared for the busyness of five year-olds, but she said she did feel prepared to face a career as a teacher after graduating from 91传媒.

When she started in Shoshone she was one of four brand new teachers.

鈥淚 knew what the programs in the schools were and that first year I never felt uneasy or had a lot of questions,鈥� Longchamps said.

She even had colleagues tell her she was well-prepared for her first year and said she鈥檚 happy with her decision to go to 91传媒.

鈥淢y professors had a love for education, for kids and for making us the best educators we could be,鈥� Longchamps said.

The post Kindergarten Queen appeared first on 91传媒 .

Room 214 in Inlow Hall is not a classroom, but it鈥檚 where two recent graduates learned critical skills, discovered mentors and applied theoretical knowledge.

Briana Rosenkranz, 鈥�20, and Samantha Wegermann, 鈥�20 and 鈥�21, earned degrees in business from 91传媒, while gaining real-world experience through on-campus jobs and internships with the university鈥檚 marketing team.

After graduation, they both entered Boise鈥檚 rapidly growing start-up market and quickly climbed the ranks. Rosenkranz started as a junior content marketer at Verified First, a human resources technology company. When she was promoted, Wegermann happily filled the vacancy and later became a full-fledged content marketer.

Rosenkranz, now a Partner Marketing Manager, said her year-long role as 91传媒鈥檚 Public Relations Intern filled her portfolio with published press releases and gave her a big-picture perspective on strategic marketing.

鈥淚 had collaborated with multiple stakeholders and worked directly with administrators, plus mentorship to learn about analytical tools,鈥� she said. 鈥淚 was already familiar with using strategic language to align every topic with company goals and presenting progress reports.鈥�

Wegermann, who also served as AS91传媒 President, was a leader in Residence Life and held a student job as a graphic designer for 91传媒. She credits all three extracurriculars with landing her the job.

鈥淚 came into the interview with real projects I had done,鈥� she said. 鈥淲hen I came into this position, they expected me to do graphic design, as well as copywriting. Even though I hadn鈥檛 done that directly, I had been observing marketing team members.鈥�

Marketing courses provided a solid foundation and faculty ensured they had an understanding of the basics, but adapting to the demands of an actual workplace set both alumnae up for early success.

鈥淚n a small community there are so many chances for hands-on experience,鈥� Rosenkranz said. 鈥淲e had those transferable skills and real-world projects coming into the workforce.鈥�

Wegermann discovered flexibility and opportunity from a rural education.

鈥�91传媒 works really hard to ensure there’s a wide range of opportunities. I was hired straight out of my MBA and my supervisor has said I鈥檓 way ahead of where she鈥檇 expect a recent graduate to be,鈥� Wegermann said.

Verified First helps organizations attract and hire high-quality employees more effectively. Rosenkranz hosts an industry podcast and works directly with HR professionals, connecting them with technology and colleagues to improve hiring, workplace environments and employee engagement, while Wegermann creates a range of materials and imagery to support them.

From classrooms, to campus offices, to corporate success, Mountaineers are avid learners in every environment.

The post Every room a classroom appeared first on 91传媒 .

Never losing sight of the meaning of college education, Robert 鈥楤ob鈥� Stubbs was recognized for his lifelong pursuit of a degree with the title of 2021 Honorary Alumnus.

Since the age of 17, Stubbs has had the goal of obtaining a bachelor鈥檚 degree. Now 81 and with his health declining, he finally achieved his dream that was 60 years in the making.

鈥淗is work ethic began as a young child when he started to work at the age of 6 for the family business. Although he went to the Air Force, he always knew the value of an education. Married with children after the Airforce, he was determined to complete his bachelor’s degree,鈥� his daughter Amy Stubbs said.

His deep passion for education was obvious and has translated to his children, all of whom completed bachelor鈥檚 degrees. Amy recognized that the value of education had been prevalent throughout her childhood as she would watch her father drive an hour each way from work in order to continue progress toward a degree.

Following his military service in the U.S. Air Force and National Guard, Stubbs built a career in software development and project management that took his family all over the nation and world. He took classes throughout his career, and after retirement he enrolled at 91传媒 in 2007.

Stubbs was able to earn 30 credits through Agency Sponsored Learning, a program 91传媒 offers non-traditional students who bring a wealth of knowledge from outside the classroom. He took a hiatus, then returned again in 2017-18, but his ailing health caught up with him, and Stubbs had to withdraw from his final terms.

A lifetime of friends and colleagues stepped up to advocate for Stubbs, and succeeded in nominating him as an honorary alumnus. A number of people wrote letters to 91传媒, including his friend Lis茅 Hamilton.

鈥淏ob鈥檚 pursuit of the degree at age 81 and his class performance speaks volumes about his courage and commitment. He has already demonstrated that he possesses the intellectual capacity and drive that would be required to earn the degree,鈥� Hamilton wrote. 鈥淗is decision to withdraw, despite his passionate desire, is yet another hallmark of an individual whose life epitomizes service to others. Equally, his daughter鈥檚 advocacy for this honorary degree, is another indicator of Bob鈥檚 devotion and integrity.鈥�

Amy collaborated with 91传媒 staff to make Stubb鈥檚 goal a reality. This fall, the 91传媒 Alumni Association named him the 2021 Honorary Alumnus.

鈥淓ducation has been a part of my dad鈥檚 lifelong pursuit and the number of college credits completed by him would provide most a bachelor’s degree with many credits over,鈥� she said.

Editor’s note: We are happy to report that Bob is now actively taking classes again at 91传媒 and expects to complete his degree soon!

The post Never give up appeared first on 91传媒 .

Caring professors and coaches made a lasting impact on Wilda Stratton, 鈥�72, and now she鈥檚 determined to pay it forward.

Stratton and her husband Marcus Watt have set up a $2 million estate gift to the 91传媒 Foundation that will benefit women in STEM fields and student-athletes. Adding this legacy to their will ensures a legacy of education and opportunity for rural students.

As a biology student and multi-sport athlete at 91传媒, Stratton built connections with peers and mentors across campus. These relationships kept her on track during a difficult time in her young adulthood

鈥淚 was very adrift because both my parents had passed away and I had to leave our home, but I kept coming back to 91传媒 because I knew the professors,鈥� Stratton said.

State scholarships and a consistent flow of weekend and evening jobs allowed Stratton to stay in school and enter the medical field. She built a career overseeing blood banks and transfusion services for major hospitals. Traveling to inspect facilities, Stratton used her experience at 91传媒 to make friends everywhere.

鈥淭he big thing that stuck with me was the ability to get along with all kinds of people and appreciate their strengths,鈥� she said. 鈥淚n a team sport each person brings something different and you have to respect each other.鈥�

Stratton and Watt are both volleyball players, and 15% of their gift will benefit 91传媒鈥檚 women鈥檚 volleyball team. The other 85% will provide scholarships for women in science, technology, engineering and math, fields like Stratton鈥檚 that have historically been dominated by men.

The process of establishing an endowed estate gift was new to Watt and Stratton, and they found expert help in 91传媒 Foundation staff.

鈥淚 wasn鈥檛 sure what to expect, but a couple of phone calls really solidified those particular desires I had in mind,鈥� Stratton said. 鈥淥nce we started the process, you could focus on it and keep making progress to get it right.鈥�

鈥淚f people are unsure, they should really just call and ask!,鈥� Watt said. 鈥淪taff do this every day, and so often people don鈥檛 realize those resources are there. It can be intimidating to know who to call, but once you start there are resources to guide you. Hesitancy shouldn鈥檛 be a barrier.鈥�

The post A legacy of care appeared first on 91传媒 .

Joan Gilbert, 鈥�90, is stepping outside her comfort zone.

Gilbert, a graphic artist who lives in Enterprise, is seeking to expand her artistic ability while completing a major project that will be three years in the making.

The project, called 鈥淲allowa Lake: 55×55,鈥� will be completed next year and displayed at the Josephy Center for Arts and Culture.

鈥淏asically, I started two years ago with a three-year project (that) by the time I turned 55, I will have done 55 pieces of artwork 鈥� all pertaining to Wallowa Lake,鈥� she said.

That 55th birthday 鈥� and with it, the project鈥檚 deadline 鈥� will arrive in August 2022.

Gilbert, a La Grande native, originally got a degree in economics from 91传媒 and didn鈥檛 seriously consider art until she was prodded by her parents (former 91传媒 President David Gilbert and Carolyn Gilbert) to take an art class. She finally took their advice during her junior year, and then finished the core classes for art at 91传媒 before transferring to Oregon State University to get a degree in graphic design and illustration.

She has turned that into a career as a graphic designer, and has worked with more than 100 businesses since moving to Wallowa County in 2002. She鈥檒l complete watercolor and acrylic paintings of Wallowa Lake, but also expand to less familiar mediums, too.

鈥淧art of the reason I started this project was to give me an excuse to sample all types of media and techniques. I鈥檝e done illustration before, and children鈥檚 book illustration,鈥� she said.

Pastels. Oil. Cold-wax paintings. Wood carvings. Mosaics. Potentially a monochromatic, black-and-white piece.

鈥淚 may even have a bronze in the show, and that is way out of my comfort level,鈥� she said. 鈥淵ou name it, I am going to try to experiment.鈥�

Wallowa Lake serves as the subject for several reasons.

鈥淢y family spent a lot of time up there 鈥� it鈥檚 sentimental,鈥� she said. 鈥淚 spent six years being art director at Wallowology. I learned a lot about the lake and learned how special it is with the moraine and the protections.鈥�

Choosing just one subject for the focal point, she said, was a way to keep her from having to decide which subject to focus on in different mediums.

The pieces won鈥檛 be identical in scope, though. One is a pastel of fireworks over the lake. Another is an icy winter scene painted in watercolor. Yet another has the lake in the background and is focused on a bird nest in the trees.

The bronze piece she hopes to complete 鈥� and currently is in the process of making a clay sculpture of 鈥� is Wally, the Wallowa Lake sea monster.

The high volume of pieces gives her plenty of opportunity to experiment, and will help her work through a fear she carries with her artwork.

鈥淚f I did just three pieces, then I might get over-obsessed with those. I wanted to keep things loose and keep moving forward. If I have a goal of a lot of pieces I keep moving forward,鈥� she said. 鈥淥ne of the things I always knew I had 鈥� and I have to work through it, is sort of the fear of finishing. I tend to overwork things. It could be pretty darn good and I keep noodling with it, and it ruins it.鈥�

To prevent 鈥渘oodling,鈥� when she reaches a point where a piece is close to done, but needs that final, finishing touch, she鈥檒l shelve it for a while, focus on another piece, then return to the incomplete one.

As a result, she is approaching two-thirds of the way through the project, but many pieces are in this limbo stage of close, but not quite done. A year away from her deadline, 18 of the pieces were complete and several others were at about 75% done.

Working on 鈥�55×55鈥� three days a week from her home studio, Gilbert said she may be putting final touches on things the night before the display is set up.

And while her graphic design work has been rewarding 鈥� and could be a fall-back plan 鈥� she is hopeful this step outside of her comfort zone could be successful enough to allow her to become a full-time artist.

鈥淐an I actually start a career from this? That is the big question,鈥� she said. 鈥淚鈥檓 hoping by the end I鈥檒l have fallen in love with a medium and I鈥檒l want to work with that. If I get a gallery representation that would be great.鈥�

The post 55 by 55 appeared first on 91传媒 .

When Wandering Dragon Productions set out to make a horror movie in 2019, founder Amanda Rae Jones, 鈥�01, knew the horror genre and community was ready for something different.

After two years of production and pandemic delays, 鈥淭he Stairs鈥� premiered this summer in select theatres and on digital streaming platforms.

鈥淭his is not a typical horror film,鈥� Jones said. 鈥淓verybody鈥檚 got their ideas of what a horror film is, and this doesn’t fit into any specific categories. It鈥檚 suspenseful and visceral because you feel like you鈥檙e in it. There鈥檚 this really beautiful throughline that centers around relationships and which relationships are important.鈥�

She called it dramatic horror.

Jones鈥� day-to-day in her Seattle office is pretty far from Hollywood drama鈥攈orrifying or otherwise. She left the world of finance to start Wandering Dragon Productions, and her role in the company focuses on the logistical, budgetary and business-minded aspects of filmmaking.

鈥淢aking a movie is much like starting a business,鈥� she said. 鈥淏ut you have 5 to 7 months to get set up and make it happen, rather than 5 to 7 years.鈥�

She put together a pitch to raise money and reviewed the script to ensure the company could afford to cinematize the story they鈥檇 written. They cast well-known actors and shot the movie. Post-production jobs like editing, coloring, sound and scoring happened during the pandemic.

鈥淭hen we held it for six months because of COVID, and then we held it longer so we could release it in summer.鈥�

In January 2021 they decided to enter the festival market rather than keep waiting for theaters to open. 鈥淭he Stairs鈥� was shown in 20 festivals, and to date has won 25 awards.

The path to success, though, is paved with patience.

鈥淲hat you see on the screen in those 94 minutes took us 20 days of filming, six months of writing and pre-production, then a year of post-production,鈥� Jones said. 鈥淚t鈥檚 a long process for an hour and a half.鈥�

She鈥檚 seen a wide range of motivations that keep filmmakers committed to these long-term projects, but Jones does it out of a drive to inspire others to realize their dreams.

鈥淓verybody has their personal reason for getting into movies,鈥� she said. 鈥淔or some it鈥檚 the proximity to glitz and glamor, for some it’s the opportunities to advance and for some it鈥檚 the creative process to make something you had imagined.鈥�

The real magic happens when all of those individual reasons come together. It took more than 200 people and businesses to make 鈥淭he Stairs.鈥� From volunteers handing out coffee, to IT specialists, lawyers and bus drivers, Jones is adamant that it takes all types of people to make a movie.

鈥淔ilm sets are the only working environment I鈥檝e seen where everybody comes from a different walk of life and they鈥檙e working toward a common goal,鈥� she said. 鈥淵ou need music, wardrobe, makeup, people making food or making travel arrangements鈥攖here鈥檚 room for everyone.鈥�

Jones goes a step further to ensure inclusion and equality in every Wandering Dragon Production project. Every movie they make guarantees 50-50 men and women in the crew, with a portion of the proceeds committed to a profit share. Specifically for The Stairs, 30% of the cast and crew were over 65 years old and 60% of employees were self-identified people of color. Additionally, everyone was paid the same day rate.

Jones is acutely aware of the powerful role she plays in owning a media production company, and she wants her movies and film projects to be a beacon of equality and reflect the diversity of the real world.

鈥淵ou don鈥檛 always see that in the film industry, and rarely do you see a woman in charge,鈥� she said. 鈥淥f course you can sit outside of any industry and want change, but you can鈥檛 make systemic change from the outside. You have to go in there and change things if you want it to be different.鈥�

Wandering Dragon Productions has a slate of upcoming movies that will keep Jones busy for another 10 to 15 years. Before she dives into those, they鈥檙e figuring out how to safely navigate the landscape while committing to safety on set during a pandemic and into the future.

The post Stepping up appeared first on 91传媒 .

Garrett Christensen

Home means something different to everyone. Amelia Ettinger, a 2021 MFA graduate, expresses home, or rather how to find home, through poetry in her 2020 collection 鈥淟earning to Love a Western Sky.鈥�

鈥淚t really is looking for home in many ways,鈥� she said. 鈥淚 think that a lot of the collection is a narrator’s voice of looking how to find home when you have been displaced from your original place of birth. It鈥檚 about maturing in a foreign land and how nature becomes a place of solace and renewal for the speaker.鈥�

Ettinger has a master鈥檚 degree in biology and taught Spanish and science at La Grande High School for 26 years. She worked on the collection, 50 poems in total, through 2019, and it was quickly picked up by Arlie Press.

鈥淟earning to Love a Western Sky鈥� tackles themes of belonging and identity in an unfamiliar land along with human relationship to nature. Ettinger explained that the book carries on themes from her first collection, 鈥淪peaking Out of Time,鈥� with a more mature voice and view of the world.

鈥淚 wanted to start with Puerto Rico and then from there move into the internal angst that the displacement makes and into the mature woman,鈥� she said. 鈥淭here are a lot of poems that have to do with life in Eastern Oregon, but throughout all the themes, one thread that you can find is nature. Nature is where the voice in the poems finds redemption from whatever, whether it鈥檚 stress, melancholia, whatever it might be. Nature is the bond that brings the beauty into the voice,鈥� she said.

A notable piece from the collection is 鈥淰ulgarization,鈥� a commentary on the general harshness and divisiveness of modern political discourse. The idea struck while she was mountain biking.

鈥淚 really like what it says. Even though it鈥檚 talking about something so negative, the narrator has hope,鈥� she said.

Arlie Press sent the collection to the 2021 Portland Book Festival, and Ettinger was invited to speak about her work.

鈥淭hey treat you like a celebrity,鈥� she said.

She was interviewed by Erika Stevens alongside another author, Teresa K. Miller, in a block called 鈥淗omelands and Inheritance.鈥�

鈥淸Erika] noticed some particular vocabulary where my science background shows through the poems. She asked me about the diaspora in Puerto Rico, so we discussed that and how does that feel to be gone from the island, particularly now that the island has been going through difficult times. So, that was the thread of home,鈥� Ettinger said.

The festival includes readings and books from other authors, including Louise Erdrich and Rita Dove and concluded with book signings at Powell鈥檚 Books, which was completely packed.

鈥淚t was just very heartwarming to do a book signing with that many people, because the Portland Book Festival brings a lot of readers, not only writers,鈥� she said.

Even as a seasoned author, hearing the experiences and works of other professional writers left an impact on Ettinger.

鈥淵ou get so inspired by the amazing work that so many people are doing. You just don鈥檛 want it to end. You just want to sit there like, 鈥楰eep reading! Keep enlightening me,鈥欌�� she said.

The festival is not just for published authors, though. Ettinger believes that event could be both a learning experience and career opportunity for upcoming student authors.

鈥淓astern Oregon students not only should participate in it hopefully one day, but they should start going and see what it is about and get to hear some amazing presentations,鈥� she said.

Currently, Ettinger has a new poetry collection, 鈥淏etween the eyes of the lizard and the moon,鈥� releasing in fall 2022 along with a new chapter book, 鈥淭hese Hollowed Bones,鈥� though she is still searching for a publisher.

Q&A with Alexander Ortega

Second-year MFA student Alexander Ortega, who attends 91传媒 while based in Salt Lake City, recently had his short story 鈥淎 Real Man鈥� published in the collection 鈥淓vergreen: Grim Tales & Verses from the Gloomy Northwest.鈥�

Q: What is your piece in the 鈥淓vergreen鈥� anthology about?

A: The folkloric Coco Man (his anglicized New Mexican name; El Coco/El Cucuy in Mexico) has kidnapped the narrator, a 10-year-old boy. Yet this is the child abduction that has finally broken the Coco Man, and a boy makes him a deal to get back home. Shifting power dynamics complicate the matter more than either expect.

Q: What inspired you to write the piece?

A: I grew up with my gramita and great-uncles warning me, my brothers, mom, and aunts about the Coco Man. He’s a rhetorical tool to get children to behave or to play/prolong pranks on the entire family when you drive up in the middle of the night, in the tiny, rural town of El Rito! But once, according to my gramita, my great-grandparents got someone鈥攎aybe a neighbor or one of her uncles or something鈥攖o come to their house on or around Christmas, make her and her siblings say Catholic prayers, and insinuate that he鈥檇 take them away in a sack if they misbehaved.

Q: How does it feel to submit your work for publication?

A: As far as the emotional end of the process, it鈥檚 really intimidating at first. You need a cover letter, often a bio, and to follow all the directions of submitting. But I promise, once you do your first one, it gets easier. There鈥檚 a lot of research involved, too. It behooves us to research the publication and the kind of work it publishes, its editorial staff, and the other aesthetic elements that may make work a good match for any given publication. Then, once you submit, you start again.

Q: What was significant about the first work you ever published?

A: The first work I published may best be described as a flash fiction triptych, called 鈥淣ubes,鈥� that was published in 鈥淢oss,鈥� a literary journal of the Pacific Northwest. For me, what鈥檚 significant about this triptych鈥檚 publication is the amalgamation of absurdist fabulism and my Chicano, Hispanic, and Mexican-American roots. Since my maternal grandparents are from Northern New Mexico and my paternal grandparents are from Northern Mexico, my cultural position as, functionally, a third-generation Chicano and third-generation Salt Laker infuses my harebrained premises, but allows me also to navigate what I hope is original imaginary territory.

Q: What are you working on now?

A: I鈥檓 working on the short story/flash collection that will be my thesis! Herein, I鈥檒l continue with my affinity for fabulism. One of the stories that will appear in this collection will be 鈥淕ramita鈥檚 House,鈥� which 鈥淨uarterly West鈥� published last year. You can read it at .

The post Writing Under a Western Sky appeared first on 91传媒 .

We鈥檝e all been there. You show up some where new, and try to find a group where you fit in. As it happens, cattle aren鈥檛 all that different.

鈥淐attle perform a lot better when they鈥檙e in groups with similar cattle鈥攖hose of the same size or frame,鈥� said Emily Folkestad, 鈥�08 and 鈥�11.

She knows from experience. Folkestad has been the Chief Financial Officer at , Oregon鈥檚 largest cattle feeding company, for 10 years.

The company uses new technology to sort cattle into appropriate groups when they鈥檙e received at the feedlot or headed to market. Folkestad said they鈥檙e one of few cattle companies that has invested in individual radio frequency ID tags for each animal in the feedyard. The pricey technology allows Beef Northwest to attend to specific needs and identify trends.

鈥淓verybody thinks of cattle as a herd, but we track each animal as an individual,鈥� Folkestad said. 鈥淲e can track their entire journey: their weight, what they鈥檝e eaten, any vet care including medicine or treatment, all the way to the characteristics of our finished meat products.鈥�

She explained that raising cattle is a low-margin business鈥攍ike most types of agriculture鈥攂ut there鈥檚 increasing demand from consumers and retailers to trace where their food comes from. Plus, the data helps Folkestad鈥檚 team make informed decisions to improve efficiency and quality.

Folkestad works at the company headquarters in North Powder, Oregon, but she grew up in an urban environment.

鈥淲hen it was time to go to school I wanted to get out of the city, so I picked Eastern,鈥� she said. A part-time job at Beef Northwest has become a decades-long career, and Folkestad is in good company. Five other 91传媒 alumni work alongside her: Kathryn Wilson (ne’e Pointer), 鈥�10, Celena Hefner, 鈥�16, Adam Sullivan, 鈥�11, Katelyn Smith (ne’e Hefner), 鈥�11, and Taylor Folkman (ne’e Robinson), 鈥�20. They work in a range of jobs from IT to human resources, to financial analysis.

One of 91传媒鈥檚 newest degree programs, Agricultural Entrepreneurship, acknowledges this diversity of roles in food production businesses. Folkestad said the degree meets a growing need.

Mounties at work

The Beef Northwest headquarters in North Powder, Oregon is flush with 91传媒 alumni, whose degrees range from accounting, to computer science and agriculture!

Kathryn Wilson (ne’e Pointer), ’10
Senior Financial Analyst

Celena Hefner, ’16
Price Risk Management Analys

Adam Sullivan, ’11
Lead Develper, IT

Katelyn Smith (ne’e Hefner), ’11
Cow/Calf Analyst

Taylor Folkman (ne’e Robinson), ’20
HR Coordinator

鈥淎g has a stigma for being disconnected from the modern world, but we have to be fiscally and ecologically sustainable,鈥� she said. 鈥淭here鈥檚 a lot of room for entrepreneurial people to come into ag and treat it like a business or career: I鈥檓 living proof of that.鈥�

Folkestad spent three years riding hunter/jumper horses after high school, and changed her major several times before landing on a Liberal Studies degree. She completed much of her coursework through distance education services, and returned for an MBA in 2011. Eager to give back, Folkestad recently joined the 91传媒 Foundation President鈥檚 Circle with a gift of $1,000.

She said Beef Northwest uses a range of technology for cattle and cattle health. They鈥檝e completed trials with automated heavy equipment, and they use drones to manage surface conditions in pens or measure piles of corn.

The company has grown since Folkestad started as a receptionist. Beef Northwest sources cattle from the Pacific Northwest, cares for them in feedlots in Eastern Oregon and eastern Washington, and provides beef products to retailers across the country. She said they produce about 250,000 cattle each year. Beef Northwest cattle become steaks, roasts and burgers on American dinner plates, while products like tongue, oxtail and liver are exported overseas where they鈥檙e more popular.

From farm to market, Folkestad鈥檚 role offers a peek inside the food system and shines a light on the individual people and animals behind so many meals.

鈥淚t鈥檚 not a typical consumer business,鈥� she said. 鈥淏ut that鈥檚 what makes it fun because it鈥檚 definitely a challenge.鈥�

The post Got Beef? appeared first on 91传媒 .

After 12 years of working in traditional Hopi homelands at the , Sarah Herve, 鈥�03, got to introduce a group of young people from the Indigenous tribe to her own origins in the San Francisco Bay Area.

The trip was part of the summer internship program that Herve founded with fellow park ranger and alumnus Todd (Tatsuya) Hisaichi, 鈥�92. They worked together in northern Arizona implementing education programs for kids and teens in the Petrified Forest National Park. Hisaichi had been wondering for a while about how to better include indigenous groups like the Hopi, Zuni and Dine (Navajo) in the park, and a grant opportunity arose that allowed them to do just that.

鈥淚 thought that we could have a better partnership with Native American tribes, since the park is surrounded by tribes and it鈥檚 an ancestral homeland for many tribes, but we didn鈥檛 have any targeted programs then,鈥� he said.

With $15,000 from the National Park Foundation, he and Herve launched the first Native Conservation Corps (NCC) crew in 2011 with seven Dine teens. The high school students lived in the park, received a stipend, and shared aspects of their culture with visitors during ranger talks. They also pursued job skills in a variety of areas.

鈥淧arks have a wide range of career options: law enforcement, IT, customer service, scientists, it goes on,鈥� Hisaichi said. 鈥淭hey can represent their culture to the public in national parks, so people can have a better understanding of the place they鈥檙e visiting while students develop public speaking skills.鈥�

Participants chose a range of cultural practices to share, from hair and clothing, to ceremonial structures, foods, and storytelling. They introduced themselves in their own languages and using traditional names.

鈥淚t may have been the first time those languages were heard in the park because for a long time it was forbidden,鈥� Hisaichi said.

Herve explained that from the 1880s to the 1920s the U.S. mandated that Native American children attend boarding schools, where they were punished for speaking native languages.

鈥淗earing them introduce themselves in the traditional way, by talking about who their mothers and grandmothers are鈥擨 get chills thinking about it,鈥� Herve said.

Their visit to Herve鈥檚 hometown was also laced with the reverberations of oppression. The group went to and land, a location that carries heavy history for Hopi people.

鈥淧erceptive people noticed the significance of this endeavor,鈥� Hisachi said. 鈥淲hen I went with the Hopi students to Alcatraz, people who were aware of the history were excited to see some justice done.鈥�

He explained that Native American communities were sanctioned for refusing to send their children to boarding schools, and Alcatraz served as a military prison where Hopi elders were held for defying the government mandate.

鈥淭he history is so well-hidden that many Hopi are not even aware of this,鈥� Hisaichi said. 鈥淚t was a chance to explore this history with those students and contemplate the whole history, not a selective or sanitized version.鈥�

鈥淲e鈥檙e not here to just talk about just the happy bits of history,鈥� Herve added. 鈥淚nterpretation is also provocation. We hope to help people connect to these places that have been set aside for future generations in ways that affect them in their hearts and in their gut. Sometimes that can be parts of history that are disgusting or difficult, but have to be shared.鈥�

Visitors seem to agree with her. Upwards of 70 people attended the students鈥� ranger talks when the program hosted a crew at Muir Woods, while others interacted with the NCC at Glen Canyon.

鈥淰isitors found it amazing and were very curious about the program and the kids,鈥� Herve said. 鈥淭here are people in our country who think that all Native Americans live in teepees, and that鈥檚 so incredibly wrong and missing out on so much diversity. Different tribes have their own languages, dances, creation stories, ceremonial costumes鈥攊t鈥檚 rich, and visitors get a lot out of that.鈥�

Although Herve and Hisaichi never crossed paths at 91传媒, they鈥檝e since discovered a myriad of commonalities. Herve earned her degree primarily through distance education courses while she worked at the John Day Fossil Beds. Hisaichi was an international student from Japan, and attended on-campus. He said Mountaineers share a set of values and a level of trust.

鈥�91传媒 attracts certain people,鈥� Hisaichi said. 鈥淚t鈥檚 a special place, and that shows in the people who went there and graduated. 91传媒 is a beacon for people who make a difference in the world.鈥�

鈥淕oing through [distance education] has 100% made me the kind of self-motivated employee that I am for the park service,鈥� Herve said. 鈥淚鈥檓 able to champion things, get things done.鈥�

That attitude brought the NCC to life.

While the first summer program included all Dine students, the following years have integrated young people from different tribes. Hisaichi said he hopes this practice opens lines of communication and encourages friendships among students who wouldn鈥檛 otherwise meet.

Now, Herve and Hisaichi hope to see the program replicated at other parks. 鈥淓very park is the ancestral land of some tribe or tribes,鈥� Hisaichi said. 鈥淓ach tribe is unique, but they share the same challenges to thrive amid the dominant culture.鈥�

Ten years of NCC crews have yielded impressive results. Herve said participants have gone on to study or work in conservation, criminal justice, biology, archeology and other subjects related to their internship experience.

鈥淥ne young person at a time, it starts to have a broader impact,鈥� she said. 鈥淭hey鈥檙e going into professions and bringing [their culture] with them.鈥�

The post Finding their park appeared first on 91传媒 .

When you have a great-grandma (Faye Adams Howell, 鈥�31) and a great-great grandma (Nell Colton Parker Sieg Grant, 鈥�30) who were both among the first students at your alma mater, you know the blue and gold roots run deep.

Faith Nickerson graduated in June 2021, and became the fifth generation of her family to do so.

91传媒 has been part of Nickerson鈥檚 childhood long before she became a student herself. Her mom, Kathy Howell Nickerson, 鈥�92 and 鈥�93, brought Nickerson to campus for bike rides and to walk the family dog, while her grandma, Patti Clarke Howell Stinnett, 鈥�71, brought the kids to on-campus art shows and plays.

Nickerson’s great-grandma, Zona Parker Clarke, 鈥�82, attended first grade in the basement of Inlow Hall while Zona鈥檚 mother took some of the first classes the university offered.

All told, Nickerson was at least the seventh person from her family to graduate from 91传媒. They celebrated with a backyard party after watching the livestream ceremony.

Completing her biology and chemistry requirements through remote learning presented a real challenge, and Nickerson said she鈥檚 been grateful for support from her family. Greater access to in-person labs and research boosted her through the final terms of her degree.

鈥淚t was nice to have that interaction back this year,鈥� she said. 鈥淣ot necessarily how I planned to end my four years of college, but a nice way to be able to see people and communicate with those professors for the last time.鈥�

She hopes to pursue her interest in ecological biology and work for a nonprofit or the U.S. Forest Service.

Regardless of where she lands, Nickerson said she can count on the firm foundation she gained at 91传媒.

鈥淸My family] tell me stories of these places on campus where I鈥檝e actually been,鈥� she said. 鈥淚t adds a special significance to 91传媒.鈥�

The post From generation, to generation appeared first on 91传媒 .

Paul Phillips, 鈥�82, didn鈥檛 plan to go to college. Nobody else in his family had done it, but a clandestine visit to campus led him to baseball coach Howard Fetz鈥檚 office and the rest was history.

He joined the Mountaineer baseball team as an outfielder in 1979 and never looked back.

Phillips鈥� time at 91传媒 led him to a career as an Army officer and a job in the Pentagon, as well as master鈥檚 and law degrees. More than that, though, he learned to dream big.

鈥�91传媒 gave me a good start,鈥� he said. 鈥淚t gave me the foundation to go forward and do some things. Life would have turned out quite differently if I hadn鈥檛 stumbled into the opportunity to attend Eastern, and I鈥檓 so very pleased that I did.鈥�

His writing skills grew as a public relations officer for the Secretary of Defense and through a master鈥檚 in journalism, but the inspiration for his most successful endeavors came from the courtroom. He鈥檚 been a judge in Wyoming since 2017.

Phillips authors a series of legal drama novels that currently rank in the . His first, published in November 2020, is titled 鈥淢isjudged鈥� and ranked No. 8 of all books on Kindle, and No.1 among legal thrillers and mystery series. It鈥檚 the No. 1 legal thriller and No. 1 political thriller in print, as well.

Before it became a hit, though, Phillips鈥� manuscript got more than 100 rejections from publishers. When it was accepted by Seven River Publishing, they required that he write three more to make a four-part series.

鈥淎 year and a half later here we are,鈥� he said.

Like his time at 91传媒, Phillips stayed the course even when it got rocky.

鈥淚 would not have stayed in school if I hadn鈥檛 been on the baseball team,鈥� he said. 鈥淚 was floundering on the education side, and frankly on the baseball field too, but there was a group of guys I enjoyed being part of, and that kept me there while I began to figure out what I wanted to do.鈥�

A few English classes and one key conversation with a professor planted the seeds of Phillips鈥� law career and entrance into writing. Finishing his undergraduate degree allowed him to progress as a military officer. With a gift to the 91传媒 Foundation, he hopes to nurture the next generation of students and student-athletes.

鈥淲hatever I am, it wouldn鈥檛 be the same without the experience I had at 91传媒,鈥� he said. 鈥淭he hope is that with a little donation of thanks, there鈥檚 another guy or gal out there who doesn鈥檛 really know what the future holds, but if you can provide something鈥攆acilities, activities, an environment they can learn in鈥攖hey enjoy some success and failure that will prepare them for what鈥檚 ahead.鈥�

Phillips met his wife on campus, too. Ann (ne鈥檈 Simmons) Phillips earned her associate degree in 1983. Their daughters enjoy advantages that Phillips never had as a first-generation college student.

鈥淚 got a letter after my first year of law school saying most people with my grades don鈥檛 finish or pass the bar, but I was working full-time, going to my daughters鈥� soccer games and dance recitals,鈥� he said. 鈥淚 didn鈥檛 do well in college, but I had no idea what to expect there. People who don鈥檛 come from an education-oriented family don鈥檛 have an advantage, but if you can get through it and get into life, if you鈥檝e been paying attention, and if you work hard and listen, you鈥檒l find that you can be a success.鈥�

These days, he spends evenings and weekends writing on legal pads or adding thoughts to a Notes app on his phone鈥攑rogress toward the next installment of his book series.

鈥淚鈥檓 writing all the time,鈥� he said. 鈥淚鈥檓 always making notes about something.鈥�

Rather than writing a mystery from start to finish, Phillips said he skips around, writing a courtroom scene or a more reflective section depending on how he鈥檚 feeling. He outlines the plot first, and then creates a draft.

鈥淭he hardest part is coming up with an idea,鈥� he said. 鈥淐oming up with plots that are realistic and courtroom-centric is the hardest part.鈥�

After he has a draft, he adds twists and revises the storyline. He said he almost always changes the ending. The surprise twist in his second book, 鈥淥ne and Done,鈥� wasn鈥檛 part of Phillips鈥� original outline, but the added drama caught readers鈥� and reviewers鈥� attention.

He pointed out that although he draws inspiration from his day job, the comparisons aren鈥檛 exact.

鈥淚 certainly know my way around a courthouse and try to make the books as realistic as possible, but I don鈥檛 use any local events or characters,鈥� he said. 鈥淚鈥檓 not Sam, Gillette is not Custer, but we are sort of the whole of our experiences. I see stuff everyday that could be fodder for books.鈥�

And he plans to continue gathering story ideas for the foreseeable future.

鈥淚 enjoy being a judge and serving the people of northeast Wyoming,鈥� Phillips said. 鈥淲riting is still a hobby, so I plan to continue doing both. If I gave up the day job, writing would turn into a job and I鈥檓 not sure I would enjoy it as much.鈥�

Phillips calls himself an 鈥渁ccidental author,鈥� and he鈥檚 also an accidental Mountie. He wasn鈥檛 recruited to play baseball. He was visiting campus with a friend, and walked into Howard Fetz鈥檚 office. Coach Fetz told him to enroll in classes that fall.

鈥淚 showed up in September and spent four years trying to convince him to put me in. If I hadn鈥檛 taken that left into his office鈥� Hopefully there are people on campus this year who will encounter those moments that make a big difference in their lives,鈥� he said. 鈥淚 didn鈥檛 go into this thinking I鈥檇 have three books selling in the top 100 on Amazon, but it happened. Dream big.鈥�

The post Baseballer to bestseller appeared first on 91传媒 .

His oldest daughter is six, and this week she鈥檚 dreaming of growing up to be an astronaut, a mommy and a teacher.

鈥淪he doesn鈥檛 take anything off the list鈥攕he just keeps adding,鈥� said Damien Tracy, 鈥�21.

Tracy transferred to 91传媒 and completed his psychology degree entirely online while working two full-time jobs and being a dad to four kids. Caring for others has been a theme in his life and career.

He works for Caption Call, a relay service for people who are deaf or hearing-impaired. Before that, though, he was accustomed to assisting and communicating with people who have disabilities.

鈥淢y whole life and culture is the community of the disabled,鈥� he said. 鈥淏oth my dad and sister are intellectually disabled, and I鈥檝e grown up around people who are disabled so my heart is set in that. It鈥檚 been my life passion.鈥�

After five years working as a mentor and supervisor, his bachelor鈥檚 degree gave Tracy the boost he needed to obtain a management position. He went from overseeing 20 employees to joining four colleagues to supervise 500 staff members.

鈥淚 was offered the position a month after graduation,鈥� he said. 鈥淭he position is all about communication and enhancing performance. Having a degree helped on paper, but I also use it on tasks with the job.鈥�

His new role required a move from Caldwell, Idaho, to San Antonio this summer. Before hitting the road, the Tracy family visited campus for the second time ever. They had come for a tour before he transferred to 91传媒, and the welcome affirmed his choice.

鈥淚 toured 91传媒 even though I was going to be a fully online student,鈥� he said. 鈥淚t felt personal, and the advisor was very interested in me and excited for me to come. Everybody was very patient with my kids and so hospitable.鈥�

When they returned, it was for graduation.

鈥淢y favorite memory was walking across the stage and watching my kids being all excited,鈥� Tracy said. 鈥淏eing greeted by psych faculty, and getting to see my favorite professors in-person after being online the whole time was also great.鈥�

Tracy was one of the last graduates to walk across the stage, but he said the atmosphere stayed fresh and exciting all day. The occasion capped a challenging educational career of juggling responsibilities at home, at work and in the classroom. Tracy said his professors kept him engaged in learning by sending personalized videos for statistics classes to answer his questions.

As he completed his final assignments and took his last tests, Tracy鈥檚 kids were counting down alongside him.

鈥淭hey were excited that I鈥檇 have more play time,鈥� he said. Now with a new job and settling into their new home, Tracy tells his oldest daughter that she can do anything鈥攋ust like him.

The post Just Like Dad appeared first on 91传媒 .

It was 1977 in La Grande, and Elizabeth Estabrooks, 鈥�01, hadn鈥檛 really planned on joining the U.S. Army. She had just accepted a higher paying job and bought a new Nova SS, but the job fell through and a friend talked her into going down to the recruiters鈥� office together.

鈥淎t the time, women had to give up custody of children to join the Army鈥攎en didn鈥檛, but women did,鈥� Estabrooks said. 鈥淚 didn鈥檛 have kids at the time, but my friend did. She didn鈥檛 join the Army that day, but I did.鈥�

Estabrooks has burnished the resilience and intelligence she had then. She now serves as Deputy Director of the Center for Women Veterans in Washington, D.C., ensuring women veterans across the
country have equal access to benefits and services from Veterans Affairs (VA).

91传媒 12 years after leaving the Army, she embarked on a career in social work and assisted people who had experienced domestic violence or sexual assault. She eventually enrolled at 91传媒 as an online student to earn a degree in Liberal Studies, and later received a Master鈥檚 of Social Work from Columbia.

鈥淚 use what I learned in the Army and at 91传媒 and in my career,鈥� Estabrooks said. 鈥淎ll of those experiences combined have brought me here and allowed me to help women veterans and women in general.鈥�

At 91传媒, she focused on political science and gender studies, and became one of the first graduates with that concentration. Estabrooks was a single parent when she was taking classes online from Baker City. Her daughter was 17 and her son was 5 when they watched her walk across the stage in Community Stadium.

She attended some weekend classes, but primarily interacted with faculty and peers through the then-new online classroom.

鈥�91传媒 was doing a lot of work to make sure people could get their college education in a legitimate way from home, and showing that a quality university could provide a quality degree to students who weren鈥檛 sitting in their chairs in that town,鈥� she said.

A degree from 91传媒 equipped her to pursue larger roles in a field she had long been interested in exploring.

鈥淚鈥檝e always been a feminist,鈥� she said. 鈥淚鈥檝e always understood that women are disenfranchised and there鈥檚 a need to acknowledge that in anything you approach. [My degree] put a finer point to that and gave me an academic lens to look through.鈥�

Serving in the Army in the late 鈥�70s affirmed her feminist stance.

The Women鈥檚 Army Corps had just been dismantled and leaders were working to integrate women into the Army. Estabrooks went through basic training with the second group of women to ever complete the course alongside men.

鈥淲e did everything they did. We threw hand grenades, ran the same distance, fired the same weapons,鈥� she said.

She scored highly on the Armed Services Vocational Aptitude Battery (ASVAB), but was shuttled into the supply field with a mass of recruits.

At that time, thousands of Army jobs were still closed to women. Estabrooks wanted to be a Ranger, but a sergeant told her, 鈥済irls can鈥檛 be Rangers.鈥� She finished the 12-week course in half the time and requested to join the 82nd Airborne. A different sergeant gave her a familiar answer, 鈥済irls can鈥檛 be Airborne.鈥�

鈥淎s a woman in the Army, it didn鈥檛 go well for me鈥攄iscrimination, sexual harassment and no bonuses, so I left when my three years were up,鈥� Estabrooks said. 鈥淚 didn鈥檛 hate the Army, but discrimination was embedded in every structure, and I hated that.鈥�

Since May 2020, she鈥檚 helped lead the Center for Women Veterans and worked to dismantle some of the structures that pushed her out of the military decades ago.

There are two million women veterans, but only 800,000 are en- rolled in the VA and just 500,000 use VA-provided healthcare.

鈥淥ne of the biggest barriers is being recognized as veterans,鈥� she said. 鈥淧eople assume men are veterans and they assume women are not. I鈥檝e seen it over and over again.鈥�

This basic acknowledgement has big implications. Being recognized as veterans has the power to tangibly improve women鈥檚 lives and quality of care, Estabrooks said.

鈥淲omen have served in the military and in combat in this country since the Revolutionary War, and the fact that they鈥檙e not acknowledged is shameful,鈥� Estabrooks said. 鈥淚t鈥檚 a shift that needs to happen because it matters how women see themselves, too. Those barriers are so real.鈥�

She cited statistics that men tend to talk about their service more than women do. That internalized divide, corroborated by popular culture, can stand between women veterans and benefits, healthcare or policy change.

鈥淚 met a woman who鈥檇 been a Marine for 13 years, but she told me she鈥檚 not a veteran. For years I said, 鈥業鈥檓 just a girl who was in the Army, I鈥檓 not a veteran,鈥欌�� Estabrooks said. 鈥淚t sounds simple, but not applying that word to yourself gets in the way of the things you deserve.鈥�

When women don鈥檛 self-identify as veterans, there鈥檚 less data about their needs or the ways current policy overlooks specific issues. Estabrooks said women veterans are the fastest growing group of homeless veterans.

鈥淲hen they don鈥檛 say 鈥榮he鈥� on Veterans Day or have women standing up there, they鈥檙e leaving out what we鈥檝e done, our experiences and our honor,鈥� she said.

Her own negative experiences have fueled a lifetime of work toward honoring other women.

鈥淧eople hear so much about military sexual trauma, and I always point out that even with the negative experiences, women veterans are resilient,鈥� she said. 鈥淩esilience is a big piece of the character of women veterans. We鈥檙e not defined by the bad things that happen to us. We鈥檙e defined by the strength and resilience that we as veterans have gained.鈥�

The post Making women veterans visible appeared first on 91传媒 .

Building a family within his sports team motivated Blake McNall through his undergraduate experience and now, his master鈥檚 degree.

Sports can be a gateway for community, and for Blake McNall 鈥�20, the offered a sense of structure and fueled his dedication for his undergraduate degree.

鈥漌restling has provided me with a family while I’ve been at 91传媒. Our team is really close and I feel like I can count on these guys for anything,鈥� McNall said. 鈥淚f I need anything they are always there, and Coach Azure has done so much for me as a wrestler and as a person. I owe him a lot. I am very thankful for 91传媒 wrestling being a part of my life.鈥�

Originally from Gladstone, Oregon, McNall decided to attend 91传媒 when he was offered a wrestling scholarship. While at 91传媒, he was the 2018 133-pound Champion and a three-time NAIA National Tournament Qualifier. His coach Dustyn Azure was named the 2020-21 Cascade Collegiate Conference Men’s Wrestling Coach of the Year.

While completing his undergraduate degree, he majored in History and Anthropology/Sociology with an emphasis in social welfare. Following his graduation in 2020, McNall was unsure what path his degree would lead him down. He reflected on his wrestling career for inspiration on what would come next.

鈥淚 didn鈥檛 know what I wanted to do with those degrees…[But I knew] I really enjoyed working with kids. I鈥檝e volunteered at schools, and the wrestling team had read books to kids before. We would have youth wrestling practices, and I just really enjoyed working with kids.鈥�

McNall enrolled in 91传媒鈥檚 Master of Arts in Teaching (MAT) program in fall 2020 to become a teacher. The program allows individuals from any field to apply their subject expertise in elementary or secondary classrooms with effective teaching techniques.

McNall鈥檚 wrestling experience led to a graduate assistant position with the team, providing financial support while keeping him connected to a sport he loves. He said it has given him an opportunity to focus on school and becoming a better wrestling coach.

McNall began student-teaching face-to-face in Union, Oregon. He said he has learned a lot already about lesson planning and loves the hands-on aspects of being in the classroom. Even though his schedule is very busy, he is excited for his future and working with high school students.

Finding wrestling at 91传媒 opened many doors for McNall and allowed him to have a family within his teammates.

The post Wrestling: More Than A Sport appeared first on 91传媒 .