Volume II: Issue 12
SOARing at SOU
May 21 and 22 were memorable days at SOU. Our first annual Southern Oregon Arts & Research (SOAR) celebration took over the campus as students and faculty moved from building to building, participating in a grand array of presentations, posters, performances, discussions, and exhibits.
I did my best to visit as many sessions as possible. I learned about great grey owls, the Blue Ledge mine, English country dances, cumulative voting, child soldiers—and much more.
I heard moving words from Alena Ruggiero and Mada Morgan, as well as reflections on academic life from Bill Elliott, Echo Fields, Ken Kempner, Ellen Siem, and Mark Tveskov. I experienced the academic growth that takes place between students in University Seminar and students completing their capstones. I enjoyed speaking with faculty authors honored in the Rogue River Room reception. I spent time socializing with colleagues who were happy to have the academic work of this university celebrated and shared.
And I still missed so much! I wish I could have attended everything offered over those two remarkable days.
Next year, I hope every SOU student and faculty member will participate in SOAR II—as a presenter, speaker, or audience member. This event truly highlights the great work we do as a campus.
I am so proud of SOU. And I am so grateful to Geoff Mills, Deborah Hofer, Mark Bottorff, Dan DeNeui, Glenise McKenzie, Mada Morgan, Steve Schein, Dee Southard, Mark Tveskov, and everyone else who worked tremendously hard to make SOAR a success. It was a triumph.
Above is a slideshow of the highlights from SOAR featuring music by Chair and Associate Professor of Music Terry Longshore. There is also a higher-resolution version of this slideshow available at the SOAR website for those of you with high-speed Internet access. I hope you will enjoy it, and I look forward to seeing you at next year’s event!
