Mount Hood

May 2022

April showers brings May flowers, right? That’s the old saying at least and so far, it is ringing true. It was a wet April here in the Willamette valley but that’s good news for the mountains, which have record snowpack, the lakes and rivers which are full of water and of course, for nature. How is everyone doing out there? I hope you are all having a good spring so far and have some fun plans for Memorial Day weekend this summer. Speaking of plans, we have quite a few here at WOU and there are tons of fun and exciting events and activities coming up. It’s so good to be back together again and to be able to see each other. Take a peek at what’s coming up including an After Hours on the 10th featuring WOU’s new volleyball coach, the spring game on May 14, the Grand Re-Opening of the ITC building and the Wolves Auction. See the full calendar of events and make your plans to come back. 

April was a very busy month. We hosted a few events, had an alumni Board Meeting, planned for upcoming events and switched into “on” mode for the busy season. Check out the recaps of the month’s highlights. 

Queer Alumni & Ally Reception

On a gorgeous spring day on April 7 a group of folks came together on campus to enjoy drinks, appetizers and each other at the Queer Alumni & Ally Reception. WOU Alumni Relations, Triangle Alliance, Wolf Pride Network and Stonewall Center came together to host this inclusive and fun event for the LGBTQA+ community prior to the drag show. CM Hall ’00 made a few remarks and it was great having everyone together, including our interim president Dr. Jay Kenton in attendance. Thank you for supporting this event, we look forward to more in the future. 

WOU Board Meeting

 The WOU Alumni Board of Directors met for their spring meeting on Saturday, April 9. The meeting was a hybrid style where half of the members called in via Zoom and the others met in person. Discussions included voting on the Alumni Award of Excellence winner, planning for Commencement and summer events, volunteer recruitment and donor appreciation. There are board seats available and we are looking for interested people. If you are interested in becoming a WOU Alumni Board member, email alumni@wou.edu. 

World After WOU:Mentor Mixer 

What’s better than watching people make connections and developing relationships? Not much, especially when it’s students and alumni professionals creating these relationships through mentor opportunities. On April 21, Alumni Engagement and SLCD partnered to put on World After WOU:Mentor Mixer. This event was held at WOU:Salem and included more than 20 alumni/community professionals and 30+ students from WOU. Students were able to find the professionals working in  the careers they are interested in and enjoyed conversation and encouragement. It was a wonderful night of networking and connections. We look forward to the next collaboration event. 

April 2022

Hello, readers! How is everyone in Wolf nation? I’ll tell you what, campus sure is gorgeous right now. The cherry trees are in full bloom and flowers are blossoming all over campus, painting a perfect spring picture on our beautiful campus.  The weather has definitely been a bit warmer and more inviting because there has been a ton of activity on campus and in the community. Students, faculty and staff members have been outside enjoying the sunshine, and I’ve even seen a few classes being taught outdoors when the weather is nice. Baseball, softball, and track and field are in full swing (pun intended) and its been fun spending some afternoons at the fields. Check out the schedules here.  

March was the official kickoff of the “busy season.” This spring and summer is chalked full of events and happenings both on and off campus. Check out the campus calendar for a full list of events and alumni calendar for alumni specific events. For a recap of March activities, keep on reading. 

Giving Day 2022

On March 1, the WOU Foundation hosted it’s annual Giving Day. Morgan Harris is the new Annual Fund Director and came to WOU in November of 2021. She lead the pack in a successful Giving Day and raised more than $220,000 in just one day! Giving Day is a community effort and takes many generous donors to reach goals. We are thrilled to have raised money for student scholarships and programs and can’t thank our donors enough. Thank you, WOU community, for making our Giving Day a success! We couldn’t do it without you. 

Alumni & Friends After Hours

 Tuesday, March 8 was the return of in person Alumni & Friends After Hours. We kicked off the monthly ritual by staying local and went to Chase Bar & Grill in Independence. A fun group of about 15 folks ate, drank and networked. New friends and contacts were made and it was an all around great time. The next After Hours event will be held on April 12 in Salem at “For Tomorrow we Die Brewing.” We hope to see you and a friend there, we’d love to connect with you! Come get some swag and you may have your beverage paid for as well. 

July 2021

Hello, readers. Oregonians, how are you holding up with the heatwave we experienced? In Monmouth on June 28, at one point it was 117 degrees, which felt surreal. Luckily, we got some relief with a breeze coming from the ocean and by 8:30 p.m. that evening temps had dipped into the 70’s, a much more enjoyable and normal range for this region, this time of year. Other than the record setting heat we experienced, other news from this region is that the summer music in the park series has returned starting this month! Independence will have it’s River’s Edge Summer Series on Friday nights and Monmouth will have music on Wednesday nights for their Monmouth Music in the Park series. It will be so awesome to have events like this again, we look forward to a fun summer!

We have some really fun activities and events coming up this summer and fall.  Yes, IN PERSON activities and events! It’s an exciting time and there is a lot to look forward to. We do anticipate hybrid events for the foreseeable future, where there will be a virtual component as well so everyone can participate. This month, we will host the Wolves on the Green golf tournament which will support WOU Women’s Athletics. We are keeping the early-bird pricing through July 15 for readers of this e-newsletter so get registered today! For other events and activities, check the website and follow us on Facebook. More will be added soon! 

June kind of went by like a hurricane, fast and fierce. It was a great month with some really fun happenings and events. Read below for event recaps. 

Wolves Athletic Auction 

The Athletic Auction is the biggest annual fundraiser for WOU Athletics. This year, the auction last a whole week and was mostly virtual. May 29 – June 5 was auction week and throughout the week coaches gave “coach chats” on Zoom during the lunch hour, items were in bidding wars online, and donations came in. The week concluded with a livestream broadcast on June 5 which included auctioneer Paul Schultz, Athletic Director Randi Lydum, Wolfie and a few student athletes in the studio performing music, discussing auction items and calling out for paddle raises. Several groups gathered at local bars and restaurants with friends to watch the broadcast and support our athletes. A huge shoutout to the fine folks at Parallel 45, Crush and Rookies for hosting watch parties for us! The auction was a huge success, thanks to donors like you and our incredible committee members who helped get items, invite friends and shared the event on social media. In 2022 we hope to be entirely in person again and look forward to another fantastic event. 

Commencement 2021 

On June 11 and 12, WOU celebrated and conducted Commencement, 2021. On Friday, June 11, students were invited to participate in a virtual ceremony, which can be watched here.  Then on Saturday, June 12, graduates were invited to participate in a drive-through style celebration where they could decorate their vehicles and ride down Stadium Dr. with their friends and families and go into the McArthur Stadium lot. Grads had the opportunity to walk across the stage, have their name read aloud and shake President Fuller’s hand when they received their diploma. Families and friends were allowed to watch from the stands and celebrate their graduate. It was a super fun, rewarding and amazing day. Congratulations, class of 2021! Welcome to our pack. 

 

June 2021

Greetings, readers. What an incredible spring we have had here in the Willamette Valley. Our sunny and warm days have outweighed the rainy and wet days, which is very uncharacteristic for this time of year, but if you’re a sun worshipper like me, it is a-okay. The fields surrounding campus are blooming with flowers, wheat, peas and onions plus other local crops like hops are starting to grow as well. Did you plant a garden this year? If so, what are you favorite vegetables or fruits to grow? 

June 1 kicks off a series of events such as the Athletic Auction  on June 5 and the Wolves on the Green golf tournament on July 29. The football golf tournament is also in July and aside from athletics related events, we are planning for alumni gatherings this summer in Salem, Monmouth and other regions. It feels good to start to get people back together, safely of course, and see many familiar faces. Registration for the golf tournament and the auction are open now. 

May was a busy month of planning and adapting to the ever changing environment in which we currently live. We didn’t have any events but instead we spent the month promoting the upcoming events and planning Commencement for our graduates. We are about to have a new group of Alumni Wolves on June 12. We look forward to celebrating our new grads and welcoming them into our family. Get the scoop on Commencement here. Congratulations to our 2021 graduates! 

 

May 2021

Hello readers, happy May! I hope this month finds you well, healthy and thriving this spring. It sure is beautiful out. Gardens are blooming and coming to life, trees, flowers and other flora are in full display with radiant colors and scents and life is all around us. 

Campus has been getting busier by the week and it has been wonderful seeing students in the local coffee shops and restaurants. There are only  five weeks left in spring term before Commencement in June. Time has flown by! Students are gearing up for the end of the year and prepping for graduation. Although we are not able to do an in person ceremony this year, we are planning several activities for our graduates. On June 11 there will be a virtual ceremony for grads. On June 12 and 13 there will be a drive through ceremony, which will allow graduates to follow a route through campus and end at the stadium to walk across the stage for a photo opportunity. Read more about the Commencement plans here. 

April was a good month, it felt busy and we started doing more event prep for things to come. The biggest news from April is the event we held on campus on the 23rd. This event was an invite only affair and included folks who donated to the Dean Jack Morton Memorial Lobby at the Welcome Center. It was wonderful to see friendly faces (covered with masks, of course) and show off the project a great and committed team had worked so hard on for years. Groups came to the Center in small groups every hour. All health and safety protocols in place by the CDC and OHA were adhered to and we kept people safe by disinfecting after every group, maintaining distance and wearing masks. We look forward to showing off the whole building this fall when we do the grand opening event in October. 

 

July 2020

Hello Alumni and friends, I hope you are doing well and enjoying the summer weather. With summer seeming to finally be here, what types of activities are you doing to stay cool, have fun and get out of your house? Personally I am enjoying the Oregon outdoors by hiking, motorcycling, boating and enjoying patios at local restaurants. Do you have photos wearing WOU gear doing your favorite summer activity? If so, we would love to see them! Send them over to alumni@wou.edu. 

Things are winding down some for Just and August but we will still have virtual events monthly and will be adding more for the near future. Be sure to follow us on our social media @WOUalumni.  June sure was a busy month! Catch up on the happenings from June and we look forward to seeing you in the near future. 

“Howl From Home Virtual Wine Tasting Event” 

On Wednesday, June 3 about 60 people gathered from the comfort of their homes, patios, and back decks to enjoy some Redhawk Winery wine and participate in a virtual wine tasting fundraising event for the WOU Foundation. The Howl From Home initiative raises funds for the Emergency Student Aid fund, a fund that students can use to pay for unexpected expenses like travel, food, lodging, gas, etc. The money borrowed from this fund is current use and does not need to be paid back, ever. At the virtual event we enjoyed hearing from Redhawk owners John and Betty Pataccoli talk about their delicious wines as we sipped with them through the tutorial. We also heard from President Fuller, Erin McDonough, Foundation board President Cori Frauendiener and a wonderful student, Antonia Scholerman. The whole event was just an hour and we enjoyed laughs, cheers, wine and snacks. Overall the event raised $6,000 for the fund. If you’d like to donate to the Emergency Student Aid fund you can do it online here. Thank you for your support!

Commencement 2020 

The 2020 Commencement Ceremony was not what anyone expected at the beginning of the year. Due to COVID-19 the whole event was virtual and graduates had slides showing their accomplishments with their photos. Dr. Fuller and the student speakers were recorded in their regalia and played on WOUTV at 10 a.m. on June 13. This year, WOU graduated more than 1,200 students and we welcomed the class of 2020 into the Alumni family with open arms. We can’t wait to see you at events- both virtual ones and in person ones when the time comes. If you missed the Commencement ceremony and want to see the class of 2020, click here. Congratulations grads, we are proud of you and welcome you as alumni!

 

 

 

 

March 2022

Hello, readers. I hope this month has started off well for you and you had a great February. March is a great month. There’s college basketball playoffs, the start of baseball season, the end of winter term, the beginning of spring and much more. It’s a month of new beginnings and celebrations, what’s not to like? 

Campus is starting to show signs of new life with buds on trees, daffodils blooming, the scent of springtime and people making their way to and from classes and meetings. It’s a wonderful time of year indeed. Winter term officially ends on March 18 and spring break is the week following. If you have travel and vacation plans for Spring Break, I wish you happy and safe travels and look forward to hearing about your adventures upon your return. 

February was a busy month full of planning, meetings, and prepping for Giving Day and spring happenings. Giving Day has been the main priority of the Foundation for the last few months as we gear up for tomorrow’s big day. Other planning happening includes making plans for regional events, planning the Wolves Athletic Auction, Commencement and other spring and summer happenings. There weren’t any alumni events in February, but we have some coming up in March and May. Be sure to check out the alumni home page for events and opportunities and wou.edu for a full list of events and university happenings.   

February 2022

Hello, readers. Happy winter! How is everyone doing out there? We have been through pretty much all the winter weather possible here in the valley – ice, snow, rain, sun, so who knows what the rest of the season has in store. What’s your  favorite part of winter? Have you been sporting your WOU gear on the mountains while skiing, snowboarding or snow shoeing? If so, send us some pics! We’d love to see our Wolves in the Wild.

Campus has been busy with classes, athletics events, extracurriculars and community events. It has been wonderful seeing people and students on campus and feeling the robustness that all of that brings to the environment. Winter will end in the next month or so and spring will arise, bringing new life once again in the form of flowers, leaves, students and more. 

January was a month of planning, reflection and goal setting. The WOU Alumni Board of Directors met on January 8 for their winter meeting. At that meeting, three new board members were voted in: Bobby O’Donnell ’88, Corey Meisch ’99 and Shelia Lorance are the newest Alumni Board Members. There are still seats available, if you are interested in learning more, contact Emily at 503-838-8710 or lafone@wou.edu. 

The Foundation is busy gearing up for Giving Day, which is Tuesday, March 1. The new Annual Fund Officer, Morgan Harris, has been working hard to make the day successful and raise awareness. Giving Day is the 24 fundraiser for WOU. You can give to anything you want, or to the Fund for WOU, which covers multiple areas. To make your gift visit wou.edu/give. 

Watch the calendar for updates on events and campus happenings. Things change quickly and often so be sue to check the calendar and wou.edu before coming to campus or attending an event. We hope to see you soon and wish you well.  

January 2022

Hello, readers, Happy New Year! I hope your holiday season was joyous and filled with fun, food, family and friends. As we begin 2022, we have the opportunity to reflect back on the last year and set goals and priorities for the year in front of us. This year we look forward to seeing more of you in person at events and around the university and hopefully having more of you from around the globe tune into our virtual After Hour networking events. We plan on hosting more alumni events in regions outside of Salem, Monmouth and Portland and will be introducing the new president later this year as well. There is a lot brewing for WOU in 2022 and we can’t wait to see you. 

Regions we plan on visiting this year include: 

  • Albany 
  • Central Oregon 
  • Eastern Oregon
  • The Gorge 
  • Idaho 
  • Central coast 
  • Texas (with the new move to the Lone Star Conference) 

Events to look forward this year include: 

  • A campus musical or theater performance 
  • The Wolves Athletic Auction 
  • Wolves on the Green Golf Tournament 
  • What’s new at WOU receptions in many regions 
  • Monthly After Hours events in various regions 
  • Homecoming and Hall of Fame Weekend 
  • Giving Day 
  • Much more to come! 

Cheers to starting a new year and to new adventures, we can’t wait to reconnect with you this year. 

December 2021

Happy holidays, readers! I hope this holiday season finds you healthy, happy and warm with loved ones. Here we are, the last month in 2021, and what a year it has been. My favorite part of the year has been the continuous momentum of having real life humans back on campus and at events as well as well being creative in event planning and engagement. It has been wonderful connecting with alums all over the world via Zoom and social media. Although I am thankful we are getting back to a place of “normalcy” I do appreciate the fact that the last two years has taught us how to be resilient, creative and shown us that anything is possible, it might just look a little different than we initially envisioned. WOU has been at the forefront of Covid-19 testing in Polk county and has done a great job and managing any positive cases. Students have been attending in-person classes since the start of the term and it’s been great watching WOU sports and other performances in person. 

This month is the special holiday edition of PawPrints. Some normal sections will be missing but to stay up to date on events and news, check the alumni website at wou.edu/alumni. This month, we will feature celebrations and stats from the year. The regular edition of PawPrints will return in January. 

Before we turn the page to another new year, let’s recap November and take a look back on events and happenings. 

November Virtual After Hours 

For the first time in a few months, we held a virtual After Hours on Tuesday, November 9. It was great to see some familiar faces and check in on folks we have not seen in awhile. In January, we hope to return to in person After Hour events at local eateries and bars. These will be held on the second Tuesday of the month at 5:30 p.m. If you have an idea of a location for one of these events, let us know! Send an email to Emily at lafone@wou.edu.  

Senior Kickoff 

One of our main goals is student success and on November 16 we hosted an event aimed at doing just that. The Senior Kickoff event was a virtual seminar for our seniors. The event was hosted on Zoom and guest speakers from The Registrar’s Office, Financial Aid, SLCD, Jostens, Grad Programs and Alumni Engagement presented the importance of their departments and explained the services offered. The Seniors asked great questions and received the information they need to be successful for graduation in June.  

What to look forward to in 2022- 

As we begin planning for the New Year, here are some things you can look forward to: 

  • Regional “What’s new at WOU” events in Southern Oregon, Central Oregon and on the coast. 
  • A theater night on campus (date and show are TBD). 
  • Men’s and women’s basketball alumni nights (dates are TBD). 
  • Homecoming and Hall of Fame weekend in October.
  • And more to be planned! 

We look forward to seeing you and being together again in the New Year. Happy New Year and happy Holidays!  

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Western Oregon University in Monmouth, OR is located within the traditional homelands of the Luckiamute Band of Kalapuya. Following the Willamette Valley Treaty of 1855 (Kalapuya etc. Treaty), Kalapuya people were forcibly removed to reservations in Western Oregon. Today, living descendants of these people are a part of the Confederated Tribes of Grand Ronde Community of Oregon and the Confederated Tribes of the Siletz Indians.

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