Western Oregon University’s Newsletter: April 1, 2025

Get tickets to the 39th Annual Wolves Athletic Auction

Check-in begins at 5 p.m.

Dinner & Auction begin at 6 p.m.

A Message from President Peters

Dear Community,

We’re excited to welcome our students back to campus as the spring term kicks off, bringing with it beautiful blossoms and clear signs of spring!

This term is packed with exciting events, including our Internship Symposium, Smith Fine Arts performances, the Hispanic Serving Institution Summit, an alumni gathering in Bend, the annual Pow-Wow, the new Student Success Center ribbon-cutting ceremony, and the athletics auction. I hope to see many of you at these events as we show our support for our university and students.

A heartfelt thank you to everyone who participated in WOU’s Giving Day; your contributions have helped fund many important projects.

Looking forward to a fantastic spring term together!

We. Are. Wolves.

Jesse Peters, President

Western Oregon University

(Pictured: President Peters & Dr. Susan Cannata)

Upcoming Events & Notable Dates

April 12: Smith Fine Arts Series: BEO String Quartet. 7:30 p.m. Rice Auditorium Get tickets.

April 18: Hispanic Serving Institution Summit. 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. More info.

April 18: Regional Alumni Gathering in Bend 6:00 p.m. to 9 p.m. Willamette Valley Vineyards. Enjoy complimentary WOU gear, delicious food as we reconnect and celebrate. RSVP

April 19: 30th Annual MSU Pow-Wow. Noon to Midnight. New PE Gym. All are welcome. Free for all. More info.

April 23: Ribbon Cutting Ceremony for the Student Success Center. Immediately following the Board of Trustees Meeting. Around 3 p.m.

May 17: WOU Block Party: 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. In the WOU Campus Grove. Family-friendly event for all. Live music, food carts, vendors, yard games, campus tours, ghost tours, free photo booth, free treats, beer garden & more!

May 22: Jensen Lecture Series: More information forthcoming.

May 26: Memorial Day Campus Closed

May 31: 39th Wolves Athletic Auction. New PE Building. Check-in at 5 p.m. Dinner & Auction at 6 p.m. Get tickets.

June 7: Smith Fine Arts Series: The Revelers. 7:30 p.m. Rice Auditorium Get tickets

June 13: Forever Wolves Grad Party. Details forthcoming.

June 14: Commencement. 10 a.m. McArthur Field.

June 19: Juneteenth Campus Closed

July 4: Monmouth Independence Day Parade. Walk with WOU in the parade. Details forthcoming.

University News

Center for Graduate Studies now in Salem

WOU: Salem, also formerly known as the Vick Building, is now the Center for Graduate Studies. This new hub will support prospective and current graduate students in Oregon’s capital.

The Center offers study areas, computers, printers, and access to graduate admissions staff, providing essential resources for those pursuing their degrees. Located in downtown Salem, it caters to working professionals with both in-person and online courses that fit busy schedules.

WOU offers master’s degrees in various fields, including education, organizational leadership, and criminal justice, and is the only public university in Oregon to offer a Doctorate in Occupational Therapy. For more information about graduate programs, visit the website or contact gradadmissions@wou.edu.

WOU hosts 4th annual Hispanic Serving Institution Summit

This year’s summit will focus on institutional change and what it means to create change. Following the previous three years, this summit invites local, state, and national partners and all interested community members and students to share ideas and best practices for serving and supporting students. This year’s summit keynote speaker is Gina Ann Garcia, Ph.D., professor in the School of Education at UC Berkeley. She is a nationally recognized researcher and author exploring the experiences of administrators, faculty, and staff at HSIs and the outcomes of students attending these institutions

Linguistics competition opens doors for high school students

WOU hosted the North American Computational Linguistics Open, an educational competition where high school students solve complex linguistic problems. Western is the sole competition site in Oregon and hosted six students from the region this year. This competition attracts top students from across the U.S. and Canada who aspire to study and work in these disciplines, offering them a unique glimpse into the world of natural language processing in the 21st century.

Oregon TRIO Day shines at WOU

WOU celebrated National TRIO Day on Friday, February 28. Governor Kotek also declared this day as Oregon TRIO Day in recognition of these important student-centered programs. TRIO Programs are federal outreach and student services initiatives designed to identify and support individuals from disadvantaged backgrounds. Western currently offers three of the eight TRIO programs: the Student Enrichment Program, Upward Bound, and Teacher Prep Student Support Services. These programs aim to assist low-income individuals, first-generation college students, and individuals with disabilities as they progress through the academic pipeline from middle school to post-baccalaureate programs.

WOU Athletic Homegames

Upcoming Home Games:

Stay up-to-date in Atheltics. Check out the athletics schedule

Catch up on the action with scores, photos, videos, and more on our social media channels (@wou_wolves) and website. If you can’t make it to the game, catch it live or replay it on YouTube.

Join the Emeritus Society

The Emeritus Society is a group of friends of WOU who enjoy learning new things and exploring the community. Benefits of membership include monthly meetings with interesting topics and engaging presenters, field trips, events, Emeritus Society newsletter, sports, performing arts schedules, and supporting WOU students through scholarships.

Become a member today!

Western Oregon University. Where YOU Belong!