Sun’s out, Ducks out! Whether you’re grilling on the patio or staying inside with the air conditioning, let the works of UO alumni make a splash in your summer plans. From an ecological murder mystery set in the Wallowa Mountains to a graphic novel inspired by an alum’s own childhood, contemporary bluegrass music by fellow Ducks, and performances in Eugene and online from the School of Music and Dance, check out ten creative works to enjoy this summer.
Read
By Emil Wilson, BA ’88 (journalism)
Coming in August, this graphic novel shares the impact the AIDS crisis had on a small town in Oregon. Based on Wilson’s own life, the story sparks when her father Donald invites his co-worker Jim and his two dogs Henny and Penny to live with his family. What Donald’s wife and daughter, Lou, don’t know is that Jim has been diagnosed with AIDS. Following the struggles and growing friendship between Lou and her family’s house guest, this coming-of-age story is for anyone who has grappled with loss, curiosity, and using compassion to build a better world.
Eugene Pioneers: Voices from the Oregon Frontier
By C.J. Lake, MS ’11 (special education)
The University of Oregon campus wraps around the Eugene Pioneer Cemetery, a testament to the city’s history. Eugene Pioneers, releasing on June 16, tells the stories of many buried there. Relying on public records, archival photos, and letters, Lake tells the stories of 60 of Eugene’s extraordinary pioneers that traversed the Oregon Trail to land in Eugene, including one of the founders of the University of Oregon, Judge J.J. Walton.
By Jennie Bricker, BA ’86, MA ’88 (English)
Whether you’re camping in the Wallowa Mountains or relaxing on your porch, dig into this murder and ecological mystery that mixes trusted tropes of the mystery genre with the fresh setting and real-world stakes of an entire lake’s fish population disappearing. Through the eyes of biologist Jess MacKinnon, uncover the fate of Ben Fletcher, who drowned in that very same lake from which bright red fish are now missing. Based on a real-world environmental disaster, Thirsty Creek plays on themes of arrogance, greed, and unintended consequences.
Fifty percent of the proceeds from Thirsty Creek support the Nez Perce Wallowa Homeland, a place-based nonprofit in Wallowa, Oregon.
Acoustic Colonialism: Acts of Mapuche Interference
By Luis E. Cárcamo-Huechante, MA ’97 (Spanish)
Let the rhythm sweep you away in this examination of music and sound as resistance in Chilean and Mapuche culture. Explore how colonial literature, radio, and other media have distorted representations of the Mapuche and what contemporary Mapuche artists are doing to take back the sonic narrative of their people in central and southern Chile.
By Dan Tannacito, DA, ’70, PhD ’72 (English)
Settle under the sun with this murder mystery beach read set on Long Island’s Point Lookout Beach. When Terry Wagner’s idyllic summer plans come crashing to a halt with the murders of two local girls, he must examine his own connections to the case and confront a killer. Set during an idyllic 1965 summer, this mystery is sure to chill in the summer heat.
Listen
This is Oregon Podcast: Oregon's Global Sports Legacy
Featuring Lauren Goss, BA ’11 (history)
Lauren Goss, athletics archivist in special collections and university archive at the UO, dives into her work preserving Oregon’s athletic history. From Hayward Field’s historic status as the home of track and field in the United States to the university’s connection to the Olympic and Paralympic Games, learn how the UO’s athletic history has shaped its story. Plus, discover hidden gems in Oregon’s athletic archive.
By Dadweed: Ian Lindsay, BA ’16 (political science); Clayton Eiberg, BA ’22 (general social science); and Keenan Dorn, BMus ’17 (jazz studies)
Listening to the self-titled debut EP from Portland-based bluegrass trio Dadweed is the perfect way to prepare for their performance at this year’s Oregon Country Fair. Formed by three UO alumni, this contemporary bluegrass group is paving their own way in Oregon’s music scene. From a cover of Tom Petty’s “yer so bad” to their own original tunes, this album is perfect for a summer evening.
One Cool Story: Austin Ota, Bay Area Broadcast Breakout & J-Grad ’25
Featuring Austin Ota, BS ’25 (journalism)
Just one year after graduating from the UO, Austin Ota is the sports information director for West Valley College’s athletic teams. Each day brings something new, whether that’s building on his experience as a play-by-play broadcaster or hosting and filming interviews with coaches and athletes. Learn how Ota got his start at student-run KWVA as a first-year student at the UO and how persistence and adaptability are crucial skills he’s used to get his start in the broadcasting industry.
Watch
The Notebooks of Leonardo da Vinci
Conducted by Kathy Saltzman Romey, BA ’77 (music)
This multi-media performance will combine video projections of da Vinci’s art, experiments, and more with music conducted by Oregon alumna and longtime Oregon Bach Festival chorus director Kathey Saltzman Romey. Held in the Soreng Theater at the Hult Center in Eugene, this performance will honor her legacy with the OBF, combining art, science, and imagination. Get your tickets for Sunday, July 5, 2026 at 6:30 p.m. PT.
UO School of Music and Dance End of Year Streams
Can’t make it to Eugene for the Oregon Bach Festival? Don’t miss out on the music! At the end of each school year, the School of Music and Dance livestreams the recitals of undergraduate and graduate students, as well as different campus ensembles. From the Repertoire Singers & Campus Orchestra to the UO Gospel Ensembles, watch performances across the musical spectrum and welcome these Ducks to the alumni flock!
—By Sarah Bathke, BA ’25 (journalism), UO Alumni Association communications generalist