Celebrating Duck moms
Each May, we celebrate the mothers and mother figures who have shaped and inspired our lives with their love, care, and strength. Motherhood comes in many forms—stepmoms, single moms, adopted moms, foster moms, grandmothers, aunts, those who have lost children or are yearning to have children. A mother’s presence and their absence make a large impact on a person’s life and who they end up becoming. This Mother’s Day, we celebrate moms everywhere for all they do within their families and our Duck community.
We asked a few current UO students and alumni to reflect on what they are most grateful for about their mom or a mother in their life. Check out the video and quotes below to see what they had to say…
“I want to say thank you to my mom just for everything she does for me. She’s always been great—perseveres through everything—she’s great. Happy Mother’s Day, mom.” —Grace, Class of 2024
“I want to say thank you to my mom because I definitely wouldn’t have made it to college without her. So I love you, mom and happy Mother’s Day.” —Aaliyah, Class of 2024
“Happy Mother’s Day, mom. I love you. Thank you for everything you do for me, all the sacrifices. It means the world to me. I love you, and I hope you have a great day.” —Matthias, Class of 2026
“Happy Mother’s Day. What I’m most grateful for is that mom is always there for us.” —Ed Dorsch, BA ’94, MA ‘99
“I got to say, I think everything that she imparted in me in terms of work ethic, in terms of drive, and always wanting to strive for something better—that’s my mom.” —Ben Ordonez, BS ’11
“I am most grateful to have a built-in best friend. We do everything together, and she’s made me obsessed with the things that I do every single day.” —Sammy, Class of 2023
“This is for my daughter Kaylee Crum who is a 2016 grad in sociology. Last year, she became a mom for the first time, and she is the most incredible, loving mommy to our little Mason. And she’s expecting another baby this year, and I couldn’t be happier to be a grandma again. I love you Kaylee, you’re awesome.” —Sharleen Nelson, BS ’06
“Thank you for always loving me, always being there for me and all the rest of the children. I want to say how much I love you. And the most grateful thing I am about you is that you always persevere. You always show us the way, and you’re always there for us when we need you the most. I love you, mom.” —Keyshawn, Class of 2024
“I appreciate my mom for everything she does, and I’m really thankful to have her in my life—do all the things she does to help me succeed and get here.” —Tino, Class of 2026
“In terms of having a Duck child here, the thing is that before I became a student, I would tell my kids, ‘why didn’t you get an A?’ And now I know that sometimes when you get that B or that C+, you feel like you are the king of the world. You did the best that you could, and you’re so pleased to get that grade because it means that you tried your best and you completed it. So I now no longer tell my kids that. Now I’m just proud of them, and so I’m actually a much better parent because of this experience.” —Rubi Harney, Class of 2024 on being a nontraditional student with a child also graduating in 2024
—By April Miller, UOAA Assistant Director of Marketing and Communications; Jadon Vaz, UOAA Student Associate; and Camille Weinheimer, UOAA Student Associate