Monthly Newsletter from the UOAA

Alumni profiles, campus news, UOAA updates, and the latest lowdowns from athletics. Bookmark this page, or sign up to receive Shout in your inbox each month!

News to Shout About!

Celebrating Asian Desi Pacific Island Heritage Month

5/14/2024

From Ethiopia to Eugene—UO PhD candidate on motherhood, her maternal health studies, and pursuing her passion

5/14/2024

Barrier breaker Sarah Mensah to deliver commencement address

5/14/2024

Eight Oregon Football alumni selected in 2024 NFL draft

5/14/2024

Six Ducks legends headed to the Oregon Hall of Fame

5/14/2024

Alumni lead the way during Ducks Give

5/14/2024

Two historic halls get down to bare bones as part of upgrade project

5/14/2024

‘Saber’ no more: Giant prehistoric salmon had spike teeth

5/14/2024

‘Doing your own research’ can make fake news seem believable

5/14/2024

Celebrating Asian Desi Pacific Island Heritage Month

5/14/2024

Ducks of Impact: Alumni in Education

4/9/2024

Celebrating Women's History Month

3/12/2024

Honoring Black History Month

2/13/2024

Your UO alumni guide to goal setting for 2024

1/16/2024

Flocking together for mental health support

12/12/2023

Celebrating Native American Heritage Month

11/14/2023

Celebrating Latine/x Heritage Month

10/10/2023

Celebrating multigenerational Duck families

9/12/2023

Ducks of Impact: Alumni working in diplomacy

8/8/2023

Ducks of Impact: Alumni working for environmental change

6/13/2023

Baseball and softball alumni: where are they now?

5/9/2023

The solitary genius who sparked a global revolution

4/18/2023

Breaking barriers: Women in business leadership

3/14/2023

Duck Love Stories

2/14/2023

Surviving hate, spreading hope

1/19/2023

A friendship built on creating peace among conflict

12/13/2022

UO alumni win races in the November election

11/15/2022

Peter DeFazio: A force for progress

10/11/2022

Football alumni: where are they now?

9/13/2022

Women in Sports: Title IX Anniversary

7/12/2022

Inspiring stories about love and parenting from UO dads

6/14/2022

A modern Mother’s Day tale

5/10/2022

Queen of the bees

4/12/2022

Breaking barriers: women in government

3/8/2022

Duck Love Stories

2/14/2022

Understanding human-elephant conflict

1/20/2022

Peace Corps celebrates 60 years at the UO

12/14/2021

Honoring all who served

11/9/2021

Then and Now: DeNorval Unthank Jr. Hall

10/11/2021

Jesus Narvaez: Harnessing the power of education

9/13/2021

Ashton Eaton: Leveling Up

8/16/2021

Alumna's Book to be Produced as an HBO Max Series

7/12/2021

The Duck Who Became a Running Brand Leader

6/8/2021

"What They Do to the Least of Us They Can Do to All of Us."

5/11/2021

Breaking the Grass Ceiling

4/9/2021

Man on a Mission

3/5/2021

Answered Prayers

2/9/2021

Barrier breaker Sarah Mensah to deliver commencement address

5/14/2024

From Ethiopia to Eugene—UO PhD candidate on motherhood, her maternal health studies, and pursuing her passion

5/14/2024

Alumni bookmarks: eleven books to read this spring and summer

4/9/2024

From Allen Hall to the Big Apple

4/9/2024

A champion of marginalized communities

4/9/2024

UO alumna says “Hello” to The Book of Mormon national tour

3/12/2024

A conversation with the UOAA board president

3/12/2024

Risking everything for women, workers, and justice

2/13/2024

Celebrating Duck love stories

2/13/2024

Portland-based alums pave the way for Ducks to flock to the city

2/13/2024

UO alumni bring new Duck statue to Autzen Stadium

2/13/2024

Alumni bookmarks: ten books to read in 2024

1/16/2024

Solving a family mystery with multimedia storytelling

1/16/2024

UO chemistry educator sparks fun in the classroom

12/12/2023

Redefining rural healthcare

12/12/2023

Unpacking narratives of revenge, darkness, and chaos

11/14/2023

All Without Words: An alum's composition inspired by autistic and nonverbal son

11/14/2023

Oregon School of Law recognizes esteemed alumni with 2023 Oregon Law Awards

11/14/2023

From ball gowns to space suits, and everything in-between

11/14/2023

An unconventional path to career success

10/10/2023

Alumni bookmarks: ten books to read before Halloween

10/10/2023

Making waves through sonic experimentation

10/10/2023

Oh, the places teachers will go–as park rangers, that is.

10/10/2023

Leveraging the alumni network

9/12/2023

Shaping lives and inspiring change through philanthropy

9/12/2023

UO alumna wins $114k grant to launch Vital Villages in Cottage Grove

9/12/2023

Recent UO grad is making space her final frontier

8/8/2023

Podcast: the past, present, and future of AI

8/8/2023

Alumnus and UO chemist receives national award for young scientists

8/8/2023

Alumni bookmarks: fourteen recent reads for the changing leaves

8/8/2023

Alumna finds her fit as comic bookstore owner

6/13/2023

Welcome to the UO alumni family, class of 2023!

6/13/2023

Celebrating Duck dads

6/13/2023

From river guide to architect: It’s all about environmental stewardship

6/13/2023

Alumna selected as Hawaiʻi State Poet Laureate

5/9/2023

UO alumnus puts out welcome mat for refugees

5/9/2023

Making an impact in Jewish organizations

5/9/2023

Celebrating Duck moms

5/9/2023

Ducks Take Flight: Kāneali‘i Ng-Osorio

4/18/2023

A career committed to advocacy

4/18/2023

UO alumni authors to check out this spring and summer

4/18/2023

Public relations for the public good

4/18/2023

From Autzen to the small screen – Devan Long’s journey to star on CBS’s Ghosts

3/14/2023

UO alum wins international "Dance Your PhD" contest

3/14/2023

Alumna uses public relations degree to promote health advocacy

3/14/2023

From University Theatre to Broadway and the global stage

3/14/2023

Success through failure – a non-linear path to business achievement

2/14/2023

Remembering Shirley Rippey

2/14/2023

Ducks Take Flight: Elizabeth Ahern

2/14/2023

Social change through creativity

2/14/2023

Personal experience helps UO grad launch peacemaking career

1/19/2023

UO alumni and friend authors to add to your 2023 reading list

1/19/2023

An eye for architecture

1/19/2023

Ducks Take Flight: Julia Wong

1/19/2023

An eye for sports photography

12/13/2022

A look back at UOAA news in 2022

12/13/2022

Let's talk supply chain with John Pooley

12/13/2022

Two Oregon alumnae named to Forbes 30 Under 30 list

12/13/2022

Tinker Hatfield on the Black Duck and allyship

11/15/2022

Longtime UO friend named to President's Advisory Committee on the Arts

11/15/2022

Ducks give thanks

11/15/2022

Native alumni and faculty authors to add to your reading list

11/15/2022

Google's VP of Global Communication and Public Affairs, Corey duBrowa

10/11/2022

An elemental approach to wildfire

10/11/2022

Leilani Sabzalian and Indigenous Education

10/11/2022

A global perspective on gender, economics, and sustainability

10/11/2022

Alum gets prestigious NASA safety award

9/13/2022

Not my first rodeo

9/13/2022

College of Ed grad paying it forward at hometown school

9/13/2022

What happens to athletes after graduation?

9/13/2022

Alumna's poignant memoir to become a movie

9/13/2022

Kayvon Thibodeaux: the “modern” athlete

7/12/2022

Alumna's Pulitzer Prize win marks 15th Duck to receive the award

7/12/2022

Son's death spurs family to share their story of suicide to help others

7/12/2022

Remembering university leader Ray Hawk

7/12/2022

Gun violence in America

6/14/2022

Finding Lincoln: the hidden cottage of the 16th US president

6/14/2022

Alumni gift packs a punch for UO Library's Special collections and University Archives

6/14/2022

Rugby world champion on pursuing passion and finding purpose

6/14/2022

Recent grads turned TikTok entrepreneurs

5/10/2022

Finding beauty in chronic illness

5/10/2022

Where alternative energy, innovation, and creative writing meet

5/10/2022

Using music for mental health

5/10/2022

Heart of a filmmaker

4/12/2022

Help is on the way

4/12/2022

Climate change solutions

4/12/2022

Finding Nefertiti

4/12/2022

Science, politics, and innovation

3/8/2022

Reflecting on Title IX with Bev Smith

3/8/2022

The Sweetness of success

2/14/2022

Wordle, the brainchild of a UO alum, is sweeping the globe

2/14/2022

Recent grads make their mark

2/14/2022

Hurdling the pandemic and moving forward with intention

2/14/2022

An unfiltered look at one Duck's journey to the top

1/20/2022

Celebrating Native voices

1/20/2022

No ducking the fight song

1/20/2022

Kirstin Valdez Quade and The Five Wounds

1/20/2022

A voice for the people

12/14/2021

Native linguist and Yakama elder turns 100

12/14/2021

Kent Alterman on authenticity, comedy, and Hollywood

12/14/2021

Where company culture and compassion collide

12/14/2021

Documenting the world with photography

11/9/2021

Envisioning Black Liberation and Indigenous Sovereignty

11/9/2021

In-Duck-ted as Mrs. Oregon America

11/9/2021

From Chapman Hall to Rockefeller Plaza

11/9/2021

A conversation with the new UOAA board president

10/12/2021

Kathy Saltzman Romey is hitting a high note

10/12/2021

#DucksDoingGood

10/12/2021

Native Voice: Jana Schmieding, Rutherford Falls

10/12/2021

Nine alumni Latinx authors that belong on your book list

9/13/2021

Global edition: Alumni #DuckLoveStories

9/13/2021

The rise and fall of Hollywood's top gun

8/16/2021

Duck alumni make a splash on Netflix

8/16/2021

Faris Cassell and the Unanswered Letter

7/12/2021

Hitting Home Runs, in Industry

7/12/2021

On the Frontline for Pfizer

7/12/2021

UO Alumni Rally to Help Black Elder Buy a Home

7/6/2021

The Duck and the Last Dragon

6/8/2021

If Anything Happens I Love You

5/11/2021

Opening Pandora’s Box

4/9/2021

How a theme park saved one composer’s career

4/9/2021

Trail Ambassador

3/5/2021

A Quantum of Sweetness

3/5/2021

“I’ve just been myself.”

2/9/2021

Ducks in Love - February 2021

2/9/2021

Two historic halls get down to bare bones as part of upgrade project

5/14/2024

‘Saber’ no more: Giant prehistoric salmon had spike teeth

5/14/2024

Alumni lead the way during Ducks Give

5/14/2024

‘Doing your own research’ can make fake news seem believable

5/14/2024

Knight Campus director Bob Guldberg to speak at TEDxPortland

4/9/2024

Making the library his mission

4/9/2024

25th Reunion coming this fall

4/9/2024

Realistic artificial skin may lead to medical advances

4/9/2024

Study on wildfire smoke warnings finds room for improvement

4/9/2024

Embark on a cosmic quest with the UOAA Book Club

3/12/2024

UO study finds potential gender stereotypes in kids’ food choice

3/12/2024

Seismic imaging offers clues to geologic past of Greek island of Santorini

3/12/2024

Membership rewards: UOAA members save big on travel and entertainment

3/12/2024

Spreading your wings, exploring the world

2/13/2024

Oregon Bach Festival names celebrated pair as artistic partners

2/13/2024

New way to make iron cuts carbon emissions from steel production

2/13/2024

Duck Alumni Recruitment Team (DART) seeks volunteers

2/13/2024

Nominations for UOAA Board of Directors are open

1/16/2024

If your next cup of espresso tastes a bit better, you can thank volcanology

1/16/2024

A look back at 2023, a year of evolution for the University of Oregon

1/16/2024

UO researchers add details to geological history of Columbia River Gorge

1/16/2024

12/12/2023

Join, renew, upgrade, or gift a UOAA membership for 20% off!

12/12/2023

UO alumni invited to engage in university's culture of belonging

11/14/2023

Three UO students named finalists for Rhodes scholarship

11/14/2023

UO welcomes second-largest class in university history

10/10/2023

Seven new scenes at the UO

10/10/2023

An ode to Homecoming

10/10/2023

The blankets are back!

10/10/2023

UO Onward: conversations with President Karl Scholz

9/12/2023

Happiness 101

9/12/2023

Volunteers needed to help incoming Ducks move in

9/12/2023

Explore the world the Ducks way!

9/12/2023

Summer study abroad programs break record second year in a row

8/8/2023

Tis the season . . . to flock to campus!

8/8/2023

UOAA welcomes new board president and members

6/13/2023

Outliers and Outlaws: The Eugene Lesbian History Project

6/13/2023

Get involved with UO Pride

6/13/2023

Even worms get the munchies

5/9/2023

Oregon Hazards Lab builds disaster-resilient infrastructure network

5/9/2023

Get involved with a UOAA affinity group

5/9/2023

Help make Ducks Give 2023 a success

5/9/2023

Save the Date: 2013+2014 10th Reunion

4/18/2023

Inaugural issue of all-digital Oregon Quarterly out now

4/18/2023

Ukrainian scholar brings a touch of her homeland to the UO

4/18/2023

Talking Ideas with Karl Scholz

4/18/2023

Join the UO Alumni Book Club for our spring read

3/14/2023

Launch Oregon takes startups to new heights

3/14/2023

Make a difference for current and future students at UO Day at the Capitol

3/14/2023

UO names John Karl Scholz as 19th president

3/14/2023

The Mindful Duck

3/14/2023

Mighty Oregon: higher education, higher purpose

2/14/2023

Duck Alumni Recruitment Team seeks volunteers

2/14/2023

New scholarship fund created to support Black UO students

2/14/2023

UO’s Mat Johnson gains visibility with Invisible Things

1/19/2023

New year, new career goals!

1/19/2023

Tiny habits for big success

1/19/2023

UO research's impact on community continues to grow

1/19/2023

Holiday gift guide for alumni

12/13/2022

UO to launch new School of Computer and Data Sciences

12/13/2022

Papé family's gift to create new center in UO’s Knight Campus

12/13/2022

UO chemist gets grant to study more RNA strands at once

11/15/2022

Island archaeology could be a model for space exploration

11/15/2022

UO kicks off a record-breaking year for new Ducks

10/11/2022

Celebrating Latinx heritage at Oregon

10/11/2022

The UO launches the Home Flight Scholars Program

10/11/2022

UO mourns passing of Lorry Lokey

10/11/2022

The weird musical dynamics of a lava lake on Kilauea volcano

9/13/2022

Seven places to explore with fellow Ducks this year

9/13/2022

Volunteers needed to help new Ducks move in

9/13/2022

Patrick Phillips shares plans for interim presidential term

9/13/2022

So, you graduated... now what?

9/13/2022

UOAA welcomes new board members

7/12/2022

Planning for new UO Portland campus moves into high gear

7/12/2022

UO History 101: Track & Field

7/12/2022

Transformation remembered, lessons learned: a Schill and Lillis Q&A

7/12/2022

UO History 101: Commencement

6/14/2022

Duck career coaches

6/14/2022

New demographics dashboard debuts on provost's website

6/14/2022

Annual giving day breaks records

6/14/2022

TedX Portland celebrates 10 years

5/10/2022

UO celebrates Asian Pacific American Heritage Month in May

5/10/2022

New book club selection to be a Netflix series

4/12/2022

Show your UO pride with the Oregon Duck license plate

4/12/2022

Ballmer Institute leader looks to next steps

4/12/2022

Let’s get this party (re)started

4/12/2022

The UO College Tour

3/8/2022

UO to tackle children's behavioral health with transformational gift

3/7/2022

Public Plea: A look at Oregon’s Measure 11

2/14/2022

The better you are at math, the more money seems to influence your satisfaction

2/14/2022

UOAA launches new job search platform

2/14/2022

Work for the UOAA

2/14/2022

Call for Duck Love Stories

1/20/2022

The future of virtual team meetings: Enhancing well-being and equity for game developers

1/20/2022

A new way to look at weight

1/20/2022

Holiday gift guide for alumni

12/14/2021

A look back at UOAA news in 2021

12/14/2021

'Tis the season to be an advocate for students

12/14/2021

Holiday gift traditions from around the world

12/14/2021

Native American Heritage Month 2021

11/9/2021

Get 25% membership off during Rivalry Week

11/9/2021

The 1924 Homecoming was like this...

10/12/2021

A class for the record books

10/12/2021

Ghost stories and folklore of Mac Court and Pioneer Cemetery

10/12/2021

UO gains in annual US News rankings of best colleges

10/12/2021

Research ship with UO staff and students rescues fisherman

9/13/2021

New center offers a warm welcome to potential Ducks

9/13/2021

Alumni owned businesses get a boost

9/13/2021

New alumni demographics are released

9/13/2021

Seven places to travel this year with fellow Ducks

8/16/2021

Check it out: A summer reading list from UO faculty members

8/16/2021

A new alumni network for veterans

8/16/2021

Alumni website gets a makeover

8/16/2021

New $500M Gift Transforms the Knight Campus and University

7/12/2021

The University For Oregon: Provost and Faculty Collaborate on Strengths

7/12/2021

UOAA Welcomes New Board Members

7/12/2021

The importance of giving back

5/11/2021

Cooking While Quarantined

3/5/2021

Eight Oregon Football alumni selected in 2024 NFL draft

5/14/2024

Six Ducks legends headed to the Oregon Hall of Fame

5/14/2024

Men's basketball celebrates strong season and NCAA tournament appearance

4/9/2024

The champion Duck

4/9/2024

From small town USA to the Oregon Hall of Fame

3/12/2024

A day in the life of Oregon lacrosse's Morgan McCarthy

3/12/2024

Full circle with the flock

2/13/2024

Jessica Drummond—it just feels right

2/13/2024

JJ Birden—Looking for a chance

1/16/2024

National Signing Day

1/16/2024

Tailgate with us in sunny Arizona!

12/12/2023

Oregon Volleyball celebrates a strong season and regional finals appearance

12/12/2023

Bo Nix appears in NYC as Heisman finalist

12/12/2023

Phillipina Kyei—Ducks All Over the World

12/12/2023

Ducks are bowl bound

11/14/2023

UO basketball season tips off

11/14/2023

UO's Hayward Field to host 2024 Olympic Track and Field Trials

10/10/2023

Bumped into the spotlight

10/10/2023

A pep rally unlike any other

9/12/2023

Bo and Izzy Nix: a couple Ducks from the South

9/12/2023

Mighty Oregon Tailgates return

8/8/2023

Watch party season is back

8/8/2023

A shot in the dark

8/8/2023

University of Oregon to join Big Ten Conference in 2024

8/8/2023

Oregon softball makes NCAA Super Regional appearance

6/13/2023

2023 Oregon Hall of Fame class announced

6/13/2023

Oregon baseball’s season ends in Super Regional

6/13/2023

Women’s track and field team places fourth at nationals

6/13/2023

Rising from the trenches

5/9/2023

Middle-distance runner Dyrol Burleson headed for Collegiate Athlete Hall of Fame

5/9/2023

LaMichael James on entrepreneurship and life after football

4/18/2023

From student-athlete to the head coaching role

4/18/2023

Ernie Kent on becoming a Kamikaze Kid

3/14/2023

A coach who refused to back down

3/14/2023

Oregon Signing Day

2/14/2023

UO Track and Field athlete breaks NCAA shot put record

2/14/2023

Legend of the game: the Nancy Welborn story

1/19/2023

Order of the O New Online Community

1/19/2023

Oregon volleyball celebrates a strong season and regional finals appearance

12/13/2022

If Gold Is Our Destiny: How a Team of Mavericks Came Together for Olympic Glory

11/15/2022

Ducks are bowl bound

11/15/2022

Alumni inducted into the 2022 Oregon Athletics Hall of Fame

10/10/2022

Favorite football memories

10/10/2022

Mighty Oregon Tailgates return

9/13/2022

Watch party season is back

9/13/2022

Insider's view: Paul Swangard

7/12/2022

A wild dream, about to come true (a Rudy Chapa Duck Tale)

7/12/2022

Devon Allen: double vision

7/12/2022

"I'm just getting started"

7/12/2022

Keanon Lowe: Hometown Victory

6/14/2022

The run-up to the World Athletics Championships Oregon22

6/14/2022

The diamond is a girl's best friend

5/10/2022

Georgia football weekend

4/12/2022

Peg Rees: the voice of generations

4/12/2022

Alumnus pens 1972 track book

4/12/2022

There is no finish line

4/12/2022

Jenny Mowe: Showtime Baker

3/8/2022

Love for skiing and winter sports translates seamlessly into art for Olympian

3/8/2022

LA experience launches this summer

2/14/2022

Oregon Signing Day

1/20/2022

Dick Harter: Holding bricks in the air

1/20/2022

Oregon's first football team

12/14/2021

Travel to the Alamo Bowl with the UOAA

12/14/2021

A history of women's basketball

11/9/2021

Travel with the Ducks to the Holiday Bowl

11/9/2021

10/12/2021

10/12/2021

10/12/2021

10/12/2021

The Oregon mascot, part 1: The Webfooter years

9/13/2021

Oregon’s first Black student-athletes: Leading the charge towards victory and equality

9/13/2021

A Duck from Oregon Tries to Fly!

8/16/2021

Watch parties and tailgates are back

8/16/2021

The Voice of Hayward Field

6/8/2021

A Trials Like No Other

6/8/2021

100 Years of Magic on the Track

5/11/2021

From Autzen to ???

4/9/2021

Sweet, and Almost Elite

4/9/2021

UO Heads to NCAAs

3/5/2021

Anatomy of a Transfer

3/5/2021

Second to None

2/9/2021

Replacing Can’t With Maybe

2/9/2021

19

UOAA CHAPTER AND AFFINITY NETWORK SCHOLARSHIP FUNDS

47

STUDENTS AWARDED UOAA SCHOLARSHIPS

$137,000

AWARDED TO INCOMING AND CURRENT UO STUDENTS FOR THE 2023–24 ACADEMIC YEAR

Shout Out

From my experiences in Students Against Child Abuse, the Couples and Family Therapy community, and as a Center for Healthy Relationships student intern, I was able to connect with my community about issues that are important to me, develop mentorship skills, and create close bonds with other interns as well as supervisors. I cherish all the relationships that I’ve developed in each of these organizations and feel as though I have made connections that will continue through my lifetime.

Grace Bonilla, BS ’22 (family and human services, psychology), class of 2024 (couples and family therapy graduate program)Aspiring therapistRead Grace's Q&A with the College of Education

The Stamps Scholarship [at the University of Oregon] was essential in providing the resources to have the most enriching educational experience in Eugene and beyond. Thanks to the funding, I was able to study and conduct research around the world, which inspired me to pursue a career telling global stories.

Hannah Steinkopf-Frank, BA ’17Journalist at Le MondeRead UO Giving's story on the expansion of the Stamps Scholars Program

I'm fortunate enough to have the education I have from the University of Oregon—the business degree that gave me the confidence to go out and make [Brew Dr. Kombucha] a national endeavor . . . When I’m in New York, or if I'm in Nashville or something I know I can go to any grocery store and see my product there. It’s just wonderful.

Matt Thomas, BA ’02Founder and CEO, Brew Dr. KombuchaListen to Matt's story on The Duck Stops Here podcast

As a little girl, I always knew I wanted to work in sports, specifically female sports. I didn’t know the capacity at the time, but seeing where I was in school and looking where I am now, this is where I wanted to be. Working for a sports team, specifically at the highest level of basketball in the world right now in the WNBA, is nothing I could have drawn up, but I am eternally grateful to be in this position.

Carly Ebisuya, BS ’21Director of public relations for the Chicago SkySchool of Journalism and Communication spotlight

[My time at the UO] has helped me in my life by always pushing me to be the best version of myself. Always showing up and giving it my all every single day. I think basketball has translated so much to my professional career with time management, competitiveness, and always wanting to grow and do better.

Lexi Bando, BA ’18Owner of Bando's boutique; former shooting guard for Oregon Women's BasketballGo Ducks: Order of the O alumni spotlight

When I graduated from Ontario High School, attending the UO was the furthest thing from my mind. After four years in the Air Force and spending the last year in Vietnam, I returned to Ontario and eventually enrolled at the UO. I received a BA in political science in 1973 and, with the help of divine intervention, was admitted into the UO Law School and got my JD in 1976. I have been retired since 2019, after practicing law in Dallas for more than thirty-eight years. I owe my success to the UO and am proud to be a Duck.

Gabriel Robles, BA ’73 (political science), JD ’76Retired Attorney

When I arrived at the University of Oregon I was lost; not sure where I fit in as a first-generation Chicano. Through the support of the Office of Multicultural Affairs along with students of MEChA (Chicano Student Union) and other student organizations, I found my foundation and learned how to work with others while appreciating and valuing the different experiences of people and groups that I didn't encounter in my small-town upbringing.

Mario A. Garza, BA ’97Director of Equity and Inclusion and School Counselor at La Salle Catholic College Preparatory; Patos Alumni Network steering committee member

One of the coolest things about being a Duck alum now is getting back together with my old Duck friends from across the country and raising our kids together the right way, as Ducks too! Throw the O!

Alexa Tieu Whippo, BS ’10Manager, US CEO Communications at Deloitte Consulting, LLPUO Alumni Association Board of Directors

I am thrilled to join the outstanding scientists, educators, and staff at the Museum of Natural and Cultural History. Museums are more than repositories of history. Through exhibits, collections, research, and educational programs, MNCH has the capacity to amplify marginalized voices, build a more sustainable world, and ignite meaningful conversations. As a proud UO graduate, I am excited and privileged to continue this work at an institution that inspired me at the start of my career.

Todd Braje, PhD ’07Incoming Executive Director at UO Museum of Natural and Cultural History

My experience at UO was special because of the many organizations and groups I was a part of on campus. Coming back from COVID I was scared what campus life would be like but all of my jobs and involvements quickly made that fear go away. I have found great community within my time at UO and I am so grateful for every person I met along the way.

Irisa Mehta, class of 2023 (political science, general social science)SAA Director of Advocacy and Philanthropy, ASUO Senate President, commencement student speaker

The UO’s student radio station KWVA is celebrating its 30th anniversary this May. I was the station’s first-ever music director when it signed on 88.1 FM in 1993. How did that experience prepare me for my career? My experience at KWVA changed my life. In 2016, I realized my dream of becoming the owner of my own radio station, KORE 1050 AM & 95.7 FM – FOX Sports Eugene. Locally owned radio. What a concept!!

Steve Woodward, BS ’95 (political science)Owner and Station Manager, KORE 1050 AM & 95.7 FM - FOX Sports Eugene

I feel lucky to have received training in art, design, and architecture from the University of Oregon. This has been the foundation of my career that took me from working in one of the best architecture firms here in the PNW (Olson Kundig Architects) to starting my own award-winning design and manufacturing business.

Shea Bajaj, BArch ’92 (architecture)Owner, Modern VerveArchitecture Duck Shea Bajaj finds success in Seattle

Working in homeless services was so impactful because the title and awards you win don’t matter. Now, I’ve gotten to a place where I can strip myself from that elitist mentality. I’m doing work for the right reasons. It’s about how I can use my work to propel the community for the greater good.

Sarah Koski, BA ’06Vital Voices Visionary FellowClark Honors College Alumni Spotlight: Dedication, helping others and honoring community

The School of Music and Dance has been the highlight of my UO memories. I started as a music major but switched to journalism. However, I still played in the concert band. Twenty years later, I was hired as the school’s publicity director, and 12 years before retiring, I became the Oregon Marching Band announcer. I’ve gone to 18 bowl games, including four Rose Bowls and two national championships. It’s been the Golden Age of Oregon football!

Scott Barkhurst, BA ’68Band Announcer for the Oregon Athletic Bands, Retired Publicity Director for the University of Oregon School of Music and Dance

I joined the UOAA Board of Directors to give back to the university and strengthen our alumni community across the globe. My time at the UO was a transformative experience. I learned invaluable skills, developed lifelong relationships, and made lasting memories. Now I want to give back and ensure future Ducks have a similar experience. Go Ducks!

Ryan Nguyen, BS ’08Associate Partner, McKinsey & Company
UOAA Board of Directors

As an Indigenous Native American Duck alum, my time at the University of Oregon was priceless to me. I was given a formative education and found not only educators, but mentors. I was given the skills I needed to pursue the enactment of lasting change in our community. I see that we have opportunities to learn and work together to create a better future. The wisdom passed down from past professors still echoes in my work today.

Jolene Bettles, BS ’19Care Coordinator, HIV Alliance

My career path is a direct result of both my areas of study at UO; studying Art & Technology and Business led me to positions that incorporate design, marketing, and communications, especially in my latest role at Roseburg. This position provides me with a perfect opportunity to connect both skill sets in order to communicate with words and visuals cohesively. I’m also grateful to remain based locally in Lane County - Go Ducks!

Elora Kelsh, BFA ’17Internal Communications Manager, Roseburg Forest Products

Through my experience at the UO, I think the biggest takeaway is the relationships I've cultivated. I was involved in a lot of student unions – the Multicultural Center, the Asian and Pacific American Student Union, and Kultura Pilipinas. I also worked at UO Catering, so I had a broad experience in different areas of campus. I met some of my best friends at the UO, and after 20+ years, I still have strong relationships.

Jason Cummings, BA ’05National Account Exectutive, Cost Segregation Services Inc.

One thing that’s great about having an O for our University’s symbol is that it reminds me that I have a circle of U of O friends. The close friends that I made at Oregon have meant so much to me over the years. They have been a key part of my mental health, especially during the pandemic. As my abuelita told me: ‘Friends are good medicine.’ I am grateful for what I learned at Oregon and for the connections that have boosted my happiness and wellbeing.

Humberto Chacon, BA ’87Customer Success & Business Development Executive, Canopy Wellbeing, Portland & Silicon Valley

When I set foot on campus during IntroDUCKtion, I never expected to be a Double Duck. I was a 17-year old Black girl trying to figure it out. Little did I know, I was exactly where I needed to be. My time in the psychology department and law school presented many opportunities and opened doors that I could not have imagined. It was these experiences that reaffirmed my desire to work in the criminal justice field and help with rehabilitation, address mental health, substance abuse needs, and reintegrating into society. I would not trade my many year's at UO for anything! And I am forever grateful for the education, experiences, and friends I met along the way.

Jeminé Trouth, JD ’09, BS ’04Assistant Chief, Criminal Section, Office of the Attorney General for the District of Columbia

I am the first woman in the lineage of my family history to be able to get an education, to build a career, to immigrate to America and be financially independent. While I wear these facts as a badge of honor, my accomplishments are not just mine but they are a gift from my ancestors especially my ama and my dada abu.

Aqsa Khan, MCRP ’21, MBA ’24Lane County Venture Catalyst | RAIN

One thing I've learned in working with young people across the world is that talent is equally distributed; it has no bounds in terms of race, creed, color, education, and economics. Young people exude talent everywhere, but opportunity is not equally distributed. If we're serious about improving our country, our world, our lives, our cities, and our neighborhoods - what are we doing to provide opportunities to get young people on that ladder for their career and for their life? Service-learning is a big part of that.

Stephen Greene, BS ’88Co-founder and CEO of RockCorps.The Duck Stops Here Podcast: RockCorps

We are tearing down the assumption that all women of color are the same, that all women from a specific community are the same, and saying that every single woman is different, every single woman has her own story, and providing space for them to share that.

Hanin Najjar, BA ’21Co-founder and editor-in-chief of Parachute Media. Photo courtesy of Hanin NajjarSOJC graduate launches an inclusive media company

Some of my fondest memories at the UO were attending football games at Autzen with friends and events put on by the Black Student Union and Alpha Kappa Alpha sorority, like the Ebony Man and the Fashion Shows. Such fun times! Being an alumna means everything. I’ve spent some the most memorable times in my life at this university and made lifelong friendships. I absolutely love that you can go anywhere in the world and meet a fellow Duck and the pride is immediate and the love instantaneous.

H. Kim Jabbie, BS ’02Footwear Product Marketing at Jordan Brand Special Projects & Wings, Nike

“I went into Carson [residence hall], the 4th floor specifically, because it was the gender-inclusive floor. In the Carson building, the second floor was dedicated to the Diversity Excellence scholars... that was really cool that even though I was not a diversity scholar, I was interacting with people on that floor. So I would hang out with people on both floors. That’s where I met my first friends at the University of Oregon.”

Perla Alvarez, BA '17Executive Director of Oregon Voice, Portland, ORAround the O: Finding Community and Connections at the UO

"As a U.S. diplomat I still draw heavily on experiences and knowledge gained while studying international relations in my home town of Eugene. I have served in Iraq, Uruguay, New Zealand, and a wide range of other countries throughout my foreign service career, but no matter where my posting the Duck alumni in those countries have consistently been among brightest and most innovative minds."

David Edginton, BS ’93US Consul General, Dhahran, Saudi ArabiaUS Embassy profile

My experience at UO shaped my career in two big ways: I learned about the Mark O. Hatfield (congressional) fellowship at the UO... If not for the UO, I may not have found the opportunity. As an alumnus, I had a built-in network when I arrived in D.C. without knowing anyone. Some of the alumni I met are close friends, colleagues, confidantes, and mentors.

Dennis Worden, BA '06Director of Global Regulatory Monitoring and Enforcement, Fortune 500 CompanyUO Advocates profile

I was born into a family of Duck fans. It goes all the way back to one set of my grandparents and my parents, who all met in school here. It was the one and only direction for me to go.

Kevin Yamaka, BS '12Business owner and entrepreneur, Soko CoffeeThe Emerald "Alumni Taking Flight" series

I am so glad that I went to the University of Oregon because it was such a great environment for me to learn.

Daniel Wu, BArch ’97Actor and ActivistThe Duck Stops Here Podcast

The UOAA is a way to be connected to the UO, keep current on issues facing the university from an academic and athletic perspective, and provides opportunities to advocate on behalf of the UO’s top of mind issues.

Maylian Pak, MA ’05 (geography) UOAA President, Director of Donor Relations at The Oregon Community Foundation

The SAA allows students and our Duck Alumni Network to connect in meaningful and opportunistic ways that I believe are valuable for every student on campus. This experience has made a crucial impact on my life as a student at UO. As I start to begin my journey into the professional world, I feel more confident that my time within the SAA has provided me with the necessary tools to succeed outside of college.

Kallie DiRusso, BS ’21SAA Dirctor of Leadership and Development

UO taught me how to think! Coming from an academic background myself, I got the basics from home. But living for four years in Eugene taught me how to love nature and develop a critical mind. Mens Agitat Molem is UO’s greatest gift to me. Courses at the History and Sociology Departments opened my mind to the power of reflection. My interaction with magnanimous faculty taught me the Socratic method. The combination of all these skills has made me a fulfilled educator. One of my professors, Professor Emeritus John Nicols (History) was instrumental in my intellectual development at UO. And the UO campus grounds are like no other, such beauty and serenity.

Sharifah Munirah Alatas, BA ’86Academic, Scholar Activist, Columnist, Educator

There are more people of color in this world than those of European descent. There are more women in the world than there are men in the world. Their voices absolutely must be heard.

Marc Anthony Samuel, BAActor, General Hospital