Marketing and Communications
Press Releases: November 2008
Youth Programs Classes to Start December 6 (11/25/08)
Southern Oregon University (SOU) is offering a number of pre-college youth programs during October and November. Each workshop combines hands-on applications with practical educational experiences that encourage learning.
Colorful Comics, Cartoons, and Manga
Ages 10–14, four sessions, Saturdays, December 6–20 and January 3, 1–3 pm
Color your drawing world! Come enhance your drawing and coloring skills and use professional markers, watercolors, and colored pencils to learn new ways to color and shade your favorite characters. You will use your own designs and images, whether it’s Manga or other forms of cartooning, and learn ways to make them come alive.
Instructor: Craig Honeycutt
Location: Higher Education Center 213, Medford
Course No: 300052
Fee: $79
NEW! Vet Med: Doggone Good!
Ages 9–13, three sessions, Saturdays, December 6–20, 1–3 pm
Who let the dogs out? Are you a dog lover? Then come to this “doggone good” class. You will learn tips on how to be the most responsible dog owner and care provider. Learn about training, supplies, health care, licensing, grooming, boarding, pet sitting, the best foods for your dog, and more. Dog specialists will visit your class and you will take a trip to a local pet store and veterinary clinic. Come have a woof-derful time!
Instructor: Shama Stewart
Location: Campbell A
Course No: 380054
Fee: $69
Holiday Workshop: Wrapping It Up
Ages 6–8, two sessions, Saturdays, December 6–13, 1–3 pm
Create a cornucopia of projects to enhance the holiday season. You will add your own artistic touch and make your choice of personalized gifts, festive gift tags and wrappings, cards, and ornaments. Who knows? Maybe your parents will be out doing their own secret holiday errands while you take this class. Note: All supplies included in the fee.
Instructor: Teresa Francois
Location: Campbell A
Course No: 300010
Fee: $49
Holiday Workshop: Festive Gift Making
Ages 9–12, two sessions, Saturdays, December 6–13, 10 am–noon
Tis’ the season for giving! Enjoy the holiday season by making wonderful holiday gifts and wrappings for your loved ones. Learn how to make a unique gift for someone on your list. Bring your holiday spirit and creative mind.
Instructor: Teresa Francois
Location: Campbell A
Course No: 300047
Fee: $49
On Guard! Ready, Fence!
Ages 10–15, three sessions, Saturdays, December 6–20, 3–4:30 pm
Steel rings on steel—away you go into the fascinating world of swordplay. Safe inside a mask and jacket, you will improve your skills in the exciting sport of fencing. Continue to master the skills of “touching” (scoring on) your partner while avoiding being scored on and learn the respect, ethics, and camaraderie involved in this sport. Note: All equipment supplied.
Instructor: Dylan Shelton
Location: Cascade F & G
Course No: 370019
Fee: $59
NEW! Toy Imagineers
Ages 8–11, two sessions, Sundays, December 7–14, 3–4:30 pm
Have fun taking toys apart to learn how they are constructed and how they work. Dissect remote control cars and trucks, electronic toys, dolls, or whatever you choose. Explore the science of toy building with an expert and construct your very own toys. Note: Bring toys that you wish to donate for assembling and disassembling.
Instructor: Claudia Michelli
Location: Campbell C
Course No: 390020
Fee: $49
Video Game Design
Ages 11–14, two sessions, Saturday and Sunday, December 13–14, 1–4 pm
Immerse yourself into the world of video games as you learn the exciting game-making process and explore software designed for new media. Learn basic game design concepts while creating your own video game to email to your friends. You’ve been gaming for hours at a time, now be the mastermind behind it.
Instructor: Robert Luaders
Location: Britt 251
Course No: 330024
Fee: $69
For more information, visit sou.edu/youth or call 541-552-6331.
SOU Percussion Ensemble presents Incantations (11/18/08)
The Southern Oregon University (SOU) Percussion Ensemble under the direction of Terry Longshore will present Incantations on Tuesday, December 2, at 8 pm in the Southern Oregon University Music Recital Hall.
The acclaimed SOU Percussion Ensemble has been praised throughout the northwest for its performances of contemporary percussion music that entertains, challenges, and excites listeners of all ages. Composer William Kraft (former Los Angeles Philharmonic composer-in-residence, associate conductor and principal timpanist) said of the ensemble, "I have never— repeat, never—been so pleased with performances of my works."
The program will feature André Jolivet’s Concert en Suite for flute and percussion, highlighting virtuoso flutist Tessa Brinckman and SOU percussionists Brian Banegas, Reed Bentley, Chris Matthews and Evin McHill (conducted by Terry Longshore). The 1965 work features the C flute and the alto flute and contrasts virtuosic passages with lush, beautiful textures. The percussion writing, all for non-pitched instruments, adds textures that alternate between playful, jazzy, somber, and pointillistic.
Originally from New Zealand, Tessa Brinckman enjoys a versatile career, having worked in many classical music ensembles and concert series in the United States, South Africa and New Zealand. Her orchestral and festival work includes the Oregon Symphony, New Haven International Arts, Oregon Bach, Ernest Bloch, Bumbershoot and Astoria Music Festivals. She has recorded and composed for theatre in New Zealand, New York and Seattle, for Radio New Zealand, and for TV commercials.
Brinckman is the founder of Ensemble East West (formerly East West Continuo) and co-founder of Caballito Negro, a flute and percussion duo with Terry Longshore. She has received local and international grants to present unique historic and contemporary chamber music programs and has premiered numerous works by American composers.
The concert will open with Incantation, an arrangement by Michael A. Hernandez of Benoit Jutras’s piece for Cirque du Soleil. Also featured will be Duet for marimba and vibraphone by Daniel Levitan, Nostalgiac Strains by Erik Griswold, and two trios by percussionist/composer William L. Cahn (Changes and 6 Pieces for Percussion). The concert will close with The Grand Ambulation of the B Flat Zombies by John Bergamo, one of the ensemble’s favorite friends and composers.
Tickets for this performance are $10 for general admission and free for students. Tickets and season passes may be purchased by calling 541-552-6101 or at the Music Box Office prior to the performance. For more information, please visit Southern Oregon University’s Music Department website.
Big Band Heat: Jazz Band Showcase (11/18/08)
The Southern Oregon Music Department presents Big Band Heat in the SOU Music Recital Hall on Saturday, December 6 at 8 pm. Featured groups include the Southern Oregon University Jazz Ensemble and the two small student combos, all directed by Dr. Martin Behnke.
The two student combos will play a variety of jazz standards and not-so-standards, including Miles Davis' Milestones, Duke Ellington's Caravan, Frank Zappa's King Kong, and Freddie Hubbard's Little Sunflower. The Jazz Ensemble set will include a wide variety of mostly contemporary big band tunes, including John Clayton's Silver Celebration, Benny Carter's Easy Money, David Springfield's Tarantula, and a monumental setting of Bill Whalen's music from Riverdance, arranged by Bob Curnow. The big band will also premier the latest of director Behnke's Christmas Big Band settings. The Jazz Ensemble's recent CD, Big Band Heat, The Best of 2007–2008 will be available at the concert.
Tickets for this performance are $10 for general admission and free for students. Tickets and season passes may be purchased by calling 541-552-6101 or at the Music Box Office prior to the performance. For more information, please visit Southern Oregon University’s Music Department website.
National Survey Spotlights Student Engagement at SOU (11/12/08)
Southern Oregon University (SOU) students reported higher than average engagement compared with students at peer institutions in four of five benchmark measures in the 2008 National Survey of Student Engagement (NSSE).
When compared with other master’s level comprehensive universities that participated in the national study, SOU seniors said they are more likely to experience a high level of academic challenge, student-faculty interaction and enriching educational experiences. SOU first-year students said they were also more likely to experience active and collaborative learning than students at peer institutions. In the category of student-faculty interaction, the NSSE data showed SOU first-year students surpass the average of all colleges and universities that participated in the study.
“If you’re looking for close student-faculty interaction, SOU is the university to attend,” says James Klein, SOU Provost and VP of Academic Affairs. “The NSSE report validates what we do well.”
SOU student participation in the survey was strong; 32 percent of first-year students and 35 percent of seniors took part. Across the nation, 380,000 randomly selected students at 722 four-year colleges and universities participated.
It’s the fourth year in a row that SOU has been involved in the national survey. The trend-lines over that time are encouraging to SOU President Mary Cullinan. “I’m delighted to see the extraordinary academic quality reflected in SOU's NSSE data,” says President Cullinan. “We compare positively to peer universities all over the country. And our numbers are improving every year! That’s a great testament to the work being done at SOU.”
The survey asks students 42 key questions about their college academic experience. Here is how SOU students answered some of those questions in the five key benchmark areas that NSSE surveys.
Academic Challenge
To what degree is studying and spending time on academic work emphasized?
71 percent of first-year students feel that SOU places substantial emphasis on academics.
Do faculty hold students to high standards?
55 percent of first-year students frequently work harder than they thought they could to meet faculty expectations.
Active Learning
How often are topics from class discussed outside of the classroom?
62 percent of first-year students at SOU frequently discuss readings or ideas from coursework outside of class.
How many students apply their classroom learning to real life through internships or off-campus field experiences?
By their senior year, 57 percent of SOU students have participated in some form of practicum, internship, field experience, co-op or clinical assignment.
Student-Faculty Interaction
Do students receive prompt feedback on academic performance?
70 percent of first-year students indicate that they frequently get prompt verbal or written feedback from SOU faculty members.
How often do students talk with advisors or faculty members about their career plans?
83 percent of seniors at least occasionally discuss career plans with SOU faculty.
Enriching Educational Experiences
How often do students interact with peers with different social, political or religious views?
48 percent of first-year SOU students say they frequently have serious conversations with students who are different from themselves in terms of their religious, political or personal beliefs.
What percentage of students participate in community service?
By the time they are seniors, 51 percent of SOU students have participated in community service or volunteer work.
Supportive Campus Environment
Are students satisfied with their overall educational experience?
82 percent of first-year students report a favorable image of SOU; 79 percent of seniors would choose SOU again if they could start their college career over.
To what extent does the school help students deal with their academic and social needs?
74 percent of first-year students feel that SOU has a substantial commitment to their academic success. 41percent feel well supported by the institution regarding their social needs.
Southern Oregon University Announces the MySOU Web Portal (11/10/08)
This fall, Southern Oregon University (SOU) began the MySOU web portal service. The web portal is available to students and employees and is part of an ongoing process to improve campus web services for students, faculty, staff and the SOU community.
The technology is designed to simplify online services by providing a single login for one-stop access to all of SOU’s web-based information services, including Blackboard, SISWeb, web access email, CareerLink, Financial Aid, Library systems and more. MySOU helps the campus community stay connected and informed about what is happening on campus. Information that displays in MySOU is tailored to each person’s role and activities at SOU and can be customized based on individual preferences.
MySOU can be found by clicking on the MySOU icon from any page on the SOU website or by entering my.sou.edu into any web browser. Students and employees use the same account and password as they do when using the SOU network and email.
To help with the transition to this new system, SOU offers a number of options. Students and employees can register for training classes and can view the schedule of classes on the Information Technology website at sou.edu/it/training. There are also “Quick Tips” videos on the MySOU login page.
Southern Oregon University Receives $50,000 Grant (11/6/08)
Southern Oregon University (SOU) recently received a $50,000 grant from the Bernard Osher Foundation to provide scholarships for students returning to four-year institutions after a significant break in their studies. The program targets returning students ages 25 to 50.
Currently, 27 percent of enrolled students are re-entry or nontraditional students. SOU has taken an active role to assist these students with services, including academic, financial, and social support. SOU has already achieved success with programs such as the Southern Oregon Learning in Retirement Program.
Because of SOU’s work to support re-entry students, the Bernard Osher Foundation offered SOU the opportunity to apply for their invitation-only, performance-based Osher Re-entry Scholarship Grant. “The invitation to apply is indicative of the confidence Osher has in our program administration and convergence with the foundation mission and vision,” said Grants and Sponsored Programs Administrator Deborah Hofer.
The Bernard Osher Foundation was established in 1977 by Bernard Osher and is dedicated to improving quality of life through the support of higher education and the arts. The foundation provides scholarship funding for universities with a focus on helping re-entry students. This scholarship is given to 70 institutions in 29 states. SOU is one of only three schools in Oregon to receive this grant.
“In many ways, this grant is recognition and validation of all of the work SOU has put into ensuring that there are services and support mechanisms for older and re-entry students,” said Vice President for Student Affairs Jon Eldridge. “Our work developing the Commuter Resource Center has received national attention and our personalized, customized approach to helping individual students succeed is greatly enhanced by the additional scholarships afforded through this grant.”
Guest Artist: Gleb Karpushkin, horn with Alexander Tutunov, piano (11/4/08)
The Southern Oregon University (SOU) Music Department is pleased to present guest artist Gleb Karpushkin on the French horn. Professor of Music Alexander Tutunov, DMA, will accompany Karpushkin, in addition to playing solo works on the piano. This incredible performance is scheduled for Monday, November 17, 2008, at 8 pm in the SOU Music Recital Hall.
Gleb Karpushkin is one of a few performers presenting French horn as a solo instrument. After graduating from the USSR Music School specializing in wind instruments and the Central Music School of the Moscow Conservatory, Karpushkin entered the Moscow Tchaikovsky Conservatory in 1985, to study with A. Demin and I. Lifanovsky. In 1988, he won the First Prize at the All-Soviet Union Brass Competition. He has worked with several of Russia's leading orchestras, including the Great Tchaikovsky Symphony Orchestra and the Russian State Orchestra. Currently, he is the soloist with the New Russia Orchestra under the direction of Y. Bashmet.
In January 2004, Karpushkin toured the U.S. with solo recitals and master classes. After his performance of the Horn Concerto by R. Gliere, a reviewer from Music and Time wrote, “Gleb Karpushkin charmed everyone with his musicality, refined lyricism, and brilliant command of the instrument.” Karpushkin’s passion for the instrument and a desire to broaden the repertoire keep him looking for more compositions, sometimes beyond traditional technical and expressive limitations of the horn.
Alexander Tutunov is one of the most outstanding virtuosos of the former Soviet Union. His playing was described by Soviet Culture in Moscow as “exhilarating and inspired, and which demonstrated a unique talent.” A native of Belarus, Tutunov entered the Central Music School of the Moscow Conservatory at age seven-one of three chosen out of 200 applicants-to study with Lev Naumov and Victor Merzhanov, where he graduated magna cum laude.
Tutunov has performed widely in the former Soviet Union, Poland, Bulgaria, the Czech Republic, China, Mexico, and the United States as a recitalist, soloist with orchestra, and on radio and television. Tutunov is presently under contract with Altarus Records to record the complete solo piano works of Lev Abeliovich. He has also recorded on AUR, Bravissimo, and Albany Records labels.
Currently director of keyboard studies and artist-in-residence at SOU, Tutunov is also the artist-in-residence at the University of Alaska Southeast and artistic director of the SOU International Piano Institute. He continues to be in great demand as a recitalist and orchestral soloist.
Tickets for this performance are $15 for general admission and free for students. Tickets and season passes may be purchased by calling 541-552-6101 or by visiting the Music Box Office prior to the performance. For more information, please visit Southern Oregon University’s Music Department website.
