From the President – April 16, 2025

Dear EOU Community,

EOU was abuzz with activity the last two weeks. We’ve hosted the Oregon Joint Ways and Means Committee. The “Rally in Our Valley” brought our university together in support of funding for higher education. Our Board of Trustees’ committees met. We had a rousing rock-paper-scissors tournament. EOU’s Center for Culturally Responsive Practices hosted Kristen French and Elizabeth Bragg, scholars in Tribal Sovereignty, Indigenous History, and Native American Fiction. Our annual Dual Credit BBQ served over 100 students. The Hispanic Film Festival commenced with a great first film. The High School Math Competition brought over 200 students to EOU, and the 8th annual Pacific Island Mathematics Undergraduate Conference (PiMUC) was a success with 13 different universities and colleges represented from as far away as WSU Everett, WA and Idaho State University in Pocatello, ID. Wow! 

I am so full of gratitude for all the individuals who have worked so hard to make our campus lively, vital, and engaged in our community. Let’s each make a point to express gratitude to at least one of the individuals involved in these wonderful events!!  

Amid this wonderful work, we have additional things to celebrate (and please don’t forget to fill out the survey at the end before you click away!) 

The trapshooting team had an outstanding season, winning the West Coast Championship and advancing to the ACUI National Championships in San Antonio, where they competed against 117 universities and over 1,200 athletes. For the second time, they earned the ACUI West Coast High Overall Team award. Freshman Nick McLaughlin shot 100 straight in American Trap, then another 74/75 in the shoot-off, finishing third nationally. Senior Elias Tollefson made the All-American list for the third consecutive year. I am proud to share that five team members received Certificates of Academic Achievement from the ACUI Clay Targets and Scholastic Clay Target program. The team finished 8th in their division and remains the top team from the West Coast Region. 

The 2025 Governor’s Food Drive competition results at EOU were announced. Thank you to our organizers, to everyone who offered encouragement, and to all who donated — way to go, EOU!

Huge thank you to Auburn Isaak, Peter Wordelman, Suzannah Moore, John Garlitz, Paul Nauert, and Tim Seydel for helping make the Ways and Means visit impactful. Several leaders shared that it was the best event they held this year because of our organization.

Our junior and senior art showcases are underway, and it was heartwarming to see friends and family come out to support our talented artists at the opening receptions. Thank you to our dedicated art faculty for making it all possible!

Congratulations to the College of Education’s Reading Clinic on receiving four grants! The Reading Clinic at Eastern Oregon University received $1.25 million in funding through the Oregon Department of Education’s Early Literacy Success Community Grant program. This statewide initiative supports research-aligned, high-dosage tutoring, tutor training, and authentic engagement with families and caregivers of early elementary students. In addition to this state-level support, the Reading Clinic has received three additional grants to deepen its local and regional impact. The Wildhorse Foundation awarded $25,220 to fund tutor compensation and curriculum materials, expanding access to literacy support in schools, after-school programs, and remote settings. The Meyer Memorial Trust granted $140,000 through its Our Empowered Youth project to expand tutoring services and professional development for teachers, paraprofessionals, and administrators in rural communities. The Ford Family Foundation contributed $10,000 to further strengthen tutoring services and educator training.

We love EOU. We love EOU swag! Making branded items more accessible is part of the Ascent ‘29 strategies. What I would love to know is what swag you would use the most: a clear tote bag, a clear sling bag, water bottle, stickers, socks, phone stand…? Please complete this super short survey and share your preferences with me by April 30.

Finally, I wanted to share how much it meant to me to be part of our community during our “Rally in Our Valley.” As I head to Salem next week for a lobby day and a presentation before Ways and Means, I want you to know how much you filled my heart, and I will take that passion with me.  We will continue pushing for our story to be heard.

Sincerely,

Kelly A. Ryan, Ph.D.
President