Empty Nest Newsletter - Fall 2023

New Initiative Focuses on Promoting Resilience

One of the most important aspects of mental health is the ability to “bounce back” in the face of obstacles (otherwise known as resilience). An unexpected repercussion of the pandemic has been the widespread reduction in resilience; people just don’t have as much “grit” as they used to and are far more easily overcome when they hit a roadblock. We’ve seen this happen with not only our students, but employees as well. To that end, Oregon Tech has invested in a new initiative called the Center for Wellbeing. The Center’s mission is to spearhead a strategic, research-based, campus-wide approach to supporting the mental health and wellbeing of the entire Oregon Tech community. 

In an effort to promote resilience, the Center (along with the Dutch Brothers Foundation) will be launching a marketing campaign this Winter term with the tagline “Don’t Just Bounce Back, Bounce Forward!”; to appeal to our very mathematical students, the logo includes the vector trajectory of a bouncing ball. Research was conducted in order to identify the classrooms and labs on the Klamath Falls campus that have the highest utilization rate. Of those, 36 academic spaces were selected, in which at least 100 students attend weekly. Then, a series of posters were created (see example on this page) with a variety of resilience-supporting messages; some offer information about on-campus resources to help students “bounce forward,” while others are simply inspirational quotes (from historical figures as well as pop culture sources such as anime, movies, and comic book characters). 

These 2-foot x 3-foot posters will be installed in frames in the 36 academic spaces during Winter Break, so students will start viewing them the first week of winter term. The posters will be rotated every 2 weeks to keep the messages fresh. At the close of the term, students will be given the opportunity to complete a short survey to gauge the effectiveness of the campaign (i.e., the extent to which they noticed the posters, any impact they had, whether they utilized on-campus resources after viewing the posters, and so on). 

So, how can help support this effort? During the break, have a conversation with your student about resilience; giving them an example of a time when you struggled and persevered would be a great way to show that you’ve demonstrated resilience, and could help motivate them to do the same. You could encourage them to look for the posters during the first week of class and then ask them about the messaging in January. And, of course, as always, encourage your students to seek out on-campus resources (such as tutoring or counseling) that can help them “bounce forward” in the face of obstacles! And while you’re at it, take a moment to remember that you, too, can “bounce forward” even if times are hard. Thanks for all you do! 

Gaylyn

What’s happening in Housing and Residence Life (HRL)?

By Dr. Mandi Clark, Director of Housing & Residence Life

Well, you may be a bit confused if you read who is writing this, yes, I am also serving as the Director of Housing and Residence Life. We are working to fill this position as I transition into my new role as the Associate Vice President for Student Affairs and Dean of Students. A busy term, and I commend the entire Housing and Residence Life team of full time and student staff as they welcomed an excited and vibrant community of students this fall!

This fall, the student staff have hosted a variety of events from an All-Hall Crawl offering residents the chance to wander around the Residence Hall and meet a variety of their neighbors and make friends, as well as a variety of games, crafts, and fun to study sessions most days in lobbies, and much more. Hall Crawl was so much fun, the Housing and Residence Life staff did this event again for Family and Alumni weekend! It was a smashing success to watch families and their students’ playing games and a way for our students to share with their families the friends they have made and the spaces they are enjoying in the halls.

As of this writing, we are in the last weeks of the fall term. Not sure where this term has gone, but time really does fly when we are having fun. With dead week upon us, Housing and Residence Life is communicating to our residential students about housing and dining-related plans for Winter Break. Housing and Residence Life will close for Winter break on Friday, December 15, 2023. Residents are welcome to remain on campus if they register with us through the link shared in the Winter Break closing letter.

For residents who are using the local (Klamath Falls) train or bus transportation for the break, they can get a ride on the Housing Shuttle. Monday night December 11-Friday morning, December 15, 2023. Residential students will need to sign up with the link in the closing letter, so we know they are looking for a ride. Then on the return trip, students can sign up for a ride back from the Klamath Falls train or bus station Saturday night January 6, 2024, as well as Sunday morning and evening, January 7, 2024. Housing re-opens Saturday, January 6, 2024, at noon, and the Housing Office will re-open on Monday, January 8, 2024, the first day of classes for winter term 2024.

As the fall term’s ending is fast approaching, I want to share how much our residents appreciate your support and caring. The packages they receive, the messages you send and your calls just at the right time are meaningful to them. Your support and encouragement is amazing-please keep it up-we know this is a stressful time of the term, but I see how your kind words, support, and encouragement mean the world to them. Please gently remind them during this time to take short breaks, and to read and respond to their Oregon Tech email-it may just be one about snacks in the lobby that they needed!

Thanks for reading all about what Housing and Residence Life staff are working on, and what your students may enjoy! Please know each staff member on our team is dedicated to the safety and success of your student. We are here to partner with you and answer any questions you may have as your students enjoy their time with us in the housing community. Feel free to reach any of us in the Housing Office at 541-885-1094 or via email at housing@oit.edu. 
 

Winter Term 2024

Winter Term 2024

Greetings from the Library! We kicked off the Fall term with a bang by hosting the Learning Resources Center Extravaganza, which was an opportunity to welcome students into our space, share snacks and a Build Your Own Arnold Palmer station, and showcase the plethora of resources the Library and Learning Resources Center have to offer. The turnout was amazing, and we loved connecting with both new and returning students. 

During the LRC Extravaganza, we distributed hundreds of swag bags filled with useful supplies like tote bags, flash drives, refrigerator magnets, and the highly sought-after bucket hats. These items are still available while they last—tell your student to swing by the Library Help Desk anytime we’re open to grab some swag! 

This term, the Library also recognized several areas of student needs and took steps to meet them. In response to the growing demand for technology resources on campus, the Library received and catalogued an additional 30 university laptops that will soon be available for checkout. These laptops can be borrowed for a full term, with the option to renew for the entire academic year—perfect for students without laptops or those whose personal devices are being repaired.  

We also secured student access to Article Galaxy Scholar, an online resource that allows students to use library funds to purchase scholarly content that is unavailable in our databases or through interlibrary loan. Yes, you read that correctly—with Article Galaxy Scholar, the library foots the bill for students to purchase scholarly content to support their studies.  
We’ve also seen the need for more spaces suited for collaborative learning. As such, we've introduced two newly revamped study rooms tailored for smaller groups of students. These spaces are found on the second floor of the LRC near our existing Group Study Room, and are perfect for group projects, discussions, and teamwork. Students can stop by the Library Help Desk to book a room anytime we’re open, or book one online through our website. 

We're incredibly proud of what we've achieved this term, and it's all thanks to the fantastic support from our students, student workers, faculty, and the community. As always, we're here to serve and enhance the learning journey for everyone at Oregon Tech. To check out what we’re up to, follow us on Instagram at @oregontech_library, and the next time you’re on campus, feel free to drop by and explore the exciting changes happening at our library!

Career Services hosted several events during the Fall Term, including our first series of targeted Career Fairs! We began the series on September 25, 2023, with the Dental Hygiene Career Fair on the Klamath Falls campus. During this event, eight employers met with 52 students who were able to attend this free event with some alumni and faculty. The following week Career Services hosted the Student Employment Fair on the Klamath Falls campus in which 132 students from various majors were able to meet various departments that were hiring. We then hosted our Medical Imaging Technology/Respiratory Care/Nursing Networking & Information Expo in Klamath Falls on October 20th. We had 24 employers who met with 245 students. The very next week on our Klamath Falls campus on October 24th Career Services hosted the Civil Engineering & Geomatics Career Fair. This was a new targeted fair and Career Services collaborated with faculty in the Civil Engineering & Geomatics departments to host this event. During this fair 34 employers had a chance to meet with 81 students who attended the fair. In the same week on October 26th, we hosted our Klamath Falls Engineering, Technology, & Management Fair in which 23 employers met with 121 students who were able to attend the fair. Finally, we finished the fall term with the Portland-Metro Engineering, Technology & Management Fair on November 2, 2023. 61 students were in attendance and had a chance to meet with 23 employers. We are excited to see our students and alumni attend these fairs. Career Fairs are always open to students of any grade level as well as alumni looking for new connections. Fairs are a wonderful opportunity for our students to begin networking with industry professionals to make more informed decisions on their future employment options.

As Career Services added additional targeted fairs this year for the students the feedback we have gotten from the students and employers alike has been positive. We felt that switching to targeted career fairs would give the students a better chance to connect and have meaningful conversations while still getting to speak to a number of employers. We have noticed the number of students who are attending the fairs overall has increased. We encourage students as well as alumni to attend our fairs that are best suited to their majors.

We are also going to be hosting our annual Professional Etiquette dinner on February 28th in Klamath Falls and our second Professional Etiquette Dinner for our Portland-Metro students at The Grand Hotel-Bridgeport on March 6th. Our Professional Etiquette dinners are designed to help students navigate the intricacies of attending an interview with a meal component. This is a free meal and professional development opportunity for our students. Faculty, alumni, and staff partners play a large role in being table hosts or guest speakers at this very popular event!

As we come to the close of the 2023 Fall Term, Career Services continues to visit many classrooms and attend club meetings to present on various career development topics, such as resume creation, cover letters, elevator pitches, and LinkedIn profiles. Students are highly encouraged to remember that Career Services is a lifelong service, to use Handshake for appointments, job searches, career fairs, and other career-related events, and to visit our online Canvas course, Internship and Job Search Resources, where they will find extensive information on resumé building, writing cover letters, job and internship searching tips, building a LinkedIn profile, and much more!
 

Have you ever been trying to navigate a new city without a map? It can be isolating, scary, and at times lonely. That is what it may feel like for first-generation students who are pursuing higher education. In support of students who are the first in their families to attend college, Oregon Tech took part in a nationwide event, First Generation College Celebration on the week of November 8th. The purpose of this event was to celebrate Oregon Tech’s first-generation students and provide an opportunity for non-first-generation students to show their support.

First-generation college students are those whose parents or legal guardians have not completed a bachelor's degree. Approximately 36% of Oregon Tech students fall into this category, a significant source of pride for these students and their families. Being the first in their families to attend college is an amazing accomplishment for many of the students at Oregon Tech and their families. In order to support these students, Oregon Tech’s TRiO grant, the Tech Opportunities Program (TOP), provides a variety of student support services. TOP is a student-focused program that powers the potential of first-generation students, low-income students, and students with disabilities.

To show support, campus members were given the opportunity throughout the week to pick up free shirts sharing their first-generation status or showing their support of those students. Students, staff, faculty, and supporters alike wore their shirts on campus throughout the week, providing some wonderful opportunities for great conversations.
One of the highlights of this week was to give students and supporters an opportunity to participate in an interview session on the Oregon Tech student-run radio station KTEC 89.5. These interviews gave a closer look into real-life experiences, addressing first-generation college students' unique challenges, complexities, personal growth, and accomplishments. These radio sessions were not only broadcast live for listeners but were also archived on the KTEC website to document these impactful stories. To access the interviews, please visit the First Generation Week Interview Recordings – KTEC 89.5 FM (ktec895.com).

The week ended on a high note as Oregon Tech hosted their annual First-Generation Dinner Celebration on November 9th. To open the event, Heather Wisener, Title VI Coordinator for Klamath Falls City Schools, provided the land acknowledgment. Next, Andrew Biggs, Ph.D., Klamath Falls City Schools Board of Education Member Zone 2, delivered the keynote address to students, encouraging them to persist in learning and to take advantage of opportunities as they arise. “Here [at Oregon Tech] is your formal education, but your education in life never ends,” Biggs shared. In addition to hearing from our featured speakers, two TOP students were given the opportunity to share their stories with attendees. One student shared, "As a first-generation student, I am grateful for the opportunity to build my network and receive professional training for employment that my parents had not been able to receive since my mom only received secondary training for her job as a loan officer and my dad left high school to join the military."

Overall, it was a wonderful week, and we value any opportunity that we have to celebrate our TOPpers! 
 

The Department of Education announced that the newly overhauled 2024-25 Free Application for Federal Student Aid, or FAFSA, should  be open to students and families by December 31, 2023.  The delivery of applicant information from the FAFSA to schools will be delayed, possibly until the end of January.  This means we most likely won’t be able to notify students that we’ve received their FAFSA until February.  Please check our website for updates. Click here for more information on the FAFSA Simplification Act.
 

The Office of Financial Aid hosted three Fall Information Sessions this season. We had over 100 students attend each event and gave away a total of $1,350 in scholarship money. These events were geared towards helping our students gain access to financial aid staff, resources, and important financial aid information during the Fall term. 

Please tell your students to watch out for emails on our winter events, including a possible FAFSA filing event and a scholarship workshop. 

The Oregon Tech Foundation and Alumni Association are here to show support for your students! Through initiatives that fund priorities such as academics, classroom upgrades, student projects, faculty development, capital projects, athletics, and scholarships, we work to further the goals of the university and enrich the educational experience for all students, supporting the greatest needs of the University. 

Our job at the Foundation is to support the mission of Oregon Tech, especially students. One of the ways in which we strive to do so is through our scholarship program. For the 2023-2024 academic year, we are thrilled to have awarded over $1,000,000 in scholarships to over 300 very deserving students! Each scholarship represents a student who receives assistance towards getting another step closer to achieving their degree and their dream, having a brighter future, a boost in morale, and a vote of confidence. This is only possible through the generosity of individuals, including faculty, staff, alumni, students, industry partners and community members, and foundations, organizations, and businesses who believe in our exceptional students and support Oregon Tech’s mission to provide hands-on education for real-world achievement.

Applications for the 2024-2025 Oregon Tech Foundation scholarship program are open now through March 1st, 2024. Details are available at www.oit.edu/otfscholars, and through the Financial Aid Office. We hope you will encourage your student to apply! For more information regarding the scholarship program or the Oregon Tech Foundation, please contact Executive Director of Development, Mira Wonderwheel, at 541-851-5679 or mira.wonderwheel@oit.edu.
 

We were thrilled to gather in person and virtually on October 28th to celebrate the Oregon Tech Foundation scholarship recipients 

for the 2023-2024 academic year. As always, the highlight of the event was hearing from four inspiring students  - senior Serena Moha, juniors Jamison Guerra, Ryland White, and Amelia Hess - about their unique experiences at Oregon Tech.

“I know that I speak for my classmates as well as myself when I say that the Foundation scholarships have changed our educational prospects, and in many ways have transformed our lives. I personally doubted whether I would attend college. Coming to Oregon Tech has changed my life, and none of this would have been possible without the Foundation scholarships. I’m so glad to be able to say thank you; for all the financial support, and just being here for us really changes lives.” - Amelia Hess, Biology Health Sciences '25, Guest speaker and recipient of the Favell Museum of Western Art and Artifacts Scholarship and Kerns and Helen Spears Scholarship
 

Exciting news! This year's #GivingTuesday for Oregon Tech surpassed our expectations yet again, raising an incredible $100,000+. Your generosity, whether through donations or spreading the word, played a vital role in this success, exceeding last year's efforts and highlighting our growing spirit of unity.

We're immensely grateful for your support, which propels our ongoing initiatives and strengthens the impact we can make at Oregon Tech. Together, we're building a brighter future for our students, faculty & staff, and our entire community as a whole.  For this and more, we are grateful. 

Oregon Tech's new student programs have been in full swing this Fall, extending a warm welcome to yet another remarkably sizable incoming class. This term, the university saw an influx of 537 new students on the Klamath Falls campus, with an impressive 450 opting to participate in our specialized orientation program, aptly named "S.O.A.R.ing into Success." This initiative strategically zeroed in on key elements such as finding support, exploring diverse opportunities, achieving academic success, and fostering resiliency.

As the academic year kicked off on September 27th, Oregon Tech embarked on an engaging Week of Welcome, designed to immerse students in the vibrant culture of Klamath Falls through a series of delectable food events. The week commenced with a welcoming address from the Dean of Students, Dr. Clark, who introduced a fresh vision for student life and the university as a whole. Vision boards were unveiled, providing a visual representation of the exciting journey that awaited the Oregon Tech community.  

The Student Involvement and Belonging team eagerly launched the "Opportunities October" program, focusing on empowering Hustlin' Owls to enrich their academic journey with diverse extracurricular experiences. This innovative initiative aimed to showcase the myriad possibilities for students to engage beyond the classroom.  

Reflecting on the highlights of the term, several notable events unfolded:  

• The popular SOAR program expanded its horizons, introducing a "Bites of Diversity" breakfast where current Oregon Tech students shared their pre-university life experiences, offering unique perspectives on shaping their university journey.  

   

• Hootie, the beloved mascot, celebrated its 40th birthday with a new look and a joyous cake-cutting ceremony, inviting students and friends to partake in the festivities. 

• November brought "Family and Alumni Weekend," providing a warm welcome to students and their families. The event featured engaging conversations, sports activities, and networking opportunities for both students and their guests.  

Looking ahead to the winter term, anticipation is building for "Hootie's Winter Wonderland" during the first week of school. This exciting event aims to welcome students back to campus with flair. Notable highlights include the presence of Adam Grabowski, a four-time National College Comic of the Year and mental health advocate. Students can also look forward to quick bites, hot cocoa or coffee before classes, ice skating, and an array of other delightful activities – setting the perfect tone for a successful new year and term.

Portland-Metro students attended daily Week of Welcome activities (aptly nicknamed WOW because of all the events that took place during those first weeks) and enjoyed opportunities designed to help build connections with other students, staff, and faculty. The Student Involvement and Belonging Department coordinated activities including “Build-A-Owl with Intent Charm” and “Create Your Inspiration Board” to encourage students to put mindful intention toward a successful Fall Term. Students were connected to over a dozen Portland-Metro clubs at the “Get Involved Fair” highlighting the various academic and recreation avenues of involvement. Utilizing the Oregon Tech App, students played the “Get To Know Our Community” Game and explored the building to find the various resources and staff that will help them navigate their journey at Oregon Tech. The showcase event of Week of Welcome was Hootie’s Birthday Bash. Hootie enjoyed birthday cupcakes and pleasantly surprised each student by giving THEM a birthday present.

VOLLEYBALL – The Lady Owls returned to the postseason, qualifying for the Cascade Conference Tournament, where the squad dropped a tight 3-set decision to Bushnell…Kaley Whalen earned second-team All-CCC honors, finishing the year with 544 digs – the third-highest total in program history…middle blocker Kate Hicks finished 2023 with 108 blocks – the first player to surpass 100 blocks in a season since 2014.

MEN’S SOCCER – The Owls recorded their third-straight season with 10-or-more wins, finishing 11-5-4, advancing to the semifinals of the Cascade Conference Tournament…Andrew Pasang had a monster season, scoring 12 goals with eight assists – setting a single-season scoring mark, with Brock Rideout establishing new Oregon Tech career records for goals, assists, points scored and games played…both Pasang and Rideout were honored as first-team All-CCC selections.

WOMEN’S SOCCER – The Lady Owls made their seventh-straight postseason appearance, finishing 2023 with a 7-5-4 overall record–tying Eastern Oregon, 2-2, in the CCC Tournament quarterfinals, with EOU advancing on penalty kicks…three players – Kiana Jacobson, Brianna Lewis and Karly White were selected as second-team All-CCC picks.

CROSS COUNTRY – The Lady Owls placed fifth at the CCC Championships – and advanced to the NAIA National Championships as the host institution (Cascade Conference was the meet host – with Tech earning the bid as the highest finisher not receiving at at-large bid)…the Oregon Tech men finished sixth at the CCC meet – with Jonas Hartline earning All-CCC honors, earning an at-large individual bid to his fifth NAIA Championships.

BASKETBALL – Oregon Tech will host nine home basketball doubleheaders during the months of January and February, including the annual Pink Out Night on Jan. 19 vs. Bushnell.

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