Portland, OR: September 16, 2010 – Thousands of high school students across Oregon will learn about college options over the next month as admissions representatives from Oregon’s public universities kick off their annual Visitation Program. A statewide tour to engage and inspire Oregon’s high school students to explore their many degree opportunities, the Oregon University System’s (OUS) month-long “Fall Tour” launches on September 27th and runs through October 29th.
Now a longstanding and relied-upon tradition, the university system has coordinated the Fall Tour for over thirty five years, and the presentations are important events for Oregon high schools across the state. In 2009, over 16,000 students participated in the outreach events and a similar number is expected this year. Oregon high schools students from 238 participating public and private high schools will benefit from the Tour this year, and students and school leaders are encouraged to mark their calendars to be sure they don’t miss the event serving their area. A schedule and student materials are available at: www.ous.edu/stucoun/counres/visit.php.
Admissions officers from the seven OUS campuses tour by van from Baker City to Lincoln City, with over a hundred stops in between, providing key college information to Oregon high school students to encourage them to explore their college options. At each tour event, students hear a 2-hour presentation about the unique offerings of Oregon’s eight public institutions as well as admissions guidelines, financial aid information, college costs, and college requirements that can help and inspire them while planning for the future. Students hear a presentation from admissions directors, have the opportunity to ask questions, talk to campus representatives, and receive campus materials including the OUS Viewbook. The Viewbook, also available online, is an introductory brochure for prospective freshman and transfer students and provides a comprehensive overview of Oregon's public university options, including profiles of each institution, a listing of all academic programs, as well as information on applying, costs, deadlines, and financial aid opportunities.
Joe Holliday, OUS assistant vice chancellor for student success initiatives, commended the OUS admissions staff for this successful annual collaboration: “The admissions personnel from our campuses are truly focused on helping and motivating Oregon students to explore their diverse college and career options, opening their eyes to the wide variety of excellent academic programs right here in Oregon.”
In addition to visiting participating high schools in Southern Oregon, Central Oregon, Eastern Oregon, the Oregon coast, and the Portland Metropolitan area, the tour also includes 7 “Campus Plan” events, at which multiple high schools visit an OUS campus to participate in the Fall Tour presentations. Oregon high schools that are not currently on the schedule of visitations as well as home schooled students are encouraged to attend one of the Campus Plan presentations. For more information on these events, see the schedule or contact Susan Stumpf at sstumpf@uoregon.edu.
Rob Findtner, admissions director at Western Oregon University, and chair of the committee that coordinates the Fall Tour, said, “It makes such a difference for students to be able to talk to a college representative in person, to ask questions and have them answered on the spot. Our public universities simply have so much to offer-- it’s truly rewarding to high-school students the diverse range of programs, opportunities, and campus communities that await them.”
The responsibility for coordinating the Fall Tour currently rotates among OUS campuses every two years, with the University of Oregon coordinating the events for 2010. The OUS Chancellor’s Office also partners with the universities to develop materials and disseminate information about the events. OUS, community college and private partners also collaborate to coordinate a similar tour but for prospective community college transfer students, Oregon Transfer Days, which will kick off in the Winter of 2011. A schedule of Oregon Transfer Days events is posted at: www.ous.edu/stucoun/prospstu/transfer.php
