Kierstin isn’t your average first year SOU student. While scouting the field as a catcher for SOU’s softball team, she’s also a dedicated Biology major, eager to learn the intricacies of the scientific discipline. Kierstin came to SOU not just for the academics, but because of the vibrant campus community that SOU offers to students.
The next student in our LAD Scholar Series is Fiasamoa Faasauvale who has come to SOU from the village of Malaeloa in American Samoa. As the youngest of seven children in her family, Fiasamoa worked hard to support her family financially, an ethos instilled by her parents who have worked tirelessly to provide for their children’s education.
Julia Sommer is no stranger to the influential power of music. From briefly playing cello with the Rogue Valley Symphony to singing with Southern Oregon Repertory Singers since 2006, Julia has found significant joy in music and the performing arts. She performed with the San Francisco Symphony Chorus for many years.
Taylor Jackson, Honors College Scholar and SOU Beach Volleyball Athlete, is an exceptional student whose SOU journey exemplifies a commitment to societal betterment, academic excellence, and athletic skill. Taylor is a senior studying biochemistry with a minor in biology, and she hopes to enter the world of medicine and ultimately, would like to become a physician.
Spanning various academic departments, from Chemistry and Biology to Computer Science and Mathematics, and under the guidance of faculty mentors, the SOU Summer Research Experience engages students in projects that push the boundaries of conventional knowledge.
Dale Vidmar’s engagement with SOU spans forty years—first as a student and then as a long-time faculty member in Hannon Library. His early experiences at SOU were pivotal in shaping his worldview and played an important role during his career.
A two-degree alum of SOU, Bernie believed in the powerful opportunity that education offers, especially as he experienced it in SOU’s closely knit and nurturing community.
Our optimism in philanthropic commitments for 2023 materialized remarkably—the dedicated generosity of over 2,600 benefactors set a new record, culminating in $15.4 million in contributions to strengthen the university.
Natasha Perez Parra is our second featured LAD Scholar, a first-year SOU beach volleyball athlete who is studying Emerging Media and Digital Arts.