Small University

Maisie Bandel-Ramirez, an Economics and Political Science student at SOU, had a very clear plan for her future. She narrowed her college search to four-year schools in Oregon that offered both an economics program and a wrestling team. Her criteria were specific, but during an athletic visit to SOU, she discovered the campus, and it felt like her home in the Columbia River Gorge. “It all clicked for me when I visited campus,” she says. “I could see myself here, studying and building something real.” The familiarity of the landscape solidified her decision, making SOU feel like the right choice. 

For Maisie, she credits an AP History teacher in high school for sparking her interest in economics by teaching her to look at issues from all different perspectives. Maisie says, “I love looking at big questions from all angles. Economics blends people and money and policy — it feels like engineering for communities.”  

Scholarship Support and Future Planning

As Maisie looks toward her 2026 graduation, she sees an MBA as a crucial step, not only to continue competing in athletics but also to acquire the business skills necessary to launch her career. Her ultimate goal is to work in policy advising, a field she describes as “politics adjacent,” one that allows her to combine her love for research and application. Ultimately, her long-term academic plan is to pursue a dual master’s in economics as well as a law degree. Maisie is a recipient of the Soroptimist Women’s Athletic Scholarship for the 2025-2026 academic year.

Innovation in Action: Internship with the Local Innovation Lab

Since being a first-year student at SOU, Maisie has approached each new college challenge with a unique brand of initiative, proactively seeking local connections to become a member of the SOU and Ashland community. The interest to build community led her to the Local Innovation Lab, where she discovered Economics Professor Bret Anderson’s work.   

As Maisie began exploring the intersection of issues, money, and people, Maisie saw an opportunity for change: using the Sustainability Tracking, Assessment & Rating System (STARS) framework for mission aligned investment. STARS is the national accreditation for sustainability reporting in Higher Education and this is an area for improvement at SOU. With just a small one-tenth of a point rating, the situation was ripe for improvement, a fact that Maisie recognized as a chance to make a tangible difference. Maisie collaborated with the Institute for Applied Sustainability to identify improvements.

Her core goal was ambitious and visionary: “to create a knowledge base around mission aligned investing,” a public-facing report that would make complex financial concepts accessible to everyone. This mission was driven by her frustration with the common student experience of putting in immense effort on a project only to have it sit on a shelf and get dusty. By committing to making the work public, Maisie transformed a traditional research assignment into an act of community engagement, ensuring her work would spark conversation and inspire others to engage with these critical issues.  

Empowering Students in Philanthropy  

Maisie’s innovative research culminated into a report that outlined a visionary approach to student philanthropy: the creation of a student-managed fund. The model transforms the student role from passive recipient to active partner, working side-by-side with donors to control resources and make shared decisions on community projects. 

Maisie highlights the exceptional mentorship opportunity this presents. Rather than a trial by fire introduction to the world of finance, the student-managed fund would offer a supportive and educational ecosystem. Students gain practical, hands-on experience and learn the complexities of philanthropy and finance within a structured environment, setting them up for future success.

Maisie’s approach to the project is deeply rooted in a lesson from her Native American studies classes: the principle of moving at the speed of relationships. This idea emphasizes the importance of slowing down and focusing on connection rather than extraction.

Personal Growth and Navigating Complexities  

Maisie’s work at SOU is rooted in personal and professional development. She has honed essential skills like organization and time management, but more importantly, she has learned how to navigate conversations where she didn’t have all the answers. 

This newfound confidence has given Maisie an appreciation for the role and the importance of students in a university setting. This sense of empowerment has enriched her own SOU experience but has also trickled out to the community as well, demonstrating that SOU student voices are powerful tools of change for the regional community. The practical support of a stipend from Lithia & Driveway was critical, allowing her to focus on her work without the extra noise of financial stress.  

She says,

“I’m so excited about the future of the Local Innovation Lab and the potential for peer-to-peer mentoring and student fellowships. Some of the most important lessons I learned throughout this project came from my peers. That student-to-student connection is absolutely crucial for real, lasting learning.”

Beyond Academics: Wrestling

While Maisie’s academic work is impressive, her journey is also defined by her experiences beyond the classroom, particularly in the world of women’s wrestling. In high school, she was often the only woman in the room, but at the university, she found a really tight community of dedicated women athletes. She was drawn to this collective energy.

Wrestling is a hard sport, and it has taught her to develop a tough skin and to accept things as they come. Even a significant injury, which could have been a major setback, turned into an advantage. The injury preserved her eligibility and allowed her to think about pursuing her MBA while continuing to be a part of the team.   

Honors and Global Perspectives  

Her commitment to growth is also evident in her experience with the Honors College. Although she initially joined for the scholarship, she quickly found that its true value lay in the unique class structures and the zoomed-out perspective they provided. A prime example of this was the trip to India with the Democracy Project, where she met with ambassadors, political party leaders, and campaign managers.   

Ultimately, these diverse experiences at SOU have shaped Maisie into a well-rounded leader. From the camaraderie of her wrestling team to the insightful academic environment of the Honors College and the eye-opening travel opportunities, she has built a foundation of resilience, critical thinking, and global awareness. 

Maisie reflects,

“I was so surprised by how many opportunities there are at SOU. People often think that a small university limits you, but I think arguably there are more opportunities here for real-world impact and connections. It hasn’t been a hindrance in any way; it’s actually empowered me to step into my own and feel confident in my expertise.”

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