October blog post

October, 2019

Happy fall alumni and friends! How beautiful is it it outside right now with those vibrant colors? These crisp mornings and evenings with warm days makes for a nice, gradual transition into fall. Here on campus we’ve been enjoying student activities for New Student Week, welcoming our faculty, students and friends back to campus for the new academic year and prepping for the start of the year. As always, our Facilities Services team have been working hard to keep campus looking pristine and welcoming. We welcome all of the new and returning students to campus and wish you a fantastic year! 

September was a very busy month. There were multiple events, the start of home football games, the President’s address, and much more. For a full recap of September’s happening, keep reading. 

Alumni & Friends After Hours- 

On Tuesday, September 10 a small group of alumni and volunteers gathered at Heroes Taphouse in Salem to enjoy beverages, food and conversation at the September After Hours event. These events are great for networking and inviting friends to, to help them learn more about alumni programs and offerings. The new After Hours events will be held on October 8. Locations are TBA! Mark your calendars for the second Tuesday of each month. 

Forward Together Celebration –

Independence has a new boutique hotel called The Independence. This project has been a long time in the making and we were thrilled to be the first group to host a party on the rooftop. The venue offers beautiful views of the Willamette River and surrounding area. On Friday, September 13 the WOU Foundation hosted a cocktail party to celebrate the first phase of the “Forward Together” campaign by inviting all of the folks who participated in the research phase to the party. The hotel staff did a phenomenal job with their service and all attendees enjoyed a wonderful evening. We look forward to celebrating more events at The Independence in the near future. 

What’s new at WOU Brunch- 

A great group of alumni, students, friends and Wolf fans enjoyed a delightful brunch buffet, mimosas, coffee and presentation by Dr. Rob Winningham, Provost on September 14. Dr. Winningham presented on “What’s at WOU” and gave a very comprehensive review on what is happening on and around WOU. Topics included WOU becoming an HSI (Hispanic serving institution), General Education reform, new buildings and more. Thank you to Dr. Winningham for his wonderful presentation and thank you to our wonderful alums and friends for coming to this great event. 

First home game, Community Appreciation Day- 

WOU Played their first home game on September 14 against Texas A &M M- Commerce. For the first home game of the season and for the second year in a row, WOU Athletics opened this game up to the public and community members to attend for free for “Community Appreciate Day.” The parking lot was full of eager tailgaters, laughs, sounds from the drum line and cheers. The team played well and lost in the end by just one touchdown. The next home game is Saturday, October 5 and kickoff is at 1:05 p.m. If you come to game be sure to stop by the alumni tents to say hello and great a snack and some swag.