Student Leadership and Activities

This year marks the 16th year that Western Oregon University has presented an award that identifies an individual who, in a special way, makes a significant contribution to the campus and the greater community. The name of the award, Klush Tum Tum (flesh-ka dum dum) is a term borrowed from the Chinook Jargon used by the Calapooia tribe, a group indigenous to this area of the Willamette Valley. The Chinook Jargon was originally a trade language that helped facilitate communication among fur traders along the coast and Willamette Valley. It borrows words and phrases from other languages and dialects to describe transactions and relationships between people. The phrase, Klush Tum Tum reads as “an individual who has a heart for people.”
This award was created to identify a student who embodies the “heart of WOU.” Our award winner exemplifies the best in people and is at the very soul of what we want our students to become.

Nominees must be Junior or Senior status with good academic and judicial standing.

Students, faculty, and staff are welcome to make nominations.