Jan 5, 2024 | Community, Curry Campus
Brookings, OR – Southwestern Oregon Community College Curry Campus invites the community to join us on Thursday, January 11, 2024, 12:00 to 1:00 pm, for a presentation by Rick Serman, Retired Superintendent of the Redwood National and State Parks: Stories of the Redwood Parks.
Rick Sermon has worked more than fifty years among the forests and redwood parks along the California coast and has stories about the majestic giants that you will not want to miss. Rick will present the natural history of the redwoods and the cultural history going back to the gathering at the Bohemian Grove in 1917 that was instrumental in saving the redwoods.
Only 5% of the old growth redwoods still exists. Rick will tell us about how these remaining trees were saved and discuss their future.
This is a free program sponsored by the Friends of Curry Campus and will be held in the Community Room on Southwestern’s Curry Campus, 96082 Lone Ranch Parkway (off Highway 101), Brookings. Bring a friend and a brown bag lunch.
Stay tuned for upcoming talks in our speaker series. Talks during winter term will focus on the nature all around us. For more information contact the Curry Campus at 541-813-1667.
Jan 3, 2024 | Community, Curry Campus, News
Coos Bay, OR – Southwestern Oregon Community College is excited to announce the return of the popular Geology Lecture Series.
Join us for a presentation by paleontologist Dr. Win McLaughlin, Southwestern’s Assistant Professor of Geology, for “Whales of the Oregon Coast – Present, Past, and Really Past” on Wednesday, January 17, 2024, at 6:30 pm.
Coos County residents can join us in-person in the Umpqua Hall lecture room 184 on the Coos Campus, 1988 Newmark Ave., Coos Bay.
Curry County residents can join us for a watch party in the Community Room on the Curry Campus, 96082 Lone Ranch Parkway, Brookings.
With whale watching being a major tourist attraction on the Oregon coast, it’s easy to think of these iconic animals as a key feature for our region. But this association goes much deeper. The Oregon coast is one of the most important places on earth for the study of fossil whales. How and when did whales become the mostly peaceful giants we see today? Join paleontologist Dr. Win McLaughlin as she takes you on a tour through deep time on the Oregon coast to investigate everything from miniature fossil dolphins to the oldest baleen whale to some truly fearsome predators of the past!
For those unable to attend in-person, the talk will be streamed live through Southwestern’s YouTube channel at: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLB0F5A6CF733BC1F5.
For more information about the lecture series contact Dr. Win McLaughlin, Assistant Professor of Geology, at 541-888-7002, win.mclaughlin@socc.edu.
Jan 2, 2024 | Curry Campus, News
IMPORTANT UPDATE: Nursing Program Application deadline extended to APRIL 1, 2024 at 5pm. See below for comprehensive information.
Looking to become a nurse?
Applications to Southwestern’s nursing program are available January 2 – April 1, 2024 (at 5:00 pm), for students looking to become a nurse and pursue their Associate of Applied Science in Nursing at Southwestern Oregon Community College.
All information including important dates, a program overview and the admission process may be found in the Nursing Program Information Packet.
Prospective nursing students looking to join Southwestern’s nursing program starting Fall 2024 are encouraged to carefully review the information prior to applying.
This is a restricted-entry program, meaning all students are required to submit the following:
- By 5pm on March 22, 2024: An application for admission to Southwestern if you are NOT a current student. If you are unsure if you must complete the application for admission, please call 541-888-7405 or email ssc@socc.edu to speak to the Student Success Center.
- By 5pm on April 1, 2024: A separate application specifically to join the nursing program to start Fall Term 2024. All information about how to complete this form may be found HERE, specifically in the Nursing Program Information Packet.
Any questions regarding the program may be directed to Amber Schiro at 541-888-7443, amber.schiro@socc.edu.
Dec 18, 2023 | Community, Curry Campus, News
Southwestern Oregon Community College is excited to introduce our new safety app: SWOCC SAFE. SWOCC SAFE is Southwestern’s new app for students, employees and anyone who wants to stay informed of important safety information about our college.
Why download the app?
SWOCC SAFE enhances the safety and well-being of our campuses:
- Alerts you of security threats on campus
- ‘Friend Walk’ sends your location to a friend in real-time, tracking your progress to your destination so you never walk alone.
- Quickly access campus maps, emergency plans, and support resources such as advising and mental health counseling
- Easily report a safety concern to Campus Security
Please Note: If you are a student or an employee of the College, the SWOCC SAFE app does not replace the College’s current RAVE alert system — it simply enhances it! All push notifications for RAVE alerts will be sent directly through the SWOCC SAFE app. Please make sure your RAVE alert user information is up to date by logging in to myLakerLink and updating your account and emergency contact information.
Download the SWOCC SAFE app today!
Download the SWACC SAFE app from Google Play or the Apple App Store, or follow the QR code below:
If you have questions or concerns please contact Rob Aton, Director of Security, Risk & Emergency Management at 541-888-1623 or by email at raton@socc.edu.
Dec 12, 2023 | Curry Campus, News, Student Success
Southwestern Nurses Making a Difference
The year was 1963, two years after the college opened. The college’s first Practical Nursing degree graduate Carole Matson completed her studies. She soon went to work serving her community. She helped deliver babies. She worked with veterans at a hospital during the Vietnam War, and she assisted others in foster care.
Along with Matson, through the years, nearly 9,000 individuals have completed nursing degrees and certificates at Southwestern. Many of these graduates work locally in hospitals and medical clinics. Others in schools, home visit programs, and senior living facilities.
Still, others fan out across the world in careers contributing to the sustainability of their families and improving their communities.
Where can a nursing degree from Southwestern lead you? Wherever you can imagine. Many travel. Like Carole Matson did throughout her life, some serve as nurses helping people in areas of conflict or, in developing countries. Some go into fitness and nutrition fields, disease prevention and surgery. Others go into spiritual wellness, pediatrics and research.
If you want to care for others, if you want a job that pays well and supports a family, a job that challenges you to constantly learn, nursing may be for you.
Nursing Career Outlook
ANNUAL JOB OPENINGS
- Southwest Region: 47 on average monthly
- Oregon: 2,505
2023 MEDIAN ANNUAL WAGE
Southwest Region average: $102,820
- Starting $81,889
- Experienced $133,744
Oregon average: $110,710
- Starting $84,614
- Experienced $136,240
OTHER
- Retirement outlook is high-risk on the south Oregon coast with 179 employees age 55 or older retiring soon.
- As of November 2023, there are 2,809 job postings for registered nurses in Oregon and 34 for Coos and Curry counties.
- Employment in the field is expected to grow statewide 8.2% by 2029.
Sources: Oregon Employment Department and Lightcast
For more information call or text 541-240-8227; email SWOCCbound@socc.edu.
Dec 12, 2023 | Alumni, Curry Campus, News, Student Success
A career as a professional nurse can take you anywhere you want. Meet four examples.
Jackie Hummel’s journey was not easy. It took her a decade to reach the place she is in now, but she would do it all over again.
Jackie had spent fifteen years as a medical assistant most recently at Bay Clinic. But she wanted to do more. While working part-time, she entered the nursing program at Southwestern, and is now a Pediatric nurse, specializing in caring for infants and children, and providing phone triage, becoming the bridge between medical care and emotional support. As a mom of three herself, she understands what’s going on at the other end of the phone.
Along the way, Jackie had support from fellow students and her family. Scholarships from the SWOCC Foundation and programs like STEP helped alleviate some of the financial burden. Regularly meeting with former nursing students provided guidance and boosted her self-esteem. Surrounding herself with people who had walked a similar path gave her the strength to keep going.
Jackie says, “Stay determined and refuse to give up. Don’t let setbacks discourage you from pursuing your dreams.” Now she has new goals. Starting next year, she will be going back to school to earn her bachelor of science in nursing at OHSU with a plan to become a Family Nurse Practitioner.
Heather Aldrich thought she would like to be a nurse educator after she retired from nursing. But a short text four years ago made her think about it sooner. “I didn’t leave nursing because I didn’t love it (because I did, and I still do patient care), I just got an opportunity I couldn’t pass up. I love explaining complicated concepts, watching the light go on in someone’s eyes, and taking the ‘terror’ out of a potentially intimidating situation.”
Heather started at Southwestern as a student after toying with the idea of medical school. Feeling at loose ends and visiting a friend in Coos Bay, on a whim she decided to try nursing. Eventually that lead to a bachelor’s degree from OHSU, then various kinds of nursing work from oncology, ICU, recovery, creating education programs for Bay Area Hospital, and teaching -clinicals for the college.
Considering a nursing career but you’ve heard nursing school is hard? Heather says, “Nursing is for people with the right intent. Even if you’re not a “good student,” if you are a caring person, we want you.”
Lori Shott’s career path reflects the diverse opportunities available in nursing.
Lori has a lot of advice for students and anyone considering a nursing career. “Start with a solid foundation in the science of nursing assessment and hone those nursing instincts. Keep an eye on your nursing goal but balance it with an open mind too. Be willing to change, adapt and see where life takes you. You will be able to apply the nursing process to whatever type of nursing career you end up doing.”
For Lori that has meant working in assisted living facilities, labor and delivery, clinical informatics (specializing in data related to clinics and hospitals), care management, at the Waterfall Clinic, and now in private practice as a Family Nurse Practitioner. And she teaches nursing labs at Southwestern.
Reflecting back to when she was a nursing student 20 years ago she says, “We had to do a lot of pretending. Not anymore! Nursing education looks so much different now with the new technology. And the instructors at Southwestern have been (and some still are) nurses in the community which adds a practical dimension to the education they provide.”
Chaz Davis believes that being a nurse is not just a job, but a calling. It goes beyond the routine tasks and medical procedures; it involves a sense of purpose and dedication to helping others in their most vulnerable moments. For Chaz, being a patient advocate is at the core of nursing.
After a ten-year career as a paramedic, Chaz was looking for a more structured lifestyle. Nursing fit the bill and now he’s part of the surgery department at Curry General Hospital. He likes to point out that being a nurse is recession-proof. In times of economic uncertainty, healthcare remains an essential industry, ensuring job security for those in the field. Unlike other professions that can be outsourced or automated, the human touch and compassion provided by nurses cannot be replaced by technology.
About Southwestern Chaz says “It’s the best kept secret! It’s such an asset to this community, and the campus is beautiful. I never had a negative interaction, not just with Judy (Instructor Dr. Judith Dornbach) but with all the staff at the Curry Campus.” Chaz’s advice? “If you can invest some time, some money, and some focus, you’ll come out with a secure, sustainable career. It’s worth every minute.”
