Dec 17, 2025 | Community, Curry Campus, Curry News, Foundation, News, OCCI News
Coos Bay, OR – Students planning to attend Southwestern Oregon Community College during the 2026–27 academic year can begin applying for Southwestern Foundation scholarships starting January 1, 2026.
Thanks to the generosity of donors across our communities, the Southwestern Oregon Community College Foundation awards more than $300,000 in scholarships annually, helping students pursue education, training, and career pathways at Southwestern.
The scholarship application period runs from January 1 – March 1, 2026. All students considering enrollment for the 2026–27 academic year are encouraged to apply, including both full-time and part-time students. Applications submitted by February 1, 2026, will be eligible for a $1,000 “Early Bird” Scholarship.
To learn more and apply, visit www.socc.edu/scholarships.
The Foundation and Financial Aid Office will host a series of drop-in Scholarship and FAFSA workshops to provide additional help and everyone is welcome to swing by:
Coos Campus (Coos Bay) – Tioga #301
- Wednesday, January 21 | 3:00–5:00 p.m.
- Monday, February 9 | 4:00–6:00 p.m.
- Friday, February 13 | 11:00 a.m.–1:00 p.m.
- Wednesday, February 25 | 3:00–5:00 p.m.
Curry Campus (Brookings) – Room #232
- Wednesday, February 4 | 10:30 a.m.–2:30 p.m.
Have additional questions about Southwestern Foundation Scholarships? Email foundation@socc.edu or call 541-888-7209.
Dec 3, 2025 | Community, Curry Campus, Curry News, News
Brookings, OR – Southwestern Oregon Community College Curry Campus invites the community to join us on Thursday, December 11, 2025, 1:00 – 2:00 p.m. for: Christmas Traditions Around the World.
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!
The theme of the December lecture at Curry Campus is “Christmas Traditions Around the World.” This is a two-part program. A group of women of Danish heritage will display a variety of Danish-based Christmas decorations and food. “Danes are in love with Jul” says Karen Morton, one of the presenters.
For the second part, Marilyn Hart will bring photos of her recent trip to the “Christmas Around the World and Holidays of Light” display at the Museum of Science and Industry in Chicago. This display, which takes place annually in November, is a must see of 50+ countries displaying the art of each country on a tree. As one participant said, “It delights the senses with its sheer beauty, but also enriches the spirit by fostering a deeper understanding of our interconnected world.”
The museum’s holiday exhibit is a beloved tradition dating back to 1942, during the height of World War II. It began humbly, with a single Christmas tree dedicated to the war allies, adorned with ornaments made by local children.
Examples of trees include an Irish tree with ornaments made of lace, or traditional Celtic knots, small cottages, sheep, shamrocks, and miniature St. Brigid’s crosses.
The tree from Mexico is a burst of vibrant colors with perforated paper banners, elaborate straw stars, figures of angels and the Virgin Mary, and perhaps even some piñata-inspired ornaments.
Hart will also present some traditions and foods from her Polish and Slovakian heritage.
Christmas is a favorite time of year for Hart, and each trip has been a learning experience, that is, learning about ethnic Christmas traditions, food, art and architecture. Hart’s travel includes seven trips to London as well as travel to all 50 states.
Hart is a Professor Emeritus of University of Wisconsin and teaches Statistics at Southwestern Oregon Community College’s Curry Campus.
All attendees will be encouraged to share their holiday traditions.
Stay tuned for upcoming talks in the Friends of Curry Campus speaker series. Winter Term lectures will feature coastal ecology and conservation. Watch for these lectures in the community education publication form the college coming to you soon in your mailbox. For more information contact the Curry Campus at 541-813-1667.
Nov 3, 2025 | Community, Curry Campus, Curry News, News, OCCI News
Winter Term and Intersession 2025-26 are quickly approaching!
- INTERSESSION (OPTIONAL) = Classes take place December 8, 2025 – January 5, 2026 (These are online, fast-track classes during Winter Break for degree or certificate seeking students)
- WINTER TERM = Classes start January 5, 2026
Below are instructions about how to register. Questions? We’re here to help! Contact us:
- Coos Campus Students: Call 541-888-7352 or Email
- Curry Campus Students: Call 541-813-1677 or Email
REGISTRATION FOR DEGREE OR CERTIFICATE SEEKING STUDENTS:
If you are already a current/admitted student, below are instructions on registering.
Not a current or admitted student? You’ll need to first complete an Application for Admission to Southwestern** – For Winter Term, submit your application by December 17, 2025 to ensure processing prior to the holiday closure. Not sure whether or not you’re an admitted student? Contact us using the information above! (**Note: If you’re a community member simply looking to take a credit class for fun or personal enrichment, you’ll complete the Community Education and Personal Enrichment Form in lieu of the Application for Admission).
WINTER TERM:
- Classes begin January 5, 2026
- Registration is available November 3, 2025 – January 7, 2026 (From January 8 – 14, 2026, you will first need instructor consent to register for a class)
TO REGISTER:
- First clear with your advisor! If you’re unsure who your advisor is, call 541-888-7405 or schedule an advising meeting. Curry Campus students call 541-813-1667.
- Login to myLakerLink using your student ID and password.
- Search for courses under the appropriate drop down and select your class(es):
- Intersession = Select “2025-26 Winter Term – Intersession” in the drop down; These will all be section “50” classes with start/end dates of 12/8/25 – 1/5/26
- Winter Term = Select “2025-26 Winter Term” in the drop down; Classes beginning 1/5/26 (not Intersession dates)
REGISTRATION FOR COMMUNITY CLASSES (COMMUNITY EDUCATION):
Winter Term 2025-26 community education class registration opens December 8, 2025 at 8:00 a.m. To register, follow the instructions on the top of the community class page. Winter Term community class listings will be updated prior to registration opening.
As a reminder, all academic term dates and other important milestones may be found on the Academic Calendar. Click on the “2025-26 Academic Calendar” button for a .pdf version or click on the “categories” button and filter for “instructional calendar” to view the online version.
Sep 30, 2025 | Curry News, News
Looking for an affordable, high-quality college experience? Southwestern Oregon Community College is now accepting applications for the 2026-27 academic year! Whether we met you at a recent college fair or you’re just starting to explore your options, now is the perfect time to see what makes Southwestern a great place to start your educational journey.
Why Southwestern? Here’s what we offer…
- No out-of-state tuition! Study at a beautiful coastal campus without paying extra fees as an out-of-state student.
- Apartment-style student housing—live comfortably right on campus, with lakefront views!
- Active campus life: It’s easy to get involved in student clubs and organizations and meet new friends.
- Diverse community: Meet students from 40 states and 35 countries!
- Top-notch facilities: Study in our new Umpqua Health & Science building and recently renovated Coaledo and Sumner Halls.
- Small classes, qualified instructors: Get personalized attention from experienced instructors (NOT teacher aides) who genuinely want you to succeed.
- Largest athletics program of any community college in the Northwest!
- Scholarships and tuition breaks: Ask us about scholarships and opportunities for free tuition! Have 3.75+ GPA? You might be eligible to receive a tuition waiver!
For a full list of academic programs and degrees, explore our pathways and degrees page.
Considering a career in the Culinary Arts?
If your passion is in cooking or baking, our Oregon Coast Culinary Institute (OCCI) provides a boutique-style, hands-on training experience that’s unmatched. Small class sizes mean you get personal attention from experienced, award-winning chefs. You’ll be in the kitchen almost every day, developing the skills you need to succeed in the culinary world.
OCCI’s competitive culinary and ice teams have won national championships in 2022, 2020, and 2019, giving students the chance to showcase their talents and travel the world. Start your culinary career on the Oregon Coast!
Ready to take the next step?
Become a Student!
Not quite ready to apply, but curious to learn more?
Choose the option that works best for you:
- Schedule a visit and let us show you what your student life would be like here at Southwestern
- Text “SWOCCBOUND” or call 541-240-8227
- Email swoccbound@socc.edu
- Complete this form and we’ll get back to you
Whatever your future plans, we’re here to help you achieve them. We hope to hear from you soon!
Sep 8, 2025 | Community, Curry Campus, Curry News, News
COOS BAY, OR – Southwestern Oregon Community College invites the community to join us on Tuesday, September 23, 2025, at 6:00 pm, for “Solar PV Panels: Salvation or Snake Oil Part 2” with Frazier Pruett, Engineering Faculty at Southwestern. This is a free event; all ages are welcome.
Coos County residents can join us in-person in the Umpqua Hall lecture room (room 184) on the Coos Campus, 1988 Newmark Ave., Coos Bay.
Curry County residents can join us for a watch party on the Curry Campus, 96082 Lone Ranch Parkway, Brookings.
For those not able to attend in person, the lecture will be streamed live on the College’s YouTube channel at: www.youtube.com/@southwesternOR/streams.
About the Lecture:
In part 2 of this series, Frazier Pruett discusses practical constraints on solar panels and solar power systems. He will investigate critical components of solar PV system infrastructures and the challenges of monetizing the return on investment (ROI) of current solar technologies. We encourage participants to join even if they did not attend the first lecture in the series.
About the Presenter:
Frazier Pruett graduated from the University of Florida in 1984 with a degree in Electrical Engineering after spending over a decade as a professional electronic technician and hobbyist. He has worked as a professional design engineer since then in various types of power conversion designs. These power conversion systems have a wide range of applications across many fields and sectors. His specialty is lighting drivers for incandescent, fluorescent, HID, UHP, LEDs, and LASERs. He holds more than 25 patents in various fields. Frazier currently owns Bespoke Power and co-owns Emgen Engineering, two local engineering consulting firms. He is also part-time engineering faculty at Southwestern Oregon Community College.
For more information about the lecture series contact Dr. Aaron Coyner, Associate Professor, Physics and Engineering at aaron.coyner@socc.edu or 541-888-7244.
For more information on upcoming lectures contact Cassie Coyner, STEAM Pathways Coordinator, at 541-888-7416, or cassie.coyner@socc.edu.
To learn more about STEM degrees at Southwestern visit: https://www.socc.edu/programs-classes/stem/.
Sep 2, 2025 | Curry Campus, Curry News
We’re excited to welcome you to Fall Term of the 2025-26 academic year! Whether you’re joining us online or attending classes at our Curry Campus in-person (or a mix of both), we’re glad to have you here!
- Mark Your Calendar—Fall Term classes begin on Monday, September 15.
- Need help finding your way? We’ve got you covered! The Curry Campus is located just north of Brookings on U.S. Highway 101 at 96082 Lone Ranch Parkway, Brookings. Our friendly front desk staff can help you with any questions.
- Join us for our pre-term “Laker Welcome” and BBQ! On Saturday, September 13 from 12:00 Noon – 2:00 pm we encourage students to join us for this fun event. Get your questions answered by faculty and staff—whether it’s about admissions, graduation, or anything in between. Take a tour, grab some BBQ, and bring your family along for a great time!
If you have any questions heading into the term, please feel free to reach out via Email or call 541-888-1667.
We’re looking forward to an exciting year ahead—see you soon!
