Dec 4, 2025 | Community, News, OCCI News
Coos Bay, OR – Celebrate the holiday season while supporting a great cause! Oregon Coast Culinary Institute (OCCI) invites the community to purchase festive stollen, handmade by OCCI chefs, from December 6–22, 2025. Proceeds will benefit the culinary competition team, helping these aspiring chefs showcase their skills on a national stage.
What is stollen?
Stollen is a traditional German holiday bread filled with dried fruits, nuts, and almond paste, dusted with powdered sugar for a festive, snowy finish. Known for its rich, slightly sweet flavor, it’s a perfect addition to your holiday table!
Meet-and-Greet Kickoff Event
Join OCCI chefs on December 6 from 11:00 a.m. – 2:00 p.m. for a special kickoff event:
- When: December 6, 2025, 11:00 a.m. – 2:00 p.m.
- Where: Past to Present Emporium, 281 South Broadway, Coos Bay
- What: Meet OCCI’s chef instructors, sample holiday treats, and shop for pastries by Chef Alison Murphy and, of course, stollen.
Sales will continue through December 22nd, so there’s plenty of time to grab delicious handmade treats for your holiday celebrations.
For more information and to purchase stollen, call 541-808-9553.
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.
Dec 1, 2025 | Curry Campus, News
Coos Bay, OR – Southwestern Oregon Community College is offering free GED® and Adult Basic Education classes winter term 2026. These classes prepare individuals to take the GED® exam and update skills to enroll in college or career training programs. Students enrolled in these classes can build a pipeline to enter college, training programs, and jobs in high-demand career areas.
We have three options for GED® and Adult Basic Education classes next term:
- Morning GED®Class – Monday through Thursday from 9am-11am
- Afternoon GED®Class – Monday through Thursday from 12pm-2pm
- Evening GED®Class – Tuesday through Thursday from 5pm-8pm
All classes are live and in-person on the Coos Campus. The afternoon class is offered live and in-person on the Curry Campus in Brookings, OR.
For students who cannot make it to either campus, classes are offered via Zoom during all three sessions. Winter term starts January 5 and ends March 19, 2026.
To register for orientation and classes, go to https://swoccapce.org/ and click GET STARTED. For questions, please email Adult & Pre-College Education at apce@socc.edu or call 541-888-1593.
Nov 25, 2025 | News, Staff & Administration
COOS BAY, OR – The Northwest Association of Educational Opportunity Programs (NAEOP) awarded the Dr. Arnold Mitchem Leadership and Advocacy Award to Michelle Benoit, Director of TRIO Student Support Services (SSS) at Southwestern Oregon Community College at its annual conference in October. The award recognizes an individual who demonstrates exceptional leadership and unwavering commitment to serving low-income, first-generation students, and students with disabilities throughout the Northwest region.
The award is named for Dr. Arnold L. Mitchem, the founding president and president emeritus of the Council for Opportunity in Education. Dr. Mitchem is an internationally recognized pioneer in advancing equal educational opportunity and is credited with formulating the concept of “first-generation” students, which was adopted in the reauthorization of the Higher Education Act of 1980. His nearly six decades of advocacy have helped expand federally funded TRIO programs by nearly 400 percent, now serving nearly one million students annually at more than 1,200 colleges and universities nationwide.
Since 2013, Benoit has led the TRIO SSS program at Southwestern, where she has been a tireless advocate for students on her campus and throughout Oregon, the Northwest region, and nationally. Her leadership was particularly vital during her tenure as Oregon TRIO Association (OTA) president in 2020, when TRIO programs nationwide faced unprecedented challenges during the COVID-19 pandemic.
“Michelle is a confident and strong advocate and served her state and region at a time when programs had to quickly pivot and adjust to the changes at their institutions, with their students, and at the federal level,” said Robin Williams, incoming President of NAEOP. Her leadership helped guide programs through one of the most challenging periods in higher education history.
Beyond her campus responsibilities and state leadership, Benoit consistently prioritizes advocacy at the national level and is a regular attendee at the Annual Policy Seminar in Washington, D.C., where she maintains strong connections with Oregon’s congressional delegation, including U.S. Representative Val Hoyle, District 4’s dedicated TRIO advocate.
Benoit’s impact is deeply felt on campus as well. “We are proud to recognize the tremendous work that Michelle Benoit has contributed to Southwestern, where her dedication to supporting and advocating for students has made a lasting impact. With compassion and unwavering commitment, she has helped countless learners navigate the challenges of college. A respected leader on campus, Michelle consistently elevates the student experience through her guidance and example. We are thrilled to see her efforts honored and celebrated,” shared DeAnne Varitek, Dean of Career Technical Education at Southwestern.
Benoit’s influence extends beyond Southwestern. Her commitment to strengthening the TRIO community extends to mentoring other TRIO directors and serving as a NAEOP peer reviewer, helping to ensure program quality and supporting emerging leaders in the field.
“We are very grateful to have Michelle as such a strong leader and advocate in our region,” said Williams. Her dedication to educational opportunity exemplifies the values that Dr. Mitchem championed throughout his career.
“I am deeply honored to receive the Dr. Arnold Mitchem Award. As a first-generation college graduate, I know firsthand the transformative power of education. I am grateful to the students whose resilience and determination inspire me every day and to the TRIO community that continues Dr. Mitchem’s legacy of advocacy and opportunity,” said Benoit.
NAEOP represents professional educators who work with low-income, first-generation, and students with disabilities throughout Alaska, Idaho, Oregon, and Washington. NAEOP provides a venue in which all TRIO and similar programs may support the success these students to obtain a quality education. NAEOP provides support services and opportunities not normally accessible to these populations to help them reach their full potential and develop into professional individuals.
TRIO Student Support Services (SSS) is a federally funded program that provides select students with free academic support services designed to help them succeed at Southwestern. To learn more visit our TRIO webpage.
Nov 14, 2025 | News
COOS BAY, OR – The Coos Singers, a community choir from Southwestern Oregon Community College, is pleased to present their 2nd Annual Holiday Concert, “SING WE NOW…” Monday, December 8, 2025 at 7:00 pm in the historic Marshfield High School Auditorium at 10th and Ingersoll in Coos Bay.
Along with a wide selection of holiday and seasonal songs from the Coos Singers, this concert will also feature the beautiful work of local cellist Dace Gregory. This event is a wonderful way to kick off the holiday season for the entire family and will be an evening filled with song and community spirit.
Admission is free, but donations will be accepted to help with the Coos Singers’ mission of creating a strong community through quality musical performances. We sincerely hope that you, your family and friends will make plans to attend this special evening of music.
Soloist Dace Gregory
Dace was born in Riga, Latvia and educated at the Moscow Conservatory. Her parents sparked her love for deep emotions in music and love of nature. She has performed internationally as a soloist with orchestras and in many recitals. She moved to Langlois, OR on the south coast in June 2022, where she lives on a beautiful ranch with her life partner, artist Bennett. She plays her cello in groves of ancient trees, cultivates orchids and rhododendrons. Her performances have wowed audiences with her exceptional skill and emotional interpretations.
Nov 5, 2025 | Curry Campus, News
Students deploy ROV at the North Bend Pool
COOS BAY, OR – Southwestern Oregon Community College invites the community to join us on Tuesday, November 18, 2025, at 6:00 pm, for “Arduinos, ROVs and Research Opportunities at Linn-Benton Community College” with Dr. Greg Mulder, Professor of Physical Sciences, Linn-Benton Community College. 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:
Dr. Mulder will discuss Arduinos (Arduino is an open-source electronics platform used for building digital devices) and Research Experiences for Undergraduates (REUs) at Linn-Benton Community College. Over the past decade LBCC has had teams of students that have explored underwater volcanoes in Central Oregon; worked on the exploration vehicles Atlantis and Nautilus off the coast of the Pacific Northwest; put radiation detectors on high altitude balloons and rockets; looked for curvatures in spacetime during the solar eclipse in Texas; climbed mountains in Tanzania; and more. These adventures were all made possible by starting a 1-credit “for fun” class on Arduinos. Dr. Mulder will discuss how Arduinos and an undergraduate with dreams can lead to great experiences, and how he’s working with SWOCC’s Dr. Coyner to bring opportunities like these to students here at the Coos Campus.
About the Presenter:
Greg Mulder is a Professor in Physical Sciences at Linn-Benton Community College in Albany, Oregon. Greg teaches classes such as Physics with Calculus of Scientists and Engineers, Astronomy, Energy and Society and History of Science. Greg is also mentor for the LBCC Remotely Operated Vehicle team with which he has spent several summers exploring underwater volcanic formations in Oregon’s Newberry Caldera and competes annually in the Maritime Advanced Technology Education Center’s international ROV competition. Greg’s academic interests include computational physics, physics education research, and using Arduino microcontrollers in undergraduate research and design classes. For fun Greg likes to travel, to climb mountains, visit ancient astronomical observatories, and explore underwater by ROV and by SCUBA tank. Greg also enjoys playing Ultimate Frisbee in Corvallis and at pick-up games while traveling.
Greg grew up and completed high school in the coastal community of Reedsport, Oregon. After earning an undergraduate degree in Physics at Oregon State University and the University of Karlsruhe, Germany, he earned his Master’s degree in Physics at the University of California, Irvine. Greg completed his Ph.D. in Physics Education Research at Oregon State University, where he studied how physics majors combine their understanding of vector calculus with physics concepts.
For more information about the lecture series contact Dr. Aaron Coyner, Southwestern’s 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/.
