Southwestern Hosts Annual Student Research Symposium – May 30, 2025

May 23, 2025 | News, Student Success

COOS BAY, OR – Southwestern Oregon Community College invites the community to join us on Friday, May 30, 2025, at 6:00 pm, for our Annual Student Research Symposium. In addition to the student presentations, a poster exhibit will be on display starting at 5:30 pm in the Umpqua Hall Main Lobby. The presentations will take place in the Umpqua Hall lecture room 184 on the Coos Campus, 1988 Newmark Ave., Coos Bay. This is a free event; all ages are welcome.

Southwestern’s SPEAR (STEAM, Pathways, Experimental, & Academic Research) Team is actively working on a variety of science research projects. Participation on the team teaches students valuable skills and allows them to gain hands-on experience.

Students within Physics, Engineering, Geology, Chemistry, and Biology will be showcasing their work for the community. Our SPEAR team is led by Krystal Hopper Meyers and mentored by Professors Aaron Coyner, Win McLaughlin, Amy Burgess, Derek Morrelli and Frazier Pruett.

Some of the projects include:

• searching for micrometeorites within local storm drains and investigating if they were significant in supporting early plant life;
• researching the fossils, chronology, and relationship to Cascadia megathrust earthquakes at Fossil Point;
• interplanetary ion population modeling working with a Lead Scientist at Southwest Research Institute in San Antonio;
• locating never found before asteroids using data sent to us from the Panoramic Survey Telescope and Rapid Response System (PAN-STARRS) located at the Haleakala Observatory in Hawaii;
• statistical analysis of King Tide heights, frequencies, working NOAA tidal data, and the impacts of coastal architecture;
• designing smaller tabletop demos for mechanical robotics systems.

Many of these projects are supported by grants awarded through Oregon NASA Space Grant Consortium and Oregon Coast STEM Hub.

Please join us and help support these students while learning more about the exciting things happening at the College within our STEAM programs!

For more information contact Krystal Hopper Meyers, STEAM Pathways, at 541-888-7416, or krystal.hopper@socc.edu.

To learn more about STEM degrees at Southwestern visit: https://www.socc.edu/programs-classes/stem.

Southwestern Swim is 2025 NJCAA National Runner-Up Champions

Mar 17, 2025 | News, Student Success

Coos Bay, OR – Southwestern Oregon Community College (SWOCC) Swimming once again proved its dominance on the national stage, with both the men’s and women’s teams finishing as national runners-up at the National Junior College Athletic Association (NJCAA) Championships. This marks the fourth consecutive year for the men and the fifth for the women securing second place overall. As the program continues to grow, the men’s team has seen a remarkable 45.36% increase in total points from 2020 to 2025, and the women’s team has improved by 35.05% over the same period. With such progress, SWOCC Swim remains on an upward trajectory, striving for even greater success in the future.

The team delivered an outstanding performance throughout the meet, earning one national title, 43 runner-up medals, and a total of 142 finals appearances. SWOCC athletes secured 112 A-final swims and 30 B-final swims, showcasing the depth and consistency of the team. The program also celebrated 85 personal bests, a testament to the dedication and hard work of the swimmers.

Among the many highlights, Till Schröder captured a national championship in the 100 freestyle with a time of 43.92, further cementing his place among the top sprinters in the NJCAA. Several program records fell as SWOCC swimmers shattered past bests. Freshman Mie Ankersen made a remarkable NJCAA debut by breaking the women’s 50 freestyle record, proving that SWOCC continues to attract and develop elite-level talent. On the men’s side, freshman Yuta Kosaka made a statement by breaking the program record in the 200 breaststroke, showcasing the strength of SWOCC’s incoming class and the team’s ability to refine and elevate new talent. Additional new Laker records were set in the men’s 400 freestyle relay (J. García Flores, V. Asparria Martínez, J. Roberts, T. Schröder), men’s 100  freestyle (Till Schröder), men’s 200 medley relay (G. Stokholm, J. Roberts, V. Dyrhauge, T. Schröder), men’s 100 backstroke (Till Schröder), men’s 400 medley relay (G. Stokholm, Y. Kosaka, T. Schröder, J. García Flores), men’s 50 backstroke (Till Schröder), and men’s 50 freestyle (Till Schröder).

One of the significant accomplishments of the meet was SWOCC’s dominance in the relay events. For the first time in program history, SWOCC Swim swept every single national runner-up finish in both men’s and women’s relays, proving that consistency and teamwork continue to pay off at the highest level of competition. The team’s depth and ability to perform under pressure were on full display, with swimmers stepping up to deliver in every event.

In addition to the team’s incredible success in the pool, Head Coach, Sandra Bullock, was named NJCAA Women’s Swimming Coach of the Year, a well-deserved recognition of her leadership and dedication to the program. This achievement was made even more special as the meet was sponsored by the U.S. Coast Guard, with Coach Bullock receiving her award from two Coast Guard representatives. It was a meaningful moment, as Bullock is a retired Lieutenant Commander in the U.S. Coast Guard.

Although Coach Bullock was the named Women’s Swimming Coach of the year, she was quick to share that this honor was a team achievement, particularly acknowledging Associate Head Coach Jessie Gill, whose contributions have been essential to the team’s success. “Coach Gill was just as instrumental in this award, and we truly earned it together. Her leadership exceeded anything I could have hoped for,” Coach Bullock said. Gill, recently named Associate Head Coach, has been a driving force as she is the primary distance and IM coach, helping SWOCC Swim reach even greater heights.

None of this would have been possible without the unwavering support of the coaching staff, the College, family, friends, and the Coos Bay community. SWOCC Swim continues to build upon its legacy, and with the momentum from this year’s championships, the team looks ahead to even greater achievements in the seasons to come.

SWOCC Swim is not just a program of excellence – it is a program of relentless ambition. Year after year, the team continues to grow, improve, and push the limits of what is possible. With each race, each new record, and each championship meet, SWOCC proves that it is a force to be reckoned with. This team is built on dedication, resilience, and the unwavering pursuit of greatness. They will not stop. Keep them on your radar, because SWOCC Swim is a team of champions, and they are just getting started.

To learn more about Southwestern’s swimming program go HERE. To contact Head Coach Sandra Bullock email her at: sandra.bullock@socc.edu or call 541-297-2158.

SWOCC Hoops Make History! Men’s Basketball in Championships

Mar 16, 2025 | News, Student Success

UPDATE (3/16): The Lakers made history in their first-ever NWAC Championship appearance, battling until the final buzzer in a hard-fought 63-67 loss to Lower Columbia. We are immensely proud of these student athletes for their historic run and outstanding representation of SWOCC. Notably, three Lakers were honored as All-Tournament selections, highlighting their exceptional performances throughout the tournament. Congratulations to the entire team on an incredibly successful season!

For the first time in school history, the Southwestern Oregon Community College (SWOCC) Men’s Basketball team has advanced to the Northwest Athletic Conference (NWAC) Championship game! The Lakers secured their spot with a commanding 76-60 victory over South Puget Sound Community College in the semifinals. 

The championship game is set for Sunday, March 16 at 4:45 p.m. in Pasco, Washington, where the Lakers will face the Lower Columbia Red Devils.

This historic achievement reflects the dedication and hard work of our student athletes. We invite the entire SWOCC community and fans to support the Lakers as they aim to bring home the championship title! Be sure to follow SWOCC Athletics social media channels and check out NWAC Sports for updates and viewing options. GO LAKERS!