Apr 11, 2025 | Community, Curry Campus, News
COOS BAY, OR – Southwestern Oregon Community College is pleased to honor South Coast Lumber Co. & Affiliates, and South Coast Head Start with our 2025 Career Technical Education (CTE) Industry Partner of the Year Award. Southwestern’s CTE partners’ steadfast support of our programs has been integral to our students’ success.
South Coast Lumber Co. & Affiliates has been an essential partner in developing Southwestern’s SWOCC Works Pre-Apprenticeship Program. SWOCC Works trains students in entry-level construction skills, OSHA safety training, and heavy equipment operation. It prepares people for jobs in the trades on both the Coos and Curry Campuses.
Photo left to right: Ali Mageehon, Vice President of Instruction and Student Services at Southwestern; Jeff Bunnell, Operations Manager South Coast Lumber Co. & Affiliates; Patty Scott, President of Southwestern
South Coast Lumber Co. & Affiliates is a fourth-generation, family-owned business, proudly celebrating 75 years of supporting the Brookings economy and the southern Oregon Coast. Since 1950, they have been committed to producing premium wood products through their sawmill, plywood, and laminated veneer lumber facilities, providing over 500 family-wage jobs to our local communities.
“South Coast Lumber has demonstrated support for the success of our students in both tangible and conceptual ways. Their willingness to collaborate has helped identify and remove barriers for students, and their shared knowledge has helped guide program development. We appreciate the time, care, encouragement, and support of SWOCC’s students,” said Raushanna Dapena, Apprenticeship Program Director.
South Coast Head Start has a long history of partnering with Southwestern, working with Early Childhood faculty to provide practicum placements in high-quality programs in which students refine their skills and learn from masterful teachers.
Photo left to right: Ali Mageehon, Vice President of Instruction and Student Services at Southwestern; Wendi Baird, Director of South Coast Head Start; Jennifer Gill, Director of Hiring and Licensing South Coast Head Start; Patty Scott, President of Southwestern; Brenda Jackson, Early Childhood Education Program Coordinator at Southwestern
South Coast Head Start supports children’s growth from birth to age five through services that promote early learning and development, health, and family well-being. Head Start actively engages parents, recognizing family participation throughout the program as key to strong child outcomes. They work tirelessly to ensure children and families receive high-quality services in safe and healthy settings that prepare children for school and life.
Taya Noland, Director of CARE Connections Child Care Resource & Referral, shares, “Head Start has been a key partner in developing the first Early Childhood apprenticeship in Oregon, through which students work toward their AAS in Preschool Development while working at Head Start. This apprenticeship model has gained statewide attention, and this spring marks our first graduates!”
“Head Start has been instrumental in providing pre-kindergarten practicum placements and mentors for pre-service teachers in three degrees: Childhood Education and Family Studies Associate of Science; Preschool Child Development Associate of Applied Science; and Elementary Education Associate of Arts Oregon Transfer. This valuable partnership helps Southwestern provide experienced teachers to serve the needs of families throughout Oregon,” said Brenda Jackson, Early Childhood Education Program Coordinator.
It’s with great pleasure that we present these two excellent organizations with our CTE Partner of the Year Award.
To learn more about Southwestern’s career technical training programs call 541-888-7405 to make an appointment with an advisor.
Apr 10, 2025 | Community, Curry Campus
BROOKINGS, OR – Southwestern Oregon Community College Curry Campus invites the community to join us on Thursday, May 8, 2025, 1:00 – 2:00 pm (New Time!) for: Stories from a Chimp Conservationist and Colleague of Jane Goodall.
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.
In 1972, Dr. Nancy Merrick had the unique opportunity to study chimpanzee behavior with Jane Goodall at the Gombe Stream Research Center in Tanzania, Africa. Nancy was thrilled for the opportunity to follow chimps around the forest, documenting their behavior.
Upon her return to college, she worked at the Stanford Primate Center and subsequently attended medical school at Case Western Reserve School of Medicine. She worked for several years as an internist in Ventura, California, and retired a few years ago.
In 2008 Nancy returned for a visit to Gombe along with her family, and was devastated to see how the local villages had encroached on the chimp reserve, reducing the number of trees greatly, and inhibiting the chimps’ movements. She then became involved in chimpanzee conservation efforts, working with a non-profit called Friends of Chimpanzee Sanctuary and Wildlife Conservation Trust, of which she is president.
In 2014 she published a book relating her experiences entitled “Among Chimpanzees – Field Notes from the Race to Save Our Endangered Relatives.” The book was featured by National Geographic’s Book Talk and praised by the New York Times Science Section. Nancy continues to be involved in conservation efforts and is currently working with local people and a chimp community in Bulindi, Uganda, where her colleagues there have named a baby chimp after her, Merrick!
Join us for an insider look at wild chimpanzees and the ongoing effort to maintain their endangered habitat, as well as the present connection with their local human counterparts.
Explore, grow and create with the Friends of Curry Campus on the second Thursday of every month during the school year. Stay tuned for upcoming talks in our speaker series. For more information contact the Curry Campus at 541-813-1667.
Apr 8, 2025 | OCCI News
Join us for a Spring Term 2025 Pop-Up Sale!
Start off your day with freshly made selection of breads, pastries, pizza, beverages…and more!
No pre-orders—first come, first served.
📅 Date: Thursday, April 10, 2025
⏰ Time: 10:00 a.m. – Noon
📍 Location: OCCI, 1988 Newmark Ave., Coos Bay
MENU ITEMS
BREADS
Focaccia, baguette and olive bread – $5.00
PASTRIES
Plain croissant – $5
Cannoli croissant – $7
Nutella croissant – $7
Zeppoli Di San Giuseppe – $7
Maritozzo – $7
SICILIAN PIZZA SLICES
Prosciutto arugula – $7
Tomato Basil – $5
DESSERTS
Cherry crostatina – $7
Tiramisu – $7
Citrus olive oil cake (GF!) $7
EXTRAS
Focaccia croutons – $7
Chocolate coated pistachios & almonds – $7
BEVERAGES
Latte – $5
Cappuccino – $5
Espresso $3
Affogato – $7
Apr 1, 2025 | News
Community Colleges Work for Oregon
April is National Community College Month. Colleges statewide are celebrating our students’ success and the vital role we play in strengthening Oregon’s workforce, economy, and communities. As chair of the Southwestern Oregon Community College Board of Education, I and my six fellow board members are pleased to serve our college district and residents. We are fortunate every day to see the positive impact this college has in our coastal communities along Hwy 101 from Reedsport to Brookings and inland to Coquille, Myrtle Point, Agness, and Powers.
Statewide, community college’s serve more than 200,000 students annually with affordable, accessible education to students of all backgrounds. At SWOCC last year, more than 4,600 students enrolled in classes. The majority of these students work while going to college. They plan to gain two-year or transfer degrees in their chosen career pathways, or short-term specialized training tied directly to high-demand jobs.
SWOCC’s alums are small business owners. Nurses, commercial fisherman, firefighters, professional chefs. Many are office workers, medical and dental assistants, city managers, accountants, teachers, marine fabricators. SWOCC’s alumni are writers, counselors, EMTs, Biologists, corrections workers, coaches, police officers and bankers. Many more work in good jobs that support hundreds of families.
From healthcare to manufacturing, information technology to public service, no matter where you go in businesses and communities on the south coast, you will likely meet current and former students of this college. The economic impact of their success after SWOCC is significant.
When former students gain jobs, they earn higher wages and increase spending, which supports local business. As a result of their contributions, there’s less reliance on taxpayer-funded public assistance and less crime. They buy homes and commercial property. This creates a positive ripple effect in our towns for long-term economic stability.
Investing in community colleges means investing in Oregon’s future. Yes, property taxes fund 32% of the college’s budget. Tuition and fees fund 25% and the Oregon Legislature allocates the biggest share of support at 40%. This year, to fully fund Oregon’s 17 community colleges statewide requires the Legislature to approve a state investment of $920 million.
We are counting on it and urge the Legislature to fully support this workforce investment. This investment will have a tremendously positive impact for the future, particularly in our rural region of Oregon.
Sincerely,
Marcia Jensen, Board Chair
Board members Maria Sudduth, Jeremy Skinner, Cal Mukumoto, Chris Haynsworth, Kathy Piper Erickson and Susan Anderson
Southwestern Oregon Community College
Mar 31, 2025 | Curry Campus, News, Student Success
Coos Bay, OR – Southwestern Oregon Community College announces the names of students who excelled winter term for the 2024-2025 academic school year. These students are being recognized with placement on the College’s Dean’s List (DL), Honor Roll (HR) and Academic Excellence (AE) list.
• Academic Excellence – students must receive a GPA of 4.0 in at least 12 credits
• Honor Roll – students must receive a GPA between 3.5 and 3.99 in at least 12 credits
• Dean’s List – students must receive a GPA between 3.0 and 3.49 in at least 12 credits
Mar 28, 2025 | Community, News
COOS BAY, OR – Southwestern Oregon Community College invites 5th to 12th grade students to join us for “STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Art, Math) Club for Girls: Underwater Robotics” on Tuesday, April 29, 2025. This science-immersion event will be from 6:00 pm to 8:00 pm in Umpqua Hall, on the Coos Campus, 1988 Newmark Ave., Coos Bay. This is a FREE program.
Students will engage with professors in hands-on activities across multiple scientific disciplines, guided by Biology Professor Amy Burgess, who brings extensive field experience. They will explore different types of underwater vehicles and robots used to study our oceans, and learn about the organizations and online resources offered by the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution and the Nautilus Live Ocean Exploration Trust.
Activities will include working alongside the College’s SPEAR Student Researchers, who are involved in various STEAM projects. Students will “dive with pioneers of the deep-sea research on journeys about the most famous submersibles in history and come face to face with fascinating sea creatures” as they experience the planetarium show “Into The Deep” by Loch Ness and Ogrefish Film Productions in our Discovery Dome Planetarium. This digital theater space immerses students in a show that takes them on an adventure. Also, students will take a tour of our Annual STEM Art Exhibit “Our Ocean Through Time” in the Eden Hall Gallery.
The STEAM Club for Girls focuses on supporting and encouraging girls through their STEAM educational journey. We also share books, podcasts, and other helpful resources focused on girls in science. Girls who participate in this program can stay connected online where we continue to mentor and share quarterly news and activities with them.
STEAM education projects help students visualize career pathways in science, technology, engineering, and math. The “A” adds in the arts, such as humanities, dance, drama, visual arts, and design. When people learn in all these areas together, they gain soft skills that can help grow ability in out-of-the-box thinking and collaboration. There will be an opportunity to create an Art & Observation Field Notebook. “Exploring Deep-Ocean Art Coloring Books” will be available to take home and we will provide resources to help create more projects at home.
Register soon as spots are limited. For more information on this event, registration, and other upcoming events, contact Krystal Hopper Meyers, STEAM Pathways Assistant, at 541-888-7416, or krystal.hopper@socc.edu.
Mar 26, 2025 | Curry Campus
BROOKINGS, OR – Southwestern Oregon Community College Curry Campus invites the community to join us on Thursday, April 24, 2025, 1:00 to 2:00 pm (New Time!) for: Why Native Plants?
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.
Maggie Daly of Gold Beach will talk about native plants of the south coast. She is a member of the South Coast Chapter of the Native Plant Society of Oregon which is active in Coos and Curry Counties.
The purpose of the South Coast Chapter of the Native Plant Society of Oregon (NPSO) is the preservation, conservation, and the study of the native plants and vegetation of Oregon and the education of the public to the value of the native flora and its habitat.
Current activities of the Society include: guided walks; presentations from relevant experts for example from the Xerxes Society or the local Audubon society; an annual garden tour; and an annual fall native plant sale. The NPSO Garden Tour this year is in Brookings, Oregon on June 14, 2025.
Maggie attended a lecture by an entomologist about ecosystem collapse and how easily home gardeners could contribute to ecosystem health simply by planting native plants. She was moved to tears. When Maggie retired she had the opportunity to convert her yard, which was 90% lawn, into native plant beds. She then became involved with promoting native plant use on the Southcoast of Oregon.
Whether you are a seasoned expert on native plants of the south coast or have a budding interest, this presentation comes just in time to learn more about the native plants in your yard and plant new ones.
Stay tuned for upcoming talks in the Friends of Curry speaker series. Spring term lectures feature animals that conservationists are working to save. For more information contact the Curry Campus at 541-813-1667.
Mar 24, 2025 | Community, News
COOS BAY, OR – Southwestern Oregon Community College’s STEAM Pathways presents our 2025 Annual STEM Student Art Exhibit with the theme this year of “Our Ocean Through Time”. Please join us as we embark on an undersea expedition! To celebrate Earth Day this year students take a trip through time to learn more about the water that shapes and covers most of our home planet. The exhibit is available for viewing from Thursday, April 10 through Wednesday, April 30, 2025, 8:00 am to 9:00 pm daily in the Eden Hall Gallery at Southwestern Oregon Community College, Coos Campus (1988 Newmark Ave., Coos Bay). The gallery is free and open to the public.
About the Exhibit:
Our exhibit includes a wide variety of art produced by students and employees of the College. Featured pieces include “Slice of The Ocean” resin mold, by artist Maison Miller, and a ‘clay model of a hybrid tech creature inspired by the biological features of sharks and manta rays to create an underwater drone’ by artist Ava Cryer.
About the Curator:
With a background in art history and a decade of experience in STEAM education (Science, Technology, Engineering, Art, and Math), our exhibit’s curator, Krystal Hopper Meyers, collaborated with a diverse group of professors and students to tell the story of our ocean through various art forms.
For more information on upcoming events contact Krystal Hopper Meyers, STEAM Pathways Assistant, 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/.
Mar 24, 2025 | Community, Curry Campus, News
COOS BAY, OR – Southwestern Oregon Community College invites the community to join us on Tuesday, April 15, 2025, at 6:00 pm, for “What’s Next After the Heliophysics Big Year?”with Dr. Aaron Coyner, Associate Professor of Physics and Engineering 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 in the Community Room 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:
From October 2023 to December 2024 NASA put significant focus on our Sun with the Heliophysics Big Year campaign. From eclipses, to the Parker Solar Probe, to the Solar Max, our neighborhood star was quite busy over the last 18 months. What did we learn? What are we still learning? What’s next on the horizon for Solar and Heliospheric physics? Join Dr. Coyner for a look at Solar projects of the present and future.
About the Presenter:
Dr. Aaron Coyner is a solar physicist by trade and the physics and engineering faculty at Southwestern. He is an avid amateur astronomer, and a proponent for lifelong science exploration. Dr. Coyner has research experience having spent graduate school at Rice University, and a three-year post-doctoral research term at NASA/Goddard Spaceflight Center. He has teaching experience at the community college and university level in physics, astronomy, meteorology, and engineering.
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 Krystal Hopper Meyers, STEAM Pathways Assistant, 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/.
Mar 19, 2025 | News
COOS BAY, OR – Southwestern Oregon Community College’s STEAM Pathways has 2025 summer and fall paid internships for high school students. Any person, age 16 years and older, attending high school whether it be public, private, online, or homeschool, is eligible to apply.
Students will work alongside faculty mentors and the SWOCC SPEAR (STEAM Pathways Experimental & Academic Research) Student Research Team, under a site supervisor, engaging in a variety of science research projects. Students will also have the opportunity to present their research at SWOCC’s Annual Student Research Symposium.
All internships will take place at the SWOCC Coos Bay Campus (1988 Newmark Ave., Coos Bay) for up to 20 hours per week for 8 weeks in the summer, or up to 10 hours per week for 16 weeks in the fall.
This program is in partnership with the Oregon Coast STEM Hub and Oregon Sea Grant. It is made possible by the Oregon Community Foundation.
For more information please contact Krystal Hopper Meyers, STEAM Pathways Assistant, at 541-888-7416, or krystal.hopper@socc.edu.
