Contact: Dan Mielke | Executive Director, Eastern Promise
541-962-3399 | dmielke@eou.edu or ep@eou.edu

May 16, 2012
BAKER CITY, Ore. – Students, parents and teachers are invited to learn more about college credit opportunities during an Eastern Promise information session May 22.

The meeting begins at 7 p.m. in the Baker High School library.

Eastern Promise is a program with the intent of providing greater opportunities for high school students to earn college credits, even an associate’s degree, while still in high school.

Beginning this fall, college-level math, writing, biology, speech and health will be available in approximately 25 eastern Oregon high schools. High school teachers will deliver the courses under the mentorship of college instructors.

Easter Promise supports Governor Kulongoski’s overarching 40/40/20 goal, with 40 percent of adult Oregonians obtaining a bachelor’s degree or higher, 40 percent earning an associate’s degree or postsecondary credential, and 20 percent earning at least a high school diploma.

The program is a collaborative effort between Eastern Oregon University, the InterMountain Education Service District, and Blue Mountain and Treasure Valley community colleges.

For more information call 541-962-3399, e-mail ep@eou.edu or visit www.eou.edu/eastern-promise.

News contact: Laura Hancock | University Advancement
541-962-3585 | lhancock@eou.edu
Source contact: International Assembly for Collegiate Business Education (IACBE)
913-631-3009 | iacbe@iacbe.org | www.iacbe.org

Ted Takamura, EOU associate professor of business and onsite adviser.

May 14, 2012
GRESHAM, Ore. (EOU) – The International Assembly for Collegiate Business Education has recognized one of EOU’s faculty members for his contributions to student learning.

Ted Takamura, associate professor of business and onsite adviser for EOU’s program at Mt. Hood Community College, is the recipient of the 2012 Excellence in Teaching Award. The recognition came last month during the IACBE annual conference in Kansas City, Mo.

Individuals are selected based on their record of accomplished teaching and expertise to make meaningful and significant contributions to student learning in a way that advances academic quality in business education.

The distinction came as a complete surprise to Takamura.

“I am humbled to think that other faculty who are well deserving of the award were not selected for this great honor,” he said. “It is nice to be recognized for the 23 years that I have dedicated to students in the classroom.”

Takamura incorporates his own exploration of the accounting field into his classes, which are tailored for both adult learners seeking career changes and those exploring new entrepreneurial opportunities. His efforts to combine the community college curricula with EOU’s have increased the number of accounting students at both institutions by 80 percent.

“IACBE’s recognition of Dr. Takamura’s excellence in teaching underscores his deep commitment to our students and effective learning,” said Stephen Adkison, EOU provost and senior vice president for Academic Affairs. “His work stands as a fine testament to the high quality of EOU’s faculty and the quality of our students’ experience.”

Takamura’s leadership also extends beyond the College of Business. He initiated and implemented a university-wide curricular overhaul and assessment for all disciplines, including the development of an accounting certificate program that qualifies candidates to sit for the standard exams of CPA, CMA, CFE and CIA within an 18-month period.

Takamura holds a Ph.D. in human and organizational systems and a master of arts in human development from Fielding Graduate University in Santa Barbara, Calif. He completed his master’s of business administration from City University in Seattle. His certifications include public accounting in Washington State and fraud examination and financial forensics in Oregon.

Contact: David Axelrod | Ars Poetica Lecture Series
541-962-3633 | daxelrod@eou.edu

Brian Doyle

May 14, 2012
LA GRANDE, Ore. (EOU) - Popular essayist and award-winning author Brian Doyle will read from his book “Mink River” at 7:30 p.m. May 22 in Huber Auditorium in Badgley Hall.

The event is free and all are invited to attend. Copies of Doyle’s book will be available for purchase and signing following the reading, the final of the academic year presented by the Ars Poetica Lecture Series.

“Mink River” is Doyle’s debut novel, published in 2010 by Oregon State University Press. Molly Gloss, author of “The Hearts of Horses,” praises the book as being “absolutely in the tradition of Northwest literature, richly imagined, distinctive, beautiful.”

Library Journal magazine also gave “Mink River” a starred review, stating that those who are lovers of “classics like Sherwood Anderson’s ‘Winesburg, Ohio,’ or William Faulkner’s ‘As I Lay Dying,’ will find much to savor here.”

"Mink River" is Doyle's first novel, published in 2010.

Doyle’s other works include “Grace Notes,” “Spirited Men,” “Credo,” “Epiphanies and Elegies” and “The Grail: A year ambling & shambling through an Oregon vineyard in pursuit of the best pinot noir wine in the whole wild world.”

The author’s essays have appeared in The Atlantic Monthly, Harper’s, Orion and The American Scholar and have also been selected for inclusion in “The Best American Essays.” He is currently the editor of Portland Magazine, a quarterly publication of the University of Portland ranked among the top 10 best university magazines in America annually and named number one in 2002.

Doyle also reviews books for The San Francisco Chronicle, The Oregonian and Preservation Magazine. He was the recipient of The American Scholar’s Best Essay Award in 2000 for his piece on Plutarch, two Pushcart Prizes, and an Award in Literature form the Academic Academy of Arts and Letters in 2008. He has been a finalist for the Oregon Book Award four times.

Contact: Cory Peeke | Nightingale Gallery Director
541-962-3584 |  cpeeke@eou.edu

"Home Fill," a mixed media sculpture by Morgan McAuslan, took home the Best of Show award in the 2011 juried exhibition. McAuslan is currently an active artist and exhibit designer for the High Desert Museum in Bend.

May 11, 2012
LA GRANDE, Ore. (EOU) – The work of  students from a variety of disciplines will be on display for EOU’s annual “All-Campus Juried Student Exhibition” opening Friday, May 18.

A reception is set for 6-8 p.m. in Nightingale Gallery located in Loso Hall.

The exhibition continues through June 15. Gallery hours are 11 a.m. to 4 p.m., Monday through Friday.

Multi-media artist Kelly Rauer, of Portland, is the juror this year and will select several works to be recognized with cash awards at 6:30 p.m. May 18 during the opening event.

Rauer will also give a free public presentation on her work which focuses on video, installation, the body, movement and dance, at 6 p.m. Tuesday, May 15 in Huber Auditorium in Badgely Hall.

Within the last year Rauer has turned her focus toward non-art administrative roles to allow for a greater focus on her own studio practice. Previously she served as director of programs for the Portland Art Center, managing director for New American Art Union and thesis exhibitions coordinator for Pacific Northwest College of Art from 2008-2010.

In addition to the juror’s awards will be the selection of the second annual Kathelene Galloway Memorial Scholarship and third annual presentation of the Joseph Dickerson Memorial Award.

The Kathelene Galloway Memorial Scholarship is a $500 award presented to a sophomore or junior level art major who exhibits exemplary technical and conceptual skill. The award is given in memory of Galloway, who was a professor of printmaking and drawing at EOU for over a decade and passed away suddenly in December of 2009.

“Galloway was a highly dedicated and much loved artist, teacher and colleague who was a passionate advocate for her students, art, artists and EOU,” said Cory Peeke, associate professor of art and director of Nightingale Gallery. “She lived to share knowledge and the wonder that comes with discovery and exemplified the excellence to which we encourage our students to strive.”

The Joseph Dickerson Memorial Award honors Dickerson, an EOU freshman killed in a tragic auto accident in 2009. Following the tremendous loss of their son, Joe’s parents, Doug and Kyla Dickerson, made a generous gift to the university art program.

“Joe was a model student whose creative energy and enthusiasm for learning was infectious,” Peeke said. “The EOU art program chose to use the funds from the Dickerson’s to endow an award in their son’s name to be presented annually to a student who the faculty feels best exemplifies his dedication, curiosity and creative spirit.”

For more information visit www.eou.edu/art/ or like the gallery on Facebook.

News contact: Laura Hancock | University Advancement
541-962-3585 | lhancock@eou.edu

Download poster

May 9, 2012
LA GRANDE, Ore. (EOU) – Ancient healing arts and divination practices come to life May 23 at Eastern Oregon University when guest presenter Leslie Conton shares her documentary “Tibetan Shamans: Protectors of All Living Beings.”

The presentation is from 7-9 p.m. in Huber Auditorium in Badgley Hall. Admission is free with donations accepted at the door to benefit the shamans featured in the film and their families. Refreshments will be provided and all are welcome to engage in a discussion with the filmmaker following the showing.

Conton, a cultural and transpersonal anthropologist, chronicles in the documentary the lives of nine of the last Tibetan shamans living in exile in Nepal and northern India.

“The audience will be introduced to a deeper understanding of shamanic cultures and concepts through the colorful portrayal of this ancient and endangered Tibetan healing tradition, as well as to the value of ethnographic film as a means to help preserve these traditions for future generations,” Conton said.

Conton produced the documentary primarily in service to the shamans and their descendants and to honor their contributions to the health and well-being of their communities. The film is also considered a testament to the richness and power of the ancient Tibetan practices.

“This will be such a rich experience and unique opportunity for the community to learn about shamanism,” said Ruth Davenport, professor of education at EOU.

Leslie Conton

Davenport knew she wanted to invite Conton to visit EOU after attending a workshop on shamanic practices and learning of her extensive travels while making the documentary in West Bengal, Sikkim and Dharamsala in northern India, and Pokhara and Kathmandu in Nepal.

Students in Linda Jerofke’s introduction to cultural anthropology class will also meet Conton while she is on campus. Jerofke, a professor of anthropology, said her students will benefit hearing from an expert with nearly 40 years of fieldwork experience.

Conton has studied with traditional healers and shamans from not only Nepal and India, but also Papua New Guinea, China, Mongolia and several West Coast American Indian tribes. She is a founding faculty member and field associate for the Foundation for Shamanic Studies, a non-profit, charitable and educational organization, and a professor at Western Washington University’s Fairhaven College.

Contact: Kimberly Mueller | EOU Pre-Professional Health Liaison
541-962-3070 |  kmueller@eou.edu

Maynard Bronstein, M.D., Ph.D.

May 7, 2012
LA GRANDE, Ore. (EOU) – Maynard Bronstein, M.D., Ph.D., will be the next presenter for the EOU Health Speaker Series Thursday, May 10. Students and community members are invited to attend the free presentation at 6 p.m. in Badgley Hall, Room 102.

Dr. Bronstein is a Board Certified physician specializing in hematology and oncology.  He received a bachelor’s of science from Duke University and completed his M.D. and Ph.D. training, in addition to residency and fellowship programs, at Duke University Medical Center.

Before moving to La Grande, Dr. Bronstein worked at St. Mary Medical Center in Walla Walla as an oncologist in the Regional Cancer Center, while also consulting at St. Anthony Hospital in Pendleton and at the Oncology Clinic at Grande Ronde Hospital.

Dr. Bronstein is a member of the prestigious Alpha Omega Alpha Medical Honor Society and has been included on the Best Doctors® list.  He currently practices at Grande Ronde Hospital’s new Regional Hematology and Oncology Clinic.

EOU and the Northeast Oregon Area Health Education Center launched the speaker series with the goal of providing students interested in pursuing healthcare careers the opportunity to hear first-hand experiences from members of the area medical community. The series will continue through spring term with one presentation each month.

For more information visit www.eou.edu/prepro or contact Kimberly Mueller, EOU’s pre-professional health liaison, at 541-962-3070.

Contact: Sandra Ellston | Professor of English/writing
541-962-3841 | sellston@eou.edu

May 1, 2012
NEWPORT, Ore. – For the fourth year in a row, EOU students will have the opportunity this week to study with some of the region’s most prominent poets.

The Northwest Poets’ Concord meets May 4 -6 in Newport.  More than 100 writers from Whidbey Island to Sacramento and Boise to Grants Pass will converge for three days of readings, workshops and presentations at the Hallmark Inn.

David Biespiel, 2011 winner of the Oregon Book Award in Poetry, will give the keynote address on “The Three R’s of Poetry.” Attendees also include talented Newport High School students who will end Saturday’s sessions with their own reading.

In conjunction with the Concord, Sandra Ellston, professor of English and writing at EOU, will conduct a weekend college course on northwest poetry. Students are given full reign to work with various poets throughout the conference and their study concludes with focus on the writings of a single poet.

For many it has been a life-changing experience.

“Kudos to Dr. E [Ellston] and all the poets for an event I will remember as a highlight of my EOU days,” said Marilyn Mathews, two-time participant and EOU alumna who is now a graduate student at Portland State University.

After becoming hooked on poetry at her first Concord, Crystal Taylor, a senior in EOU’s English and writing program, is now applying for graduate programs in creative writing and is a regular reader at local open mike events.

EOU alumnus Adam Swenson will attend for the second time this year, as well as several other graduates.

Poets from across the state, including Toni Hanner of Eugene, are also taking note.

Hanner said the Concord is “the best large-scale poetry event going in Oregon.”

EOU and other partners are sponsoring the event, including Writers on the Edge, Lincoln County Cultural Coalition, Lane Literary Guild, City of Newport and private donors.

For more information visit poetsconcord.org. “Concord,” an anthology of work from the 2011 conference edited by Ellston, is also available.

News contact: Laura Hancock | University Advancement
541-962-3585 | lhancock@eou.edu

Source contact: Jackie Leno Grant | Adviser, Speel-Ya Native American Student Council
541-962-31541 | jgrant@eou.edu

Click for larger view.

April 30, 2012
LA GRANDE, Ore. (EOU) – Dancers and drummers, artisans and vendors, families and spectators will all converge for the 2012 Indian Arts Festival and Spring Pow Wow at Eastern Oregon University, May 11-12.

Three Grand Entries, a traditional Friendship Feast, arts and crafts vendors, Speel-Ya Run, awards ceremony, barbecue, Health Fair and donation raffle are part of the celebration this year. The main activities will take place in Quinn Coliseum, with the barbecue, awards ceremony and Health Fair located in the campus quad.

Honored guests include Host Drum, Northwest Medicine Horse Singers, from Granger, Wash., and Masters of Ceremonies, Jess Noland, of Mission, and Jason Prettyboy, of Kuna.

Admission to the Pow Wow is free both days. The first Grand Entry is at 5 p.m. Friday, with two others at 1 and 7 p.m. Saturday.  The Friendship Feast begins at 5 p.m. Saturday in the Hoke Main Lounge and features salmon donated by the Confederated Tribes of the Umatilla Indian Reservation.

Registration for the Speel-Ya 5K or 10K Run is at 9 a.m. Saturday and is $10 for EOU students and $15 for the general public. Registration includes an event T-shirt.

The Speel-Ya Native American Student Council at EOU organizes the annual event with support from the Wildhorse Foundation and EOU Student Fee Committee.

For more information visit www.eou.edu/powwow or call Jackie Leno Grant, Speel-Ya adviser, at 541-962-3141.

Contact: David Axelrod | Ars Poetica Lecture Series at EOU
541-962-3633| daxelrod@eou.edu

Barry Kitterman reads at EOU May 9.

April 30, 2012
LA GRANDE, Ore. (EOU) – Barry Kitterman will read from his newest collection of short stories, “From the San Joaquin,” at 7:30 p.m. May 9 in Huber Auditorium in Badgley Hall, Room 102 at EOU.

Copies of the author’s work will be available for purchase and signing following the reading presented by EOU’s Ars Poetica Lecture Series. The event is free and open to the public.

Kitterman grew up in the San Joaquin Valley in California and received his undergraduate degree in English at the University of California at Berkeley. After spending two years in the Peace Corps in Belize, he completed the master of fine arts program at the University of Montana.

Kitterman grew up in the small town of Ivanhoe in the San Joaquin Valley.

Author Robert Garner McBrearty writes, “Kitterman’s stories are humorous and poignant, tender and touching in their memorable depiction of life in small-town California. He renders his characters so authentically and compassionately we feel we know their hopes and fears and dreams, and yet the stories surprise us in the finest ways, taking us beyond where we thought we were first going.”

“From the San Joaquin” follows Kitterman’s novel “The Baker’s Boys,” winner of the 2009 Marla Thomas Peace Corps Writers Award for Fiction.

He has published short and nonfiction in “The Carolina Quarterly,” “Chariton Review,” “Turnstile” and “Flyway,” among others. He is also the fiction editor for “Zone 3 Magazine” and the associate editor of “The Green Hills Literary Lantern” (Truman State University).

Kitterman teaches creative writing at Austin Peay State University in Clarksville, Tenn. He has also taught at Indiana University East, Miami University of Ohio, and at two Universities in the People’s Republic of China.

For more information contact David Axelrod at daxelrod@eou.edu or 541-962-3633.

Contact: Nancy Knowles, Adviser | Women’s Research & Resource Center
541-962-3795 | nknowles@eou.edu

EOU file photo / Browse hundreds of volumes for sale Thursday-Sunday.

April 25, 2012
LA GRANDE, Ore. (EOU) – The annual book sale to benefit the EOU Women’s Research and Resource Center takes place this Thursday through Sunday in the Hoke Union Building, Room 309.

Collections of books donated by retiring EOU faculty will be among the volumes available to purchase.

The sale opens Thursday from 12-1 p.m. with “early bird” entry of $5, then continues until 7 p.m. On Friday and Saturday, the sale will run 2-9 p.m. Final hours are 10 a.m.  to 1 p.m. on Sunday and volunteers are needed to assist with closing in the afternoon.

Proceeds benefit the EOU Women’s Center, a safe intellectual space for those experiencing the challenges of discrimination, and an outreach center working to promote tolerance, respect and feminist activism.

For more information, contact Nora Kegg, Women’s Center director, at womenctr@eou.edu or 541-962-3021, or Nancy Knowles, Women’s Center adviser, at nknowles@eou.edu or 541-962-3795.