This section of EOU’s website is dedicated to the collection and distribution of student testimonials, thoughts, and sentiment regarding Eastern Oregon University in their life. To add to this collection please
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Jamie Landa
“I began as an online student and finished on campus my last year. Soon after graduation I accepted a position at the Department of Human Services in Union County, in the Aging and People with Disabilities (APD) division. I have since accepted the Executive Director position at Shelter from the Storm, Union County’s domestic violence shelter. Finishing my Anth/Soc degree and courses on campus proved to be helpful in making contacts, working with faculty, and developing a professional network. The transition from school to work can be stressful, but my degree prepared me to be effective in social work.”
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Jillian Gerschefske
“The Integrative Studies degree really helped me to find the perfect combination of minors that incorporate my passions and strongly prepare me for going into a Mental Health Counseling master’s degree program. My Early Childhood Development/Education and Sociology/Anthropology minors position me to develop strong interdisciplinary skills. Both minors, as well as their connection to my current career as a teacher and future as an adolescent mental health counselor, prepare me to help children.”
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Brady Watkins
“Eastern Oregon provides a great learning experience. By completing online while working full-time I was able to accomplish a huge goal of purchasing a home at 19. I have found the degree to be very helpful as I have begun a career in public accounting.”
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Evan Bryan
“The Public Administration program at Eastern provided me with the knowledge and skills that I needed to be successful in the public sphere. From the United States Congress to the Oregon State Senate, I would not have had these opportunities without the strong education I had through this program.”
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Govind Brar
“I love EOU because of the amazing people who work here and the way they have their door always open for you if you have a problem. It is a very nice campus with small a class size and amazing teachers. Outside of class there are so many activities you can do that overall it’s been an amazing experience here!”
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Theresa Hamman
“I attended EOU as a non-traditional student from 2011 to 2016. All of my professors and mentors during that time were phenomenal, I learned and grew so much as both a writer and a reader. I can honestly say that I would not be where I am professionally if it were not for their guidance and instruction. They were instrumental in helping me publish poems in The Paddock Review, basalt, Red Savina Review, The Tower Journal and Nailed. Not to mention my poetry chapbook, All Those Lilting Tongues, which was just published in September 2018. In addition to those publications,…
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Amy Parker
“My time in the MFA program at EOU was the one of the most enriching and rewarding experiences for me as a writer. Working with my professors and classmates helped me gain confidence in my work and submit it for publication. Now, as a doctoral student in creative writing, I’m able to draw upon the extensive foundation of genres and writing styles I encountered at EOU. Today I participate in readings in my local literary community and my school’s literary magazine. In all, EOU’s beautiful atmosphere and its knowledgeable and talented faculty are truly inspiring.”
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Alex Taunton
“If you had told me five years ago that I was going to live in Eastern Oregon and graduate from EOU, I would have questioned you. These last five years have been absolutely amazing, regardless of the hard times. I wouldn’t have changed a thing about it.”
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Frederick Wallace
“The APEL class was the most inspiring class I took at EOU. It helped me acknowledge my past experiences and then merge them into my future academic and professional life goals. The class assignments kept students engaged and interacting with each other, and through this process I realized I could reach my dream of completing a bachelor’s degree. This class allows students to evaluate the past, recognize developed skills, and acknowledge learning outside of higher education, all the while propelling them forward. APEL allows students to earn credits based on what they already know – and at a bonus –…
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James Wierson
“APEL enabled me to complete my undergraduate degree in a timely and efficient manner. The process was guided expertly by the class instructor and the feedback I was given was extremely helpful in enabling me to craft both an effective and meaningful essay. What was truly amazing was seeing how my life experiences have been so educational and the fact that EOU has built a program that allows students to turn experiential learning into college credit is incredible. I would encourage any adult student with life experience to seriously consider the APEL process.”
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Jerry Mott
“I made an effort to use all the accelerated options EOU offered. I’m a non-traditional student with a heavy professional workload. The flexibility and cost savings of the Assessment of Prior Experiential Learning (APEL) program was just one of the attractive attributes of EOU. A student utilizing APEL must understand this program may save them a great deal of money, but does require sincere effort through articulation of their gained knowledge. Students detail experiential learning and correlate it with theory – they may also find the process of working through APEL requirements to be a learning tool in itself. If…
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Amanda Machuca-Martinez
“I love the flexibility of online schooling through EOU. I can fit in all that I need to get done throughout my day and I can do schoolwork at a time that is convenient for me. Compared to other schools, I believe that EOU has a far better organizational structure of their online environment. I especially appreciate how helpful the staff are. Even though you may live hundreds of miles away, they are very attentive and willing to assist you in any way possible. Thus far, I have had a great online experience at EOU and I highly recommend it…
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Mackenzie Trotter
My English/Writing professors took as much of an interest in my well-being as they did in my writing. My understanding of writing, which was built and nurtured by one-on-one interactions with English/Writing faculty, has been the most valuable tool I have in terms of education.
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Katy Barnett
Eastern Oregon University has the affordability, small class sizes and caring faculty that make a monumental difference to student success. Politics and Economics taught me to think critically about factors that influence our political system. Program faculty encouraged me to engage in campus life. I served as EOU student body president so I could make a positive difference for students. Now I work in Washington, D.C. and, like on campus, continue to make public policy that works for everyone.
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Kathryn Quaempts Burke
“The Native American Studies Minor has allowed me to be informed as a scholar and as a Native American woman, in concert with my culture to recognize how to face challenges and use critical thinking and scholarly methods when doing so. I am an enrolled Tribal Member with the Confederated Tribes of the Umatilla Indian Reservation and am a proud graduate of the Native American Studies program at EOU. I have worked full-time throughout my education these past years to successfully accomplishing my goals, which I pursued in order to give back to my community. My professors have been supportive…
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Tiffany Hansen
“As a student, I benefited from EOU scholarships and local community scholarships to assist with my education. I was also able to begin my professional career in the criminal justice system prior to graduation. I kept a connection with the broader community while a student, a connection many students, staff, and professors at EOU. Attending a university in a small community also meant I could balance schooling and work to maintain an affordable lifestyle. I believe this balance was a large part of my success and contributed greatly to my professional career development.”
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Theo Miller
“While earning my degree in Anthropology/Sociology, EOU presented me with an opportunity to volunteer at an Oregon Youth Authority Correction Center. I volunteered as an art instructor, which gave me a springboard to continue this passion as an employee of the Union County Juvenile Department. Teaching a weekly art class is just one of the many exciting things I do as our county’s Juvenile Diversion Counselor. Furthermore, I was able to start part-time employment during my last term at EOU before graduating. This eventually led to the full-time permanent position I have today. EOU was instrumental in my success.”
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Taylor Wilson
“I earned my bachelor’s in Anthropology/Sociology from EOU, and I’m now working for Umatilla County as a Mental Health Associate for a new prevention and outreach program, where we conduct small skills groups in the schools. I have also completed the first year of a master’s degree program in clinical health counseling. I credit EOU, specifically the faculty, with my success in my career and passion for my work with children. With an academic focus in sociology, I could better articulate the areas in which our society is lacking, which ignited my passion for social change.”
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Mary Lakey
“I’ve been living in Denver for about a year, working for a special education attorney here and I love it. We represent children with disabilities who are not being provided a free appropriate public education (FAPE). The attorney I work for recently won a landmark case that was ultimately decided by the US Supreme Court. I find great satisfaction in knowing that I am working toward real change for a population that needs it. EOU and Anth/Soc helped me get to where I am. In fact, it was my background in sociology and the behavioral therapy I was doing in…
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Brittany Pryce
“I’m a mental health therapist and substance abuse counselor at Grande Ronde Recovery in La Grande. I received my bachelor’s degree from EOU in 2009, then enrolled in United States Peace Corps as a volunteer in Bulgaria. After returning home, I earned my master’s in social work. I plan to continue providing mental health and substance abuse services within our community, and I owe my success to the education and support I received at EOU, and the professors in both the sociology and anthropology programs.”
