Body: 

OSU-Cascades students,

 

This year has required you to bring even greater perseverance to your daily academic and personal lives. I hear regularly how you are rising to the challenge of the pandemic and to the needs of our campus and greater community.

 

That’s why I’m incredibly proud to tell you that OSU-Cascades students have been recognized by the Bend Chamber of Commerce as a SAGE Story of Resilience in Central Oregon.

 

All of you – especially including those in the Office of Student Life and the Associated Students of Cascades Campus, and our student employees – have worked tirelessly to address the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic with resilience and innovation.  You were nominated by the campus administration for:

 

  • Developing a digital platform where you can share information and find social, academic, recreational and professional opportunities. The new CampusGroups platform promotes student engagement during the pandemic. Your student leaders already see that it will be a valuable virtual hub to support in-person gathering long after the pandemic, too.

 

  • Onboarding incoming students during a summer-long engagement effort that culminated in Welcome Week. A team of 23 students developed a campaign of mailings, emails, texts, creative activity packets, discussion formats, faculty panels, social get-togethers and more to help retain and serve our largest-ever cohort of new students.

 

  • Contributing to a healthier student community and Bend community. You have become champions for health and safety protocols, and for your fellow students during the pandemic.  You have worked on TRACE OSU and TRACE Community COVID-19 projects, produced and contributed to videos supporting campus health, created and distributed health kits that included face coverings and hand sanitizer, provided groceries or grocery gift cards to students in need through the Food Pantry, and supported child care allowances for student parents.

 

This winter, the Bend Chamber will air a series of videos featuring all of Central Oregon’s stories of resilience. Your story will be shared on Jan. 7. I hope that you can sign up to watch it.

 

As we wrap up fall term, I hope this award lets you know how appreciated you are for what you bring to the classroom, our campus, your fellow students and the community during a very challenging time.

 

Sincerely,

Becky Johnson

Vice President

OSU-Cascades

 

Send Date: 
Friday, December 11, 2020