January 2005 Stories

Artise Burton: It’s your life. Lead it.

Artise Burton, a 2004 sociology graduate from Tacoma, Wash., knows what a difference Willamette can make. When he arrived on campus, he dreamed of shaking things up as CEO of a Fortune 500 company. But his goals changed when he began volunteering at a local elementary school down the street. Working there as a tutor, he became a role model for two African-American youngsters who looked to him for hope. It didn’t take long for him to discover that the classroom was where he belonged – as a teacher.

“It was because of my volunteer work at Willamette – and because of the education I received – that I realized my true calling was to be a teacher,” says Burton. “I want to help students the way I was helped when I was growing up. I want to be a steppingstone for children, and the experiences I had at Willamette motivated me to do that.”

Now he’s enrolled in our Master of Arts in Teaching program, which will prepare him for his immediate goal of instructing grade school children. But eventually, Burton is eyeing a potential career as a principal – a position he never would have considered before finding his focus at Willamette.

“Willamette gives you the opportunity to try new things and explore avenues you never thought you would,” says Burton. “There are so many experiences that Willamette has for you, whether it’s studying abroad, internships at the Capitol or community service. The chances you have to be a leader are extreme. The atmosphere engages you.”

Regardless of how you choose to define success, Willamette will put you in a position to do something remarkable with your life – and we think that’s what college is all about.

Amber Simonton: Empower yourself. And then empower others.

As the first member of her family to attend college, senior Amber Simonton understands the transformative power of higher education. “Once I started college, I really felt like the passion was ignited, like I had an opportunity to have an impact on society,” says Simonton, a sociology major from Lynnwood, Wash. “I really feel it’s our obligation to give to the world whatever we can. What purpose is there for an education other than to put it into action? Willamette kind of propels us into the next step.”

To help others take the next step, Simonton has assisted youths in the Salem community as co-chair of the Willamette chapter of MEChA, a Latino student organization. In addition to raising funds for English as a Second Language classes at a nearby elementary school and mentoring youths at a local middle school, Simonton helped organize the Adelante Latina Educational Empowerment Conference at Willamette. “I’m passionate about MEChA and the work that we do,” says Simonton, whose family tree includes roots to El Salvador. “The whole process of organizing the conference was a huge opportunity for our organization.”

After graduating from Willamette, Simonton plans to spend a year working for a nonprofit service agency before pursing an advanced degree in social work. One possible career path might involve advocating for education in the Latino community – but no matter where she winds up, you can bet that Simonton will serve as an inspiration to others.

“I’ve experienced a lot of personal growth at Willamette, and I want to open up those kinds of opportunities to more individuals,” says Simonton. “I want to empower people and help them find the resources they need to propel them to their own personal and educational goals.”

Sharon Long: Feel good. Sometimes helping others is just what the doctor ordered.

Before you complain about the cold you caught from that guy who kept sneezing in your World Views class, think about this: Things could be a lot worse.

Just ask 2004 chemistry graduate Sharon Long, whose extensive experience treating chronically ill patients belies the fact that she’s only 23 years old. Her resume includes working in the E.R., serving as a pediatric cardiology research assistant and providing care for AIDS and anthrax victims in Kenya.

“I did surgery and other things in Kenya you would only do as a thirdyear medical student here,” says Long, who’s pursuing her M.D. at the Loma Linda School of Medicine. “I think that once you have a skill like practicing medicine, you can do so much, and you can help so many people.”

The aspiring physician from Gresham, Ore., eventually plans to practice medicine in parts of Thailand that are gripped by child prostitution and abuse. But at Willamette, she devoted time to people in her immediate vicinity. She mentored a 12-year-old girl with a troubled home life, assisted at-risk youths as part of a local Girl Scout program and tutored children at a nearby middle school. And through it all, she gained knowledge and insights that have only strengthened her desire to care for others.

“What Willamette helped me with is having a foundation,” says Long. “I’ve just learned so much, and there’s a confidence there. I think Willamette creates amazing people. We’re determined and ambitious and creative, but we’re well-rounded at the same time. And the people who are hiring, the people who are accepting applications for medical or graduate school – they know the name ‘Willamette.’”

Anton Chiono: Make it personal.

Although we’ll encourage you to explore your interests from sea to shining sea (starting with America and encompassing every continent except Antarctica), you’ll also get to delve into issues that hit close to home – in some cases, literally.

That’s what junior Anton Chiono discovered after his family’s home and business were threatened by wildfires that swept through Central Oregon in 2002. “My own household had to evacuate, and we were forced to stay at a friend’s house,” recalls Chiono, who’s spent the past five summers as a wildlife technician and reserve firefighter for the U.S. Forest Service. “I would leave every morning to fight fires not knowing if our home would survive by that evening.”

Initially, Chiono was tempted to view the fire as a natural catastrophe that was beyond his control. But after researching the matter further, the environmental science major discovered that severe wildfires are often rooted in forest management policies that emphasize fire suppression without considering the consequences of fuel overload.

That subject has provided plenty of fuel for his senior thesis proposal – and his professors have provided plenty of assistance. Professor David Craig traveled to Central Oregon this past summer to assist Chiono with his study and plans to return next summer to help him complete it. “The Willamette faculty are so accommodating,” says Chiono. “They helped me transform my ideas into something that would allow me to pursue my own interests. I’m hoping that my findings can be used by my district to manage forests and wildfires.”

This past fall, Chiono pursued his passion for public policy in Washington, D.C., where he served as an intern to U.S. Sen. Gordon Smith (R-Ore.). In addition to researching forest management practices at the Library of Congress, Chiono saw firsthand how politics shape policy. His experiences on Capitol Hill will no doubt come in handy as he pursues a career in forest management – and he says none of it would have been possible without Willamette. “The experiences I’ve had at Willamette have done more than simply accrue credits toward an eventual diploma,” says Chiono. “They’ve played a major role in forming who I am – and who I’ll become.”

Brian Egger: Build something that lasts.

For sophomore Brian Egger, building healthy communities is the essence of principled leadership. As a resident assistant, he’s fostering a positive living environment for his fellow students. And as a regional officer for Circle K, an affiliate of Kiwanis International, he’s helping clubs throughout the Pacific Northwest with their fund-raising efforts. “The one thing I like to do is promote service learning to students and stress how important it is to help others,” says Egger, a politics major from Beaverton, Ore. “Circle K really complements Willamette’s mission statement.”

Our faculty and staff take our school motto to heart as well. Their goal is to make a difference in your life by encouraging you to take risks and go beyond the familiar – and Egger says that attitude inspired him to run for Hall Council as a freshman and apply for the RA position as a sophomore. “At Willamette, people will support you even as they’re pushing you beyond your comfort zone,” he says. “When you leave here, you’ll be more prepared for the realities of this crazy world we’re living in.”

As an aspiring politician, Egger wants to promote community development by providing services for people in need. He’s not ruling out a career in the Legislature or even the governorship – and Egger says Willamette is the ideal launching pad for a lifetime of public service.

“I want to build on the Willamette mission statement and extend it to the whole world and make our communities stronger,” says Egger. “I’ll do anything that I feel is having a positive impact on the lives of other people while allowing me to grow as a person. There are no limits to what you can be.”

Jessa Fox: Eat, learn and be friendly.

As a first-year student, you’re going to have to adjust to new friends, new teachers and a new level of learning at Willamette. But if you think adjusting to Willamette will be a long, drawn-out process, you might want to talk to freshman Jessa Fox.

Within weeks of her arrival on campus, Fox took a quick count of her closest friends – and when she ran out of fingers, she invited 10 students to her parents’ home in Portland, Ore., for an overnight stay. Her mom and dad cooked a hearty breakfast for the Willamette crowd, and one of her new friends from Oklahoma spent Thanksgiving weekend with the family. “I felt like it would be hard to make friends right away, but the whole community welcomes you in,” says Fox. “My parents are so happy that I’m happy, that I’m making friends. This place just fits me. I love it here.”

That sense of camaraderie extends to her classes, which are challenging and enjoyable at the same time. At first, Fox was a bit intimidated by her World Views seminar – but those feelings evaporated when her professor made it clear that he was part of the class, not above it. “We were trying to catch Froot Loops in our mouth before class,” recalls Fox, “and (Professor) Jerry Gray came in and said, ‘Toss one my way.’ He caught it in his mouth, and then we got down to business. You can have fun while you’re learning, and that’s a major aspect of Willamette.”

Fox also has found out that learning takes many different forms here. In addition to addressing local hunger issues with Marion Polk Food Share, Fox is practicing her dance steps in the Swing Club, exploring the art of firespinning in the Poi Club – and discovering what it’s like to be surrounded by individuals who expect the best from themselves.

“I think the people here are very passionate – they all have something they really care about,” says Fox, an aspiring journalist. “It could be anything, from music to the Olympics. This campus is full of people with passion for what they do.”

Kelsey Soma: Be accomplished.

“If you come to Willamette, you don’t just go to your classes and go back to your residence hall,” says Kelsey Soma, a senior psychology major from Honolulu, Hawaii. “There are so many things you’re going to want to dive into. The opportunities are endless.”

Soma has taken full advantage of her opportunities at Willamette. As a freshman, she traveled to Ground Zero in New York City to provide relief for rescue workers in the aftermath of Sept. 11, 2001. Since that time, she’s built houses as part of Habitat for Humanity, organized a beach cleanup as treasurer of Circle K, mentored local school children as a volunteer in our Into the Streets program, voiced concerns as a member of the Kaneko Hall Council and helped bring filmmaker Michael Moore to campus as co-president of the Willamette Events Board.

But Willamette is more than a place of endless opportunities; it’s a place where you can turn those opportunities into a foundation for the future. As an intern for Family Building Blocks, a local child abuse prevention agency, Soma provided therapy for troubled children and researched the risk factors that influenced their success or failure in the program. Now she’s looking forward to a career as a clinical child psychologist.

“The longer I’ve been here, the more I realize that Willamette isn’t about preparing you to get the most money out of a job,” says Soma. “It’s about preparing you to make the biggest difference you can as one being, one person.”

At Willamette, you can focus on the things you care about most, and you can ally yourself with students who are making connections, making up their minds – and making a difference in their world.

Jenn Heidt: Lead the way.

Jenn Heidt understands the power of preparation. While applying for a $26,000 Truman Scholarship, she and fellow student Lesley Meyer had to endure what might be referred to as the Willamette Inquisition to prepare for their regional interviews. “Lesley and I had three 40-minute sessions of being grilled by some of the best professors on campus,” recalls Heidt, a senior politics major from Missoula, Mont. “They took time out of their schedules to review our applications and grill us for 40 minutes.”

The result: Each won a Truman Scholarship to help finance their postgraduate studies in the realm of public service. According to Heidt, it’s no accident that Willamette has produced eight Truman Scholars in the past five years. “Lesley and I were the most prepared students at the regional interviews,” says Heidt. “The Truman interview was easy compared to the mock interviews. Coming back, I was like, ‘I cannot believe how much preparation I received.’”

And after three years as a student here, Heidt still can’t believe the level of support she receives from Willamette administrators and faculty members. “I don’t believe there’s another institution on the face of this Earth where you can be this close to your professors,” says Heidt. “The professors are interested in more than just the academics – they’re interested in helping you build yourself up as a person.”

Heidt plans to pursue a master’s degree in public policy before heading to law school, but don’t expect to see her at the helm of some high-priced legal firm. Her goal is to develop policies in the interests of fairness and justice. “I don’t think I’ll practice law, but it’ll provide me with a really good base to work from when developing public policy,” says Heidt. “I could see myself being an advisor to the governor – or even being the governor.”

Annie Bither-Terry: Raise awareness.

If all the world’s a stage (and who would argue with Shakespeare?), then Willamette students are definitely players – especially when it comes to standing up for the rights of individuals. Whether you’re staging a protest or staging a play, you’ll have every chance to lend your voice to the causes that concern you most.

Just don’t be surprised when you find yourself leading the charge. And don’t be surprised when the Willamette community rallies behind you to support your efforts. “The best thing about Willamette are all the opportunities and the people who help you take advantage of those opportunities,” says Annie Bither-Terry, a senior from Eagle River, Alaska. “There’s so much support from the faculty, the administration and the student body.”

She should know. As co-president of Willamette Students for Peace and Justice, Bither-Terry and five other students attended a vigil at a U.S. military training school that’s been linked to human-rights abuses in Latin America. To help fund the trip to Ft. Benning, Ga., the students received donations from the Office of the President, the Office of the Chaplain and the Educational Programming Committee. They even collected $100 from a jar they put on the counter at the Bistro, our student-run coffeehouse. “We got tons and tons of support,” recalls Bither-Terry, who was a sophomore at the time. “It was incredible.”

Another incredible opportunity came her way when she received a $3,000 Carson Research Grant to write and direct her own play. Bither-Terry interviewed 57 people ranging in age from 8 to 83 before writing the play, which focuses on issues related to the human breast. She plans to stage the production this October, which is Breast Cancer Awareness Month – and all the proceeds from the play will help fund breast cancer research.

“Raising awareness is the first step,” says Bither-Terry, a French/anthropology major whose career interests range from teaching children with special needs to defending the rights of indigenous peoples. “I want the world to be a better place – and I’m a strong believer in the ability of one person to make a difference.”

Jean-Pierre Hill: Act globally, act locally.

You never know where a Willamette education will lead you. One semester you might be in class, analyzing the efforts of small Chinese businesses to establish a foothold in their communities; the next semester you might be in China, helping them establish a niche in the global economy.

For senior Jean-Pierre Hill, studying in China was the latest in a series of undergraduate experiences that have changed his life. When Hill came here, he thought he’d major in computer science and minor in physics. Now he’s majoring in economics and minoring in Chinese and math. “My professors have had a profound impact on how I see myself in the world, and the liberal arts education has just expanded my knowledge,” says Hill. “I realize now that the way I saw the world isn’t the way the world is – especially living in the U.S., where I don’t have to worry about where my next meal is coming from.”

Hill’s trip to China has laid the groundwork for his short-term goal of assisting Chinese businesses in special economic zones. He’d like to work for the Peace Corps, or possibly a bank. “I want to be in China so that 30 years from now, if and when China is developing, I can tell my children that I was there, that I saw that,” says Hill. “I want to be an economic veteran, if you will.”

After spending a couple of years in China, Hill plans to pursue a master’s degree or a Ph.D. in economics at a top-tier business school. He wants to examine the processes that have led to widespread poverty and unemployment in the U.S. – and then he wants to work for a government agency that can address those issues at the policymaking level. Serving as an advocate for the nation’s poor is Hill’s way of taking our motto, ‘Not unto ourselves alone are we born,’ and putting it into practice.

“The Willamette mission statement – I really think that it’s at the heart of everything we do,” says Hill. “It’s not just to get a piece of paper or to make us more employable, but to really affect the world. I think the students on this campus – that’s what they do.”

Lisa Oakley: Fill your own prescription.

What’s the most direct route to a career as a doctor? That’s easy: Simply major in philosophy, minor in chemistry, and serve as president of the Outdoors Club and co-president of Wulapalooza, our annual celebration of the arts.

And in your spare time, keep rehearsing your parts as an alto and mezzo-soprano for the Willamette Singers while you’re busy planning a concert tour of South Africa as vice president of the Chamber Choir.

Lisa Oakley did all of the above, and she says Willamette opened all the doors. “If you have passion and drive, you’ll end up in a leadership position at Willamette, no matter what your passion may be,” says Oakley. “Willamette has so many different opportunities that sometimes it’s hard to know when to dig deeper or when to let someone else lead.”

So what led her to major in philosophy even though she plans on being a doctor? You can blame our Mode of Inquiry (MOI) requirements for that. All of our students have to take a broad range of courses that reflect different ways of thinking – and sometimes one class is all it takes to set students on a different path.

“If it weren’t for the MOI, I never would have taken a philosophy class,” says Oakley. “I was planning on majoring in biology when I got here, but I took a philosophy course as an MOI and just fell in love with it. I decided to do that as a major and take the science classes I needed to get into med school. I’ve been interested in medicine a long time; I’m just going about it in a different way.”

Oakley intends to gain some experience in a clinic or hospital before attending medical school full time, and her long-term goal is to make a positive difference in the lives of women as an ob-gyn specialist. Willamette is the place where she narrowed her focus to the field of obstetrics and gynecology. And Willamette is the place where she felt free to pursue her goals her own way. “There is a strong sense here that women are powerful, intelligent and can accomplish anything,” says Oakley. “I think that would spark anyone’s career plans.”

Torey Jovick: Make the most of your week off.

You have plenty of options when you’re making plans for Spring Break. And if you really want to, you can spend the entire week hanging out with friends, experiencing a new culture – and painting houses from sunup to sundown in the middle of a Nevada desert.

For junior Torey Jovick, leading a group of more than two dozen students to the Ft. McDermitt Indian Reservation in 2004 was an ideal way to express her commitment to service. It was the second straight year she’d participated in our Take a Break program, which sends students to help impoverished communities in different parts of the country.

As a freshman, Jovick was part of a group that served the citizens of Jonestown, Miss., a predominantly African American community in the heart of the South. The experience of working with disadvantaged children and renovating run-down buildings was so satisfying that she volunteered to be the group leader at Ft. McDermitt. “I wanted to give other students the opportunities that I’d had at Jonestown,” says Jovick. “I had two great leaders on that trip, and I wanted to share my enthusiasm and dedication to helping people with other students. I wanted to open their hearts to service.”

Mission accomplished. At Ft. McDermitt, Jovick’s group brightened the lives of families by painting five houses in five days. They also bridged the culture gap by serving as mentors to scores of youngsters. “I couldn’t believe how hard every person worked each day from sunrise to sundown,” she says. “It felt wonderful to be leading a group that I trusted and who trusted me as a leader to do the best I could. It was a leadership opportunity that will always be a part of me.”

And Jovick’s definition of leadership extends beyond the U.S. border. She’ll be studying in Valparaíso, Chile, for her entire junior year, and she plans to make the most of the service opportunities that present themselves. “I think service isn’t just my obligation – it’s our obligation to help other people because we have the means to do it,” says Jovick, who won a $1,000 scholarship from the National Society of Collegiate Scholars based on her dedication to academics, leadership and service. “We can’t just forget about other people.”

Spring 2005 Update: Jovick, who is currently studying in Chile, has recently been elected as the national vice president of community service of the National Society for Collegiate Scholars (NSCS). She is one of fifteen members of the National Leadership Council for NSCS, which serves as a student voice and advisory council to the NSCS professional staff.

Artise Burton: It’s your life. Lead it.

Leadership is about bringing your vision into focus. It’s about marshaling the resources you need to put your ideas into action. And it’s about improving the lives of the people you encounter every day.

Artise Burton, a 2004 sociology graduate from Tacoma, Wash., knows what a difference one person can make. When he was in middle school, his music teacher used to pull him aside when she saw him hanging out with the wrong crowd. “She talked to me about my class work, but she talked about stuff outside the classroom, too,” he recalls. “She actually took an interest in me as a person. She was a really big influence in my life.”

At Willamette, Burton was a big influence himself. He booked bands for the Willamette Events Board, co-chaired the Black Student Organization for two years and served as a resident assistant for three years. But he learned his most profound lesson in a small elementary school down the street. Working there as a tutor, he became a role model for two African American youngsters who looked to him for hope. It was there he fully understood what his middle school teacher had done for him – and it was there he became a leader in every sense of the word.

“I realized I wanted to help students the way I was helped when I was growing up,” says Burton, who plans to pursue a Master of Arts in Teaching degree at Willamette’s School of Education this fall. “Willamette does a good job of drawing you out and making you do things you never thought you would do. The chances you have to be a leader are extreme. The atmosphere engages you.”

Justin Brown: Put the pieces into place.

Countless students have earned prestigious national scholarships to continue the research they began at Willamette. They’re making discoveries, and they’re enhancing our understanding of the world. After all, research isn’t about explaining the universe in a single equation; it’s about solving a complex puzzle one piece at a time.

The pieces are falling into place for Justin Brown, a 2004 economics graduate from Bakersfield, Calif. Brown earned a Watson Fellowship to evaluate the efficiency and success of local barter networks in England, Thailand, Australia and South Africa – and he says he couldn’t have secured the $22,000 travel grant without the support of the Willamette community. “The Watson Fellowship was completely beyond my experience,” says Brown. “The faculty and staff are dedicated to connecting students with opportunities. They really inspired me.”

As an undergraduate, Brown was inspired to explore alternatives to the current economic system, which accepts poverty as the cost of doing business. “Before I came to Willamette, I didn’t know enough about the world and how deep and structural the poverty is,” says Brown. “I think it’s an abomination – there’s no excuse for people starving in this world.”

And in Brown’s mind, there’s no excuse for the world’s dependency on petroleum as an energy source. After returning from his travels, Brown is interested in forming a farming cooperative that would produce vegetable oil for use in diesel engines. He wants to convert the next generation of drivers from petroleum-based diesel to biodiesel, thereby minimizing the violence associated with the fight over scarce resources – and his vision came into focus at Willamette.

“I’ve totally changed since I came here,” says Brown. “I’m a lot more independent-minded, and I feel like my perspective has widened. I’ve learned to look at the world and see what needs to be changed.”

Mike Ruygrok: Here’s to your health.

When it comes to summertime employment opportunities, some jobs have more potential than others. Sure, you could spend the summer perfecting your mowing technique – but wouldn’t you rather be perfecting your research techniques instead?

If the latter idea sounds appealing, you should check out our Science Collaborative Research Program (SCRP). Working with a dedicated faculty mentor, you’ll be able to study everything from the potential of cancer-fighting drugs to the properties of metallic glass. And here’s the best part: You’ll receive $3,450 to be a full-time researcher over a nine-week period, freeing you up to follow your dreams.

Senior Mike Ruygrok’s SCRP grant gave him a chance to study the effects of the common herbicide 2, 4, D on living organisms. Ruygrok examined frog eggs and determined that 2, 4, D degrades a protein that’s essential to the maturation of oocytes. It’s part of a continuing study initiated by Professor Barbara Stebbins-Boaz, who’s been investigating the effects of 2, 4, D with students the past several years. “She was around all summer, and she was always there when I had questions,” says Ruygrok, a biology major from Denver, Colo. “But as an advisor, she was hands-off. It was cool to be able to work independently.”

Ruygrok, who’s pursuing the matter further for his senior seminar, says the study of 2, 4, D is more than an opportunity to get published; it’s a chance to delve into serious issues related to the controversial herbicide. “If 2, 4, D has that kind of influence on frog eggs, what is it doing to our drinking water?” Ruygrok asks. “Maybe this study will stimulate a little more publicity and interest, and maybe we can control its use a little bit.”

After graduating in the spring, Ruygrok plans to attend medical school. He wants to save lives as a trauma surgeon – and he says his SCRP experience has demonstrated the power of knowledge in action. “Research has shown me how you can apply what you learn in class and in textbooks to real life,” says Ruygrok. “I want to use my interest in science to help people.”