Alumni Making an Impact

 Alumni from the College of Arts and Sciences have gone onto successful careers across the world. From advice for current and prospective students to classes and mentors that made an impact in their lives and a variety of journeys from the UO to where they are now, hear from our alumni and learn about their paths to success. 

UO alumna Raimy Khalife-Hamdan poses in a crowded public square in winter.

Personal experience helps UO grad launch peacemaking career

Raimy Khalife-Hamdan came to the UO on a Presidential Scholarship. Double majoring in global studies and romance languages, she graduated summa cum laude from the Clark Honors College.

Mitch Thomson

Alumnus Spotlight: Mitchel Thomson

Thomson earned his degree in Chinese and Asian Studies, and went on to a successful 30-year career in global management industries. 

Spaceship illustration

UO Alumna Part of Webb Space Telescope Team

Now that the NASA James Webb Space Telescope has reached its destination a million miles from Earth and begins beaming back images of the deepest parts of space this summer, Charity Woodrum, a 2018 UO alumna, will be among the first to pore over them, looking for clues to how our galaxy came to be.

Alumnus Skye Fitzgerald

Oscar-nominated Alumus Films Hunger Ward, Lifeboat, 50 Feet from Syria

Six years in the making, three powerful films by UO theater arts alumnus and award-winning documentary filmmaker Skye Fitzgerald raise awareness and shine stark light on the plight of their subjects. He calls the projects his “humanitarian trilogy.”

Profile photo of AK Ikwuakor

AK Ikwuakor Is Hurdling The Pandemic

Sociology alumnus AK Ikwuakor is now founder of MobileXA business consulting and sales excellence coach lead at Google, as well as producer to the Mornings with Coach AK podcast. 

A headshot of Kirstin Valdez Quade

For "The Five Wounds," Four Words

Creative writing alumna Kirstin Valdez Quade is an award-winning novelist and creative writing professor at Princeton University.

Nayeon Kim paints a child's face

In Pursuit of Justice

UO alumna Nayeon Kim believes there is benefit to society in reducing the prison terms of people of color and others victimized by excessive sentences and systemic racism. And she is dedicated to this work.

Jana Schmieding

Native Voice: Jana Schmieding

With Rutherford Falls, Jana Schmieding promotes Indigenous representation in Hollywood.

Nathan Harris holds his recent novel

Alumnus Spotlight: Nathan Harris

Nathan graduated with a BA in English, and now he’s a New York Times bestselling author. 

Rudy Omri

Alumnus Spotlight: Rudy Omri

Rudy earned his MA in Geography, and now he works for Planet helping customers use satellite images of the earth to fight wildfires.

Lauren Tierney

Alumna Spotlight: Lauren Tierney

Lauren graduated with a BA and M.S. in Geography, and how she works for the Washington Post as a Graphics Editor.

Jesse Nett

Alumnus Spotlight: Jesse Nett

Jesse earned his degree in Geography from UO and now he’s the Regional Cartographer for the USDA Forest Service in Colorado.

Mark Carrato

Alumnus Spotlight: Mark Carrato

Mark earned his MA in Global Studies, and now he’s the coordinator for the Power Africa Program.

Ava Jamerson

Alumna Spotlight: Ava Jamerson

Ava graduated from the UO in 2018 with a double major in Chinese and Business Administration and now, she is working for the Department of Commerce as an international trade specialist at the International Trade Administration and Director of Operations for The China Guys.

Bennet Voorhees

Alumnus Spotlight: Bennet Voorhees

Bennet double majored in Chinese and Economics, and now he’s using both as a data scientist.

Virginia Bavert

Alumna recognized for her work in language preservation

CAS Alumna Virginia Beavert has been honored for her efforts to preserve and breathe new life into the Native languages of the Northwest.

 

 

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Alumni in the News

a person looks through a microscope in a rainforest environment
From Oregon to the Amazon: Researcher is redefining "normal" anthropology
ANTHROPOLOGY - As a College of Arts and Sciences doctoral student, Theresa Gildner conducted research that led to publications and experience in conducting ethical field research. She continues the work she did at CAS as a faculty member at Washington University, whether she’s working on the Shuar Project or studying low-income regions of the southern US.
emmett reynier stands with a former EPA director
Economics for a Healthier Planet
ECONOMICS - How much do Americans value clean water versus affordable meat? These are the types of tradeoffs Emmett Reynier had to weigh while participating in a research fellowship with the US Environmental Protection Agency. Reynier graduated with a PhD in economics in winter 2025 and is off to a postdoc job at Stanford University and then will be a faculty member at University of Georgia.
Dwight and Sylvia Lang in front of Bixby Bridge in Big Sur, California
Traveling the Ducks way
SOCIOLOGY - Dwight and Sylvia Lang married just two years after they began dating and then pursued higher education together as first-generation, low-income students. In 1983, they graduated from the University of Oregon, each earning a PhD in sociology. “We’re Ducks,” Sylvia says. “So this is another way of saying ‘thank you, Oregon.’ What happened in Eugene between 1977 and 1985 was very significant for us. It shaped who we are in many ways.” 
headshot of Rachel Bitecofer
From Autzen Stadium to the Political Arena
POLITICAL SCIENCE - Rachel Bitecofer came for the Grateful Dead at Autzen Stadium but stayed for an undergrad degree. Now a political strategist and author, Bitecofer started her college career at 24 as a single mom. In 2009, she graduated with a bachelor’s degree in political science from the University of Oregon College of Arts and Sciences Magna cum laude as a McNair Scholar. She continued her education at the University of Georgia, receiving her PhD in political science and international affairs in 2015.
an illustration of two people who are veterans and UO alumnae
Ducks fly high at Veterans Affairs for those who served
GLOBAL STUDIES - Jennifer Esparza served in the Marines Corps for 11 years, earning the rank of staff sergeant and a half-dozen awards. In 2011 she enrolled at the UO, and in 2017 she earned a bachelor's degree in international studies and went to law school at Georgetown University. She worked for the Biden-Harris administration as a White House liaison and now is senior adviser to U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs Deputy Secretary Tanya Bradsher, the department’s second-highest official.
students standing in two rows for photo wearing prison education program shirts
CAS alum recommends dipping your toes into everything
GENERAL SOCIAL SCIENCES, POLITICAL SCIENCE – Alum Irisa Mehta '23 wanted to be a voice for others, to be a representative for those who face the educational barrier of understanding our criminal justice system. She took on two majors and two minors to make sure she was prepared for anything. She learned a lot academically and about how to have fun.
a graduate is hooded at a UO graduation
One Duck's journey of culture, learning and global connections
ROMANCE LANGUAGES, WOMEN'S AND GENDER AND SEXUALITY STUDIES - Oregon Ducks come from all over the world, including the Basque Country, a small region carved out of northern Spain on the border with France. Meet Nagore Sedano Neveira and learn about her life's journey that brought her to University of Oregon.
a woman stands next to a history exhibit sign
New donor gift creates first sports archivist position on West Coast
HISTORY - Lauren Goss, BA ’11 (history), is the University of Oregon's new sports archivist. Funded largely by a gift from an anonymous family foundation with deep Oregon roots and a love for UO Libraries, Goss’s position is the only one on the West Coast and one of only a dozen in the US dedicated to preserving collegiate sports history.
an illustration of a man with various historical snapshots behind him
From Arafat to the Dalai Lama, sociology alum shielded leaders
SOCIOLOGY - When Burks arrived at the UO in 1992, he had no idea what to study, but an introductory sociology class grabbed his attention. “It appealed to my curiosity about what makes people tick,” he says. Burks would go on to have a career filled with danger and intrigue as a special agent for the US government, protecting international dignitaries and overseeing security at embassies around the world.
an illustration with the words asian desi pacific island american heritage month with food illustrations
Celebrating Asian Desi Pacific Island American Heritage Month
POLITICAL SCIENCE - This ADPI Heritage Month, the UO Alumni Association reflects on the many contributions of Ducks identifying as Asian, Desi, and Pacific Islander. Meet College of Arts and Sciences alumni and the careers they have developed after college. May Wu, BA ’15 (political science) is featured in this story.
Todd Braje
‘Understanding Imperiled Earth' digs deep to guide climate action
ANTHROPOLOGY - Todd Braje's (PhD, anthropology, '07) newest book, Understanding Imperiled Earth: How Archeology and Human History Can Inform Our Planet’s Future, looks back in history to find solutions for the climate crisis. Braje is also the Museum of Natural and Cultural History executive director.
Kathryn Desvignes Holder
From a global studies master's program to the forest
GLOBAL STUDIES - Kathryn Desvignes Holder (MA, '17) earned her global studies master's degree, specializing in cross-cultural communication and Africa, which she said provided her with the experience and skills to speak and communicate with a diversity of stakeholders. She is now the public affairs officer and public engagement lead for the Umatilla National Forest.
Angie Morrill, headshot
IRES Alum and Klamath Tribal Member, Angie Morrill, Named Director of Native and Tribal Programs at Oregon State University

INDIGNEOUS, RACE, AND ETHNIC STUIDES; NATIVE AMERICAN AND INDIGENOUS STUDIES--Angie Morrill, an accomplished scholar and experienced leader in Native education and cultural support, has been named the inaugural director of Native American and Tribal Programs for the Oregon State University Division of Extension and Engagement. Morrill is an alum of UO Indigenous, Race, and Ethnic Studies and a citizen of the Klamath Tribes. 

flags of the world
Ducks of Impact: Alumni working in diplomacy
GEOGRAPHY, GLOBAL STUDIES, HISTORY - Read the stories of six alumni whose work in international affairs is making a global impact.
Photo of Jacob Hollenback in front of a tree and building
Political Science Recent Departmental Honors Alum Jakob Hollenbeck Featured in the New York Times
POLITICAL SCIENCE- Honors alum Jakob Hollenbeck is featured in the New York Times for his contributions toward supporting Portland Oregon's unhoused population.