Job Seeking Alumnus Utilizes Campus Resources

By Victoria Hampton '15

Robin Johnson ’09 is a great example of a Pacific graduate who knew what he liked, but didn’t know what he wanted to do with his career. 

“[After graduation] I was unsure. I didn’t know what I wanted to do with my degree. I didn’t have a clear idea,” said Johnson.

Johnson '09

As a journalism and environmental studies double major, Johnson was searching for job opportunities that incorporated agriculture and writing. 

In his first few years after graduation, Johnson worked for AmeriCorps at Pacific and on an organic farm along with writing for a science fiction blog. After hiking the Pacific Crest Trail for five months, Johnson returned to Oregon ready to search for a job that reflected his passion for writing.

What better place to search for some career guidance than his alma mater?

A year and a half ago, while working a temporary job at a dog sitting business, Johnson contacted Career Development Center Director Brian O’Driscoll '89.

“I told Brian I was hoping to focus my career on my writing and he really helped me out by looking at my résumé and helping me beef it up,” said Johnson.

O’Driscoll also assisted Johnson with his interviewing skills, preparing him for an interview at Spotlight, a newspaper in Scappoose, Ore.

Johnson landed the job and has enjoyed writing for a variety of beats such as city hall, crime and community events.

This wasn’t the last time Johnson sought the help of the Career Development Center. 

In June 2014 he will move to St. Louis, Miss. with his girlfriend who is pursuing a master’s degree at Washington University. While visiting the city earlier this year, Johnson met some reporters from local newspapers. After his trip, Johnson asked O’Driscoll to help him network with people at publications in the area. He is now networking with a reporter who works for a bi-monthly publication in St. Louis.

Even though Johnson didn’t have a definite idea of his career focus right after graduation, he wasn’t afraid to explore his options and ask for help along the way.

“I just explored whatever option I was passionate about at the time instead of focusing on a specific career after college,” said Johnson.

He explained that this gave him a diverse background along with time to figure out his ideal career path.

The Career Development Center is a resource for graduates from all years and stages in their career development. If you need help crafting your résumé, finding a job, networking or need to work on your interviewing skills, email careerdc@pacificu.edu or call 503-352-2877 to set up an appointment.

Navigating the Stormy Seas of Publishing

Calcaterra '99

By Garrett Calcaterra '99

Last month I wrote a guest blog post for Diversion Books, the publisher of my debut fantasy novel, Dreamwielder, and I remarked on the odd publication path my book took: an initial launch in e-book format only, then audiobook format through Audible.com a few months later, and finally in trade paperback format almost a year after the initial release. 

It’s a big departure from the traditional book release process, but this is the reality of the book publishing world now. There is no tried and true route to publication success, and if you want to make it as an author, you have to navigate your own path.

The modern publishing world is a double-edged sword. On one hand, there are more opportunities than ever to reach readers directly thanks to e-books, self-publishing platforms like KDP and Smashwords, and Print-on-Demand services like CreateSpace and Lulu. On the other hand, these opportunities will do nothing for you if you fail to write quality books or if you don’t understand the business side of publishing. And the fact of the matter is, unless you already have a large following, publishers still offer you the best shot of getting your book in front of readers.

Sure, I could have self-published Dreamwielder, but I never would have procured a Barnes & Noble Nook First Look selection on my own. Audible.com never would have turned it into an audiobook. And before all that, Dreamwielder never would have gotten the great editorial attention it received with Diversion Books if I self-published. That’s something a lot of newbies to the writing world neglect to consider: publishers ensure that they only release a high-quality, polished product.

For me, what’s worked so far is handling each writing project on a case-by-case scenario, and I don’t do it alone. I am in regular contact with my literary agent, Elizabeth Kracht, and together we game plan what to do with each book project I have. For Dreamwielder we went with Diversion Books. Diversion Books turned me on to Wattapad, an e-book app and community that houses 40 million free e-books. 

There on Wattpad, I self-released a prequel story to Dreamwielder, and also an unrelated fantasy novelette, The Knight’s Dog, which got picked up as a featured Wattpad story. As the time of writing this blog post, the novelette has racked up almost 17 thousand reads in little over a week! That’s how volatile and crazy the e-book market is.

On the self-publishing front, I’ve self-released The Knight’s Dog as an 99 cent e-book for the Kindle and Nook, and I’ve also self-released two quirky humor titles, knowing traditional publisher wouldn’t be willing to take a risk on them. 

I also experimented with selling my previously published short stories as DRM-free e-book singles directly from my website. That was a complete and utter failure! Still, I’m glad I tried it. I learned a lot about self-publishing and the e-book marketplace with the experience, and that knowledge is invaluable.

In the meantime, I’m working on the sequel to Dreamwielder, which is already contracted with Diversion Books, and I’m keeping my eyes open for new opportunities. I know writing novels is how I’m going to turn my writing into a sustainable career. I need to have a new book every year, which my agent and I will find the best possible market for, and I’ll continue to try out homes for my shorter work. 

Those 17 thousand downloads on Wattpad don’t earn me a dime directly, but now 17 thousand new people have seen my name, and the next time they see it on front of a book online or in their bookstore, hopefully they’ll deem it worthy to spend their money on.

Calcaterra ’99 was an applied science major with a minor in creative writing at Pacific University. He teaches writing at Chapman University and the Orange County School of the Arts. His new novel, Dreamwielder, is available in e-book format at all major retailers, including Amazon, Barnes & Noble and iTunes.

Boxer Love Story: Al Ross '55 and Caroline (Seay) Ross '56

By Written by Al Ross

After graduating St. Helens High School in 1951, coach Harvey Roloff from Pacific offered me an athletic scholarship. I had no money and my family had no money and this sounded good. I had an older friend, Phil Poff '54, who encouraged me to check things out. He was a sophomore at Pacific at the time. We ended up rooming together in what apparently was the old McCormick Hall. It was down by the old gymnasium that was used primarily as a PE and practice facility.
The college had offered me the opportunity to work for money and that was going to help cover expenses. I was assigned to clean classrooms each day at the end of the last class. I got to know Marsh Hall, Old College Hall, the library and Warner Hall very well. I would guess there were under 600 students in attendance in 1952, but there was still lot of sweeping, dusting and desk straightening.
During my sophomore year, I was offered a job that enabled me to make a little more money but it was certainly a great deal more work. Several of the buildings had wood furnaces for heat. I was basically responsible for going over to the girls’ dorm, which at the time was called Herrick Hall, each morning seven days a week, and starting a wood fire in the furnace which was down in the basement. If you stood in front of Marsh Hall looking at Old College Hall, Herrick Hall was located to your right down near what was then apartments for married students. It was a tough job and I had to go over and toss in more wood all day long between my classes. The girls needed their heat.
To get into the basement of Herrick Hall at 4 a.m. each morning, I had to go around the back of the building and walk down a long sidewalk to the door the gave me access to the basement and the furnace. I noticed that each morning there was a light on in an apartment about the third floor. There was a young lady sitting there doing something. I later learning she was studying. I could not see her clearly but we began to wave at each other very innocently and it went on for many more mornings before we got to actually know each other.
Our paths finally crossed in the basement as this was where the girls’ washing machines were and I was over there tossing cord wood in the beloved furnace. She was a cute little chick from Salem, Ore., and we had a great deal in common. Neither of our families could support us and she was on an academic scholarship and also took every job that was offered her. We both wanted to be teachers. During the time there she was paid to get up early and make a continental breakfast for dorm sisters. She later worked in the science labs as a lab assistant and also worked in the cafeteria over at McCormick Hall.
We began to date as time and money permitted and our dating was quite simply but very enjoyable. We spent time at the Tip Top which was a local college hangout and went to an occasional movie at the local theater or even drove to Hillsboro for some activity. We were together at games and other college activities but most of our time was spent studying and working. Caroline was a great student and much in demand to assist in the science labs. We have very fond memories of the years at Pacific and we were certainly treated well by the faculty and the administration.

I graduated in 1955 and was immediately drafted into the US Army and was soon on my way to Korea. Caroline had another year at Pacific and we decided to get married during the summer of 1955. She graduated with great honors in 1956 and was offered a job teaching math and science at David Douglas High School in Portland. She taught one full year before I was discharged from the Army. I also was offered a contract in the David Douglas district after my discharge.
Caroline and I lived and worked in Portland and this is where we raised our family. Our two boys still live in the Portland area as do our grandchildren. I worked at the David Douglas School District in a variety of jobs for about 34 years. Caroline taught advanced science and math, and also worked at Mount Hood Community College in the math department. She was a fabulous teacher. We retired in 1988 and since then have lived in San Diego and Charbonneau outside of Salem and presently reside in Sun City Grand, Arizona, but do return to Oregon to see family and friends.
We had many close friends at Pacific and would love to hear from anyone who might end up reading this. We can be reached easily at azross@gmail.com.

Notes from Under the Oaks | February 2014

By Martha Calus-McLain '03 | Director of Alumni Relations

Why Pacific? I was recently part of a conversation with this question at its center. I have been pondering this question ever since. I know how I might answer this question, but how might our many alumni answer -- why Pacific?

For an alumnus from rural eastern Washington or from Leeward Oahu the answer might be “because Pacific changed my life.”

For our 2,356 alumni couples the answer might be “because I met my love at Pacific.”

As an alumna, before coming to work for Pacific, my answer might have been summed up with the previous two responses. Now, after seven years as an employee, I’ve gotten to know this place even better. I now can’t answer this question without acknowledging the many ways our students and alumni aspire to make the world better.

For the students in Dental Health Science who are preparing to Give Kids a Smile later this spring or Optometry students preparing for spring break in Costa Rica with Amigos the answer might pertain to making kids healthier. These are just two examples of dozens of service-based, life-changing programs supported by our students and alumni.

Photo from the Dental Health Science program "Give Kids a Smile"

I believe all Universities possess the power to transform lives, but each place has deeply meaningful stories attached. (I'm also a tad biased in believing Pacific has more of these stories than other Universities).

For example Michael Sproyles ’15 tells a story of participating in the Speech and Debate team and finding incredible confidence.

Jackie Mrachek ’00, PT ’03 tells a story of developing necessary skills at Pacific which she now uses to help build confidence in others.

David Cook OD ’78 found the inspiration for a novel along with the ability to give the gift of sight.

Mike Geraci ’91 tells us about the coaches, faculty and staff at Pacific truly believe in students.

I’d love to hear your story. Did Pacific change you? Did your time here allow you the opportunity to improve the lives of others? How do you answer the question, “why Pacific?”

Send us your story and, as always, don’t hesitate to contact us if we can be of assistance.

Best wishes,

Martha Calus-McLain ‘03
Director of Alumni Relations | martha@pacificu.edu | 503-352-2764

Notes From Under the Oaks | January 2014

By Martha Calus-McLain '03 | Director of Alumni Relations

A sketch of the earliest building on the Forest Grove
campus

As I look ahead to 2014, only two weeks gone and the rest full of possibility, I have many resolutions. Among them is a hope to acknowledge people who make a difference. This week I am thinking about the great teachers I had throughout my education.

Over the past six months my husband has been reading the Little Housebooks to our daughter, who is completely enthralled with them. I recently overheard them reading a passage describing conditions in the one-room school house where Laura is teaching in negative forty degree weather.

“At half past three they were all so cold that she thought of dismissing school early. The mile that Martha and Charles must walk, worried her. On the other hand, she should not cut short the pupils' opportunity for learning, and this was not a blizzard.”

This passage brought to mind the spirit of the pioneers who founded Pacific in 1849 in the face of immense adversity.

It makes me think of the students who were so deeply committed to their education they found time for it among the competing responsibilities of frontier life.

It reminds me of the courage of teachers, both in 1882 when they commanded one room school houses throughout the west and today when they risk, and sometimes sacrifice, their lives to save the children in their care.

I shared this passage when I welcomed a dozen new students into our special ed program earlier this week. In a few years, these students will be alumni who spend their days dedicated to the success of young people. Based on the reactions of the students it was clear the passion and dedication Laura conveyed in her memoirs is still true of aspiring teachers.

Last night we hosted the Student Teacher Alumni Reception on the Forest Grove campus. During the evening we got to hear teachers speak earnestly and candidly about their experiences. Again, the passion and dedication was evident.

I hope none of our alumni are teaching kids who have to walk a mile in negative forty degrees, but I’m sure these alumni have a few stories of their own to share.

I’d love to hear from alumni who are teachers. What inspires you? Do you have a great story to share about students who walked a metaphorical cold mile for their education?

I’d also love to hear from alumni about the teachers who helped them. Who was your favorite teacher at Pacific, before or after? How did they inspire you? Did you ever walk a cold mile for your education?

Send us your stories and as always don’t hesitate to contact us if we can be of assistance.

Best wishes,

Martha Calus-McLain '03
Director of Alumni Relations

Notes from Under the Oaks | July 2013

Burbank '09 rubbing Boxer's nose for good luck. 

By Rachael Burbank '09 

Traditions are precious no matter their significance.

Sometimes they include something silly like grandma always bringing the potato salad to the Fourth of July barbecue. Other times it’s more heartfelt like visiting Uncle Joe’s headstone Memorial Day weekend or returning to your wedding venue every year on your anniversary.

I think we each hold on to the uniqueness of our traditions because they define us. But what happens when we have children, we get married, we relocate for work, we lose a family member or we are stuck in a rain cloud and we have to adjust our plans? We start telling the stories of how things used to be to the next generation in hopes that one day history will repeat itself.

I frequently forget that the Pacific I know, isn't what all alumni know. There wasn't a dress code to eat in the University Center in the 2000s. Old College Hall, the library and the football field have changed locations multiple times. And most importantly, Boxer wasn't always the mascot.

After graduating in 2009, I’ve already seen changes made to the Pacific I know. The ‘PAC’ is now the Stoller Center. There are dorms and academic buildings I’ve never set foot in. And sadly, students are graduating without seeing the Boxer statue on campus nor are they participating in any sort of Boxer tosses, flashes or Olympics!

Times have changed and will continue to change on the Forest Grove campus, but also in Hillsboro, Eugene and Portland. I can already imagine the conversation I’ll have with staff or students at my 30-year reunion. I know it’ll start with “when I was a student here, everything was different.” But will it really be different?

I believe Marsh Hall will still be standing in 2039. I believe the Noise Parade will still be the loudest tradition during Homecoming. And I believe that Boxer will live on by word of mouth if there hasn't been a third statue already made by then.

What was your favorite tradition during your days at Pacific? What traditions do you miss? What do you envision for your 30-year reunion or 50-year reunion?

If you wish to write about your memories, please submit photos and a 400-word piece for the Boxer and Badger Notes blog to alumni@pacificu.edu.

I hope you come back to where all these traditions began for Homecoming 2013, if not before. Give us a heads up and you can stay in the Abbott Alumni Center guestrooms during your visit or we can take you on a campus tour and explore how things have changed since you’ve been on campus.

You can contact the Office of Alumni Relations at 503-352-2057 or alumni@pacificu.edu.

In the meantime, cherish the memories and traditions you made while at Pacific because they define you as alumnus/a of the University. 

--

Burbank '09 is the assistant director of alumni relations at Pacific University. You can reach her at 503-352-2969 or rburbank@pacificu.edu. 

Notes from Under the Oaks | June 2013

By Rachael Burbank '09

Outside Burbank's desk window | 9 a.m. 

I am fortunate to have a desk with a window at the Abbott Alumni Center. All year long, I watch the weather change by the hour.

I watch the rain pour down and try to predict the best time to run errands across campus. I watch flurries fall down in the winter and guess how many abandoned cars I’ll pass on my drive home. 

I watch the sun break through the clouds and smile knowing it’s finally the Oregon summer weather that’s worth waiting for.

Outside Burbank's desk window | 11 a.m. 

Growing up in Massachusetts, I didn't expect that reaching a temperature of 100 degrees in the summer would be bearable. I was acclimated to 90 percent humidity on an 80 degree day and lounging as close to the coastline as possible for cool down dips. Now, I relish in the hot arid summers in Oregon but I know I don’t have it that bad.

I couldn't imagine being in anywhere else in the Unites States right now because of the extreme weather over the last month. Oklahoma was blindsided by tumultuous tornadoes. 

Texas suffered both spectrums with twisters and flash floods with a month. West Virginia trapped in massive floods. Chicago struck by unforeseen lightning storms.

Outside Burbank's desk window | noon

Colorado and California fought forest fires early in the year than normal. An ice tsunami crept up on Minnesota and an ice wall formed in Alaska causing flooding. The Mid-Atlantic States were thrashed by wind and rain causing sinkholes and power outages.

The worst part is that these events aren't specific to the United States. We all know someone who is affected by the recent extreme weather.

I’ll say it again. I’m fortunate to be in Oregon where my only typical worry is rain clouding our summer skies—but know that I don’t take it for granted. Members of my family in New Jersey are still struggling to rebuild their home and their business after Hurricane Sandy in October 2012.

Outside Burbank's desk window | 2 p.m. 

To the more than 26,000 alumni worldwide, please know my heart goes out to you especially if you have struggled with issues relating to these weather extremes this year. As members of the Pacific family, we care about your safety and your whereabouts. Please know we are always here to assist in any way we can.

If you wish to write about your experiences with the extreme weather for a guest blog for the Boxer and Badger Notes blog, please submit photos and your 400-word submission to alumni@pacificu.edu.

If you need to update your contact information, please visit www.pacificu.edu/keepintouch.

Be safe where ever you are and best wishes. 

Burbank '09 is the Assistant Director of Alumni Relations at Pacific Univer

sity. Notes from Under the Oaks is originally published in the monthly Alumni eNews. To subscribe to the Alumni eNews, email her at rburbank@pacificu.edu. 

A Farming Legacy

First Generation Farmers

By Dana Zurcher

I live on the property where my Grandfather, George, and Great-Uncle, Fred, started farming decades before I was born. In the Late 1940’s they purchased the property. 

Crops and cows were their livelihood. My grandmother, Gwen moved to the farm as a cook for George and Fred. Then she and my grandfather fell in love and married. My father, Gary and Aunt Sherry were also born and raised on this land. My father took over the farming for my grandpa when he became unable to.  

Zurcher's goats, Coco and Eleanor

Some of my favorite memories are of the times I ‘helped’ with the farming and daily chores. I would help my Dad feed the cows and ride in the tractor as he tilled the ground, planted seed or cut hay. My favorite time of year was harvest time, the cucumbers were ready.  My dad used to pick me a cucumber, cut the skin off with his pocket knife and hand it over! 

A cucumber from the grocery store will never taste like one straight from the field. The essence of my childhood summers was waking up to my mom working in her garden or riding her horses, my sister sleeping until one in the afternoon, roosters crowing, sun shining.

Today, nearly seventy years after my Grandfather started farming this land, I live here with my two dogs, Kayne and Travis and my two goats, Coco and Eleanor. My life is very different from my grandfather’s, but I see him in everything around me. 

Zurcher with her dogs, Kayne and Travis

A regular day for us is to walk around the property, to the pond and river; my camera almost always in tow. I am a photographer; it is wonderful to have such a wide canvas right at my fingertips. We look for signs of wild life; a Bald Eagle frequents an oak tree on the edge of the pond. 

The goats eat things along the way, blackberry leaves are their favorite. The dogs smell everything; they must see who’s been out since the last time they were here. Sometimes I take the canoe out on the pond, or take my fishing pole and lounge chair. 

Photo by Zurcher

The season I can’t wait to arrive; our summers are spent exploring the property, reading in the sun. Taking care of the garden; always looking for tips from my green thumbed parents. Mowing, endless hours spent mowing. Riding my quad on the trail by the river and cutting firewood for winter. 

The winter months are spent watching the flood waters change the landscape.  Trees fall, the ground washes away. It’s really beautiful when it gets cold enough for the pond to freeze over.

I've never appreciated something as much as the legacy my grandpa created. I like to think he and my grandmother are proud I didn't go far and still enjoy what they left behind. I feel very fortunate to have the history of my family right under my bare feet.  

Zurcher is the Gallery Director at Pacific University. 

Sensible Career vs. Dream Career

Calcaterra '99

By Garrett Calcaterra '99 

When my creative writing instructors at Pacific University explained to me that making a successful career as a writer was extremely difficult, I happily disregarded their warnings. 

I took my minor in creative writing and went off to California to get my MFA in fiction writing where I heard more of the same from my new professors: it takes years, usually decades, of persistence and honing your craft to make it as a writer. No twenty year old wants to hear their dream could be decades away, so again, I happily ignored those warning and went about my business.

My instructors were all right, of course, but if I’d heeded their warnings and taken on a sensible career I don’t know that I would have had the heart to stick with writing for so long. As it was, I kept at it, working whatever jobs necessary to make ends meet and writing, writing, writing. 

There were a lot of small successes along the way—short stories, essays, and articles that got published here and there—but an author judges his or her success with books. The explosion of small independent publishers over the last several years gave me the opportunity to publish two books of novellas, but I was still hunting for that first publication of a full fledged novel.

Fourteen years after graduating from Pacific, it’s finally happened. Dreamwielder isn’t the first novel I’ve written, but it’s the first of mine to be published, and it’s my favorite. 

The soundest advice I received from my writing instructors was to write what you love to read, and so that’s what Dreamwielder is—high fantasy adventure, very much in the vein of Tolkien and Le Guin and contemporary fantasy writers like George R.R. Martin. 

It’s rooted in this fantasy tradition I grew up loving, but not derivative of it. Instead, I made a huge effort to make Dreamwielder very much an American fantasy novel and also challenge the stereotypical gender roles of popular fiction. Certainly, it’s a book I’m very proud of, and I hope it speaks to readers.

In the meantime, it’s more of the same for me. I’m writing like a maniac and have even taken on the role of a writing teacher. When young writers ask me what it takes to make it as a writer, I tell them the same thing my instructors told me: it takes years of hard work and honing your craft, and if you’re crazy enough to stick with it, then you have exactly what it takes to be an author. 

Calcaterra ’99 was an applied science major with a minor in creative writing at Pacific University. He teaches writing at Chapman University and the Orange County School of the Arts. His new novel, Dreamwielder, is available in e-book format at all major retailers, including Amazon, Barnes & Noble and iTunes.

The story of an Oregon-to-Arizona Transplant

By Brandon Porter '09 

Upon my graduation from Pacific in December of 2009, I embarked on a life-changing journey down to the Desert Southwest, more specifically, Flagstaff, Arizona.  Having never been to this outdoorsy mountain town, I didn’t know what to expect.  I was greeted by a monsoon my first day in town, followed by a winter that included snow measured in feet per week.  Putting it lightly, this was a novel experience for this Oregonian.

However, I have adjusted well and am glad that my journey at Pacific led me to where I am today.  I received me Bachelor’s degree in Psychology from Pacific, and I am the perfect example of how the well-rounded education I received as an undergrad has allowed me to thrive in a very different field than the one I studied for.  

I am currently the Assistant Coach for the Northern Arizona University Women’s Soccer team (Division I Big Sky), as well the Public Relations and Marketing Manager for a local non-profit organization.  Degree and profession sound somewhat unrelated?  You would be correct.  But the variety of knowledge that I gained at Pacific allowed me to be a quick learner, organized, and accountable.  Which I believe are traits more valuable than being trained for a specific career path, and things for which I am grateful that Pacific developed in me.

I am glad that I was offered the opportunity to submit something for the blog.  It is nice to feel connected to my college years.  I plan on visiting very soon, and hope to drop in on The PAC (now the Stoller Center), swing by and see Vicki McGee and Andrea Stewart, my former coach, Jim Brazeau, and meet any new staff in the the athletic department.  I hope Heide Island is slowly taking over the world in the Psychology Department, one cleverly delivered (albeit sometimes inappropriate) joke at a time.  And I want to make sure that Pacific knows how much its alumni care about its future.

I now reside in Flagstaff as an Arizona resident with my dog, FIFA, and have gotten used to the lack of water, the high elevation (7,000 feet above sea level, wheez...), and pumping my own gas (sigh).

I know there have been lots of changes to Pacific University, but this Oregon-to-Arizona transplant is proud of where I came from, and I am hopeful for the future of my alma mater.  GO BOXERS!

Porter '09 was a psychology major at Pacific University as an undergraduate and also a member of the men's soccer team for four years. He works for the Northland Hospice and Palliative Care along with being a soccer coach.