Alumni Profiles

Rebecca Woolington and colleagues at the Tampa Bay Times won a Pulitzer Prize for investigative reporting on the toxic business practices of a Florida lead smelter. But she got her start writing for the Daily Emerald.
Spencer Kupish makes advertising gold by infusing fun into complex ideas for Xbox. He also mentors SOJC students.
Maia Laperle is a reporter, moderator and lead podcast producer. She’s also hyper-creative, charismatic and committed to keeping communities informed.
With a passion for social-change communication and the skills she gained at the SOJC, Maeve Connor is helping people experiencing homelessness in Portland.
Using the skills she acquired in the areas of branding, communication theory and messaging, MJ Jackson realized her dream of a career in the great outdoors.
As the diversity, equity, and inclusion specialist for Sony Music Group, Madilyne Nguyen-Acosta draws on her passion for culture—and the knowledge gained from her SOJC degree.
Advertising program alum Zaria Parvez is the “who” behind Duolingo’s mascot and TikTok sensation, Duo the owl.
Liz Shuler puts the powerful communication skills she gained at the SOJC to good use advocating for better jobs and equitable pay as the AFL-CIO’s first woman president.
Nicole Lee instantly felt at home on UO’s campus. The sensation repeated when the SOJC double-Duck landed her dream job at an international advertising agency.