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- Subscribe - Contact Us - Rate Card - Place an Ad Valley&State Backpage O&E Sports Archives Classifieds Faith&Beliefs Obituaries Revels October 8, 2004 Aloha, Ashland By Bill Choy Ashland Daily Tidings An increasing number of students from the 50th state are making Southern Oregon University their college of choice. In 2003, SOU had 152 students form Hawaii, said Danny Aynes, associate director of admissions. In 2001, 163 Hawaii students attended SOU. The university has seen a large boom in Hawaiian students the past few years. In 1997, there were only 44 students, which shot up to 119 in 1999. Aynes said he didn't have exact reasons for the increase, but said positive word of mouth among students and school counselors and the Western Undergraduate Exchange Program have played a factor. The WUE program gives students from 13 Western states such as Hawaii, Alaska, Nevada and Washington a chance to attend SOU at a greatly reduce rate. The tuition rate is approximately $6,362 for one academic year, compared to the rate of $13,841 for other non-resident students. For the last four years, SOU has held student orientation and registration in Hawaii in April due to demand and saving students a plane ticket across the Pacific Ocean, Aynes said. "We have many students who have lived on an island for their whole lives and want something different," Aynes said. "They add so much diversity on campus, not just ethnicity, but culture as well. It's totally different than the mainland, and what they bring to the school adds so much here. It brings a different perspective to many of our students here." This has manifested in the student-run Hawaii Club's annual luau in the spring, and a sharp increase in leis being worn at graduation. Each November, Aynes spends a few weeks in Hawaii going to different college fairs and schools, where he has made connections with many school officials. Many report back to their high school counselors, who pass the word on to students thinking about going to the mainland for school. "There's a lot of close tie among students and counselors, and they ask our students about SOU when they go back home, and how they are treated here." he said. "They (counselors) know who goes where and how they like going to that school." He said many Hawaiian students appreciate having a large Hawaii group at SOU. "They like that there are people here with similar experience who they can talk to," he said. Aynes said with state's budgets cuts and tuition increases, it's always good to attract students from parts outside Oregon to SOU. Senior Cherie Hazelton, 20, who grew up near Honolulu, is majoring in Environmental Studies with an emphasis in biology. She said she looked at schools such as Oregon State University, but wanted a smaller college experience. Qualifying for a WUE scholarship also played a huge difference, she said. "A lot of the schools I looked at had way too many students," she said. "I'm used to smaller classes and I like that here, I can talk to my professors one-on-one and they remember my name." Hazelton said seeing her first snowfall was quite an experience. "To see snow drop for the first time was a jaw-dropper," she recalled. "And then I was pelted (with snowballs) by my friends who thought it was really funny how I was reacting." And to feel less homesick, each time Hazelton goes home, she takes pictures of friends, family and scenery and pastes her photos all over the walls of her dorm room. Freshman Evan Jennings, 18, who was born and raised near Honolulu, said she was attracted to the school's theater department and the WUE scholarship. Jennings had never been to Ashland before, but heard good things about the area from her parents, who visited a few years back. While there are some differences, she already feels comfortable in Ashland only a few weeks after arriving. "The people are just as friendly as they are at home," Jennings said. A major difference has been temperature. Even in the afternoon, Jennings wore a sweatshirt, and was amazed that the evening temperatures had been in the 50s, compared to the tropical evening temperatures in the 70s and 80s back home. "The drop in temperature is amazing," she said. "It's been so cool, although I hear it gets a lot colder near Halloween." So how will she keep warm? A lot more sweatshirts and the heater in her dorm turned up high, Jennings said. DailyTidings.com Home Page Valley&State | Backpage | O&E | Sports | Archives | Weather | Classifieds Columnists | Faith&Beliefs | Obituaries | Revels | Subscribe | Contact Us Copyright 2004 Ashland Daily Tidings and Ottaway Newspapers All Rights Reserved Click Here Site Search: .:Advertisements:. RESOURCES - Mail Tribune News - ODOT Road Cams