Eastern Oregon University (EOU) (officially designated as Oregon’s Rural University) is a
public university
A public university or public college is a university or college that is in owned by the state or receives significant public funds through a national or subnational government, as opposed to a private university. Whether a national universit ...
in
La Grande, Oregon
La Grande is a city in Union County, Oregon, United States. Originally named "Brownsville," it was forced to change its name because that name was being used for a city in Linn County. Located in the Grande Ronde Valley, the city's name comes ...
. It was formerly part of the
Oregon University System
The Oregon University System (OUS) was administered by the Oregon State Board of Higher Education (the "Board") and the Chancellor of the OUS, who was appointed by the Board. It was disbanded in June 2015.
OUS was responsible for governing the s ...
, since dissolved. EOU was founded in 1929 as a teacher’s college and today serves as a center for education, culture, and scholarship in rural areas of Oregon.
The university offers
bachelor's
A bachelor's degree (from Middle Latin ''baccalaureus'') or baccalaureate (from Modern Latin ''baccalaureatus'') is an undergraduate academic degree awarded by colleges and universities upon completion of a course of study lasting three to six ye ...
and
master's
A master's degree (from Latin ) is an academic degree awarded by universities or colleges upon completion of a course of study demonstrating mastery or a high-order overview of a specific field of study or area of professional practice. degrees. Most students obtain a B.S. degree, which requires one quarter of science, whereas a B.A. degree requires two years of a foreign language. In 2016, the university also began work to introduce a Bachelor of Applied Science (B.A.S.) degree with a vocational bent.
History
EOU opened its doors in 1929 as Eastern Oregon Normal School, a
teacher training school. In 1939, the Oregon Legislature changed the name to Eastern Oregon College of Education. The words "of Education" were dropped from the college's name in 1956. The 1973 Legislature changed EOC's name to Eastern Oregon State College. In 1997, Eastern Oregon State College became Eastern Oregon University.
[Visitor Information , Visitor Information – Eastern Oregon University](_blank)
/ref> In 2013 the Oregon University System began the process of creating independent boards for certain schools, including Oregon State and the University of Oregon. On June 30, 2015, the Oregon University System was dissolved and on July 1, 2015, the Eastern Oregon University Board of Trustees took on governance of the institution.
Campus setting
EOU's location in La Grande is in the heart of the Blue Mountain range between Portland, Oregon
Portland (, ) is a port city in the Pacific Northwest and the largest city in the U.S. state of Oregon. Situated at the confluence of the Willamette and Columbia rivers, Portland is the county seat of Multnomah County, the most populous co ...
and Boise, Idaho
Boise (, , ) is the capital and most populous city of the U.S. state of Idaho and is the county seat of Ada County. On the Boise River in southwestern Idaho, it is east of the Oregon border and north of the Nevada border. The downtown are ...
just off Interstate 84. Driving to La Grande takes approximately four hours from Portland, two and half from Boise, five from Seattle
Seattle ( ) is a seaport city on the West Coast of the United States. It is the seat of King County, Washington. With a 2020 population of 737,015, it is the largest city in both the state of Washington and the Pacific Northwest regio ...
, and four from Spokane
Spokane ( ) is the largest city and county seat of Spokane County, Washington, United States. It is in eastern Washington, along the Spokane River, adjacent to the Selkirk Mountains, and west of the Rocky Mountain foothills, south of the Ca ...
. As of 2021 EOU has a 98% acceptance rate.
The campus contains 26 buildings, including three living facilities – Alikut Hall, North Hall, and Daugherty Hall – all of which are co-ed. Inlow Hall, Eastern's administration building, is listed on the National Register of Historic Places
The National Register of Historic Places (NRHP) is the United States federal government's official list of districts, sites, buildings, structures and objects deemed worthy of preservation for their historical significance or "great artistic v ...
.
Academics
Academic programs at Eastern Oregon University offer the opportunity to learn in a small classroom setting in rural Oregon. With four colleges, students can choose from more than 30 academic programs, including sciences, humanities, teaching, and business. New programming in vocational fields such as Fire Services Administration and Global Foods and Agribusiness target regional employment needs.
Academic organization
EOU offers bachelor's degrees
A bachelor's degree (from Middle Latin ''baccalaureus'') or baccalaureate (from Modern Latin ''baccalaureatus'') is an undergraduate academic degree awarded by colleges and universities upon completion of a course of study lasting three to six ye ...
and the degrees of MFA, MBA
A Master of Business Administration (MBA; also Master's in Business Administration) is a postgraduate degree focused on business administration. The core courses in an MBA program cover various areas of business administration such as accounti ...
, Master of Education
The Master of Education (MEd or M.Ed. or Ed.M.; Latin ''Magister Educationis'' or ''Educationis Magister'') is a master's degree awarded by universities in many countries. This degree in education often includes the following majors: curriculum a ...
and Master of Arts in Teaching
The Master of Arts in Teaching (MAT) or Master of Science in Teaching (MST) degree is generally a pre-service degree that usually requires a minimum of 30 semester hours beyond the bachelor's degree. While the program often requires education c ...
. The university offers business and elementary education programs at a satellite campus in Gresham, Oregon.
The school is composed of the following colleges:
*College of Business
Business is the practice of making one's living or making money by producing or Trade, buying and selling Product (business), products (such as goods and Service (economics), services). It is also "any activity or enterprise entered into for pr ...
*College of STM & Health Sciences
The following outline is provided as an overview of and topical guide to health sciences:
Health sciences are those sciences which focus on health, or health care, as core parts of their subject matter. Health sciences relate to multiple acad ...
*College of Arts
The arts are a very wide range of human practices of creative expression, storytelling and cultural participation. They encompass multiple diverse and plural modes of thinking, doing and being, in an extremely broad range of media. Both hi ...
& Social Sciences
Social science is one of the branches of science, devoted to the study of societies and the relationships among individuals within those societies. The term was formerly used to refer to the field of sociology, the original "science of soci ...
*College of Education
Education is a purposeful activity directed at achieving certain aims, such as transmitting knowledge or fostering skills and character traits. These aims may include the development of understanding, rationality, kindness, and honesty. Va ...
In addition, programs in Agriculture, in cooperation with Oregon State University, and the baccalaureate degree in Nursing through the Oregon Health & Sciences University are offered on this campus. Many degrees are available fully online.
Tuition
EOU’s tuition and fees average thousands less than other public and private institutions in the surrounding region. The Economist recently ranked EOU among the best value colleges in the Northwest for return-on-investment. Additionally, EOU offers in-state tuition for Western Undergraduate Exchange (WUE) residents. Students from the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands and Guam are eligible for the WUE rate. Transfer students can also receive this benefit.
EOU has over a hundred scholarships and awards available. The university gives out over $4 million to students every year. 93% of students at EOU receive some form of financial aid. Students who submit admissions applications are automatically considered for the following scholarships:
* University Achievement Award – Awards up to $1250
* University Scholar Award – Awards up to $3,000
* University Scholarly Need Award – Awards up to $1,500
* EOU 4-County Housing Award – Awards up to $500
To receive EOU Awards or EOU Foundation Scholarships students must have a current FAFSA on file.
Faculty
EOU employs over one hundred full-time faculty. They are organized under the Associated Academic Professionals (AAP) Local 6200.
Accreditation
EOU is accredited by the Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities
The Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities (NWCCU) is an independent, non-profit membership organization recognized by the United States Department of Education since 1952 as an institutional accreditor for colleges and universities. ...
, The International Assembly for Collegiate Business Education IACBE
The International Accreditation Council for Business Education (IACBE), formerly the International Assembly for Collegiate Business Education, is an educational accreditation agency for college and university business programs founded in 1997. It ...
, and the National Council for Accreditation of Teacher Education
The National Council for Accreditation of Teacher Education (NCATE) was a professional accreditor focused on accrediting teacher education programs in U.S. colleges and universities. It was founded in 1954 and was recognized as an accreditor by ...
.
Athletics
The Eastern Oregon athletic teams are called the Mountaineers. The university is a member of the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics
The National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA) established in 1940, is a college athletics association for colleges and universities in North America. Most colleges and universities in the NAIA offer athletic scholarships to its stu ...
(NAIA), primarily competing in the Cascade Collegiate Conference
The Cascade Collegiate Conference (or Cascade Conference) is a college athletic conference affiliated with the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA). Member schools are located in the Northwestern United States. The conferen ...
(CCC) for most of its sports since the 1993–94 academic year; while its football team competes in the Frontier Conference
The Frontier Conference is a List of college athletic conferences in the United States, college athletic conference affiliated with the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA). The conference was founded in 1934. Member institut ...
(but had previously competed as an Independent
Independent or Independents may refer to:
Arts, entertainment, and media Artist groups
* Independents (artist group), a group of modernist painters based in the New Hope, Pennsylvania, area of the United States during the early 1930s
* Independ ...
in the NCAA Division III
NCAA Division III (D-III) is a division of the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) in the United States. D-III consists of athletic programs at colleges and universities that choose not to offer athletic scholarships to their stu ...
ranks until the 2004 fall season).
Eastern Oregon competes in 15 intercollegiate varsity sports: Men's sports include baseball (2019), basketball, cross country, football, soccer, track & field and volleyball; while women's sports include basketball, cross country, lacrosse (2019), soccer, softball, track & field, volleyball and wrestling.
Football
Eastern Oregon's football team plays at Community Stadium located on campus. The La Grande High School football team also plays their home games there.
Quick facts
Athletic Director: Anji Weissenfluh
Defunct Sports: women's golf, skiing. Some sports have been relegated to club sports such as rodeo and polo.
Notable alumni
*Fouad Ajami
Fouad A. Ajami ( ar, فؤاد عجمي; September 18, 1945 – June 22, 2014) was a MacArthur Fellowship winning, Lebanese-born American university professor and writer on Middle Eastern issues. He was a senior fellow at Stanford University's Ho ...
, Middle East
The Middle East ( ar, الشرق الأوسط, ISO 233: ) is a geopolitical region commonly encompassing Arabian Peninsula, Arabia (including the Arabian Peninsula and Bahrain), Anatolia, Asia Minor (Asian part of Turkey except Hatay Pro ...
expert and political advisor
*Jace Billingsley
Jace Billingsley (born May 16, 1993) is an American football wide receiver who is currently a free agent. He played college football at Eastern Oregon University, and was signed by the Detroit Lions as an undrafted free agent after the 2016 NFL ...
, NFL
The National Football League (NFL) is a professional American football league that consists of 32 teams, divided equally between the American Football Conference (AFC) and the National Football Conference (NFC). The NFL is one of the major ...
football player, Detroit Lions
The Detroit Lions are a professional American football team based in Detroit. The Lions compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the National Football Conference (NFC) North Division. The team play their home games at Ford ...
*Rod Chandler
Rodney Dennis Chandler (born July 13, 1942) is an American politician and journalist who served as a former U.S. Representative from Washington from 1983 to 1993.
He is the great-great-grandnephew of long-time U.S. Senator Zachariah Chandler of M ...
, U.S. Representative
The United States House of Representatives, often referred to as the House of Representatives, the U.S. House, or simply the House, is the lower chamber of the United States Congress, with the Senate being the upper chamber. Together they c ...
from the state of Washington
Washington (), officially the State of Washington, is a state in the Pacific Northwest region of the Western United States. Named for George Washington—the first U.S. president—the state was formed from the western part of the Washington ...
*Tyronne Gross
Tyrone Gross (born May 14, 1983 in Stockton, California) is a former American football running back. He was signed by the San Diego Chargers as an undrafted free agent in 2006. He played college football at Eastern Oregon.
Early years
Gross atten ...
, former NFL
The National Football League (NFL) is a professional American football league that consists of 32 teams, divided equally between the American Football Conference (AFC) and the National Football Conference (NFC). The NFL is one of the major ...
football player, San Diego Chargers
The San Diego Chargers were a professional American football team that played in San Diego from 1961 until the end of the 2016 season, before relocating to Los Angeles, where the franchise had played its inaugural 1960 season. The team is now ...
*Mike Kyle
Michael Andrew Kyle (born March 31, 1980) is an American professional mixed martial artist and boxer currently competing in the Heavyweight division. A professional competitor since 2001, Kyle has competed for the UFC, the WEC, Strikeforce, the ...
, wrestler; current mixed martial artist
Mixed martial arts (MMA), sometimes referred to as cage fighting, no holds barred (NHB), and ultimate fighting, and originally referred to as Vale Tudo is a full-contact combat sport based on striking, grappling and ground fighting, incorp ...
, once fighting for the UFC
The Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) is an American mixed martial arts (MMA) promotion company based in Las Vegas, Nevada. It is owned and operated by Zuffa, a wholly owned subsidiary of Endeavor Group Holdings. It is the largest MMA ...
*William De Los Santos
William De Los Santos is a Hawaiian American author, poet, screenwriter, film director and producer. He is best known for having written and produced the 2003 film ''Spun'', which starred Jason Schwartzman (who portrays De Los Santos in the film) ...
, Author, Poet, Screenwriter and Motion-Picture Director (enrolled as William Hilbert)
*David Panuelo
David W. Panuelo (born April 13, 1964) is a Micronesian politician who is serving as the president of the Federated States of Micronesia. His term started on May 11, 2019.
Biography
Panuelo was born on the island of Pohnpei, where he completed ...
, President
President most commonly refers to:
*President (corporate title)
*President (education), a leader of a college or university
*President (government title)
President may also refer to:
Automobiles
* Nissan President, a 1966–2010 Japanese ful ...
of Micronesia
Micronesia (, ) is a subregion of Oceania, consisting of about 2,000 small islands in the western Pacific Ocean. It has a close shared cultural history with three other island regions: the Philippines to the west, Polynesia to the east, and ...
* Aren Palik
Aren Palik is a Micronesian political figure. He has been Vice President of the Federated States of Micronesia from September 2022.
Palik graduated from Eastern Oregon State College in 1982. He has worked in the financial sector in Micronesia. H ...
, Vice President of the Federated States of Micronesia
The vice president of Federated States of Micronesia is the second highest position in Federated States of Micronesia. The vice president is elected by the Congress of the Federated States of Micronesia from among the at-large members for a four ...
The oldest graduate
99-year-old Leo Plass received his degree in June 2011, setting a world record. He dropped out less than one semester away from graduation in 1932 when the Great Depression
The Great Depression (19291939) was an economic shock that impacted most countries across the world. It was a period of economic depression that became evident after a major fall in stock prices in the United States. The economic contagio ...
occurred and started a career as a logger. He died in August 2015, shortly after his 104th birthday.
References
External links
Official website
Official athletics website
{{Authority control
1929 establishments in Oregon
Buildings and structures in Union County, Oregon
Cascade Collegiate Conference
Education in Union County, Oregon
Educational institutions established in 1929
La Grande, Oregon
Universities and colleges accredited by the Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities
Public universities and colleges in Oregon