Celebrate the Incredible Journey!
Celebrating 150 years of service to the Southern Oregon region. SOU inspires curiosity and creativity, compels critical thinking, fosters discovery and creates lives of purpose. It’s been our calling since 1872.
Selected as a top 10 finalist in Outside magazine’s search for the “Best Town in America”, the vibrant and welcoming City of Ashland dazzles as a culturally rich mecca for tourism, entertainment, entrepreneurship, and breathtaking outdoor experiences. Our beautiful location provides ready access to an array of resplendent natural wonders, including Mt. Ashland, the Rogue River, and Crater Lake National Park. Ashland is a small city with big connections — and that’s why our graduates are so successful.
SOU provides career-focused, comprehensive educational experiences to over 5,000 students. Along with an emphasis on student success and intellectual growth, SOU is committed to diversity, inclusion and sustainability. Theoretical and experiential learning programs provide quality, innovative experiences for students. At SOU, students build strong community connections through internships, mentorships, field studies, capstone projects, volunteer opportunities and civic engagement.
Southern Oregon University is committed to creating a safe, welcoming, and inclusive campus for all students, faculty, and staff. Guided by our Strategic Plan, our ultimate goal is to replace structural and systemic barriers, establish supportive pathways and prepare all learners to feel valued and respected as individuals regardless of background, identity, and position. To learn more about our efforts and campus initiatives, visit the Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion (EDI) website.
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“Faculty, in my opinion, are the engine of the university. And if there is a secret sauce, if there’s a magic to the institution, it’s this connectivity that happens between faculty and students.”
— DR. RICK BAILEY JR., SOU PRESIDENT
I chose Southern Oregon University because I had a great experience during their Preview Weekend. It was then that I fell in love with the university and I knew that I was home.
When looking for colleges to attend, I found it difficult to find a school that could give me both the outdoor education I wanted along with the requirements for my major area of study. When I found SOU, it was like everything fell into place.
One of the main deciding factors in choosing to enroll at SOU would be the Western Undergraduate Exchange (WUE). This scholarship gives Westerly state residents like Hawai’i an opportunity to venture out to other western state schools with cheaper tuition rates.
I am an outdoorsy person. I like walking around Lithia Park, hiking the local trails, shredding the slopes on Mt. Ashland, and exploring new places. I also enjoy strolling through downtown Ashland and going into the wide range of shops.
2019 American Association of State Colleges and Universities Award Winner
American Association of State Colleges has selected SOU to be part of the Re-Imagining the First Year of College project
