Graduation profile: Ross Logan (with video)
Ross Logan, 22, will receive his bachelor’s degree in psychology with a minor in business administration and queer studies on June 14 from the University of Oregon. He is from Boulder, Colo. “Academics and my classroom education may be part of the value of my degree, but my community experiences are really what make my UO degree such a prized possession,” he said.
Academic accomplishments:
Dean’s List
Extracurricular/leadership activity:
Resident assistant in Riley Hall for 2 years and senior resident assistant for Hamilton this year. Complex government vice-president during freshman year, complex government president during sophomore year. Created the Gay Men’s Group, created the syllabus for and taught the Queer Talk freshman seminar, developed the UO Ally Network on Facebook and created the “I'm an Ally” campaign. Served on the Day of Silence committee for three years and helped train others to be better allies of the LGBTQ community. Guest lecturer in a WGS 101 class on Violence in the Queer community. Member of the LGBT Standing Committee. Served on the complex director search committee. Awards include Queer Ally award, John Moore LGBTQ scholarship and the Dean’s Award for Service.
Attending and graduating college is significant to my family (or in light of my background) because … of all the wonderful opportunities I have been given at UO. I would have never imaged having a career in Student Affairs without attending the University of Oregon.
The reason I chose the University of Oregon for my education is … mainly for the strong psychology and education programs, but I also chose this school based on its acceptance and support of the LGBTQ community.
The most rewarding experience/challenge I’ve had while earning my degree was … teaching others how to successfully build a respectful community while living in the residence halls, and hopefully in other communities in which they live. I have really enjoyed educating peers on how to be better leaders in their own lives and in the lives of others.
My proudest accomplishment while at the UO is … creating the Queer Talk seminar this past fall term. For the LGBTQ community on campus, there has always been some sort of social scene to connect to and to be a part of, but there has never really been a space to talk with others about the academic side of the LGBTQ community. With the new queer minor established this year, I thought it would be an excellent idea to run a course that focused specifically on the history and culture of the LGBTQ community and talk about some of the upcoming challenges that our population will face. I am very proud to have contributed to the community’s education of LGBTQ issues.
While pursuing my degree I was most inspired by… the student affairs professionals who pushed me beyond my own area of knowledge or understanding. They really taught me a lot about how to best engage in tough conversations, and how to really help others understand more about what it means to be a positive contributor to the UO community and society.
My UO degree is valuable because … while academics may have been the original reason that I came to the UO, it is not the only reason my degree is so valuable to me. Through living and learning at the UO, I have gained invaluable experiences that I couldn’t have obtained anywhere else. Through my experiences working in University Housing, the Office of Student Affairs, and various other campus partners, I have gained a UO degree that was personally tailored for me.
After graduation, I plan to use my degree from the UO to … I plan to work in student affairs and residence life for a few years before getting my masters in educational leadership. I hope to continue to inspire and support students in my professional career for a long, long time.
