#HOWLFROMYOURHEART THIS GIVING DAY
Giving Day is an opportunity for all members of the Western Oregon University community to provide support for campus programs, funds, scholarships, organizations, and clubs. Each gift, no matter its size, makes a difference and provides critical resources for the university, enabling deeper and more meaningful campus experiences for countless current and future students, faculty, and staff.
Tuesday, March 4, 2025, is a day for everyone – alumni, faculty, staff, students, parents and friends of Western Oregon University – to #HowlfromtheHeart and build a brighter present and future for WOU.
Your Gift Supports
The Western Oregon University Division of Deaf Studies and Professional Studies offers WOU students with at least three years of American Sign Language (ASL) coursework the opportunity to participate in the Seabeck DeafBlind Academic Service Learning Project. This annual, weeklong service learning project takes place each August and provides WOU students the opportunity to work with up to 80 DeafBlind adults who come from all over the world to have a fully-accessible retreat and vacation.
WOU students train for months in anticipation of this project, ultimately spending over 200 hours learning how to be co-navigators (sighted guides) with DeafBlind people. As part of this training, they volunteer with the DeafBlind community in the Monmouth area as well as in the Seattle area and learn to be more inclusive, respectful, and affirming of DeafBlind individuals' autonomy. The trip stretches these emerging professionals physically, emotionally, and linguistically, all while providing a transformative experience for students and participants alike. This rich and rewarding service experience builds long-lasting relationships with other students and the DeafBlind community, and many students count it among the highlights of their time at WOU.
Help us raise our goal of $1,000 this year on Giving Day. Funds will help to offset the cost of training for students, and help them as they work towards this life-changing experience for themselves and the DeafBlind participants.
Wolves Rising: The Campaign for Western Oregon University
All gifts made on Giving Day count towards the $20M Wolves Rising campaign goal. To learn more about Wolves Rising: The Campaign for Western Oregon University, visit: https://wou.edu/wolvesrising/