Ask me about: budgets and the SRC Fee, Campus Recreation structure and management model, integrated wellness initiatives
Born and raised in the suburbs of Paris, France, Hugues moved to the West Coast in his twenties to pursue adventure, visit as many National Parks as possible, meet great people, surf the Pacific and simply…grow. He received a BS in Resource, Recreation and Tourism, and an MS in Sports and Recreation Management from University of Idaho. After a season as a Park Ranger with the Oregon Department of Forestry (Tillamook District), he took the first Graduate Assistant position with UofI Campus Recreation in the newly built Student Recreation Center. After graduation, Hugues went on to California State University San Marcos, as the Director of Campus Recreation.
Hugues started working at Southern Oregon University in September 2017. He was motivated by the exciting challenges of opening the beautifully designed Student Recreation Center, starting a new Recreation team, and infusing wellness on campus. Outside work, he enjoys hiking, backpacking, riding bikes, kayaking, crafting a good meal, and exploring new territories.
Willie Long
Assistant Director – Outdoor Program & Climbing Center
he/him/his
longw@sou.edu | (541) 552-7234
Ask me about: student-led adventure trips, the Climbing Center, and getting involved with the Outdoor Program.
Willie grew up adventuring in the Pacific Northwest. He is a great resource if you are looking for information on climbing areas, backpacking trips, mountain biking trails or rivers. Before Willie came to SOU he worked in many areas of the Outdoor industry. He began his outdoor career by managing a start-up bike shop in Roseburg Oregon. Then he became a commercial river guide. Willie worked on the Kern, Klamath, Rogue, and North Umpqua Rivers to the Main Fork of the Salmon River in Idaho. While working as a river guide, Willie found climbing guiding and the many other intricacies to becoming more well-rounded outdoor educator. He then took his experience to Australia to teach expedition-style outdoor education.
Willie obtained his degree in Outdoor Adventure Leadership here at SOU and taught courses at SOU over the years. He has been committed to the SOU Outdoor Program for six years. If you can’t find Willie in the OP or on a trip he is likely out developing the climbing areas of Southwest Oregon as a board member of the Southwest Oregon Climbers Coalition.
Ask me about: Rec Sports, promotions, and social media
Heather graduated from Southern Oregon University in June, 2018 with a bachelor’s degree in Emerging Media and Digital Arts. She has enjoyed every minute of her time in the Campus Recreation department since coming on board in January, 2019. She loves working in recreation because of the happy, energetic work environment, and she enjoys helping promote the idea that wellness is a way of life.
When Heather isn’t sitting behind a computer screen, she can be found hanging out in coffee shops, taking photographs, and exploring the Pacific Northwest.
Ask me about: Joining a Sport Club and Starting a Sport Club
Born and raised in Orange County, CA, Dakota moved to Oregon in 2015 where she attended Southern Oregon University and graduated with a B.S. in Communications and a minor in Emerging Media and Digital Arts. Demonstrating her aptitude for leadership and excellent customer service, Dakota worked closely with the Student Recreation Center Advisory Committee and ASSOU to design, build, and open the new Student Recreation Center – a vital resource for SOU’s campus.
Outside of work she enjoys going to the gym, hanging out with friends and family and exploring Southern Oregon.
Ask me about: SRC memberships, space rentals, and student employment
Julia grew up in Northern California, chasing her family on trails and along rivers. In high school, she spent one incredible year on her school’s mountain biking team, which prompted her into pursuing a career in recreation. She went to Cal Poly, San Luis Obispo where she majored in Recreation, Parks and Tourism and was a member of the club triathlon team. After college, she had an opportunity to help coach a NCAA D1 women’s triathlon team in New York City, but knew the mountains were calling. Idaho became home for three and a half years as she worked for the City of Ketchum’s recreation department. She recently moved to Ashland and is excited to start her journey at SOU.
Outside of work, you can find Julia mountain biking or trail running with her husband and their small dinosaur of a dog, making quilts, training for triathlons, and baking enough cookies to fuel athletic and everyday endeavors.