SMILE Program - Oregon State University

08/11/2026

The wait is over - SMILE Teacher Workshop 26' is here!!🦫🎉

06/22/2026

🎓 Graduation season has us feeling incredibly proud! ✨
This year, we're celebrating milestones across the SMILE community:
🎉 Our amazing high school seniors graduating and preparing for their next adventures.�
🎉 Two members of the SMILE team earning their PhDs!

These accomplishments embody what SMILE is all about: creating pathways to opportunity, fostering a love of STEM, and supporting learners throughout their educational journeys. From high school diplomas to doctoral hoods, each achievement reflects years of perseverance, curiosity, and hard work.
To all of our graduates—we are cheering you on and can't wait to see what comes next.
Congratulations, Class of 2026! 🧡🖤

06/02/2026

The end of year celebrations continue! 🎉
We’re excited to share that one of our very own teammates, Erin Doney, was recognized at the 2025–26 Annual Recognition Awards Celebration as the recipient of the New Professionals Award!
As shared by OSU, this award recognizes colleagues who have made significant contributions within their first three years in a role through impactful work, creativity, collaboration, and a strong commitment to professional growth.
Erin’s nomination highlighted the incredible impact she has made in just over a year with the SMILE Program during a major period of transition for our team and department. From strengthening partnerships across campus to helping expand grant opportunities and elevating SMILE’s storytelling efforts, Erin has played a key role in helping position SMILE for continued success.
One standout example noted in her nomination was her leadership in improving how SMILE shares its impact and connects students to college and career pathways through creative storytelling initiatives and student-centered media projects.
We are so grateful for Erin’s creativity, persistence, collaboration, and leadership, and we couldn’t be more proud to see her recognized with this well-deserved award.
Congratulations, Erin, on this incredible achievement! 🧡🖤

05/29/2026

It’s been a big week for the SMILE Program! 🎉
This week, we were honored to be recognized alongside other incredible programs across Oregon State University at the State of Inclusive Excellence Reception.
As shared by OSU:
“The State of Inclusive Excellence highlights programs and community members whose work reflects the depth and breadth of Oregon State University’s commitment to inclusive excellence. This year’s website features eleven stories that demonstrate how inclusive excellence is being advanced across OSU through teaching, research, community engagement, and sustained commitment to our land-grant mission.”
We are incredibly grateful for this recognition and proud to be part of a community committed to expanding opportunities and supporting students across Oregon. Moments like these remind us why this work matters so much.
Go Beavs! 🦫

05/22/2026

On Monday, the SMILE team stepped away from the office for a day of reflection on the current program year and planning for what’s ahead. We headed to the coast, where we were graciously hosted by the Hatfield Marine Science Center for thoughtful conversations about our direction as a program and the changes we can make moving forward.

Taking time for these conversations is always valuable — it gives us space to process our work, prepare for the year ahead, and adapt as we navigate a changing university environment.

We also had the opportunity to explore the Western Flyer and learn about their outreach programming that engages youth in citizen science and hands-on data collection aboard a research vessel. It was a wild experience — despite never leaving the dock — to stand in the same place as John Steinbeck.

(And yes, the last slide features the same toilet he used.)

05/15/2026

Many thanks to everyone who came to see Adam and other evaluation experts at the Virtual Evaluation Office Hour this afternoon! What a great opportunity to get feedback on your projects evaluations needs, goals, or ideas from a wide range of experts connected to OSU!

Join us on Zoom for our Virtual Evaluation Office Hour THIS FRIDAY, May 15th, from 1-2pm for a free, one-hour session with university evaluation experts. Participants can ask questions, discuss evaluation challenges, and get guidance on tools and strategies to support their work. They will meet in small, topic-based groups to encourage collaboration and shared learning. Oregon State University faculty will lead breakout rooms on Social Policy, Public Health, PreK–12 Education & Programming, and STEM.

Registration is optional, but is helpful for planning and appreciated.

To register: https://oregonstate.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_6uo7t4TzXHXbkgK

05/06/2026

🦫🧡🖤 Last Friday, Redmond SMILE students joined us at OSU-Cascades for a College Connection event filled with campus exploration, STEM learning, and time together as a SMILE community.
Students from Obsidian Middle School, Elton Gregory Middle School, Tom McCall Elementary School, and M.A. Lynch Elementary School toured campus, participated in a hands-on windmill engineering challenge, and had the chance to experience OSU-Cascades as a place where they belong.
We are grateful to our partners at OSU-Cascades for helping make the day possible, and especially thankful for the Redmond teachers and chaperones who supported students throughout the visit. Events like this help students connect what they are learning in SMILE to future college and career pathways. ✨

04/30/2026

Tomorrow, Redmond SMILE students are heading to OSU-Cascades for a College Connection event! 🔬
Students from Obsidian Middle School, Elton Gregory Middle School, Tom McCall Elementary, and M.A. Lynch Elementary will spend the day exploring campus, diving into a hands-on engineering activity, and imagining their future pathways while experiencing a college campus.
We’re excited to welcome these students and grateful for the teachers, chaperones, and OSU-Cascades partners who help make experiences like this possible!

04/29/2026

Come see us at Dam Proud Day in the SEC Plaza! Find us next to ROOTS, EOP, with Precollege Programs!

04/27/2026

Dam Proud Day is almost here! 🦫🧡🖤
On April 29th, Beavers around the world will come together for Oregon State University’s annual 24-hour giving day to celebrate what makes us and support the programs that make a difference. Since launching in 2019, Dam Proud Day has united the OSU community to give back and create opportunities for students, faculty, and programs across the university.

This year, you can make an impact by supporting us in Precollege Programs, helping inspire and empower future college students through meaningful educational opportunities.

Every gift, big or small, helps create brighter futures.

🧡 Support us here: https://www.damproudday.org/organizations/precollege-programs