Alumni Volunteers Connect Back to Oregon at the UO Board Summit
Story by Mark Wang and Korrin Bishop
Photos by Andy Nelson
On November 14, 2025, as Autzen Stadium readied for the Ducks’ matchup against the Minnesota Golden Gophers, another gathering of Ducks was taking shape across the river. That morning, nearly 200 University of Oregon volunteers gathered in the Erb Memorial Union ballroom to hear from UO leadership and kickoff the tenth annual UO Board Summit.
This 1.5-day event brings together volunteer board members from schools, colleges, and units across the university. Boards meet individually to plan for the year ahead, while participants also convene as a group to align around the UO’s shared vision, priorities, and mission. Social and networking opportunities throughout the summit help participants connect with fellow Duck volunteers, from group dinners to Rally in the Alley and the Mighty Oregon tailgate.
The event included talks from President Karl Scholz, Provost Christopher Long, and Vice President of Advancement Joe Buck, as well as a breakfast with Vice President of Student Life Angela Chong and informational interviews where participants could share their experiences. Volunteers also received information on opportunities like DuckFluencer and the UO Advocates program. And when the summit concluded, you can bet that many headed over the river and through the woods to Autzen—cheering on the Ducks in a decisive 42–13 victory over the Gophers.
In a rapidly changing higher education landscape, volunteers like these play a vital role in advancing and sustaining the UO’s mission. Through service on advisory boards, participation in campus events, and philanthropic support for schools, programs, and spaces across campus, their commitment goes well beyond formal meetings. For many, this work is deeply personal, rooted in their own meaningful experiences as students and lasting connections to the UO.
Below are four stories of Ducks who, long after their time as students, continue to give back and help shape the UO’s future.
Natalie Poole, BA ’80
Natalie Poole, BA ’80 (political science), is a senior vice president at Wells Fargo Capital Finance, where she oversees risk management for treasury management activities.
Her volunteer involvement with the UO began at a student recruitment fair—an experience she found both fun and meaningful, offering a chance to meet new people and reflect on her own time as a Duck. Today, she serves on the College of Arts and Sciences Advisory Board, which brings together supporters who value the power of a liberal arts education and provide strategic guidance and external perspective to college leadership.
“It’s very meaningful to me to be involved in this way because I’m able to give back,” Natalie said. “Having moved out of state right after graduation, it also allows me to stay connected to the university and see how it has changed and grown since I was an undergrad.”
Through her board service, Natalie has enjoyed connecting with “a ton of interesting people doing interesting things,” from faculty advancing research on campus to fellow alumni committed to seeing the UO flourish.
David Lewis, BA ’97, MA ’00, PhD ’09
David Lewis is a “Triple Duck,” having obtained his BA, MA, and PhD degrees in anthropology from the UO. He now serves as an assistant professor at Oregon State University. As a member of the Museum of Natural and Cultural History board, he has also consulted with the museum on various exhibits and collections.
“I volunteer because I love being a part of the university community,” he said. “I think volunteer work at the university is kind of a continuation of being a student and a lot of students have really good relationships here and a really good experience.”
As a member of the Confederated Tribes of Grand Ronde and author of the popular book Tribal Histories of the Willamette Valley, David is heartened by the direction of some of the museum’s latest work.
“I think that some of the newer programs where they’re looking towards Tribal leadership and direction on their collections are inspiring because they’re giving agency back to the Tribes in terms of their own stuff, their own collections,” he said.
Kristen Bennett, BS ’08
Kristen Bennett, BS ’08, studied planning, public policy and management and business administration during her time as a Duck. Today, she’s the chief executive officer for Service Year Alliance and serves on the communications committee for the UO Alumni Association Board of Directors.
Kristen’s volunteering started soon after she graduated.
“I got involved in the local chapters of the UOAA when I moved to new places, feeling like I needed to get to know people and get situated,” she said. “So, it was almost like finding a community away from the UO, but through the UO.”
Serving on the UOAA board has helped her reconnect with the university in ways she didn’t expect.
“This place that I valued so much and that shaped me so much when I was in my early twenties is still really focused on a lot of the same things that I cared about then, like freedom of ideas and creativity and teaching,” she said. “Those are all intangible things that I took away as a student and I’m really proud to see that they’re still very much a part of the DNA of the university.”
Through volunteering, Kristen says her identity as a Duck has only grown stronger. Though she arrived from California and now lives on the East Coast, she feels deeply connected to Oregon through her continued service.
Jon, MS ’82, and Lisa Stine
Jon Stine, MS ’82 (telecommunications), and his wife Lisa met during their undergraduate years at another public institution, Indiana University–Bloomington, before landing in Eugene for Jon to pursue his master’s degree at the UO. They began volunteering out of a desire to pay it forward to the next generation.
“It is my hope that there will be future Ducks that have that same awakening experience that I had as an undergraduate and then as a graduate student—of realizing this enormous world was open, that I could explore, that I could fail, that I could try, that I perhaps could achieve,” he said. “I hope that somehow, through my wife’s and my volunteering, another young person can experience that.”
As volunteers with the UO Library Luminaries and members of the former Library Advancement Council, Jon and Lisa have gotten to witness firsthand how the campus’s libraries have grown and improved over the years to meet the needs of students and faculty. They’ve also gotten to better understand what those needs are and be inspired by programs like PathwayOregon scholarships in helping students flourish.
Overall, Jon and Lisa’s volunteer work is fueled by their Duck pride, which Jon describes as belonging to a family bound by shared community, values, and a commitment to the intellectual aspirations of the UO.
“You go through the state, you go through the nation, you go around the world, and you’re a Duck,” he said. “That means something. And being part of that family is just special.”