Not pictured: Classified Staff Award Recipient Sonja Bieler

Oregon Tech Celebrates Faculty and Staff at Annual Convocation

Sept. 22, 2026, Klamath Falls, Ore. – On Sept. 22, the Oregon Tech community reunited for its annual Convocation ceremony. This event not only celebrated the arrival of Fall Term but also welcomed new and returning faculty and staff members, who met to prepare for a new academic year beginning Sept. 30.

As a tradition marking the start of each academic season, Convocation is an opportunity for faculty and staff to learn emerging trends and improve upon existing procedures. This year, President Nagi Naganathan introduced his theme for 2026-27: Lifting Oregon Tech through the Headwinds.

“We cannot control every force that will shape the year ahead,” Naganathan described. “Higher education continues to face significant headwinds. We will encounter pressures we can anticipate and, undoubtedly, some we cannot. Our task is not to pretend those headwinds do not exist. Our task is to understand them, prepare for them, and use the strengths of this university to keep moving forward.”

“We have extraordinary faculty and staff,” Naganathan continued. “We have students who come here because they want an education that leads somewhere. We have programs with exceptional outcomes, an ambitious strategic plan to guide us, and a community that has demonstrated time and again its ability to adapt, innovate, and move forward together.”

Honoring the people of Oregon Tech, Convocation is also a time to celebrate the dedication and contributions of Oregon Tech faculty and staff. At the opening event, Oregon Tech celebrated the dedication and long-term contributions of its faculty and staff through years-of-service recognition. This year, 57 employees were honored for reaching service milestones, representing a combined 615 years of service to the university. Faculty and staff are recognized in five-year increments, with this year's honorees reaching milestones ranging from five to 40 years of service. A complete list of employees recognized and their years of service can be found at www.oit.edu/news/oregon-tech-celebrates-faculty-and-staff-annual-convocation.

In recognition of their commitment to both Oregon Tech and its students, several employees received special recognition during the ceremony. Award recipients were selected based on nomination letters detailing their commitment to the university and their impact on students and colleagues, embodying the spirit of Oregon Tech.

Awards presented this year include:

Student Affairs Most Valuable Partner Award: Dr. Lara Pracht, Director of Academic Affairs at Oregon Tech Portland-Metro; and Michelle Meyer, Director of Audit and Compliance Oregon Tech Foundation Rising Faculty Scholar Award: Dr. Rachel Edwards, Assistant Professor of Natural Sciences Oregon Tech Foundation Faculty Achievement Award: Dr. Su Jin Lee, Assistant Professor and Program Director of Geomatics; and Christy VanRooyen, Associate Professor of Natural Sciences, Environmental Sciences, and Natural Resources Faculty Mentor Award: Dr. Kevin Brown, Professor of Communication Studies Classified Staff Award: Sonja Bieler, Admissions Business Systems Analyst President’s Staff Award: Tony Richey, Associate Vice President and Chief Information Officer; and Michelle Meyer, Director of Audit and Compliance

Also recognized at the event were recently announced Oregon Tech Foundation Excellence in Teaching Award recipients Professor Todd Breedlove of Computer Systems Engineering Technology, and Associate Professor Richard Carson of Medical Imaging Technology.

As faculty and staff prepare to welcome students back to campus, the accomplishments recognized during Convocation reflect the talent, service, and determination that define the Oregon Tech community.

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_Submitted by Ashley Van Essen, Public Affairs, Oregon Tech (541-885-1162, ashley.vanessen@oit.edu)._