Campus Profile: University of Oregon / O Heroes

While student-athletes at the University of Oregon have always valued giving back to the community that supports them, their commitment to service has recently been solidified through the creation of a non-profit organization called Oregon Heroes.

O Heroes, which formed in 2008 and operates under the direction of the Student-Athlete Advisory Committee (SAAC), serves to enhance student service efforts through developing partnerships with community organizations, building greater awareness and recognition of engaged student-athletes in the community, and providing the ability to donate funds to local organizations and individuals.

With an emphasis on health, education, and service, O Heroes engages the UO campus by hosting Day and Week of Service events, as well as managing previously existing service programs, such as the Duckling program, which raises awareness and funding for local children with serious ailments.

Last October, shortly after the unveiling of the program, the first O Heroes Day of Service saw atheletes from every University of Oregon sport serving in the Eugene/Springfield community. Students painted the Vivian Olum Child Development Center and cleaned up its outdoor play areas, served in the Food for Lane County Churchill Garden, visited children at Sacred Heart's River Bend Hospital, and more.

On March 2-6, 2009, students spent an O Heroes Week of Service serving as positive role models to local youth. In conjunction with the National Education Association's Read Across America Day, students engaged with local K-8 students by playing sports, encouraging physical education, writing and sharing motivational letters, and more.

The next O Heroes Week of Service will take place in May.

Because student-athletes act as role models to local youth (often to their peers, as well), O Heroes is proving to be a powerful way to raise visibility of the service these students provide, and the positive impact that they have on the community.

To learn more about O Heroes click here, or contact James Harris at jharris@uoregon.edu.

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