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Written by Maureen Brakke
MONMOUTH, Ore. – Western Oregon University announces the 2025 Outstanding Graduate Undergraduate Awards recipients. The students will be recognized at the commencement ceremony on June 15, and they will have the opportunity to give a short speech.
Below are the 2024 Outstanding Graduating Undergraduate Award Recipients:
Jaidah Garcia, from Portland, Ore., is the first in her family to earn a high school diploma. In addition to pursuing a double major in psychology and sociology, she has made significant contributions to Western. Recently, she joined the Tri-Alpha Honor Society, which recognizes first-generation college students, and has participated in various student panels.
With a proven track record of excellence in academics, campus involvement, and community service, Garcia has distinguished herself in many ways. Alongside her partner, Angeles Reyes Mondragon, she won the Maurice Initiative in 2024. Her exceptional work in the Honors Program includes a senior thesis project that addresses the experiences of Latinos with learning disabilities. This research proposes legislative policies aimed at improving support systems for LatinX students facing educational challenges.
Throughout her time at Western, Garcia has actively volunteered for numerous campus events and community service projects, while taking on various roles both on and off campus.
Alexis Pacheco, from McMinnville, Ore., and a first-generation college student, is majoring in psychology with a minor in communications. After achieving one of the top grades in cognitive psychology, she demonstrated remarkable intellectual and academic promise, leading to an invitation to collaborate with Dr. Rob Winningham on a paper on topics in geriatric rehabilitation. The editor was impressed to learn that Alexis was an undergraduate and praised her contributions to the project.
Throughout her time at Western, Alexis has been recognized with several scholarships for her dedication and hard work. She is a proud member of the Tri-Alpha Honor Society and the Psi Chi Honor Society. In addition to her studies, she has balanced multiple jobs and serves as the youngest Latina on the McMinnville Spanish SDA Executive Board of Directors.
Upon graduation, Alexis aims to enroll in Western’s Doctorate of Occupational Therapy program as part of the state’s new behavioral health initiative. Her ambition is to work with children and adolescents facing trauma, incorporating a multicultural perspective into the mental health field.
Ariel Rolfe, from Juneau, Alaska, is graduating with a Master of Arts in Teaching, with an emphasis on visual art education for secondary schools. She holds an MFA in Museum Exhibition Planning & Design and a bachelor’s degree in painting and drawing. Before her time at Western, Ariel thrived as a versatile “jack of all trades,” taking on various art-related roles. Notably, she served as a museum exhibition designer and fabricator in Alaska and California, collaborating with over 30 museums, heritage centers, libraries, and similar institutions dedicated to fostering community spaces through storytelling.
Ariel’s museum experience is deeply rooted in a respect for the lessons we learn from one another, a perspective she carries into her work as an art educator. She recently completed her clinical practicum at Hood River Valley High School and will return to Alaska to embark on her next adventure as a middle school art teacher this fall.
Cruz Lopez is a proud first-generation college student who earned his Bachelor of Science in Gerontology from Western in 2022. He is currently earning his second bachelor’s degree in nursing at Oregon Health & Science University, located on Western’s campus. As the first in his family to pursue a career in the medical field, Cruz has forged a path grounded in service, resilience, and leadership.
His academic excellence has been recognized with cum laude honors and induction into the Sigma Theta Tau International Honor Society. While at Western, Cruz held multiple student leadership positions, including club sports and intramural supervisor and peer academic coach. At OHSU, he supports others as a peer tutor and class representative.
He is especially proud of his active role on campus and in the community, consistently seeking ways to make a meaningful impact. With plans to enter critical care and emergency medicine, he aims to attend graduate school to specialize in anesthesia, continuing his mission to seek new experiences and opportunities.
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About Western Oregon University
Western Oregon University, established in Monmouth in 1856, proudly stands as Oregon’s oldest public university. Hosting around 4,000 students, Western embodies a mid-sized, NCAA Division II institution, with approximately 80% of its students hailing from within the state. Notably, its diverse student body comprises individuals from underrepresented backgrounds, veterans, and non-traditional learners. Western stands as the preferred campus in Oregon for those pursuing an enriching education within a nurturing, student-focused environment, characterized by faculty-led instruction. Where YOU belong.
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