SCYP Projects: Building Career-Ready Skills While Impacting Oregon Communities

This winter term, students in 10 distinct courses across three UO schools/colleges are generating fresh ideas and advancing city goals through hands-on projects. By engaging in real-world problem-solving, SCYP equips student with valuable, career-ready skills and helps retain talent in Oregon. The impact of student work extends far beyond the classroom—many student-driven solutions are integrated into community plans, shaping the future of Oregon communities for years to come.

Transit Community Engagement Planning

Public Relations Planning (JCOM 471)

Faculty: Attila Schillinger

The class is focusing on University of Oregon students as a targeted public and applying a sustainability lens to recommend nuanced approaches to guide LTD's community engagement efforts. Students are researching outreach methodology, messaging, tactics, and how to make transit appeal to a student audience.

Transit Outreach and Engagement

Public Relations Campaigns (JCOM 472)

Faculty: Dean Mundy



The course will develop a targeted campaign with recommendations for how LTD could approach outreach for hard to reach populations. Student work will include research, a plan, and implementation recommendations targeted to specific publics to help inform LTD's outreach and community engagement plan.

Community Service Diversion Program

Real World Lane County (PPPM 410)

Faculty: Aniko Drlik-Muehleck and Amanda Ferguson



The City of Oakridge operates a Municipal Court dealing with various violations and misdemeanors. However, many citizens can't afford fines, which leads to a lack of justice implementation. To address this, students are exploring a proposed "community service program", allowing defendants to fulfill their fines through volunteer work. Students are researching legal considerations and collaborating with local nonprofits to develop a sustainable program.

Destination Oakridge: Marketing Strategies to Improve Local Tourism

Marketing Strategy (MGMT 490)

Faculty: Conor Henderson

Marketing capstone students are developing marketing strategies to boost tourism and economic development in the City of Oakridge, targeting travelers who pass through Oakridge on Highway 58 going to Willamette Pass Ski Resort. Throughout the course, students are conducting focus groups, developing and implementing surveys, performing secret shopping analyses, and creating detailed marketing plans to best reach these audiences.

Local News and Civic Engagement

Engaged Journalism (J COM 463/563)

Faculty: Andrew DeVigal



In collaboration with the Agora Journalism Center, Highway 58 Herald, and local non-profits, the class is focusing on identifying the health of local news and civic information of Oakridge residents. Students are engaging directly with the community to evaluate the availability, accessibility, and quality of local news and information, ensuring residents’ information needs are met, and empowering them to participate fully in civic life.

Wastewater Treatment Facility Capital Improvement Planning, Phase 2

Public Policy Analysis (PPPM 636)

Faculty: Joel Hicks



This project is a continuation of fall term to address capital improvement planning and potential funding sources for the city’s aging infrastructure, focusing on the Oakridge Wastewater Treatment Facility. Students are providing preliminary analysis, identifying constraints, performance goals, and emerging technologies, and aggregating best practice research.

TV Butte Environmental Impacts

Advanced GIS (PPPM 495/595)

Faculty: Yizhao Yang



This project is analyzing the environmental impacts of the proposed TV Butte quarry in Oakridge, focusing on air and water quality, wildlife, land use, and community health using publicly available data. Students are considering and assessing aspects related to Oregon's Land Use Planning Goal 5, Natural Resources, Scenic and Historic Areas, and Open Spaces. 

Willamette Activity Center Operational and Fundraising Strategy

MPA, Capstone Applied Research Project and Research Methods (PPPM 638)

Faculty: Aniko Drlik-Muehleck



The goal of the Willamette Activity Center is to transform the 29,000 square foot building into a resilience hub for various community services. Students are working with local and regional nonprofits to understand their space needs and developing budget estimates for operating the WAC. The City of Oakridge and its partners will use this information to plan and fundraise for the building’s redevelopment and reopening.

Who will be the next SCYP Partner? 

Over a year of transformative engagement, SCYP matches community identified project needs with the exceptional brainpower of students and faculty to find solutions. SCYP is in the process of securing our next community partner for the 2025-26 academic year.

Stay tuned for a formal announcement of the partnership. There will be an opportunity for interested faculty to match their existing courses to priority city projects. Interested in learning more? Check out the SCYP Faculty Guide or contact us with your questions.

About the Sustainable City Year Program (SCYP)

Established in 2009, SCYP is now in its 15th year of partnerships with Oregon communities. SCYP partnerships connect University of Oregon students with local communities to implement real change drawing directly from community-identified issues. Through hands-on learning, SCYP harnesses the innovation of students and faculty to offer communities unique perspectives and ideas. Communities emerge from SCYP partnerships with increased community outreach, expanded conversations, and cutting-edge solutions, while students emerge better prepared to enter the workforce.

Additional matching funds towards community partnerships are possible in part due to support from U.S. Senators Ron Wyden and Jeff Merkley, as well as former Congressman Peter DeFazio, who secured federal funding for SCYP through Congressionally Directed Spending.