EUGENE, Ore. – A major shift in the landscape of distance running is occurring in the NAIA, and Bushnell Head Coach Kyle Will is at the forefront, helping to shape the future of the Marathon and its place in the world of collegiate athletics.
In 2021, the NAIA included the Marathon as an event within the men's and women's outdoor track & field national championships for the final time. Citing a growing number of issues surrounding student-athlete health and the difficulties running in June in humid climates, the event was first switched to a half-marathon in 2022 before being eliminated completely the following year. Coach Will comments, "The NAIA has always liked having the Marathon as an event and as an opportunity for NAIA distance athletes, it was just the dangerous conditions in Alabama heat and humidity that caused a change, and I believe that is for the best."
While completely reasonable and understandable, given all of the extenuating circumstances, this decision didn't sit well with a number of NAIA coaches and alternatives began to be discussed.
Coach Will was one of four selected for the NAIA Marathon Committee, which was organized last year to begin the process of keeping the Marathon alive in the NAIA. "Having run several marathons myself, I love the event and was thrilled to be part of setting this up," said Coach Will. "Our goal, since it was removed from outdoor nationals, was to make the Marathon a standalone event. We wanted to tie it to cross country eligibility in the fall, and begin the process of making it an emerging sport and proving it could work."
Thus, the first NAIA Marathon Classic took place in December 2023, ran as part of the Cal International Marathon, one of the ten largest marathons in the country and a top qualifying event for the Boston Marathon. Coach Will said, "Being a part of the CIM, our athletes get to run alongside international athletes, be part of a 10,000-person event and all that goes with that, while at the same time representing their school. I think it is a great thing and I am so excited to continue what we started last year."
And the CIM has been a very accommodating partner for the race. According to Will, "Our partnership with the California International Marathon has gone very well. They love having us and they have even made some changes to registration, result reporting, and more, in order to make things easier for us."
As a team sport, scoring works similarly to cross country, however a team needs three finishers to score instead of five. The first event was a rousing success, with nine men's teams and five women's teams, and the momentum has carried into their second year. CIM afforded the NAIA 100 spots, 50 for the men and 50 for the women, and those spots have been filled. Nine men's teams and eight women's teams will compete for the team titles and a total of 30 Universities will be represented.
Now in the second year of a three-year trial period, Coach Will and his fellow organizers are optimistic that the event will eventually gain Championship Sport status within the NAIA. "This initial period is our opportunity to prove the concept is viable, so we can then petition to be considered a full NAIA sponsored sport."
The marathon-as-team-sport concept is quickly giving the NAIA a unique edge. Coach Will said, "As a coaches body, we often talk about the differences between the NAIA and the NCAA, more from a recruiting standpoint than anything. Some things we wish were the same, like the championship distances in cross country, but some things we like to have a different as they give us an advantage. The Marathon is just that. It gives us a recruiting advantage to a certain degree, but it also makes us stand apart from the NCAA."
Currently, qualification for the NAIA Marathon, which takes place once again at CIM on December 8, include completing twelve weeks of training, averaging at least 40 miles per week and athletes earn their spot based on their average distance over a pair of two-hour training runs.
The Beacons will have a competitor in the NAIA Marathon this season as graduate transfer Grant Kaminer (pictured) qualified to compete. Kaminer, who competed in the cross country season for the Beacons while simultaneously training for the longer distance, is ranked 37th in the event, but just 30 seconds separate runners 2-50.
"Grant has been killing the training," said Will. "He has done a few training sessions that show me he should run close to a 2:50. The first goal is to finish healthy and then from there we will see. I have been impressed with Grant as he has trained through some difficult personal challenges, balancing school, training, and student teaching and often having to do his training at 4:30 in the morning.
In his only season with the Beacons, Kaminer will look to break the school Marathon record of 3 hours, seven minutes, which has stood for 16 years. That isn't his only goal, however, as he aims to also qualify for the 2026 Boston Marathon. Coach Will said, "Grant is a prototypical marathoner. He does not mind running alone, in the dark, in the rain and the wind. He just grinds it out day after day and that is what a good marathoner needs to do. It is one of the most unforgiving events in our sport and one of the toughest mentally. Grant is that type of runner, so I think he will do well and expect this will be the first of many."
EUGENE, Ore. - Bushnell University’s School of Music and Performing Arts is pleased to invite the community to Christmas Concerts and events by the students in University Choir, Bushnell Jazz Ensemble, and Bushnell Chorale.
The performance events will take place at First Baptist Church of Eugene, and The Grotto in Portland, OR. Bushnell Chorale will be singing at The Grotto’s Festival of Lights at 9:00 PM on December 6, 2024. This 11-voice treble choir presents classical and modern pieces that bring beauty, celebration, and joy to the Christmas season. More information about the Festival of Lights and admission can be found here: www.thegrotto.org/christmas-festival-of-lights/.
Bushnell School of Music and Performing Arts will close the season with their festive annual Christmas Concert, Saturday, December 7 at 4PM, at First Baptist Church in Eugene, bringing all the music students together in a program including hope-filled holiday favorites, meaningful worship songs and classical and contemporary jazz repertoire.
See more at Bushnell Chorale at Festival of Lights - Bushnell University and A Bushnell Christmas - Bushnell University. The Bushnell events are open to all ages.
Program subject to change.
LOCATIONS: First Baptist Church of Eugene, and The Grotto
Tickets: Free (entry fee required The Grotto performance on Friday, December 6.)
Interview & Media Opportunities: High-resolution photos are available upon request. For interviews, contact Emily Weinkauf Kidder at 541-521-6568 or ekidder@bushnell.edu.
IG: @bushnellmusic
FB: @bushnellperformingarts
EUGENE, Ore. — Bushnell University is proud to announce its receipt of a $1 million Healthcare Workforce Ready Grant from the Higher Education Coordinating Commission (HECC) under the Future Ready Oregon initiative. This grant, part of a competitive statewide effort to bolster healthcare workforce development, supports the groundbreaking “Paving a Pathway to Practice” grant, which aims to address Oregon’s critical nursing shortage by training and retaining nurses in rural and underserved areas.
This initiative, developed in collaboration with PeaceHealth Oregon and Lane Workforce Partnership, takes an innovative approach to workforce challenges in rural healthcare. Designed to support historically underserved populations, including low-income individuals and women, the grant supports efforts to recruit, train, and retain bachelor’s degree-level nurses who are interested in serving within non-urban healthcare settings.
For Bushnell nursing students, the grant provides for nursing-specific scholarships while also funding available academic support services. Additionally, the grant supports new wrap-around services for these students through Lane Workforce Partnership. For new graduates and early career nurses who work in the PeaceHealth Oregon network, the grant funds a new nurse mentorship program. Comprehensively, the grant removes financial and logistical barriers to training and retention, ensuring nurses are prepared and supported throughout their education and early practice.
“This transformative initiative underscores Bushnell University’s commitment to providing equitable and impactful healthcare education,” said President Dr. Joseph Womack. “The Healthcare Workforce Ready Grant will empower aspiring Bushnell nurses and strengthen rural healthcare systems, helping to create a sustainable pipeline of nurse leaders in Lane County and beyond.”
Through “Paving a Pathway to Practice,” student and early career nurses will benefit from:
- Financial Support: Scholarships and wrap-around support services to reduce the economic burden of a Bushnell nursing education
- Financial Support: Scholarships and wrap-around support services to reduce the economic burden of a Bushnell nursing education
- Accelerated Training: Streamlined degree pathway and available academic supports to prepare Bushnell student nurses for critical patient care roles
- Mentorship: A robust nurse mentorship model for new graduates and early career nurses who work in PeaceHealth Oregon network clinical practice settings
This program is a critical step in ensuring that rural hospitals in Oregon not only attract skilled nurses but also retain them through a supportive professional ecosystem.
The $1 million grant funding will facilitate project implementation through June 2026, with the ultimate goal of alleviating the nursing crisis and improving healthcare outcomes in underserved communities.
“This grant will have a tremendous impact in Lane County, particularly in our rural areas where we see a chronic and acute shortage of nurses,” said Nicole Gooding, director of the Institute for Nursing Excellence, PeaceHealth Oregon. “We look forward to building on our efforts with Bushnell University and Lane Workforce Partnership in helping train and support nurses to fill a pressing need in our smaller communities throughout the county,” said Gooding, who collaborated with Bushnell University staff on the grant application.
Bushnell University’s proposal was recognized for its strong emphasis on equity, innovation, and strategic partnerships, aligning with healthcare workforce priorities in the state. Bushnell University expresses gratitude to the HECC and the Future Ready Oregon initiative for recognizing the urgency of Oregon’s healthcare workforce needs and providing the resources to make a meaningful difference.
For more information about the “Paving a Pathway to Practice” grant award and Bushnell University’s School of Nursing, please contact:
Media Contact:
Lars Coburn, M.A., Director of University Relations
Bushnell University
Phone: 541-684-7320
Email: lacoburn@bushnell.edu
To read the full HECC press release visit:
To read more news about the Bushnell School of Nursing visit:
Bushnell’s School of Nursing Receives $2.5M Grant | News
Bushnell University Nursing Continues Academic Excellence - News
About Bushnell University
Founded in 1895 Bushnell University helps students discover and answer God’s call in their lives. Devoted to offering a Christ-centered environment, Bushnell encourages students to grow in wisdom, informed by faith, and leading to lives of service. Accredited by the Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities (NWCCU), the University was founded by pastor-educator Eugene C. Sanderson and pioneer businessman and church leader James A. Bushnell. Bushnell is the largest private university in Eugene’s vibrant university district. The University offers bachelor’s and master’s degrees for undergraduate and graduate studies through course formats on campus, online, and hybrid formats. More information about the University is available at www.bushnell.edu.
About Lane Workforce Partnership
Lane Workforce Partnership is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization and one of Oregon’s nine local workforce development boards. Lane Workforce Partnership, the designated local Workforce Development Board for Lane County, Oregon, funds and delivers programs that empower job seekers to meet the current and future workforce needs of employers in Lane County. Programs and services are delivered through a network of local partners including employers, labor groups, government, community colleges, high schools, community-based organizations, and economic development. Information can be found at www.laneworkforce.org.
About PeaceHealth
PeaceHealth, based in Vancouver, Wash., is a not-for-profit Catholic health system offering care to communities in Washington, Oregon and Alaska. PeaceHealth has approximately 16,000 caregivers, a medical group practice with more than 1,100 providers and nine medical centers serving both urban and rural communities throughout the Northwest. In 1890, the Sisters of St. Joseph of Peace founded what has become PeaceHealth. The Sisters shared expertise and transferred wisdom from one medical center to another, always finding the best way to serve the unmet need for healthcare in their communities. Today, PeaceHealth is the legacy of the founding Sisters and continues with a spirit of respect, stewardship, collaboration and social justice in fulfilling its Mission. Visit us online at www.peacehealth.org.
About Future Ready Oregon
Future Ready Oregon (Senate Bill 1545, 2022) is a $200 million investment in education and training to advance a more equitable workforce system and increase opportunities for diverse workers. Future Ready Oregon drives innovative and collaborative partnerships between employers, education providers, and community-based organizations to prioritize opportunities for Oregon’s historically underserved and underrepresented communities, including adult learners, dislocated workers, and disconnected youth. Future Ready Oregon aims to strengthen Oregon’s economic competitiveness by removing barriers to education and employment, developing a diverse workforce, and supporting businesses’ needs for employees today and into the future. The majority of Future Ready Oregon investments, including Workforce Ready Grants, are administered by the Higher Education Coordinating Commission (HECC).
EUGENE, Ore. – Bushnell University’s Oregon Delta Chapter of Pi Gamma Mu, the International Honor Society for the Social Sciences, has earned the distinction of Star Chapter for the 2023-2024 academic year. This recognition, awarded by the Pi Gamma Mu Board of Trustees, acknowledges the chapter's impressive growth, with a 20% increase in membership compared to previous years. This achievement is a clear reflection of the continued expansion and academic excellence within Bushnell's Psychology program.
Chartered in 2017, the Oregon Delta Chapter of Pi Gamma Mu was established to honor students in a variety of social science disciplines, including psychology. While Pi Gamma Mu is not exclusive to psychology, its recent inductees have been psychology majors, minors, or students pursuing interdisciplinary studies with a psychology focus. The chapter’s commitment to academic recognition, however, extends beyond psychology students, offering a platform for excellence in all social science fields.
The chapter’s growth has been marked by steady increases in membership over the last several years. The charter initiation class of 2017 included 14 seniors from various social science disciplines. In 2018, six seniors from psychology and communication were inducted as the first group of members. After a two-year gap from 2019 to 2021 with no new inductions due to the absence of a membership drive, 16 psychology students were inducted in 2022, followed by 13 psychology students in spring 2023, and 22 junior and senior psychology students in spring 2024. Looking ahead, the 2024-2025 academic year will see membership opening to students across all social science disciplines who meet the eligibility criteria.
To be eligible for induction into Pi Gamma Mu, students must complete at least 20 credit hours in social science courses, maintain a grade point average of B or higher, and rank in the top 35% of their class. Inductees are celebrated for their scholarly achievements during Bushnell’s Honors Convocation and Pi Gamma Mu Induction Ceremony, where they receive a membership pin, certificate, and card. Graduating seniors are also presented with an honors cord to wear at commencement.
“The recognition of our Pi Gamma Mu chapter as a Star Chapter is an indication of the hard work and dedication of our students in the social sciences,” said Dr. Nani Skaggs, faculty advisor for the society and Professor of Psychology at Bushnell. “Dr. Erin Mueller and I are proud of our students’ commitment to learning and academic excellence, and this recognition further highlights the strength of our Psychology program.”
The chapter's growth in membership displays an increasing strength of Bushnell's Psychology program, both on-site and online, which offers concentrations in general psychology, forensic psychology, and a newly added neuroscience concentration. Faculty members are hopeful that this momentum will continue, with plans to apply for Psi Chi, the International Honor Society for Psychology, to further recognize excellence in the field.
As Pi Gamma Mu continues to expand its reach and impact, its recognition of outstanding academic achievements serves as an important part of Bushnell’s mission to provide students with meaningful opportunities for professional and personal growth. The honor not only celebrates students' hard work but also provides them with valuable lifelong resources to support their careers in the social sciences.
To learn more about the onsite program, visit www.bushnell.edu/psychology To learn more about the online program, visit www.bushnell.edu/online-psychology.
EUGENE, Ore. – Students in Bushnell University’s Intro to Digital Marketing class are exploring a unique, hands-on learning experience, partnering with local bakery Main Street Sweets to develop a full digital marketing strategy. Under the guidance of marketing professor Christy Silverthorne, M.A., students are supporting the bakery by designing a website and creating a marketing content and social media plan. Their work will culminate in a high-stakes pitch during Bushnell’s Academic Creativity and Excellence (Ace) Day on Wednesday, December 4, when one team’s campaign will be selected for real-world implementation.
The partnership with Main Street Sweets has provided students with valuable experience in crafting digital marketing strategies for an actual business. Each week, students tackle a new part of the marketing puzzle, learning about principles in class and then applying them directly. “This practical experience has a much deeper impact on students’ understanding,” explains Silverthorne. “They can see firsthand how effective marketing can shape a small business’s success.”
Earlier in the semester, Carrie Boehm (pictured), the bakery’s owner visited the class, sharing her vision and objectives for the business. This interaction gave students direct insight into the client’s brand and goals, enabling them to build campaigns that reflect the bakery’s personality and target audience. Since then, students have made progress in designing websites, creating engaging social media content, and planning measurement strategies to evaluate campaign success.
The final challenge will come on Ace Day, when students present their marketing strategies to the bakery’s owner, who will choose the campaign that best aligns with her vision. This hands-on project not only builds students' skills in areas like strategic planning, storytelling, and analytics, but also prepares them for the realities of working with clients.
“Our hope is that students leave with a strong understanding of how a well-thought-out digital strategy can make a meaningful difference,” says Silverthorne. For the students, seeing their efforts pay off in a tangible way will be the ultimate reward.
You can find your way to Main Street Sweets’ sweet flavors by searching the web or Facebook.
To learn more about Bushnell University’s Digital Marketing program, visit www.bushnell.edu/digital-marketing.