Luke Rien
Western Oregon University

Hello, my name is Luke Rien and I am a graduating senior at Western Oregon University.  I have been at Western for four years since I graduated  from David Douglas High School in 2004.  The last four years of my life have focused on the subject of health with the ultimate goal of becoming a middle school teacher.

With graduation coming very fast on June 14^th 2008, I am starting to look at the future.  I was accepted into Willamette University and will begin classes to pursue my Masters degree in teaching.  I was accepted into the accelerated program and the next 10 months will be very busy with student teaching and classes, but I am excited for the challenge. First is the summer though, which holds a new and exciting opportunity for me.  I will be participating in an Internship at the Department of Human Services in the prevention programs division.  This is an opportunity for me to begin work in the health field which has been a huge part of my life for the last four years.  I am excited, and a little nervous, to apply my knowledge and skills and knowledge in the work environment.

While the experience at Western Oregon University was all about the pursuit of knowledge, there was one other large part of the college experience that has made me who I am today and that is the sport of Lacrosse.  When I came to Western myself and several other teammates helped to establish WOU’s first men’s lacrosse team.  In the four years that I was a part of the team in has come a very long way.  During my senior season we made it to the MCLA national championship, while we won our fist game against Harding University we eventually lost to the national championship team Westminster University.  I received second team all conference as well as academic all American honors during my senior year. The experience of being the team’s vice president as well as playing with my teammates taught me so much about not only running a team but about myself as a person.

I am a hard working, self motivated, and positive individual.  I love to work as a team because I feel it brings up points and ideas that a person might have not created by themselves.  I am excited to take the next step in life at Willamette University as well as participate in the first “real” job I have ever had.  Positive thought leads to positive life, I try to my life by these words, because life is too short to be angry all the time….enjoy it and do what you love!