The Faculty
Marlis Miller
Marlis Miller is passionate and committed to creating safe and supportive opportunities for conversation, discussion, and exploration. Life is filled with choices, the greater our privilege the more numerous our choices. Learning from the experiences of others is a key to finding the joy in life. Marlis has spent her consulting career creating learning opportunities for leaders from Fortune 200 for-profit corporations to elected officials to student leaders to not-for-profit organizations. She is co-founder of the Student Development Seminar and teaches a Last Year Experience class at OSU in an effort to walk the talk of sharing what she has learned.
Donald B. Johnson
Don Johnson has been on the faculty at Oregon State University for the past thirty-five years working with students in a variety of experiences which focus on identity development and post college preparation. He teaches undergraduate and graduate courses in student development and administers a number of student development programs focused on life investigation. With degrees in the arts from Southern Oregon University and the University of Puget Sound, Don attempts to bring the world of imagination and creativity into the thoughts of students as they investigate the magic of life.
Eric Hansen
Eric Hansen, also known as “Goose,” is the pup of the group called “The Kids.” His background as a military brat enabled him to live in various locations across the United States. This experience provided him with the opportunity to get to know people from around the country and around the world. He encourages students to reflect on their accomplishments to help them gain insight and confidence in meeting their future. He brings a passion for learning as he guides students in understanding how they can make meaning of their world by exploring perspectives and relationships.
Twainhart Hill
Twainhart Hill is a self-employed spiritual growth facilitator and creator of an award winning audio CD, A Soul Walk. She has over 30 years experience offering self- development consulting for individuals and in group settings, along with event administration, coordination and planning. She is also a poet, researcher, photographer, volunteer museum curator, and loves the TV show History Detectives. She has a B.A. in Art (design studies) from San Jose State University in CA, and is certified as a holistic health consultant from the Kripalu Center for Yoga and Health.
Tom Scheuermann
Tom Scheuermann received his B.S. and M.A. degrees from Ohio State University, and his J.D. from the The Catholic University of America School of Law in Washington, D.C. Tom is a member of the D.C. and U.S. Supreme Court bars. He lives in Salem with his wife Cesie, children Luke and Rachel, and JayD their black lab. Tom enjoys running, family dinners on the front porch, trips to the coast and savoring a strong cup of coffee while reading and relaxing in a local coffee shop.
Laverne Woods
Laverne Woods came to OSU in 1976 following a career in the Army. He served on the faculty in ROTC for a number of years before moving to the Office of Educational Opportunities where he taught until his retirement in 2008. Laverne and his wife Mary Alice have spent much of their life raising guide dogs and have a tendency to keep the dogs who fail their final exam. Laverne is the senior statesman for SDS and embodies the spirit of “magic.”
James Schupp
James "Scoop" Schupp, has participated for the past 12 years with SDS. He is currently a Courtesy Faculty Member at Oregon State University and works with students through classes and other activities. In 'real' life he is a Senior Vice President, Wells Fargo Advisors, Corvallis, Oregon. Scoop is devoted to a positive experience for students both in and out of the class room. He carries a deep respect for what he learns from students.