Welcoming Kerry Thomas as Interim Director of OSAC
A Seasoned Leader In Student Access and Workforce Development
We are pleased to announce that Kerry Thomas, current deputy director of Future Ready Oregon, has been appointed as the interim director of the HECC Office of Student Access and Completion, starting Monday, December 1, 2025.
As the deputy director of the Future Ready Oregon team, Kerry Thomas has helped lead this historic program, set up systems to encourage the development and support of new partners, navigated complex rules and reporting requirements, and helped recruit, train, and support a cadre of talented professionals. Kerry Thomas came to HECC several years ago from Oregon State University, where she served in multiple roles including head academic advisor, first-year experience coordinator, and academic intervention lead for OSU’s Student Advising Office. She originally came to HECC as an OSAC college and career access coordinator, and moved to the HECC Office of Workforce Investments to become a workforce program analyst before her Future Ready role.
Ramona Rodamaker, deputy director of the HECC says, "We are thankful that Kerry Thomas is willing to serve in this important interim director position. With knowledge of financial aid, strong relationships with OSAC staff and partners, and strong leadership skills, Kerry is well qualified for this important role, and we are confident that OSAC will continue to excel during this transition."
ASPIRE Program Reaches Major Milestone
Now Serving Students In Every Oregon County
The ASPIRE program—a statewide initiative dedicated to helping Oregon students become career and college ready—has reached a landmark achievement. For the first time since its founding, ASPIRE now has an active site in every county across Oregon, fulfilling its long-standing goal of providing comprehensive career and college readiness support to all students, regardless of geography.
ASPIRE offers students one-on-one and group mentoring, career exploration activities, college and career research assistance, help with admissions applications, scholarship guidance, and financial aid support. The program aims to ensure that all students, including those in rural and underserved communities, have access to the tools and mentoring they need to pursue their career and college goals.
This biennial milestone was reached with the recent addition of five rural frontier schools: Wheeler County High School, Sherman County High School, Lakeview High School, Condon High School, and Arlington High School. Their participation officially completes ASPIRE’s statewide map—an accomplishment years in the making.
Of the 215 current ASPIRE sites, 54% are located in rural or frontier regions, and 69% serve communities in areas below the state’s median income. Program leaders note that expanding into Oregon’s most remote regions is critical to ensuring equitable access to higher education and career opportunities and underscores a shared belief across Oregon: that every student, regardless of background or location, deserves the opportunity to envision—and prepare for—a successful future.
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