In April 2026, the Peace Corps released its annual list of top volunteer-producing colleges and universities. The University of Oregon tied for 7th place for large universities, with 38 alumni who served as volunteers in 2025.
The University of Oregon is known for its amazing student athletes, many of which go on to do great things. Riley Anne Ovall, former UO track and field athlete, is no exception. After graduating, Riley Anne has gone on to cultivate a personal brand surrounding her passion for javelin and healthy living. Her experience as an athlete and drive for content creation provides some great perspective for current students.
Sometimes, life comes full circle. As a former international student from Brazil, alum Marcelo Barros now is the founder of The International Advantage, a company that empowers international students to obtain jobs in the United States. We caught up with Marcelo to gain some insight from his experience and to give some advice for current Ducks.
Students tend to overlook careers in government, unaware of the unique benefits and opportunities available. We are kicking off the domestic highlights of our Ducks Around the World series with alumna Heather Ketten, who has an impressive career in government. We caught up with Heather to ask for her insight and advice for students exploring similar career paths.
Studying abroad is a fantastic way to expose students to new environments and cultures. Some of our Ducks like their experiences so much that they decide to pursue careers abroad. We caught up with Dahyun Kim, who is currently working in Nairobi, Kenya, but is soon relocating to Seoul, South Korea. Her experiences abroad have led her to have some great insight for students who are looking to pursue opportunities overseas.
We love seeing young alumni giving back to current students with their words of wisdom about the world of work. We caught up with Marcus Ren, an advertising alumnus and our former UCC social media content creator for several years. We were glad to gain some insight into his first job after the UO.
Name: Marcus Ren
Graduation Year: 2022
Major: BA, advertising
Current Job: Art director at Capital One
A turbulent year for many of us, 2020 was filled with lots of shifts to virtual workspaces and online classrooms. It was a time of flexibility and adaptability, which is what alumna Jennifer Mendez-Ruiz showcased through her experience. We caught up with Jennifer to get her advice for current students and more insight on her career journey.
Name: Jennifer Mendez-Ruiz
Graduation Year: 2020
Major: Journalism and communication, Spanish literature and culture
Current Job: Publicity assistant at Paramount
After graduating, our Ducks go on to explore various paths. There are so many opportunities available to our Ducks, including ones that allow us to pursue multiple passions. We caught up with alumnus Morgan A. Torris, who shared his insights about managing two careers and what that unique experience has taught him along the way.
Name: Morgan A. Torris
Graduation Year: 2006
Major: BA, art
Current Job: Assistant clinical professor of nursing, Oregon Health Sciences University
Excite, educate, and inspire—alumna Busayo Onifade lives by these aspirations and describes what she brings to her work as a freelance content designer. After graduation she moved abroad for graduate school and has some great insights about the importance of exploring experiences abroad.
Name: Busayo Onifade
Graduation Year: 2016
Major: Ethnic studies (honors)
Minor: Spanish
Current Job: Freelance content designer
Joze Pelayo is putting his MA in international studies to great use in our nation’s capital! Joze has working and living experience in Palestine, Lebanon, Israel, the United Kingdom, the Golan Heights, Venezuela, and the Caucasus-Russia. He is passionate about transforming his multicultural ideas, experiences, and perspectives into strategies and leadership that bring about contextual and sustainable solutions. Joze is a strong advocate for stronger social, cultural, economic, and political relations between the Arab Gulf States and the Americas.
