Stay active. Get involved. Make a difference.
Hometown: Burlington, Vermont
Major: Journalism with a minor in Global Health
Favorite class at the CHC: “Environmental, Climate, and Energy Justice in Latine/x Communities” with Catalina de Onís.
Guilty pleasure: Pints of ice cream. I can go through them in one sitting.
You don’t ever have to tell Ruby Wool twice to go for it. Her experience at the University of Oregon is a textbook on leading the way. From the moment she left her bucolic East Coast town for the Northwest, Wool has spent her time here kicking soccer balls, writing newspaper stories, playing tennis, and actively listening to what her fellow Duck students are saying. We sat down with her to discuss what drives her, the power of knocking on a professor’s door, and how she makes this school 3,000 miles away from where she grew up feel more like home.
This interview was edited for clarity and length.
When you were little, what did you want to be when you grew up?
Either a teacher or a professional athlete. I loved learning, and I loved playing sports and being outside.
You grew up in Burlington, Vermont. How did you end up at UO?
My older brother graduated from the University of Oregon last June. It wasn’t really on my radar. I came for parent’s weekend his freshman year and went on a tour and thought: “Why not?” And I fell in love. Now I’ve welcomed my sister who’s a freshman. My family had no connection with Oregon; we never really visited the Pacific Northwest. My brother came because of athletics, and I came because of athletics, but also for the Clark Honors College. And my sister came for all of that. This university’s afforded my family a lot of amazing opportunities.
What have you found makes life feel fuller here?
What I love about UO is that there is a club or a place or a welcoming spot for every student. I found that the first week I got to Oregon. I decided to try out for club soccer and club tennis. So right off the bat, I had two communities I was involved with and then I found other areas that attracted me—Warsaw Sports Business Club… the Holden Center. I just kept finding all these groups where I could give as much into them as I had time for, and they respected that.
As captain of the UO club tennis team, Wool encourages her teammates to work hard and have fun.
Tell us more about your role on the Board of Trustees.
I’m a Stamps Scholar and I had a peer who just graduated. Julia Lo was the previous Board of Trustees student member. I was always kind of eavesdropping on her conversations about her role because it sounded like an amazing way to get involved in higher education and in a university that I truly love. When it was her time to leave, she was like: “Ruby, go for it.”
I applied, was selected and Governor Tina Kotek appointed me. My first board meeting was in September. I’m grateful I can represent the student body and serve as a kind of conduit for information to get to the higher-ups at this institution. I’m looking forward to bringing new voices into this conversation.
How do you think the CHC has prepared you for this role?
A lot about college is the connections you make, not only with the student body, but with the people who teach you and support you and want you to have a good future. The Honors College has helped me hone my ability to have conversations with my professors, which has transferred to me feeling comfortable talking to professors across campus. I feel that they’re truly approachable. The Honors College has set a foundation for the relationships I’m able to build with different people at this university.
“The Honors College has helped me hone my ability to have conversations with my professors, which has transferred to me feeling comfortable talking to professors across campus. I feel that they’re truly approachable.”
Who inspires you?
Everyone says this, but it’s true: My mom is my inspiration. She’s involved with our public school district back in Burlington. It’s amazing to watch her lead an entire public school district that represents 12 schools. I’ve learned from her that when people are learning and meeting new people, that’s when they thrive.
Advice for other young students who want to make a difference?
Find your people. They’re everywhere on campus. Everyone can find a place where they belong. I also encourage people whenever they see a professor’s door open to knock and say hi. That’s a way to make this 22,000-person school feel a lot smaller.
What do you hope to do after UO?
I could see myself becoming a sports or news broadcaster. I recently joined Duck TV in the journalism school. I write for the Daily Emerald and am building my portfolio—seeing what I like and what I don’t like. We’ll figure it out.