Alumna is a Dual Citizen Who Leads in the Community
You know an SOU international student loves the unique nature of the region when they stay after graduation and become an integral part of the community. For Karolina Lavagnino ’02 & MiM ‘06, it was a decision that she has always embraced. Karolina grew up in Bydgoszcz, Poland, a city of around 500,000. There, she studied English at the local university (Uniwersytet Kazimierza Wielkiego in Bydgoszcz) as an undergrad, earning a BA then earned her MA at Nicolaus Copernicus University in Torun.
It was while studying for her graduate degree in Poland that she had the opportunity to earn a one-year scholarship in an exchange program to SOU because of the commitment and generosity of a Rogue Valley resident. Frank Surma, was bringing students here from the former communist country of Poland to study at SOU, inspired by his friend, Leonard Zawacki, a US immigrant who had survived the tragedy of Auschwitz in WWII.
She returned to Poland to complete her master’s degree and by January of 2002, she was back in Ashland to finish her undergraduate degree. “I absolutely loved Ashland and my plan was to return there to continue broadening my horizons while studying at SOU and living in this picturesque mountain town,” said Karolina.
Her American English course experiences were profound for Karolina but it was the outstanding teaching and mentoring of Alma Rose-Alverez in the English Department, that really enriched her learning and her life. “Alma was a very strong female role model and was always eager to talk about things that others avoided. I really looked up to her,” she said.
After graduation in 2002, Karolina secured a job working the front desk at the Ashland Springs Hotel downtown. She worked there for just under a year then had the opportunity to become a sales and marketing associate there, which suited her quite well. With her great work ethic and open mind to learn even more, she later became the Director of Sales and Marketing for what eventually became the Neuman Hotel Group and its four hotels, three restaurants and a spa.
With an eagerness to learn more, Karolina entered SOU’s master’s in management program which was developed for business professionals. She had some great classmates to share experiences with and she enjoyed her course work, most of which was done after work hours. Business professor Mark Siders provided some memorable courses and instruction. She earned her graduate degree in 2006.
In between the juggling act of Director of Sales and Marketing for multiple hotels and restaurants, Karolina is also the founder of the Oregon Chocolate Festival in Ashland, which started with fourteen vendors in 2003. In March 2020, they had over fifty vendors and over 2500 people in attendance! She also ran her first marathon in 2008 and got hooked on long distance running and trail running. Nowadays she is an avid ultrarunner participating in 50 and 100km races. “I’m a proud dual citizen of Poland and America. If it wasn’t for my SOU experiences, I would have never met my husband here, have my daughter, Mia, or grown as a human on so many levels. I’m so proud to be an SOU alumna,” she said.
Learn more: Neuman Hotel Group and Oregon Chocolate Festival
