January 16, 2026 3:40 a.m.
The Roseburg Schools Board of Directors voted Wednesday night to approve a $2.5 million investment in partnership with Umpqua Community College to support the Welcome Center and Medical Careers Hub currently under construction on the UCC campus. A joint release said the investment reflects a broader community development effort to strengthen Douglas County’s economy, improve access to healthcare, and create clear, locally rooted pathways from education to family-wage careers.
The partnership is intended to support learning spaces and programming designed to serve Roseburg High School students pursuing healthcare career pathways. By expanding post-secondary opportunities close to home, the project aligns student success with regional workforce needs and long-term community health outcomes.
Both the UCC and Roseburg Schools Board of Directors voted unanimously to approve the 25-year agreement and programming commitment between the district and the college. The agreement recognizes the common goal to provide Roseburg High School students accelerated access to medical career pathways through instructional space incorporated into the UCC Welcome Center and Medical Careers Hub.
With parts of Douglas County designated as Health Professional Shortage Areas, local leaders say growing the healthcare workforce from within the community is essential to meeting current demand while ensuring sustainable care for the future.
Roseburg VA Health Care System Executive Director Patrick Hull and CHI Mercy Health President Russell Wooley both spoke in support of the partnership.
UCC President Dr. Rachel Pokrandt said, “This is more than a building; it’s a shared investment for our region’s future”. Dr. Pokrandt said, “By working together, we are strengthening the connection between education, workforce preparation, and the health of our community”.
Roseburg Schools Superintendent Jared Cordon said the investment builds on successful collaboration already underway between the district and college. Cordon said, “Our students are already completing college-level coursework and earning dual credits while still in high school”. Cordon said, “This project allows us to expand that success and open even more doors that lead directly to family-supporting wage careers and postsecondary education, right here in our community”.
Jared Cordon and Dr. Rachel Pokrandt unveiled the agreement ahead of the meeting on Inside Douglas County, Wednesday on News Radio 93-9 FM and 1240 KQEN. That interview is a KQEN Podcast at www.541radio.com