Editor-in-Chief

Ruby joined the magazine to pursue her passion for long-form profile pieces, lead a team of talented writers, designers, and photographers, and produce a publication that will enrich the human spirit.

Editor-in-Chief

Brianna leverages her passion for creative writing and athletic background to connect people and experiences through compelling narratives. Her leadership role transcends the lacrosse field, allowing her to learn from and grow with a brilliant collective. 

Director

Ella’s a lover of all things bold — and that’s exactly what brought her to Ascend. As director, she’s learned to use her power as a leader to push people all while encouraging everyone to enjoy the complicated process of building a brand new magazine.

Editor

Jay worked with Ivan Miller in high school as editor-in-chief. Miller’s coming to the UO to start a new sports publication was a full-circle moment. Working as an editor under him again provides a chance to reflect on growth in journalism and priorities as a writer.

Editor

Kate got involved with Ascend after taking Sports Journalism with Ivan Miller in the fall. Growing up in the sports world, she has enjoyed expanding her athletic experience to include long form stories. She currently works in UO's communications department, covering all of Oregon sports.

Editor

Growing up, Maya brought at least five books to every one of her brother’s baseball games. She never imagined she’d end up working for a sports magazine, but writing and editing for Ascend has been one of the most fulfilling and inspiring surprises of her college experience.

Editor

Becca found her passion for storytelling through her experience covering many of Seattle’s professional sports teams. She has a deep love for sports and the outdoors, and is excited to assist in producing compelling and impassioned storytelling for Ascend.

Writer

Pierce knew that Ascend would provide him with the opportunity to attain more experience in long-form journalism. Before Ascend, Pierce wrote for three other UO magazines. Given Ivan Miller’s experience at Outside, he knew he would learn from building a new publication.

Writer

In a time in which negativity in sports media often thrives, Zach looks to make a positive impact on how sports stories are told. He has previously worked with KWVA Radio. He is excited for the opportunity to tell stories about and humanize athletes in Ascend’s first issue.

Writer

Lily is pursuing a career in sports media and magazine writing is one of the few things she didn't yet have experience with. In addition to her work for Ascend, she is a broadcaster for KWVA Sports and Big Ten Plus, and a sports writer for the Daily Emerald.

Writer

Sophie loves the writing process, interviewing people and sharing others’ stories. She is grateful for Ivan Miller’s advice to shoot for the stars while finding a story — something she’ll take throughout her journalism career. Outside of writing, she enjoys running and hiking outdoors.

Writer

Hanna’s truest loves are: surfing, skiing, and writing. She took Ivan Miller’s reporting class in the fall of 2024 when he first shared the idea of a sports publication that would emphasize outdoor sports and she knew she had to be part of it.

Writer

Grace joined Ascend because of the amazing group of people passionate about creating something together. She has learned so much about what it takes to create a magazine through this experience and loves reading stories that show the humanity in seemingly inhumane feats.

Writer

Gabriella has worked as a podcast producer for the Daily Emerald, an audio engineer for the Hearst Demystifying Media podcast series, and is a senior producer for the KWVA News Department. She brings her passion for the outdoors and human interest stories to Ascend.

Writer

Much of Arwen’s life has been spent outside and in motion; playing soccer, riding bikes, skiing, camping, climbing, and hiking. She feels super lucky to have been involved in telling the stories of inspiring and trailblazing individuals involved in both traditional and more niche forms of sport.

Writer

Eli grew up reading Sports Illustrated features. In the current sports journalism climate, it is easy to judge an athlete solely on their performance; however, giving depth to their story and how they have overcome struggles is what sports is all about.

PR and Advertising Manager

Alex’s love of sports comes from her mom, who worked as a sports producer. Alex grew up doing gymnastics for 15 years of her life. Now at UO, she combines her love of storytelling with her passion for athletics.

Photographer

From bears in Alaska, to sports in Eugene, to ranchers in Eastern Oregon for Flux Magazine, Shane enjoys photographing a wide variety of subjects. He is always searching for new stories to tell, and contributing to Ascend Magazine was the perfect opportunity.

Photo Editor

Lucas’ experience with Ascend has been full of interactions with new people, working collaboratively, and making team goals. His love of outdoor sports and delusions of grandeur drew him to Ascend. He wanted to gallivant around the country in pursuit of epic stories. 

Photo Editor

Miles didn’t come to the UO particularly interested in sports. However, his experience covering Oregon sports made him hungry to tell sports stories. Miles wanted to take a more active role in the creation of a larger publication and go outside of his daily coverage boundaries. 

Photographer

Ally has a passion for using verbal and visual communication to connect with others whether that’s around the UO, within the invisible illness community, or throughout athletic and creative groups. She loves public speaking and production work, such as photography or media editing.

Videographer

Elise has been an active person her entire life and has always loved being outdoors. She appreciates opportunities to share things she loves with other people. Ascend offered a chance to do that. Elise enjoyed capturing photo and video of both the stories and the magazine itself.

Design Editor

Gabriela worked with Ivan Miller in high school as a designer and creative director for his M.I.N.E (Miller Integrated Nature Experience) magazines. She brings a wealth of experience, specifically a concentrated passion for magazine design, to the first-edition of Ascend.

Design Editor

Sofia’s experience with Ascend has further inspired a passion for publication design, and as a result she intends to attend graduate school for graphic design. Her favorite part has been collaborating with such a creative group of individuals.

Designer

David got involved with Ascend for the experience of working with new software and being a part of something that has never been done at UO. He was thrilled when Ivan Miller approached him in the fall with the magazine class concept, and he knew he wanted to join.

Designer

M, who does graphic design as a hobby and studies product design, joined Ascend to bring his talent to the table. His favorite part of Ascend has been learning new techniques from the team and working collaboratively to bring innovative ideas to the page.

Designer

Avery wanted to design for Ascend because it was an opportunity for her to have a different creative outlet relating to the outdoors, which she loves! Not only has this opportunity given her a chance to hone in on her skills, but it has opened up a new community of people for Avery.

Advisor

Ivan is a visiting professor of practice in sports journalism. His sports interests range from covering local sports to mountaineering. He is passionate about experiential learning, immersive and participatory journalism, and teaching leadership.