UOAA/SOJC Washington DC Event - University of Oregon Alumni Association

Tuesday, April 21, 2026

6:00 PM - 8:00 PM (EDT)

Hotel Zena

1155 14th Street Northwest Washington, DC 20005-4111 United States

* Registration open until 4/7/26 at 12:00 AM (EDT)

75 Seats Remaining

Category: Chapter/Group

Join the UO Alumni Association (UOAA) and School of Journalism and Communication (SOJC) in Washington, D.C. for a look into how UO students in the SOJC’s Hostage Diplomacy class are transforming complex global issues into hands-on, real-world work.

Hear from the students in the UO's Hostage Diplomacy course and guest speakers Jason Rezaian, a journalist for The Washington Post and former hostage, and David Ewald, a UO professor, who are co-teaching the class. Rezaian and Ewald will share the opportunities the Hostage Diplomacy class-a first of its kind program in the US-affords students, culminating with student-led projects that push beyond the classroom and lead to new ways of viewing a complex topic.

Meet Our Speakers

Jason Rezaian

Jason Rezaian is the director of press freedom initiatives for The Washington Post and a former hostage. While serving as The Washington Post’s Tehran bureau chief in Iran, Jason and his wife were wrongfully captured by Iranian authorities and accused of espionage. He spent 544 days imprisoned, before his release in January 2016. Since then, Jason has committed his career to hostage advocacy and press freedom. He visited the UO in January 2014, delivering the SOJC’s Robert and Mabel Ruhl Lecture. During that visit, he met with David, and the dream for the Hostage Diplomacy course was born. Read more about Jason and the course here.

David Ewald
Professor of Practice in Brand Innovation and Advertising, University of Oregon

David Ewald is a professor in brand innovation and advertising at the University of Oregon's School of Journalism and Communication. He also serves as the executive director of Allen Hall Advertising, a full-service, student-run ad agency. David was a founding partner and chief design officer at Uncorked, a Portland-based design studio that helped clients like Google, Adidas, and LEGO. He is also instrumental in ongoing social change efforts with UNICEF Lebanon and the Richardson Center for Global Engagement, primarily in Cuba as a leader in their Fringe Diplomacy program. Learn more about his work here.

Registration

$10 for UOAA members
$15 for nonmembers

Tickets include light hors d'oeuvres. Drinks will be available for purchase.

Getting There

The nearest Metro subway station is McPherson Square, servicing the Blue and Orange lines. Valet parking is also available (fees apply). Click to learn more.

Questions?

For questions or to request accommodations, please email Stephanie Murrell or call 541-346-5656.

* Registration open until 4/7/26 at 12:00 AM (EDT)

75 Seats Remaining

This event is open to all UO alumni, UOAA members, faculty, staff, students, families, and their guests.

For More Information:

Stephanie Murrell

University of Oregon Alumni Association

View Profile

(541)346-3716

Hostage Diplomacy & Press Freedom in Today’s Global Landscape