Photography

_{The kitchen at Elegant Elephant Baking Co. bustles every morning under the direction of Jessie Scarola, the founder and leader of the gluten-free Eugene bakery.}

_{Jessie Scarola was diagnosed with Celiac disease when she was 21 years old. Having many convenient food options taken away from her was incredibly destabilizing, so she learned to bake and cook gluten-free food. “I discovered a love for baking,” she said.}

_{Elegant Elephant bakes loaves, bagels, pies, and more en masse. They have a physical storefront in downtown Eugene, but 90% of their sales are wholesale. “We sell all across the state of Oregon,” Scarola said.}

_{Scarola and her team spend hours each morning hand making gluten-free baked goods with seven different gluten-free flour blends they make in-house. What kind of flour they use depends on the product, from almond and rice flour to xanthan gum and potato starch.}

_{Every year, the holiday season slams the bakery with pie orders. While November and December are behind them, Pi Day (March 14) is right around the corner. Using the pie press helps Scarola and her team streamline the pie production process.}

_{In the KWVA 88.1 FM the radio station office that broadcasts from the Erb Memorial Union (EMU) basement, Malya Fass, a senior in journalism at the University of Oregon and the News Director, leads the weekly News Team meeting. She opens every meeting asking how everyone is doing that week on a scale from one to ten.}

_{Members of the KWVA News Team meet weekly to discuss pitches and potential stories around campus and Eugene. The News Team covers a range of topics, from local music acts to issues that impact the community like bus schedule changes.}

_{Fass has led the expansion of the News Team in the 2024-25 school year. Part of that expansion is training other members of the News Team to live host the news broadcast each Monday night.}

_{The sound board is a crucial piece of equipment to radio broadcasting. Knowledge of which buttons and sliders affect what impacts the quality of each broadcast from the volume of the music to the volume of the host’s microphone in the studio and on air.}

_{The Hamilton Hall Service Center serves as one of three major hubs for students living on campus at the University of Oregon. There, package and mail deliveries; key and card access; and resource distribution are all handled by student workers.}

_{Sophia Lynsky, a student worker in the service centers, has been helping students since December 2021. “My favorite thing is the people who talk amongst themselves about the joke of the day,” said Lynsky.}

_{According to Lynsky, the packages are usually covered in a fine layer of dust or other grime from travel. Wearing gloves while handling them prevents sensory issues and contamination.}

_{This USPS carrier is just one of many boxes that Lynsky has to sort and log for students. “Each major carrier will come and drop off a load of between 10 packages to 400,” said Lynsky.}

_{“I wish people knew that it was okay to talk to us,” said Lynsky. Working in the service centers isn’t just about the packages, but the connection too.}

Sarah Bathke

Photography

Portraits

Photo Stories

Jessie Scarola and Elegant Elephant Bakery

Malya Fass and the KWVA 88.1 News Department

Sophia Lynsky at the Hamilton Hall Service Center

Miscellaneous Photography