Native Oregonian, Dog Lover, and a Tech Enthusiast 

Story by Nicole Lee
Photos by Nicole Lee and Andrew Poecker

Meet Andrew Poecker. Andrew is a native Oregonian who goes to the University of Oregon. He was born on Leap Day 22 years ago in Salem, Oregon. He then moved to Sublimity, a small town close to Salem when he was a year and a half.

 

Andrew is a dog lover, he has owned 3 dogs in his life. He thinks dogs are a great companion and they are always there for him when he needs someone to play with. It was Andrew’s fondest memory during his childhood period when he received his first dog, Woody, in second grade. Woody was a cocker spaniel/golden retriever mix. He always let Andrew dress him up and took funny pictures of him. Andrew also brought his little companion to school a few times and he loved the attention and love. It was absolutely traumatic when Woody died at 14, Andrew felt so heartbroken because Woody was his first dog and had him for eight years. He now owns an amazing long hair black chihuahua/sheltie mix, Misty. Misty is the most loving dog Andrew has ever had!

 

Andrew is also a computer-tech person. He is interested in design and obsessed with everything related to the computer and technology. He loves computers so much because he has been using one since he was 3. He loves troubleshooting and problem solving. He was an editor and manager for his high school newspaper. That was why he chose to major in Advertising and have two minors in Digital Arts and Computer and Information Technology. Andrew also worked for Oregon Daily Emerald as a designer when he was a freshman at the University of Oregon. He always got an outstanding award for his design works at Emerald. 

Andrew is also a major TV series fan. “I love watching TV so much because it is a great way for me to relax and I like the story lines that a lot of TV shows have to offer. You never know what is going to happen next!” says Andrew. His most recent favorite show is The Big Bang Theory, a sitcom centered on a gang of geeky and socially awkward characters. He explains, “I was always being looked down as a nerdy person, and I have appreciation for the show because it kind of makes fun of the ‘regular’ people.” 

 

Even though Andrew’s stayed in Oregon for his whole life, he has traveled to different places across nation- Washington D.C., Yellowstone National Park, Grand Teton National Park, and New Mexico. His most exciting trip was to D.C. when he was 15 years old. As an only child, Andrew was super thrilled visiting his cousins, and touring around the White House, George Washington’s Mount Vernon, Lincoln Memorial, and other historical places. He enjoyed spending time with his cousins and paddling a boat on the private lake named Champion Lake in Herndon, Virginia. Even though it was 106˚and there were a lot of bugs and insects around the lake, Andrew was really happy enjoying his family reunion during summer vacation .

Other than traveling to different states, Andrew has traveled out of the country once for a day. He traveled to Canada to visit the Glacier National Park in August of 2008. It was his most recent memorable vacation. Even though it was just for a day, Andrew enjoyed the breathtaking glacial scenery. It was an amazing trip for Andrew because he got to see so many new places and so much wild life, he was super excited when he saw bears and mountain goats.

For more information on Andrew, check out his portfolio website here.