Darin Drill ’03 Named Oregon Superintendent of the Year
Darin Drill has served for over 16 years as the superintendent of Cascade School District, and is described as a supportive leader with a deep commitment to his community.
Credit: Amy DrillDarin Drill, Educational Administration ’03, has been named Oregon’s 2024 Superintendent of the Year by the Oregon Association of School Executives (OASE) and the Coalition of Oregon School Administrators (COSA). Drill has served as the superintendent of Cascade School District for the past 16 years, a tenure that COSA’s Deputy Executive Director Dr. Krista Parent calls “truly incredible.”
The announcement on COSA’s website describes Drill as an educator deeply committed to the school community who believes in the power of supporting local schools and school principals in the Cascade School District with both guidance and autonomy to do great work.
“Superintendent Darin Drill has led the Cascade School District with his vision of excellence for students and his commitment to the district has stood the test of time. He empowers leaders who in turn empower school teachers, and staff and has set a standard of improvement which has led to the strengthening of relationships in schools and the community, and stronger graduation outcomes for students,” said COSA Executive Director Craig Hawkins. “COSA is honored to have Darin Drill as Oregon’s 2024 Superintendent of the year.”
Credit: Amy DrillDrill joins fellow alums Matthew Utterback, Heidi Sipe, and Don Grotting who received the prestigious award of Superintendent of the Year in 2017, 2016, and 2014 respectively. Utterback went on to be named National Superintendent of the Year.
Drill will be honored at the 2023 Oregon School Boards Association Convention in November, the 2024 OASE Winter Conference in January, the 2024 AASA National Conference in February, and the 2024 COSA Annual Conference in June. He is also in the running for National Superintendent of the Year, awarded annually by the American Association of School Administrators.
Read more about Superintendent Drill’s accomplishments on COSA’s website.
More Stories
Alumni Spotlight: Kevin Wright MA ’16
Kevin Wright, EdD, Higher Education Student Affairs MA ’16, was recently named a Class of 2026 Diamond Honoree by the ACPA–College Student Educators International for his work advancing student success and transforming institutions.
Year in Review
Top Stories of 2025
As the calendar year draws to a close, we’ve compiled a sampling of top stories from the undergraduate college, the graduate school, and the law school.
4+1 Program
Five-Year Jumpstart to an Education Career
Lewis & Clark’s Teacher Pathways program supports undergraduate students who dream of becoming educators, offering a BA, MAT, and licensure in just five years.
Endowed Professorships Named for Darwich and FitzGibbon
Associate Professor Lina Darwich and Professor of Music and Director of Choral Activities Katherine FitzGibbon have received endowed professorships for their outstanding scholarly record.