Valparaiso University alumnus and current professor Paul Oren '02, '10 M.S., now owns and operates The Victory Bell, a subscription-based journalism platform dedicated to in-depth coverage of Valpo Athletics. Oren's deep connection to Valparaiso began in 1998, when a pivotal moment in university sports history first sparked his interest in the institution, ultimately leading him back to campus to teach and foster new generations of broadcasters and journalists.
The Victory Bell, founded by Oren, serves as "a love letter to Valpo, a love letter to storytelling, a love letter to collegiate athletics." Its mission is to feature stories about individuals facing adversity, overcoming challenges, and achieving successes within Valpo athletics, without solely focusing on wins or losses. Oren, who currently teaches broadcasting, returned to Valparaiso University at 25 years old. After completing his bachelor's degree in 2002 and working at a rock radio station in Wisconsin for three years, he sought new opportunities in sports journalism in Northwest Indiana. A conversation with his former academic adviser led to an offer to pursue a master's degree, with tuition paid, and to teach broadcasting at the university. He accepted the offer and has remained at Valpo since, finding a passion for teaching students who remind him of his own journey.
Oren’s path to Valpo was significantly influenced by Bryce Drew’s '98 buzzer-beating 3-pointer on March 13, 1998. This shot, scored with 2.5 seconds left in the first round of the NCAA tournament, secured an upset victory for 13-seed Valpo against 4-seed Ole Miss, gaining national attention and becoming an iconic play in March Madness history. Oren, then a young observer, states that if Drew had missed that shot, he might never have considered Valparaiso. With aspirations of becoming a sports writer and aware of the university's connection with ESPN, he enrolled at Valpo. He then worked with an academic adviser to create an individualized major combining communication and theatre classes, culminating in a broadcast journalism degree.
During his undergraduate years, Oren was deeply involved in campus life. He wrote for the student-led campus newspaper, The Torch, broadcast on campus radio station WVUR, participated in the theater community, and served as a resident assistant. He also traveled with the men's basketball team to locations including Cedar City, Utah; Hawaii; and Arizona, an experience he states would not have been possible without Valpo. He recalled telling his mother from Utah that he had made the right choice, seeing the world because of Valpo.
A poignant moment during Oren's student tenure was broadcasting for 13.5 hours on September 11, 2001, the day of the terrorist attacks. He recounted how everyone who worked at the radio station simply showed up that day, feeling a collective power and responsibility to report the news, even without being called in. After completing his bachelor's degree in 2002, Oren returned home to Milwaukee. He felt a sense of loss and frustration as he applied for sports journalism jobs without success, telling his mother through tears, "I mattered at Valpo. I don’t matter to anyone right now." His mother’s simple advice—to go see his friends—led to a meeting with fellow Valpo alumni at a local bar that evening, which in turn resulted in a job interview for a position he held for three years in Wisconsin. This role allowed him to hone skills essential for his eventual return to Valparaiso.
Oren emphasizes that Valparaiso is a place where he "found himself," experiencing and learning from people with diverse backgrounds. He states that "The people are what make Valpo as valuable as it is." He values the university for enabling him to explore his varied interests, allowing him to be "more than one pursuit in life," rather than confining him to a single path. Oren reflects that students arrive at 18 unsure of the world and leave at 22 with experience, ready to contribute, much like his own journey. His return to Valpo, driven by the people and opportunities, underscores the university's lasting impact on his life and career. He still occasionally tells Bryce Drew that the iconic shot changed his life.
