Affiliation: College of Liberal Arts
George Abed Oral History Interview
Life history interview conducted by Janice Dilg.
December 16, 2014
George Abed (b. 1938), a native of Jordan, attended Oregon State from 1958-1962, graduating
with a degree in General Social Science. During his undergraduate years, Abed was
heavily involved with campus life and especially with student government, ultimately
serving as the school's first foreign-born student body president. After completing
a Ph.D. in Economics, Abed went on to a lengthy and multifaceted career in international
development and public policy, including more than two decades spent working for the
International Monetary Fund. The founder and former director of the Palestine Welfare
Association, Abed is also a former head of the Palestine Monetary Authority, which
he oversaw for two years at the invitation of Mahmoud Abbas, the President of the
State of Palestine. Abed's interview focuses on his Oregon State years, his career
in public policy, and his association with development efforts all across the Middle
East.
Katy Barber Oral History Interview
Life history interview conducted by Janice Dilg.
November 12, 2015
Katy Barber (b. 1969) graduated from OSU in 1992 with a bachelor's degree in American
Studies. After obtaining graduate degrees from Washington State University, Barber
joined the History faculty at Portland State University, where she teaches and conducts
research on public history and the history of the Pacific Northwest. Barber is also
the director of the Center for Columbia River History and has authored a book on the
social and cultural impact made by the flooding of Celilo Falls in 1957. The primary
focus of her interview is her undergraduate experience at Oregon State and her memories
of campus culture during the early 1990s.
Baseball National Champions, Back-to-Back
Four interviews conducted by Greg Garcia, Chris Petersen, and Mike Dicianna.
October 2015 - July 2016
From 2005 to 2007, the Oregon State University baseball program enjoyed a sustained
run of success that is without parallel in university history. Over the course of
three seasons, the Beavers participated in the College World Series three times, winning
back-to-back national championships in 2006 and 2007. In the process, OSU also achieved
multiple milestones that are unequalled in the history of college baseball: in 2006,
the Beavers won six consecutive elimination games to claim the national championship,
and in 2007 they won four tournament games by six runs or more. This unprecedented
era of championship baseball is the primary subject of a collection of interviews
conducted with four individuals: players Kevin Gunderson and Chris Kunda; broadcaster
Mike Parker; and manager Pat Casey.
Harrison Branch Oral History Interview
Life history interview conducted by Mike Dicianna.
February 23, 2015
Harrison Branch (b. 1947) worked in the OSU Art department for forty years as a professor
of Photography, beginning with his arrival in 1973 and concluding with his retirement
in 2013. As an artist, Branch primarily used bellows cameras, often for large format
projects, and as a researcher he investigated platinum-palladium printmaking and Platinotypes,
among other topics. Branch likewise taught a variety of photography classes, including
courses on the history and science of the medium. In his interview, Branch touches
upon his evolution as a photographer, his interests in various technical aspects of
the art form, and his experiences as a teacher over four decades at Oregon State.
Susan Castillo Oral History Interview
Life history interview conducted by Janice Dilg.
June 17, 2014
Susan Castillo (b. 1951) graduated from OSU in 1981, having returned to school at
the urging of OSU's Affirmative Action Director, Pearl Spears Gray, for whom Castillo
worked as a secretary. A Communications major, Castillo found employment as a news
reporter with KVAL-TV Eugene, and her coverage of the Oregon legislature sparked her
interest in running for office. In 1997 Castillo was elected to the state Senate,
and in the process became the first Hispanic woman to occupy an office in the state's
legislature. From 2003-2012, she also served as Superintendent of Public Instruction
in the Oregon Department of Education, where she advocated for students of color and
low-income families, among many other initiatives. Her interview focuses on her student
experience at OSU and the arc of her career in journalism and politics.
Lynne Clendenin Oral History Interview
Life history interview conducted by Mike Dicianna.
February 19, 2015
Lynne Clendenin (b. 1953) attended OSU as a non-traditional student, beginning in
1986 and graduating in 1990 with a degree in Theatre Arts. While an undergraduate,
Clendenin became involved both with a variety of student media productions as well
as radio work at Oregon Public Broadcasting, then based on the Oregon State campus.
Following the completion of her studies, Clendenin remained with OPB, serving as both
producer and on-air talent. Since 2011 she has worked as vice president of programming
for radio and television, and has co-hosted OPB television's Oregon Art Beat. Her interview focuses on her experiences as a non-traditional student of color,
her involvement in student media and university theater, and the advancement of her
career in public broadcasting.
Roosevelt Credit Oral History Interview
Life history interview conducted by Mike Dicianna.
April 25, 2014
Roosevelt Credit attended OSU from 1986-1990, graduating with a degree in Music Education.
Following graduate studies at Northwestern University in conducting and opera performance,
Credit began a career as a stage and music performer, appearing on Broadway in "Porgy
and Bess" and "Show Boat," and touring the United States in support of both productions.
His interview discusses his upbringing in Oakland, California, his time at OSU and
his life as a Broadway performer. During the interview, Credit also performs an impromptu
version of "Carry Me Back," the OSU alma mater. Likewise included is a recording
of a performance that Credit delivered later that day with OSU choir students at the
Memorial Union.
Tracy Daugherty Oral History Interview
Life history interview conducted by Janice Dilg.
June 2, 2015
Tracy Daugherty (b. 1955) is a Distinguished Professor Emeritus of English and Creative
Writing, having taught and written at OSU from 1986 to his retirement in 2013. The
author of four novels, four short story collections, a book of essays, and three biographies,
Daugherty also played a key role in the creation of a Masters of Fine Arts degree
in Creative Writing at Oregon State. Among many other accomplishments, Daugherty
has received the Oregon Book Award four times, most recently in 2010 for his biography
of the author Donald Barthelme, Daugherty's mentor. His interview focuses on his
development and methods as a writer, the evolution of the Creative Writing program
at OSU, and the important role to be played in academia by citizen-scholars.
Jodie Davaz Oral History Interviews
Two life history interviews conducted by Chris Petersen.
May 2014 - May 2015
Jodie Davaz (class of 2015), a Digital Communication Arts major and student in the
University Honors College, spent the 2013-14 academic year as Station Manager at KBVR-FM.
She is also the first editor of Beaver's Digest, successor publication to the Beaver Yearbook. Her first interview is devoted to the inner-workings of OSU's student
radio station, her ambitions for Beaver's Digest and her sense of student culture on campus and within the community as it stood in
2014. Her second interview, recorded almost exactly one year later, focuses on the
first year of Beaver's Digest and Davaz's broader reflections on her rich undergraduate experience.
Natalie Dollar Oral History Interview
Life history interview conducted by Janice Dilg.
August 5, 2015
Natalie Dollar (b. 1963) has been a member of the OSU Speech Communications department
since 1993, and a member of the faculty at OSU-Cascades since 2002. Now the Associate
Dean of Arts and Sciences at the Bend campus, Dollar has focused her scholarly research
on cultures that choose to reside outside of the mainstream, a program of work that
has led to study of houseless youths in the Seattle area as well as fans of the Grateful
Dead music group. Her interview focuses on her southern roots and the impact that
her upbringing made on her as an academic and as a person; her research on alternative
cultures; and her long experience as a faculty member and administrator at the Cascades
branch campus.
Jenna Dorn Oral History Interview
Life history interview conducted by Chris Petersen.
September 17, 2013
Jenna Dorn (b. 1950) graduated from OSU's Journalism department in 1973. Following
graduate study in public administration, Dorn began a long and successful career as
a public servant based in Washington, D.C. In the public sector, Dorn has served
as Assistant Secretary of Labor and head of the Federal Transit Administration, and
has held multiple positions in the U.S. Department of Transportation. She has also
provided leadership to the American Red Cross in the role of senior vice president
and has worked in similar capacities with the National Health Museum and the World
Bank. At the time of this interview, Dorn held the position of Chief Executive Officer
of the American Academy of Physician Assistants. Dorn's interview details her undergraduate
experience at OSU as well as her life in public service.
James Douglass Oral History Interview
Life history interview conducted by Bob Schapper, Chris Petersen and Steve Matthes.
December 5, 2013
James Douglass (b. 1936), served as Oregon State University's Director of Bands from
1968-1999. During that time he directed the OSU Symphonic Band and the OSU Marching
Band, as well as other athletic bands. Under his leadership, the OSU Bands performed
internationally, engaging in goodwill tours of Japan, Taiwan and Costa Rica. Douglass
is also the founder of the Northwest Band Camp, which serves 450 middle school students
each summer. He has appeared as an adjudicator, guest conductor, band clinician, and
trumpet soloist at colleges and high schools in Europe, Canada, Taiwan, the Philippines,
and the U.S. His interview focuses on his early musical interests, his tenure in
the Navy Band, his long career at Oregon State University and some of the outstanding
musicians who performed at OSU during his three decades in charge.
Jim Edmunson Oral History Interview
Life history interview conducted by Mike Dicianna.
November 10, 2014
Jim Edmunson (b. 1951) graduated from Oregon State University in 1973 with a bachelor's
degree in Liberal Studies. As an OSU undergraduate, Edmunson was heavily involved
with student journalism during a turbulent era in U.S. history. As news editor of
the Daily Barometer, Edmunson coordinated coverage of anti-war protests and the murder of OSU student
Nancy Wyckoff, among other topics. In 1983, following stints as a professional news
reporter and editor, Edmunson began a new career as a lawyer and political figure,
serving in the Oregon legislature from 1987-1995 and chairing the Democratic Party
of Oregon from 1999-2007. His interview focuses primarily on his undergraduate experience
with particular emphasis placed on his activities as a student journalist.
Paul Farber Oral History Interviews
Two life history interviews conducted by Chris Petersen.
October 2014
Paul Farber (b. 1944) is a Distinguished Professor Emeritus of the History of Science
who worked at OSU from 1970 to his retirement in 2008. During his tenure as a member
of the OSU faculty, Farber served as chair of the General Science department and,
after the department's dissolution, the History department as well. A scholar of
the naturalist tradition and evolutionary ethics, Farber has published on a variety
of subjects, including the history of ornithology and changes in American views on
race mixing. His interviews focus on his evolution as a historian, the means by which
he acquired his scholarly toolkit, and his memories of General Science and History
over four decades working at OSU.
Steve Fenk Oral History Interview
Life history interview conducted by Chris Petersen.
August 12, 2014
Steve Fenk (b. 1963) is an OSU Liberal Studies graduate from the class of 1987. Fenk
was heavily involved with the OSU Athletic Department as an undergraduate, a time
period during which he served as a color commentator working alongside radio "Voice
of the Beavers" Darrell Aune during Beaver basketball games. As a student, Fenk also
helped to organize a number of Oregon State wrestling meets. In 1990 Fenk accepted
a position with his alma mater as Assistant Sports Information Director. Since 2011
he has served as Associate Director of Athletic Communications. His interview focuses
on his Oregon State undergraduate experience as well as his memories of key people
and events in the modern history of OSU athletics.
Legends of OSU Gymnastics
Three life history interviews with Mary (Ayotte) Law and Joy (Selig) Petersen, conducted
by Janice Dilg.
October 2014
Gymnastics national champions Mary (Ayotte) Law and Joy (Selig) Petersen are two of
Oregon State University's most accomplished athletes. An Education major who attended
OSU from 1978-1982, Law won the 1982 national title in the floor exercise and finished
third in the all-around, still the highest all-around placing in school history.
A seven-time first team All-American, Petersen won two national championships in the
beam competition and another in the floor exercise. She graduated from OSU with a
degree in Psychology in 1991. Over the course of three interviews, Law and Petersen
reflect on their experiences as student athletes at OSU, sharing their memories of
going to school while training and competing at the highest levels of collegiate athletics.
Tim Hall Oral History Interview
Life history interview conducted by Janice Dilg.
June 25, 2014
Tim Hall (b. 1955), a native of Los Angeles, attended Oregon State University from
1973-1978, graduating with a degree in Technical Journalism. Hall came to OSU during
a period of damaged relations between African American students and the OSU and Corvallis
communities. Hall has helped to rebuild these relationships, in part through his
contributions to the founding of the Black Cultural Center while a student at OSU,
and later through his service to the President's Board of Advisors for Minority Affairs.
His interview focuses on the challenges faced by black OSU students in the 1970s,
his experience of the African American student community that emerged during that
time, and the impact that OSU made upon him as he pursued a career in public relations.
Karim Hamdy Oral History Interview
Life history interview conducted by Chris Petersen.
October 10, 2014
Karim Hamdy (b. 1952), a native of Tunisia, has been associated with OSU since 1981,
first as a doctoral candidate in Civil Engineering, and later as an instructor of
both French and Arabic. A student activist who helped to form multiple groups representing
and supporting North African students at OSU, Hamdy later co-founded the university's
Tunisia Study Abroad program. He has also taught Arabic classes at Oregon State since
their first formation in 2002. His interview focuses on his upbringing in Tunisia,
his experiences studying and working at OSU, and the evolution of the university's
Arabic language courses and the Tunisia Study Abroad program.
Charlotte Headrick Oral History Interview
Life history interview conducted by Mike Dicianna.
April 7, 2015
Charlotte Headrick (b. 1948) is a professor of Theater Arts who, in 1982, became the
first woman hired to the drama faculty at OSU since the 1930s. A scholar of the Irish
theater and female playwrights, Headrick has directed in the vicinity of one-hundred
theater pieces and readings during her tenure at Oregon State. An award-winning teacher,
Headrick has also served as guest director at a variety of other colleges and universities,
and has traveled to Turkey and Ireland to stage plays and research dramatic history.
Her interview focuses on her deep family roots and upbringing in the American South,
her institutional memories of the theater program at OSU, and her academic interests
in Irish drama.
Joe Hendricks Oral History Interview
Life history interview conducted by Janice Dilg.
August 4, 2014
Joe Hendricks (b. 1943) is an acclaimed gerontologist who chaired the OSU Sociology
department from 1989-1995. On the OSU campus, he is more widely known for having
served as the first Dean of the University Honors College (UHC), which he led from
its formation in 1995 to 2008. As Dean, Hendricks helped to shape the UHC's admissions
standards, grew enrollments, recruited teaching faculty, and carved out physical spaces,
including an honors dorm and two dedicated honors study spaces. Hendricks' interview
focuses on his scholarly achievements in gerontology, and the formation and growth
of the University Honors College at OSU.
John Henley Oral History Interviews
Two life history interviews conducted by Chris Petersen.
December 22, 2014
John Henley (b. 1951) is a Portland native and appraiser of rare books and manuscripts
who was instrumental in building Powell's Books, serving as the store's first manager
and remaining on staff for more than a decade. He is also the son of Elizabeth Henley
(1912-1981), an accomplished poet and former member of the English faculty at Oregon
State. In the 1930s, during her tenure as an English professor at the University of
Washington, Elizabeth Henley was active in the American Communist Party. In 1956,
fearful of the potential repercussions that might arise from her past political activities,
Henley consented to being committed to the Oregon State Penitentiary for the Criminally
Insane. She remained there for more than two years before securing her release and
joining the staff at Oregon State College. She taught English at Oregon State from
1959 to her retirement in 1975. Over two interviews, John Henley tells his mother's
remarkable story; details the history of Powell's Books; and shares numerous other
tales of a life spent scouting rare books and working in the retail book trade.
Katharine Jefferts Schori Oral History Interview
Life history interview conducted by Janice Dilg.
August 15, 2014
Katharine Jefferts Schori (b. 1954) has lived a life inspired by both science and
faith. Jefferts Schori received both a master's degree and a Ph.D. in Oceanography
from Oregon State University, in the process becoming the first female to earn a doctorate
from the university's Oceanography program. It was in Corvallis that Jefferts Schori
also grew more actively involved in the Episcopal Church, first as a lay member and
later as a member of the clergy. In 2000 Jefferts Schori entered into a more prominent
leadership role within the church when she was elected Bishop of the Nevada diocese.
And in 2006 she was elected to a nine-year term as Presiding Bishop and Primate of
the Episcopal Church, the first woman to occupy this role. Her interview focuses on
her upbringing and education, her development as a scientist and a woman of faith,
and her experiences as a leader within the Episcopal Church.
Chris Johns Oral History Interview
Life history interview conducted by Janice Dilg.
December 15, 2014
Chris Johns (b. 1951), a native of Central Point, Oregon, attended OSU from 1970-1974,
studying Agriculture before changing his major to Technical Journalism. A photojournalist
for the OSU student newspaper, Johns went on to become a lauded photographer for several
newspapers and magazines, and was named National Newspaper Photographer of the Year
in 1979. In 1988 Johns began a formal association with National Geographic magazine, where he was hired as a staff photographer, and spent the next two years
living and working in Africa. In the late 1990s, Johns joined the magazine's editorial
staff and, in 2005, he was named Editor in Chief, the ninth such person to hold this
position since the founding of National Geographic in 1888. His interview focuses on the roots of his love for photojournalism and
the arc of his career as a photographer, writer and editor.
Nancy Kerns Oral History Interview
Life history interview conducted by Chris Petersen.
November 21, 2014
Nancy Kerns (b. 1956) graduated from OSU in 1978 with a bachelor's degree in American
Studies. After completing law school in 1981, Kerns began a career in the legal profession
that has included stints as deputy district attorney for Umatilla County and, since
2011, city attorney for the city of Pendleton. Kerns is the first and only woman
in Pendleton's history to have held the office of city attorney. Her interview includes
reflections on the American Studies program at OSU during the mid-1970s; memories
of law school and studying for the bar exam; and a look back on an accomplished legal
career spent primarily in rural eastern Oregon.
Paul Kopperman Oral History Interview
Life history interview conducted by Mike Dicianna.
September 2, 2014
Paul Kopperman (b. 1945) has taught history at OSU since his arrival in 1978. Specializing
in 18th century British military and medical history, Kopperman has also served as
advisor to both the OSU History Club and the OSU Religious Studies Club. An active
member of the local Jewish community, Kopperman has been closely associated with Holocaust
Remembrance Week at OSU from the time of its initial organization in 1986. Kopperman
has directed Remembrance Week activities since 1993 and, in this capacity, has been
responsible for bringing to campus several prominent scholars of genocide as well
as some two dozen Holocaust survivors. His interview focuses on his academic career,
growth and change in the regional Jewish community, and the history of Holocaust Remembrance
Week at Oregon State University.
Denise Lach Oral History Interview
Life history interview conducted by Chris Petersen.
July 21, 2015
Denise Lach (b. 1955) is a social scientist who has lead multiple research institutes
at OSU, including the Center for the Analysis of Environmental Change, and the Center
for Water and Environmental Stability. A member of the Oregon State faculty since
1996, Lach was named director of the College of Liberal Arts' School of Public Policy
when it was created in 2010, and she continues to serve in that capacity today. Lach's
interview focuses upon her path through academia, her development as a social scientist,
her research on the social and policy dimensions of various natural resources issues,
and her perspective on change and advancement within OSU's College of Liberal Arts.
Jon Lewis Oral History Interview
Life history interview conducted by Chris Petersen.
May 4, 2017
Jon Lewis (b. 1955) is a Distinguished Professor of Film Studies who has been a member
of the OSU English faculty since arriving in 1984. The first professor in university
history to be dedicated full-time to Film Studies, Lewis created much of the curriculum
used in OSU's film classes today. He is also a prolific author who has written well-received
books on different shifts in Hollywood film culture, and is a scholar of the life
and work of director Francis Ford Coppola. His 2010 book on The Godfather has been translated into French, Turkish and Mandarin. In his interview, Lewis reflects
on his discovery and love of film; his work in creating a Film Studies program at
OSU; and the different books that he has authored over the course of his career.
Bill Lunch Oral History Interviews
Two life history interviews conducted by Chris Petersen.
March 2015
Bill Lunch (b. 1949) was a member of the OSU Political Science department from 1984
to his retirement in 2011, serving as chair of the department for his final eight
years on faculty. For the majority of his time at Oregon State, Lunch also worked
as a political commentator for Oregon Public Broadcasting, filing reports and offering
his opinions on regional political affairs, and regularly appearing on both radio
and television. Over two interviews, Lunch describes the ways in which this dual
career evolved and flourished over the course of nearly three decades at Oregon State.
He also offers his opinions on numerous individuals who have made a major impact on
the university, and shares his perspective on the resignation of Governor John Kitzhaber,
which took place just one month before these interviews.
Starr McMullen Oral History Interview
Life history interview conducted by Chris Petersen.
September 4, 2015
Starr McMullen (b. 1951) was a member of the OSU Economics faculty from 1980 to her
retirement in 2014, serving as department chair from 2001 to 2005. An award-winning
scholar of transportation economics, McMullen has also served on the Oregon Governor's
Council of Economic Advisors since 2003. McMullen is likewise an accomplished violinist
and fiddler, who won the 2014 National Senior Fiddle Championship at the National
Oldtime Fiddle Contest. Her interview traces her work in economics; her institutional
memories of the Economics department at OSU; her perspective on the struggles that
women continue to face in academia; and her on-going pursuits as a musician.
Janet Nishihara Oral History Interview
Life history interview conducted by Chris Petersen.
September 2, 2015
Janet Nishihara (b. 1956) first came into contact with OSU as an undergraduate, majoring
in English Education and completing her degree in 1978. She returned to Oregon State
in 1980 as a master's degree student in the College Student Services Administration
program, a time period during which she also became involved with the Educational
Opportunities Program (EOP) at OSU. For more than three decades following, Nishihara
has played a central role in a wide variety of student support and diversity development
initiatives on campus. In 2009, after many years on staff, Nishihara was promoted
to director of EOP, the mission of which is to provide support for the personal and
academic development of traditionally underrepresented students at OSU. In her interview,
Nishihara reflects on her upbringing as a third generation Japanese-American raised
in rural eastern Oregon; discusses her multifaceted experiences as a student and faculty
member at OSU; and shares her perspective on diversity advancement at the university
from the mid-1970s to present day.
Mary Jo Nye Oral History Interviews
Two life history interviews conducted by Chris Petersen.
March 2015
Mary Jo Nye (b. 1944) is a historian of science who was a member of the OSU History
faculty from 1994 to her retirement in 2008. Nye and her husband Robert, also a historian,
served as the first Thomas Hart and Mary Jones Horning Professors of the Humanities,
and in this capacity were charged with deepening the link between the sciences and
the humanities at OSU. A prolific and accomplished scholar of 19th and 20th century
history of science in Europe and the U.S., Mary Jo Nye received the Sarton Medal,
the highest award granted by the History of Science Society, in 2006. Over two interviews,
Nye traces the evolution of her academic interests in science and the history of science,
discusses her work on several books, and reflects on her fourteen years as Horning
chair at OSU.
Michael Oriard Oral History Interviews
Two life history interviews conducted by Chris Petersen.
March 2015
Michael Oriard (b. 1948) is a Distinguished Professor Emeritus of American Literature
and Culture who worked at OSU from 1976 to his retirement in 2013. Oriard is also
a former professional football player who, after receiving All American honors at
the University of Notre Dame, spent four seasons in the National Football League as
an offensive lineman with the Kansas City Chiefs. As an academic, Oriard's primary
focus has been the cultural history of football, and he is widely recognized as an
expert on the United States' most popular sport. In two interviews, Oriard discusses
his life as a student athlete and professional football player, his growth and productivity
as a scholar, and the fragile status and uncertain future of American football.
José-Antonio Orosco Oral History Interview
Life history interview conducted by Janice Dilg.
June 25, 2015
José-Antonio Orosco (b. 1971) is a Philosophy professor at OSU and the director of
the university's Peace Studies program. A former union organizer and student activist,
Orosco is presently the faculty advisor for the Centro Cultural César Chávez as well
as the OSU chapter of Movimiento Estudantil Chicano/Chicana de Aztlan. The author
of the 2008 book, Cesar Chavez and the Common Sense of Nonviolence, Orosco is also a founding member of OSU Faculty and Staff for Peace and Justice,
a co-founder of the Anarres Project for Alternative Futures, and president of the
OSU chapter of the American Association of University Professors. His interview focuses
on the path that he has taken as an academic and activist, his involvement with student
organizations and multicultural programming, and his perspectives on the teaching
and practice of engaged philosophy.
Bill Robbins Oral History Interview
Life history interview conducted by Mike Dicianna.
June 27, 2017
Bill Robbins (b. 1935) is a Distinguished Professor Emeritus of History who was an
active member of the OSU faculty from 1971 to 1999. Regarded today as a premiere historian
of the American West, Robbins came from a humble background, working as a logger and
elementary school teacher before completing his Ph.D. at the age of thirty-five. During
his highly accomplished career at Oregon State, Robbins authored a two-volume history
of Oregon as well as an acclaimed study of socioeconomic change on Oregon's central
coast. His later works include a biography of Oregon politician Monroe Sweetland and
a history of Oregon State University titled The People's School. Robbins' interview details his unusual path toward academia as well as his institutional
memories from a long career as an OSU History professor.
David Robinson Oral History Interview
Life history interview conducted by Janice Dilg.
September 30, 2015
David Robinson (b. 1947) was a member of the OSU English faculty from 1976 to his
retirement in 2016, and held the Oregon Professorship in English - the OSU College
of Liberal Arts' first endowed chair - from its inception in 1991. Recognized internationally
as an authority on American Transcendentalist authors, Robinson has written numerous
books on Ralph Waldo Emerson and Henry David Thoreau, among other nineteenth century
American writers and philosophers. For fifteen years Robinson also directed the OSU
Center for the Humanities, an institute dedicated to improving the vitality and quality
of humanities teaching and research at Oregon State. His interview focuses on his
personal scholarly evolution; his memories of significant change within the OSU English
department; and his perspective on the broader advancement of the humanities over
a forty year career at OSU.
Larry Roper Oral History Interview
Life history interview conducted by Janice Dilg.
November 7, 2014
Larry Roper (b. 1953) served as Vice Provost for Student Affairs from 1995 to his
retirement from upper administration in 2014. During his years as Vice Provost, Roper
proved instrumental to a number of university initiatives, including the OSU "Campus
Compact," the development of the first-year experience program, and a university-wide
assessment effort. Roper, who is one of the first African American upper administrators
in Oregon State history, has also been central to a variety of diversity actions both
on campus and in the community. A faculty member in the OSU Ethnic Studies department,
Roper now directs both the College Student Services Administration program as well
as the undergraduate minor in Social Justice. His interview traces his progression
as a leader within academia; documents his activities and contacts at Oregon State;
and reflects on both the continuing issues and the gradual progress of diversity enhancement
at OSU.
Patti Sakurai Oral History Interview
Life history interview conducted by Chris Petersen.
March 2, 2015
Patti Sakurai (b. 1966) has been a faculty member in OSU's Ethnic Studies department
since its founding in 1996. A scholar whose interests range from Japanese American
citizenship to Korean television dramas, Sakurai has also created nineteen different
courses in Ethnic Studies and Women's Studies during her tenure at Oregon State.
Sakurai has likewise branched out into the world of multimedia, producing documentary
shorts on a variety of subjects and serving as a charter member of the production
collective behind APA Compass, an Asian and Pacific American public affairs show broadcast on KBOO community radio.
Her interview focuses on her scholarly evolution from English to Ethnic Studies, the
history and ambitions of OSU's Ethnic Studies department, and the issues faced by
communities of color at OSU today.
Taylor Sarman Oral History Interview
Life history interview conducted by Chris Petersen.
November 16, 2015
Taylor Sarman (class of 2016) is a native of Union, Oregon, a small, rural community
located in the northeastern corner of the state. Interested in politics from an early
age, Sarman became active in student government as soon as he began high school, while
also engaging with the Oregon chapter of Future Business Leaders of America as a state
officer. In 2011, his senior year of high school, Sarman was elected as national
president of FBLA. After enrolling at OSU in 2012, Sarman held a number of positions
within the Associated Students of Oregon State University, culminating with his election
as student body president at the end of his sophomore year. Sarman was also the first
student to serve on OSU's newly created Board of Trustees. His interview traces his
life-long involvement in politics and public service, with particular attention paid
to his work with FBLA, his year as ASOSU President, and his experiences as a member
of the Board of Trustees.
Henry Sayre Oral History Interview
Life history interview conducted by Janice Dilg.
August 5, 2014
Henry Sayre (b. 1948) is a Distinguished Professor of Art History who has worked at
OSU since 1981 and at the OSU-Cascades campus since its opening in 2001. Sayre is
also an accomplished teacher and the author of a number of books, including a groundbreaking
art appreciation textbook, A World of Art, now in its seventh edition, and the children's book From Cave Paintings to Picasso, winner of an Oregon Book Award. As chair of the curriculum committee and as academic
provost, Sayre has also been instrumental in the on-going development of the Cascades
campus in Bend, Oregon. His interview focuses on his experiences as a professor in
the liberal arts at OSU, his leading role at OSU-Cascades, and his influential work
as an art historian and art educator.
Loretta Smith Oral History Interview
Life history interview conducted by Janice Dilg.
January 21, 2015
Loretta Smith (b. 1966) graduated from OSU in 1987. A Broadcast Communications major,
Smith was involved with KBVR television and radio during her student years, and also
developed close ties to the university's Educational Opportunities Program. Following
the completion of her degree, Smith spent twenty-one years working in the office of
Oregon Congressman Ron Wyden, first as a receptionist and later as a community liasion
and staff manager. In 2010 Smith successfully ran for election to the Multnomah County
Board of Commissioners, a position to which she was re-elected in 2014. In her interview,
Smith discusses her college experience at OSU, her political education as a member
of Wyden's staff, and her own career as a public servant.
Kevin Stoller Oral History Interview
Life history interview conducted by Mike Dicianna.
September 28, 2015
Kevin Stoller (b. 1976) earned two degrees from OSU, completing a double-major bachelor's
degree in Mathematics and History in 1999, and a master's degree in the History of
Science in 2002. Formerly the forum page editor for The Daily Barometer, Stoller was also a member of the first cohort of the University Honors College (UHC),
which began enrolling students in 1995, Stoller's sophomore year. After a period
of study at Harvard University, Stoller returned to Corvallis in 2009 where he is
now Director of External Relations and Operations for the UHC. His interview focuses
on OSU's campus culture during the mid- and late-1990s; the early years of the UHC;
and the many ways in which the college and university have changed in recent decades.
Pat Stone Oral History Interview
Life history interview conducted by Janice Dilg.
July 2, 2015
Pat Stone (b. 1947) is an Oregon State alum who graduated with a degree in History
in 1974. In the years that followed, Stone found success in the real estate title
business, at one point rising to the rank of CEO at Fidelity National Information
Services, and also founding two companies of his own - The Stone Group and Williston
Financial Group. Stone has also been heavily involved with the activities of the OSU
Foundation, spending more than a decade as a Foundation trustee or board member, and
serving as a co-chair of the Campaign for OSU fundraising initiative that raised over
$1.1 billion to support OSU's strategic goals. Stone's interview focuses on his early
years and military service in Vietnam, his path through college and university studies,
the progression of his career as a real estate executive, and the many contributions
that he has made to OSU and the OSU Foundation.
Warner Strausbaugh Oral History Interview
Life history interview conducted by Chris Petersen.
May 12, 2014
Warner Strausbaugh (class of 2014) served as Editor-in-Chief of the OSU Daily Barometer student newspaper for the 2013-2014 academic year. A Political Science major, Strausbaugh
spent four years on the Barometer staff and worked there in a number of capacities, including stints as a reporter
for multiple OSU sports beats as well as Sports Editor, Managing Editor and, finally,
Editor-in-Chief. His interview sheds light on the culture of the Barometer newsroom and the life of a student journalist. He also shares his opinions on student
attitudes and OSU's campus culture as it stood in 2014.
Cliff Trow Oral History Interview
Life history interview conducted by Janice Dilg.
December 13, 2013
Cliff Trow (b. 1929), a native of Kansas, spent thirty-one years on the OSU History
faculty, receiving the Organization of American Historians' Binkley-Stephenson Award
in 1972. In addition to his academic career, Trow - who has been involved in Democratic
Party politics since the late 1950s - was elected to the state Senate in 1974 and
represented District 18 until his retirement from office in 2003. A champion of education
in Oregon, Trow served on a number of committees, including periods chairing the Senate
Ways and Means Committee and the Senate Education Committee. He was also elected President
Pro Tempore of the Senate for 1981-1983. His interview focuses on his career at OSU
and in politics, and his long and fruitful marriage to Jo Anne Trow, herself a former
member of the OSU President's cabinet and a respected public figure.
Paul Turner Oral History Interview
Life history interview conducted by Chris Petersen.
June 24, 2015
Paul Turner (b. 1961) is a former OSU student in English who has founded and operated
two independent cinemas in downtown Corvallis - The Avalon and The Darkside. A student
journalist while at Oregon State, Turner has spent the majority of his working life
managing and operating movie theaters, beginning with his first job as an assistant
at the Woodburn Drive-In (where he lived in an apartment located under the screen)
and including a decade running the Kuhn Cinema in Lebanon, Oregon. In a decidedly
colorful interview, Turner discusses his life-long affection for movies, his associations
with OSU, the births and evolutions of The Avalon and The Darkside, and the many memorable
moments that have arisen over the course of a career spent working in independent
theaters.
Nicthé Verdugo Oral History Interview
Life history interview conducted by Chris Petersen.
February 13, 2015
Nicthé Verdugo (class of 2015) was heavily involved with a variety of student activist
groups during her undergraduate years at OSU. An Ethnic Studies major who also minored
in Women's Studies, Verdugo spent two years on staff at the OSU Women's Center and
was also an active member of Movimiento Estudiantil Chicano de Aztlán (MEChA) and
the Alta Gracia workers rights campaign, as organized by United Students Against Sweatshops,
a group that she helped to found. In her interview Verdugo discusses the development
of her own sense of identity, her activism in support of fair labor practices, the
culture of the Women's Center, and evolving conceptions of feminism among young people
today.
Dick Weinman Oral History Interviews
Two life history interviews conducted by Janice Dilg.
October 2014 - January 2015
Dick Weinman (b. 1933) was a Speech professor at Oregon State from 1967 to his retirement
in 1998, and also the on-air voice of Oregon Public Broadcasting's Morning Edition for nearly twenty-five years. During his career at OSU, Weinman played a fundamental
role in the creation and growth of KBVR-TV as well as the Broadcast Media Communications
program, which he led until its dissolution in 1992. An influential and innovative
teacher, Weinman also spearheaded a number of workshops and campus events meant to
improve the quality of education for the university's aspiring broadcasters. Among
many topics discussed over two interviews, Weinman reflects on his life in broadcasting;
his involvement with a wide array of documentary films and campus events; the evolution
of KBVR-TV; and the creation of the New Media Studies program.
Roger Werth Oral History Interview
Life history interview conducted by Janice Dilg.
June 16, 2014
Roger Werth (b. 1957) attended Oregon State University from 1975-1980, graduating
with a degree in Liberal Studies with emphases on journalism and photography. In May
1980, early in his career as a photojournalist, Werth captured several iconic images
of the catastrophic eruption of Mount St. Helens. In 1981 the staff of Werth's newspaper,
the Longview (Washington) Daily News, received the Pulitzer Prize for Local, General or Spot News Reporting, a major recognition
of the paper's coverage of the Mt. St. Helens story. Special commendation was given
by the Pulitzer committee to Werth for his photographs. Werth's interview focuses
upon his undergraduate years at OSU, his memories of the Mt. St. Helens eruption,
and his broader experiences in photojournalism.
A Remembrance of William Appleman Williams
An interview with Bill Robbins conducted by Chris Petersen.
March 27, 2012
William Appleman Williams (1921-1990), an influential American historian and writer,
was a member of the History faculty at Oregon State University from 1968-1986. He
is regarded to be a founder of the "revisionist school" of American diplomatic history.
A prolific author, Williams' The Contours of American History (1961), was named by the Modern Library as one of the 100 best non-fiction books
written in English in the twentieth century. Bill Robbins, Distinguished Professor
Emeritus of History, was a member of the OSU History faculty from 1971 to his retirement
in 1999. Williams and Robbins were close friends and valued colleagues, and in this
interview Robbins shares his recollections of Williams' work, personality and impact.
Mary Yates Oral History Interview
Life history interview conducted by Chris Petersen.
May 15, 2014
Mary (Carlin) Yates (b. 1946), a Portland native, attended Oregon State University
from 1964-1968, majoring in English. In 1980, following a brief teaching career and
graduate work in Asian Studies, Yates entered the diplomatic corps, beginning with
an assignment in South Korea as Public Affairs Officer. Over the course of a career
in public service that ultimately spanned more than thirty years, Yates served as
U.S. ambassador to Ghana and Burundi, as well as National Security Advisor on African
issues to the Obama White House. She likewise occupied posts in the Philippines, France,
Zaire and Sudan. Her interview focuses on her memories of Oregon State, her diplomatic
training, the numerous positions that she occupied within the Foreign Service, and
the details of daily life while living abroad.