Interviewer: Shannon Warren, Jean Schumer and Ruth Mwandira
Interview Date: January 30, 2010
Location: Orzech residence, Corvallis, Oregon
Duration: 1:31:17
In this interview, Miriam “Mimi” Orzech discusses her early life in great detail. Born in New York City to a military doctor, Orzech remembers moving frequently around the U.S. during the Second World War until her family settled outside of Portland, Oregon in Lake Oswego. Orzech recalls her first job as a waitress at the Officer’s Club and then graduating from high school in Portland.
Orzech then reminisces on starting her college career at Reed College but ultimately transferring to UC Berkeley for a degree in History. While in Berkeley, Orzech met her husband, Ze’ev Orzech and after she completed her degree, she worked as a high school teacher in Pittsburg, California. The couple then moved to Corvallis partly because of the town's proximity to Miriam’s parents but also because Ze’ev received a job as a professor at Oregon State College.
Their first impressions of the town were filled with apprehension due to the homogeneity of Corvallis and its limited cultural activities, so they both set out to enhance the cultural options of the town. Orzech then discusses the small Jewish community of Corvallis and that she and her husband often put on fundraising activities.
Later, Orzech decided to pursue a multidisciplinary master's degree at Oregon State University and, once completed, she began work with the newly created Educational Opportunities Program (EOP). Lonnie B. Harris, the director of the program, hired Mimi to be its academic coordinator. After Harris’ death, Orzech decided to apply as the new director of the EOP. Though she was highly qualified for the position, the president of the university was hesitant to hire her, claiming that, because she was a white woman, the program might not flourish. Orzech eventually did receive the job and the EOP enjoyed success. Nine years later, she was offered a position as a vice-provost in charge of all minority programs on campus, including the EOP.
Orzech then discusses how she later realized she wanted to start an outreach program for minority students in public schools. The fruit of this ideas was S.M.I.L.E (Science/Math Investigative Learning Experiences), a program to help educate minority and disadvantaged students in Oregon public schools. She first started the program in middle schools and, after receiving more funding, the program branched out to elementary and high schools. Orzech was then able to establish a summer program for graduated S.M.I.L.E. students in high school, known as S.T.A.R.S., which helped give students a chance to apply and qualify for scholarships into colleges and universities.
Orzech concludes the interview by stating that she wants to be remembered for the S.M.I.L.E. program, and though university politics could sometimes get in the way for her, Orzech enjoyed making S.M.I.L.E. successful.
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Orzech then reminisces on starting her college career at Reed College but ultimately transferring to UC Berkeley for a degree in History. While in Berkeley, Orzech met her husband, Ze’ev Orzech and after she completed her degree, she worked as a high school teacher in Pittsburg, California. The couple then moved to Corvallis partly because of the town's proximity to Miriam’s parents but also because Ze’ev received a job as a professor at Oregon State College.
Their first impressions of the town were filled with apprehension due to the homogeneity of Corvallis and its limited cultural activities, so they both set out to enhance the cultural options of the town. Orzech then discusses the small Jewish community of Corvallis and that she and her husband often put on fundraising activities.
Later, Orzech decided to pursue a multidisciplinary master's degree at Oregon State University and, once completed, she began work with the newly created Educational Opportunities Program (EOP). Lonnie B. Harris, the director of the program, hired Mimi to be its academic coordinator. After Harris’ death, Orzech decided to apply as the new director of the EOP. Though she was highly qualified for the position, the president of the university was hesitant to hire her, claiming that, because she was a white woman, the program might not flourish. Orzech eventually did receive the job and the EOP enjoyed success. Nine years later, she was offered a position as a vice-provost in charge of all minority programs on campus, including the EOP.
Orzech then discusses how she later realized she wanted to start an outreach program for minority students in public schools. The fruit of this ideas was S.M.I.L.E (Science/Math Investigative Learning Experiences), a program to help educate minority and disadvantaged students in Oregon public schools. She first started the program in middle schools and, after receiving more funding, the program branched out to elementary and high schools. Orzech was then able to establish a summer program for graduated S.M.I.L.E. students in high school, known as S.T.A.R.S., which helped give students a chance to apply and qualify for scholarships into colleges and universities.
Orzech concludes the interview by stating that she wants to be remembered for the S.M.I.L.E. program, and though university politics could sometimes get in the way for her, Orzech enjoyed making S.M.I.L.E. successful.