The Oregon State University Sesquicentennial Oral History Project

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Affiliation: College of Liberal Arts

George Abed Oral History Interview - December 16, 2014

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.

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Katy Barber Oral History Interview - November 12, 2015

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.

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Baseball National Champions, Back-to-Back - October 2015 - July 2016

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.

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Harrison Branch Oral History Interview - February 23, 2015

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.

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Susan Castillo Oral History Interview - June 17, 2014

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.

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Lynne Clendenin Oral History Interview - February 19, 2015

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.

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Roosevelt Credit Oral History Interview - April 25, 2014

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.

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Tracy Daugherty Oral History Interview - June 2, 2015

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.

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Jodie Davaz Oral History Interviews - May 2014 - May 2015

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.

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Natalie Dollar Oral History Interview - August 5, 2015

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.

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Jenna Dorn Oral History Interview - September 17, 2013

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.

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James Douglass Oral History Interview - December 5, 2013

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.

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Jim Edmunson Oral History Interview - November 10, 2014

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.

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Paul Farber Oral History Interviews - October 2014

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.

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Steve Fenk Oral History Interview - August 12, 2014

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.

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Legends of OSU Gymnastics - October 2014

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.

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Tim Hall Oral History Interview - June 25, 2014

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.

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Karim Hamdy Oral History Interview - October 10, 2014

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.

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Charlotte Headrick Oral History Interview - April 7, 2015

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.

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Joe Hendricks Oral History Interview - August 4, 2014

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.

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John Henley Oral History Interviews - December 22, 2014

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.

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Katharine Jefferts Schori Oral History Interview - August 15, 2014

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.

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Chris Johns Oral History Interview - December 15, 2014

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.

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Nancy Kerns Oral History Interview - November 21, 2014

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.

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Paul Kopperman Oral History Interview - September 2, 2014

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.

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Denise Lach Oral History Interview - July 21, 2015

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.

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Jon Lewis Oral History Interview - May 4, 2017

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.

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Bill Lunch Oral History Interviews - March 2015

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.

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Starr McMullen Oral History Interview - September 4, 2015

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.

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Janet Nishihara Oral History Interview - September 2, 2015

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.

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Mary Jo Nye Oral History Interviews - March 2015

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.

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Michael Oriard Oral History Interviews - March 2015

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.

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José-Antonio Orosco Oral History Interview - June 25, 2015

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.

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Bill Robbins Oral History Interview - June 27, 2017

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.

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David Robinson Oral History Interview - September 30, 2015

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.

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Larry Roper Oral History Interview - November 7, 2014

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.

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Patti Sakurai Oral History Interview - March 2, 2015

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.

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Taylor Sarman Oral History Interview - November 16, 2015

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.

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Henry Sayre Oral History Interview - August 5, 2014

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.

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Loretta Smith Oral History Interview - January 21, 2015

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.

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Kevin Stoller Oral History Interview - September 28, 2015

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.

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Pat Stone Oral History Interview - July 2, 2015

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.

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Warner Strausbaugh Oral History Interview - May 12, 2014

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.

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Cliff Trow Oral History Interview - December 13, 2013

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.

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Paul Turner Oral History Interview - June 24, 2015

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.

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Nicthé Verdugo Oral History Interview - February 13, 2015

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.

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Dick Weinman Oral History Interviews - October 2014 - January 2015

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.

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Roger Werth Oral History Interview - June 16, 2014

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.

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A Remembrance of William Appleman Williams - March 27, 2012

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.

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Mary Yates Oral History Interview - May 15, 2014

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.

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