OWHE Blog
Celebrating Women's History Month Mar 1 2018
In celebration of Women’s History Month, Women of Color Day, and International Women’s Day, we recognize the progress women have made over the years – in education, in political office, in boardrooms, and in our community – and there is still so much work to be done to achieve true equity for all women, especially for women of color and trans women. Here are 6 ways you can honor the contributions of women to history and contemporary society:
Reflections from OWHE 2018 Feb 1 2018
First and foremost, I want to thank all the amazing, talented, and hard working women that made OWHE a success. From our volunteers to our Keynote, Dr. Susana Rivera-Mills, and from the board members to our presenters, I am so grateful for all the passion, energy and creativity that went into this conference. Ever since my first conference in 2013, OWHE has been my professional home. It was the first conference I presented at, the first conference I volunteered at and the first conference that truly inspired me to challenge myself both personally and professionally. If you would have told me five years ago that I would be coordinating the OWHE conference, I probably wouldn’t have believed you. I’ve always enjoyed being involved in leadership, but never the one to lead. In high school student government, in undergraduate clubs, and on committee positions on campus. I was happy to be a part of the planning, but tended to thrive in the background, or as a worker bee.
10 Encouragements for Ambitious Women Jan 4 2018
About four years ago, I was walking down the hallway at my new job at Oregon State University. It was my first grown-up, full-time job and my introduction to working in international higher education. I was hungry to learn and try and do. Valerie Rosenberg, who was the Assistant Executive Director of INTO Oregon State University at the time, pulled me in to her office as I was walking past. “I think you’re a leader,” she said, “and I want to help you.”
Empowered women empower women.
Here are 10 pieces of advice, ideas and resources that have helped and stretched me over the past few years—Many of which given to me by women like Valerie who cared about me and wanted to see me succeed.
1. Hustle.
“Good things may come to those who wait, but only things left by those who hustled.” – (maybe) Abraham Lincoln
Chrysanthemum's Journey to OWHE Dec 14 2017
In the time leading up to my first professional job post-grad school, I held a number of employment and volunteer positions: swim instructor, ELL tutor for migrant workers, pre-school aid, spinning teacher, running shoe salesperson, waitress, youth volunteer coordinator, soup kitchen cook, and intern at a non-profit policy think tank. Although perhaps not the most obvious of connections, I look back at that list and see some important common threads. In some way, these were all service roles.
What's In A Leader? Dec 7 2017
“What’s in a name?” It’s one of Shakespeare’s most famous quotes from Romeo and Juliet, signifying the two leading characters’ belief that their family names (and corresponding conflicts) are meaningless in the face of their love for each other. It’s a lovely idea that names are purely abstract, but as many of us in higher education know so well, a name—or language, more broadly—can mean a great deal. In reflecting on the values of Oregon Women in Higher Education (OWHE), I found myself getting hung up on one of them in particular, due the lasting associations I often make with the word: Leadership. When I saw it, I immediately thought, “Nope! Not going to write about that one.”
My Top 10 Resources to Help Navigate Cultural Nuances Impacting our Daily Work Nov 30 2017
Every day in higher education we collaborate with, serve, and encounter people from all walks of life. Our institutions value and pride themselves on promoting and supporting diversity and inclusion in both the student body and the professionals they employ (in other words - us). So, how are we ensuring that we align with that value in the work that we do? What does it mean to support the diversity and inclusion of students, faculty and staff in your job?
Navigating the Quiet Nov 16 2017
I was recently in a small conversation with four or five colleagues when a big question was posed. I immediately began to think about my response, possible items that I might want to include, ways that I might phrase my thoughts, possibilities for misinterpretations, and in the midst of all of this, the questioner turned to me and suggested, “Emma, how about you go ahead and get us started.” I laughed, uncomfortably, and knew that I was just going to have jump in and go for it. To the speaker’s credit, she did graciously laugh and recognize, “You are an introvert, aren’t you? I have a knack for putting introverts on the spot.”
Since the release and success of Susan Cain’s Quiet: The Power of Introverts in a World that Can’t Stop Talking, I have experienced a noticeable change and nuance in the ways that my professors, colleagues, and peers think about introversion.