OWHE Blog
OWHE and Me: An Introduction to Erica Curry, Chair of the OWHE Board of Directors May 3 2018
My first conference with OWHE in 2015 changed the trajectory of my career and I still feel the ripples of that empowering weekend. I am so honored to be chosen as Chair of the Board for the same organization that has given me so much. As I begin this incredible opportunity, I want to leave you with a clearer understanding of what OWHE means to me and how it has directly impacted my career, as well as my values and my goals for the position of Chair of the Board.
OWHE Welcomes 4 New Board Members! Apr 17 2018
Oregon Women in Higher Education is thrilled to announce the 2018 Board of Directors thanks to a record number of votes from our membership! Current board members Jessika Chi, Lea Griess, and Sharece Bunn will continue to serve in their roles on the board. In addition, we welcome four new board members, each featured below:
Erica Noel Curry
Chair of the Board
Oregon State University, Academic Programs Manager
Leverage your Academic Experience to Build a Community Apr 5 2018
Whether you are a student, staff or faculty member within a university, you are automatically part of the academic community. In this day of social networking, you likely have a LinkedIn profile with numerous personal and professional connections (and if you don’t yet, what are you waiting for?). You’ve begun to build your network.
Networks are important.
Often, we build our networks with others in our discipline, or with people with whom we share a professional role. However, I ask you to consider that networks can reach beyond disciplines to provide a broader, richer platform for building value, asking questions, and solving problems.
What Do Women in Higher Education Need Right Now? Sponsorship Mar 15 2018
When someone looks back on a successful career, they often reminisce about the mentors who supported them on their journey. They think of those moments when they were at a fork in the road, and a wise sage imparted advice that helped them to make important decisions that impacted their career trajectory. While mentors are important and cherished figures in our professional life, it is the direct influence of sponsors that is the most critical. What separates a mentor from a sponsor is, quite simply, power.
In her book, “Forget a Mentor, Find a Sponsor: The New Way to Fast Track your Career” author Sylvia Ann Hewlett shares that if you are interested in fast-tracking your career, what you need is a senior-level champion who believes in your potential and is willing to advocate for you, (2013).
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