OWHE Blog
Q&A with Dr. Mary Ellen Dello Stritto Nov 10 2019
Mary Ellen Dello Stritto, PhD is the Assistant Director of Research for Oregon State University Ecampus, where she is involved in the design and implementation of research studies on online education. She manages and oversees the statistical analysis for the research unit. She also directs the Research Fellows Program for faculty and edits a yearly white paper series. Her background is in psychology with a specialization in quantitative methodologies, survey design, and statistical analysis.
Tell us a little about the journey that led you to your current role in higher education.
Inspiration and Lessons Learned Oct 1 2019
Q&A with the OWHE Board
Who inspires you and why?
Tricia Brand, Director of Engagement: Too many family, friends, students, creators, leaders and public figures to count, but I’ll share my most recent inspirational person. Lena Waithe is a screenwriter, actor, and producer with a phenomenal set of projects she has supported, created and received critical acclaim for. What inspires me most about Lena is her remarkable ability to tell stories and to make space for womxn, BIPOC and QPOC in film, television and all forms of media. She has a new project called “Artists You Should Know”, where she is using her platform as a celebrity to introduce emerging creatives to bigger audiences. She demonstrates such wisdom, humility, enthusiasm, confidence and boundless energy. This woman is a force!
A Transition Journey - Moving Towards Myself Sep 5 2019
Gender identity and expression are two of the fastest growing conversations in the field of higher education in recent years. They are hot-button issues in both national politics and in our local institutions, the outcomes of which affect how we relate to our students and our fellow staff. While many people have no thought to their gender at all, a growing number of people in Oregon and in the world at large struggle with these questions and thoughts on a daily basis.
From Puerto Rico to the contiguous United States: Sahid's Journey in Higher Education Aug 12 2019
Sahid grew up in Cabo Rojo on the west coast of Puerto Rico and went to the best private schools in the region. From kindergarten through high school her classes were always taught in English (with the exception of Spanish classes). Her father was an engineer and similarly, her classmates’ parents also worked as engineers, doctors, and lawyers. As a student with strong math and science skills Sahid was encouraged to follow in her father’s footsteps. Her existence in this sheltered upper-class bubble normalized the privilege she experienced and kept her apart from the existence of students who came up through the public school system. This started to change when Sahid began to attend the University of Puerto Rico at Mayagüez, a public university with a strong engineering program. Classes were often taught in Spanish but there were some instructors who only taught in English or spoke Spanish but used textbooks written in English.
OWHE Board Recommends: Oregon Activities Jul 11 2019
In the last new members welcome, the board learned that many new members are new to Oregon and are looking to network and learn more about their new state. In light of this, OWHE Board members are sharing their favorite Oregon activities!
Tricia Brand: Nothing truly compares to walking or biking on the beach along the Oregon Coast. My favorite coastal point in Ecola State Park and Cannon Beach (with the big Haystack Rock and Marine Garden). It’s beautiful, iconic, and there are great hikes as well as low tide activities on the beach. My favorite Portland activity is the PSU Farmer’s Market!
OWHE and Me May 30 2019
I first joined OWHE by accident. I’m sure this sounds ridiculous, but it’s true. At the time, I was a graduate student at Oregon State University and I heard about this conference for women. I thought about it for a second, realized, well, I’m a woman, maybe I could do this conference thing. Plus, there was an OSU scholarship that would pay for my full registration as a graduate student. I figured – sure! Why not? So, I went to the conference on my home campus that winter day in 2014. It was a nice conference, but I have to admit, I was distracted throughout the day and had to leave to attend my most challenging course mid-morning. But, each time I went back to the conference, I was flabbergasted by the positivity, energy, and empowerment in the room. At the time, I was still learning where I fit into the grander scheme of higher education. I hadn’t necessarily discovered my niche functional area nor had I established my voice as a woman in higher education.