OSU Counseling student Violeta A. Murrieta’s research centers on how school counselors support undocumented students with their social-emotional needs, academic needs, post-secondary options, and community resources. As part of the College of Education’s recognition of Mental Health Awareness Month, we interviewed Violeta via email to learn what she’s discovering about the stressors this unique population.

College of Education: Thank you for joining us, Violeta. Can you tell us a little bit about your background and what you are studying and researching at Oregon State University?

Violeta: Sure! I am currently a doctoral candidate pursuing a PhD in Counselor Education and Supervision here at Oregon State. I have been a school counselor for over nine years and I am licensed in California and Nevada. Currently, I work as an elementary school counselor in the Bay Area. I love being a counselor, I enjoy helping students and working with families. I am passionate about supporting the undocumented population, as a former high school counselor I witnessed the difficulties undocumented students experienced and how difficult it was for them to explore post-secondary options with their status looming over them. When I was accepted in the PhD program, I knew right away I wanted my research to focus on the undocumented population. Therefore, my current studies aim to explore how school counselors support undocumented students with their social-emotional needs, academic needs, and post-secondary options given the unique stressors they experience both in and out of school.

College of Education: Adolescence is a tough time for anyone, but do undocumented students have some unique stressors on them?

Violeta: Undocumented youth absolutely experience additional stressors, such as, adapting to a new culture, language barriers, limited postsecondary and work options, trauma, and fear of deportation amongst other things. Living with this uncertainty can exasperate other issues as well. The stressors that undocumented students face impact all aspects of their life, and this is why I am curious about how school counselors support this population. 

College of Education: What kind of barriers to treatment might a school counselor have when dealing with an undocumented student? 

Violeta: There are many barriers that school counselors face when attempting to support undocumented students. When referring students to mental health services, students and their families are hesitant to seek these resources due to possibly having to disclose their status, lack of insurance, and lack of official identification. Another barrier may be stigma around mental health.

College of Education: The College of Education is doing a lot of research around how the COVID-19 pandemic impacted K-12 schools and students over the last three years. How were undocumented students affected by the pandemic? Did they encounter some challenges unique to their situations?

Violeta: Undocumented families were largely affected by the pandemic, parents and guardians lost their jobs and they were not eligible for government assistance, which resulted in housing and food insecurity.

College of Education: There has always been a stigma around mental health concerns in this country. What can K-12 counselors do to help mitigate feelings of shame or embarrassment among any students who may have emotional or mental health concerns?

Violeta: As a school counselor, it is imperative to normalize feelings from an early age. I present classroom curriculum lessons on social emotional learning to all grade levels. We practice coping strategies and have discussions about how to express our feelings. My hope is that by normalizing this, students will feel more comfortable discussing their feelings and reaching out for help.

College of Education: What’s one big message you’d really like K-12 school personnel to know about mental health and their students?

Violeta: I am a firm believer that in order for students to be successful in school (i.e. academics) we must tend to their mental well-being first. It is important for educators to be knowledgeable about signs of distress. We have the privilege of connecting with students every day, if you recognize or have an inclination that something is wrong, reach out to a school counselor immediately. 

Dr. Amanda Kibler, a professor in the College of Education, centers her research and interest in
language and literacy development for multilingual children, adolescents, and families who are
from immigrant backgrounds and are learning English as an additional language in the United
States. In her recent publication in the International Journal of Bilingual Education and
Bilingualism, “‘I’ll be the hero’: how adolescents negotiate intersectional identities within a high
school language program”, Dr. Kibler examines students in dual language immersion programs
— where students from different language backgrounds learned Spanish and English together
— and witnesses the interactions and negotiations between students and their identities.

Dr. Kibler uses the term “intersectional identities” throughout her research. She explains this as
an “idea that our identities are both multiple and they’re inseparable from each other… and that
particular combinations of identities might bring us more or less power and privilege in a
setting.”


These identities are related to age, race, gender, class, language, gender, sexuality, etc. Kibler
also describes intersectional identities as having a micro and macro level that makes you who
you are. Macro levels would be the items listed above, and micro levels are things that come up
during our interactions with others such as how to hold a conversation or engage with others.
Dr. Kibler explains that within our school systems, intersectional identities are often ignored.
Students are typically treated as a single category or a single box to check, which inaccurately
reduces complex people to singular labels. This can lead to stereotyping and can create
inaccurate and unfair expectations for how a student may perform.


During Dr. Kibler’s study, Spanish- and English-background adolescents in a dual language
immersion classroom were given a task of creating a bilingual children’s book for elementary
school children. Kibler’s research team observed how the adolescents brought themselves into
the conversation of writing these books and how they “negotiated” their complex identities that
may have had more or less power in that setting.


During the creation of their books, the adolescents put together not only their academic
identities, but also their social, extracurricular, racial, linguistic and gendered identities. For
multilingual students from immigrant backgrounds who spoke Spanish as a home language, Dr.
Kibler and her colleagues found that students’ Spanish expertise both helped and hindered their
efforts to assert powerful and positive identities in the dual language program. In some cases,
these students’ expertise in Spanish helped them create more privileged identities for
themselves that disrupted traditional power dynamics. In other cases, however, peers’
misunderstandings about these multilingual students’ Spanish expertise led to them being seen
as either uncooperative or unskilled in their own home languages. So how can teachers use Dr. Kibler’s information to enhance learning and involvement in class?

One way is to make sure students feel like they are in a safe and accepting environment to be
able to claim their own identities. Stereotypes exist even in dual language programs, and so
teachers in all settings need to consider issues of power and privilege.


“Multilingual adolescents may bring some very powerful identities, and some very marginalized
identities in combination, and we have to listen to them to understand what those identities are,”
said Dr. Kibler.


Listening carefully to their students — rather than making assumptions — can help teachers
understand who and what their identities are. Dr. Kibler also states that it is important to talk
directly with the students and encourage them to challenge stereotypes inside and outside the
classroom so that both educators and students can work together to create more equitable classroom environments.

Dr. Randy Bell with his motorbike
Dr. Randy Bell with his brand new motorbike.

Hà Nội Ơi!

Greetings from Vietnam! In my regular job, I serve as Associate Dean of Academic Affairs and Science Education Professor at OSU’s College of Education. This year I’m on the very first sabbatical of my career, serving as visiting professor in the University of Education at Vietnam National University (VNU). I am also honored to serve here as a Fulbright Scholar.

The Fulbright Program is the U.S. government’s flagship international cultural exchange program, whose goal is to promote understanding between nations, advance knowledge across communities, and improve lives worldwide. As a Fulbright Scholar, I teach science education classes, provide professional development for VNU faculty, assist students and faculty with English speaking skills, and explore the possibility of a teaching internship for OSU students in Hà Nội schools. Even my day-to-day activities are part of the Fulbright mission, as I interact with my Vietnamese friends and neighbors and promote good will and mutual understanding.

Being introduced to VNU Faculty of Natural Sciences. (Photo by Randy Bell.)

This will be the first in a series of blogs that, along with plenty of photos, will recount my experiences in Vietnam. Through these updates, I hope not only to share more about this beautiful country and its people, but how my work as a faculty member of the College of Education is impacting university faculty and students on the other side of the world. 

My first full month in Vietnam (October) was very busy! I moved into offices on two campuses and participated in Freshman welcoming ceremonies at the newly opened Hoa Lac VNU campus. This month I also conducted a half-dozen faculty seminars, taught three lessons to science education students, led Vietnamese children on a museum tour, provided three keynote addresses and was interviewed by a national Morning Show TV host. I even purchased a motorbike for transportation.

Keynote address for grand opening of VNU University of Education new location at Hoa Lac. (Photo by Randy Bell.)

Speaking of motorbikes, traffic is something else here in Hà Nội! Traffic rules are viewed simply as mild suggestions, and it’s not uncommon to see drivers blatantly run red lights or drive the wrong way on a six-lane highway! Even crossing the street is hazardous, as pedestrians do not have the right of way. Westerners here exclaim in frustration (and fear) that Hà Nội traffic is crazy, and most can’t believe I drive here. But I think that’s not the only way to look at it– Hà Nội traffic norms are undoubtedly different from what’s familiar, but they work for Hà Nội. In the US, we (generally) obey traffic rules so that we can drive safely at high speeds on fairly open roads. In Hà Nội, where the roads are exponentially more crowded, it’s the driver’s responsibility to maintain a reasonable speed and anticipate other drivers and pedestrians to make unexpected moves. When this happens, you simply drive around the temporary obstacle while beeping your horn. In this way, traffic flows, and people get where they’re going even when the traffic is extremely heavy. 

I see Hà Nội traffic as a metaphor for my Fulbright experience here in Vietnam. The language, professional, and cultural norms here differ significantly from what I’ve known as an OSU professor. As a visitor to this rich culture, I am enjoying the opportunity to experience these differences and step outside of my comfort zone as I consider new possibilities for how to work and live productively. I am blessed with new friends and colleagues eager to guide me on this journey to understand and become a better-connected citizen of the world. Living abroad can be difficult, and even a little scary at times, but just like crossing a busy street in Hà Nội, faith, courage, and little help from your friends can get you where you want to be.

My home for the next year is the Nam Từ Liêm district of Hà Nội, the capital city of Vietnam. Being from Oregon, I’m used to rainy weather, but still adjusting to the high temperature and higher humidity here.

Sunset on West lake, Hà Nội
Sunset on West lake, Hà Nội. (Photo by Randy Bell)

People have been living in Hà Nội for more than 1,000 years, so there’s plenty to do and see when I’m not engaged in professional duties.  My colleagues and I have formed an English Club in which they hone their conversational English skills and I work on my Vietnamese. We always have a great time, and travel around Hà Nội for great food and views. Of all the wonderful things I’ve experienced in Vietnam, the best is the friendship and good times I’ve enjoyed with my new colleagues.

Till next time, Tạm biệt! Randy

Photo of a person sitting with a laptop in front of them on a desk and their hand on a computer mouse.

Dr. Arien K. Muzacz, clinical associate professor for the College of Education’s Master of Counseling Clinical Mental Health Counseling program, is helping usher in a new era where counseling services will reach clients through technology. 

Last fall, Dr. Muzacz was the recipient of a professional development award from the National Board for Certified Counselors (NBCC); this summer, she completed required trainings and a national exam to earn a new credential, the BC-TMH (Board Certification in Telemental Health). The award, which is presented through the NBCC’s Center for Credentialing & Education, included a $500 award to help Dr. Muzacz facilitate professional development in the area of telemental health.

The NBCC is the nation’s premier certification board devoted to credentialing those who meet standards for the general and specialty practices of professional counseling. The organization also provides what is considered the Gold Standard for those practicing remotely or specializing in telemental health. 

Telehealth, which is the distribution of health-related services through technology, is not new. Many Oregonians have used technology to communicate with their health care providers in some form or another, whether it is setting up appointments, checking lab results, or consulting on a new health concern. However, telehealth became more common and more vital during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic. But, the telehealth innovations that came out of that global crisis do not always benefit clients in need of counseling services. 

Beyond the obvious privacy concerns, many Oregonians may not have access to internet-ready devices, or the bandwidth needed to get telehealth services. Even in heavily populated areas like Portland, potential clients may rely on libraries or other public spaces for their internet access — hardly an ideal situation for a counseling session. 

“As counselors, we are always looking for ways to reduce barriers for our clients,” said Dr. Muzacz. “Telehealth has great potential in this area. Even without the pandemic, telehealth could help counselors reach those living in very rural locations, or in smaller communities where in-person counseling services are few or nonexistent.”

But barriers still exist. Beyond access to the needed technology, Dr. Muzacz notes that it is vital for counselors to ensure confidentiality and implement best practices to make sure clients receive the same quality of care they would when meeting with a counselor in person.

“During the height of the pandemic, some privacy requirements through the Health and Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) were waived as the need for telemental health grew during an unprecedented crisis,” said Dr. Muzacz. “But as social distancing and other restrictions have eased, those exemptions are being reversed and counselors providing remote services will need to adapt to ensure privacy for their clients.”

Dr. Muzacz’s NBCC certification will allow her to build on her own expertise as a professional counselor and set an example for many of the College of Education Master’s students who are considering careers in telemental health.

“Due largely to the COVID-19 pandemic, working from home is very appealing to many of our students,” Dr. Muzacz said. “It’s our responsibility to fill in the gaps in their training to make sure they’re providing the highest quality care. I’m looking forward to helping them integrate these standards into their professional practice.”

The College of Education congratulates Dr. Muzacz on her award and the vital work she does for our students and our fellow Oregonians.

Post written by Marsh Myers

When Greg Garcia discovered he was named 2021 Oregon History Teacher of the Year, all he could think about was Mike O’Malley. The senior instructor in the College of Education had died the previous day.

“Mike O’Malley is the entire reason why I’m in education right now,” Garcia says.  “I dedicate my award to Mike’s memory. Everything I do as a teacher is based on his example.”

Garcia was first introduced to O’Malley when he came to Oregon State in 2014. After receiving his master’s degree in American history from Western Oregon University, Garcia simultaneously earned his teaching license from Oregon State. Garcia was enrolled in both the ELA/Social Studies and English Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL) programs.

He now teaches Advanced Placement U.S. history and AP psychology at Franklin High School in Portland.

When Garcia graduated from Western Oregon University, he hoped to work at the U.S. State Department in the field of U.S./Latin American relations. He felt that if he worked hard enough, he could make history.

Garcia did go on to make history, just not in the way he thought he would.

From Dread to Gratitude

Education wasn’t Garcia’s initial career choice. After graduating from Western Oregon University his stepmother, an elementary school principal, along with his mother, a middle school English teacher, suggested Garcia go into teaching.

“At first, I was a little hesitant, because it’s a hard job,” he says.

Garcia experienced the lows early on. As a student-teacher, he was placed with a bilingual social studies teacher, at a school that ranked low in technology and had a 93% poverty rate.

Garcia recalls one of the most pivotal moments as a student-teacher being a day at school when his students erupted in aggression, yelling and throwing garbage at him.

Garcia came to dread the idea of being a teacher, thinking he wasn’t made for the job. But after an invitation to coffee with O’Malley, things changed.

“He talked me off the proverbial ledge and convinced me that things would get better,” Garcia says. “Every day I’m in the classroom I’m thankful Mike convinced me to stay.”

Garcia says he realized the significance O’Malley’s mentorship and teaching philosophy had on him after O’Malley’s death.

“Mike O’Malley did the heavy lifting over one of the worst chapters of my life,” he says. “Meeting Mike was my axial moment.”

Garcia also attributes his strengths as an educator to his stepmother for teaching him practicality, and his biological mother who taught him creativity. One of the most valuable lessons he learned from them was the idea that he must attend to a student’s needs before he can teach them. He does this every day, providing snacks and resources in his classroom.

Creating “well-informed citizens”

Franklin High School has a diverse student population, and Garcia’s classroom incorporates practical learning experiences into his teaching. Students explore a wide range of history topics, and they can participate in culturally diverse activities.

Before he was a teacher, during his time at Oregon State, Garcia designed museum exhibits, and that experience lives on in his classroom. He’s made graduate-level education available to traditionally underserved students with the opportunity to research and build their own exhibit on a historical narrative of their choosing. The exhibits are installed on campus and open to the public in the spring.

“I wish Mike O’Malley could see what has happened here because at Franklin, at one time we had more AP U.S. history classes than we did standard,” he says.

Garcia hopes to make AP U.S. history classes available to a wider variety of demographics, because of how important he believes history is to his students’ education.

“I firmly believe that history needs to have a higher priority,” he says. “My goal is to make students well-informed citizens.

“One of the things I feel very passionate about as an instructor is helping kids find their full potential. It’s all about reaching students where they are and helping them go in the direction they want to go.”

As Oregon History Teacher of the Year, Garcia says he hopes to see his methods of education be adopted nationwide.

“This award gives me the legitimacy and ethos to make that happen,” he says. “It gives me the opportunity and authority to try to bring about significant change in the field of social studies and history. And to continue the journey on which Mike started me on. I hope to do for others what he did for me.”

From his time at Oregon State to his career at Franklin High School, Garcia says he takes pride in the work he’s done and the experiences he’s had.

“Every person in the College of Education played a really supportive role in helping me reorganize and reorient the trajectory of my life. Oregon State helped me find focus and made it all possible.”

The History Teacher of the Year Award is given by the Gilder Lehrman Institute of American History to teachers in all 50 states, the District of Columbia, and U.S. Territories. As Oregon’s honoree, Garcia received a $1,000 prize, an archive of American history books and Gilder Lehrman educational materials. Garcia will be recognized at an award ceremony in the spring. 

Mike O’Malley’s legacy and memory lives on in the College of Education and in the many lives he touched. A memorial plaque is hung on the first floor of Furman Hall and a collection of memorial pieces can be viewed in this blog post.

By: Gregg Kleiner

What if part of your teacher education included an intensive, 2-year residency inside a public school where you co-taught with – and were mentored by – a seasoned teacher from day one? (Think medical school residencies, but in schools instead of hospitals.)

What if, during the first year of your residency, you were encouraged to substitute teach, helping fund your education and reducing the school district’s substitute shortage? And during the second year, what if the district paid you a stipend for teaching full time in a classroom, where you could immediately apply what you’re learning in courses?

Finally, what if your residency potentially puts you at the front of the line for teaching jobs in the district?

A newly-launched, graduate program is doing all of this, and more. Now entering its second year, Oregon State’s immersive Master of Arts in Teaching (MAT) in Clinically Based Elementary Education is a partnership between the College of Education and one of Oregon’s largest and most diverse public school districts: Beaverton. Just outside of Portland, the district has 2,300 teachers, 53 schools and 41,000 students — half of whom are minorities from homes where 101 different primary languages are spoken.

Graduate students in the new program are mentored by experienced Beaverton educators, called clinical teachers. The first-year students are known as practicum teachers and hone their skills in the classroom two days a week. When not teaching, they take online and hybrid courses and can work as paid substitute teachers within the district under a restricted license.

Second-year students, called resident teachers, dive in deeper. They teach five days a week while taking classes and earning a 0.4 FTE stipend paid by the district. During the second year, the clinical teachers split their time between two different classrooms, each run by a resident teacher.

“This is super immersive learning — from the first day of the year, the grad students are introduced as teachers, not as student teachers,” says Nell O’Malley, a senior instructor who helped launch the program and serves as director of education licensure at the College of Education.

Everyone benefits

The graduate students are not the only beneficiaries of the new program.

“Our partnership with Oregon State not only allows grad students to learn from our master teachers and apply what they’re learning in their OSU courses the very next day, but our teachers and staff also get exposure to the latest educational research,” says Sue Robertson, the chief human resource officer at the Beaverton School District.

Clinical teachers get quality help with teaching loads, and the district gains access to good substitute teachers, who are in short supply nationwide. And because the grad students are in the same school for two full years, the school’s entire staff and students benefit.

A big boost for teacher retention

Studies show that more than 40 percent of new teachers leave the profession within three years, often because they are not prepared for real-world challenges ranging from socioeconomics, to special needs, to language barriers.

Matt Nyman, the Oregon State instructor who coordinates the MAT program, believes it will have a significant impact on teacher retention rates.

“This is learning by immersion — our students experience exactly what they will be getting into as teachers, and they are prepared for that,” Nyman says. “We’re accessing the wisdom of practice from Beaverton clinical teachers.”

Competitive and collaborative

Although there are other immersion-type teacher education programs in the U.S., the sustainable funding model of the Oregon State program sets it apart.

“Having students in classrooms as substitute teachers during the first year, and then as part-time employees the second year — now that is very different,” O’Malley says.

Robertson has worked closely with the teachers’ union, and so far, the MAT program is proving to be a good fit.

“We have a very good relationship with the teachers’ association,” says Robertson. “They understand that the better prepared teachers are, and the more the district invests at the front end, the more successful teachers will be in the long run.”

Another distinguishing feature is that everyone gets a say in which graduate students are accepted into the program and which clinical teachers get to work with them.

“It’s very competitive because both OSU and Beaverton have to agree,” says Melissa Potter, university partner liaison for the Beaverton School District. “We’re at the table when deciding which grad students will go into the classroom. And they’re at the table when selecting the clinical teachers. It’s very unique.”

Although it has been just a year, all parties are committed, flexible and looking forward to the second year.

“We’re really lucky to have such a special group of people — both at OSU and here in Beaverton,” Potter says. “It’s very exciting.”

 

 

 


Ryan Reese is the head of our counseling program at OSU-Cascades and he recently received the Mental Health Hero Award throughTrillium Health Services. This is a statewide award where the organization honors 31 different “heroes” each day of May (Mental Health Awareness Month). Here is the website where they include information about theawards and the full list of recipients:

https://trilliumfamily.org/…/keep-oregon-well-announces-fu…/

They will include Reese’s information profile at the Trillium homepage on May 25th. https://trilliumfamily.org/

 

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Oregon State University College of Education professor, Kathryn Ciechanowski was interviewed by OPB about bilingual education and the interview aired this morning.  Here’s a short excerpt:

Oregon has 70 schools with dual-language programs, with more on the way. Demand is booming for two reasons: research shows that dual-language programs work better for foreign-language speaking students than English-only programs.

But Esperanza de le Vega, the coordinator of Portland State University’s bilingual teacher pathway program, says there’s another big driver. “There is an educated population of sometimes bilingual, sometimes monolingual parents, who want this for their children. I think it’s great, because we have more allies,” she says.

But as programs mulitply and expand into middle and high schools, it gets harder for districts to find teachers who are both qualified in the necessary subject area, and who have the language ability.

Oregon State University language professor, Kathryn Ciechanowski, says school districts pursue candidates who are still in college.

“Our bilingual candidates are very often offered jobs before they even finish their programs,” she says, and adds, “we often advise students to think carefully about what they would like to have in their teaching positions, because there typically will be multiple districts trying to hire them — because of the need for bilingual educators.”

Read more on the OPB website: http://www.opb.org/news/article/bilingual-education/

Via Press Release

College of Education logo(Corvallis, OR)- The Chief Education Office will be co-hosting a Quality Teaching and Learning Summer Institute at Oregon State University (OSU) from June 23-27. The inaugural institute will focus on the development of teacher candidate skills that will prepare them to support students on meeting the Common Core State Standards (CCSS) and Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS). The five- day institute will engage educator teams in rethinking approaches to most effectively support teacher preparation. Cohosts include the Oregon Department of Education and the Oregon Core to College grant.

Institutional teams representing major Oregon universities offering educator certification programs will be attending including: Eastern Oregon University, George Fox University, Oregon State University, Pacific University, Southern Oregon University, University of Oregon and University of Portland. Together these institutions prepared 44% of new Oregon teachers during the 2012-13 year.

“Charged with improving outcomes for students from birth to college and career, the Oregon Education Investment Board (OEIB) knows that the single-greatest in-school factor for student success is an educator” said Chief Education Officer, Nancy Golden. “The Summer Institute will create a focused and dynamic opportunity for the Network for Quality Teaching and Learning to bring educators together to reflect on, and refine their approach to preparing new teachers to effectively support student success.”

The Network for Quality Teaching and Learning was created by HB 3233 to strengthen recruitment, preparation, induction-year support, and ongoing professional development for Oregon’s educators. The Network empowers educators to help implement curriculum needed to support students‘ success, document the impacts on results and infuse current preparation programs with in-the-field practices that are working for Oregon’s students.

The institute will feature morning sessions in which arts and science faculty, educator preparation faculty, and K-12 school partners will observe and participate in lessons with middle school students.

Attendees will then use reflective discourse to determine core practices identified to successfully engage students and further learning.

The institute is designed around the tenet that teachers improve their instructional skill by engaging in the work of teaching. To facilitate that opportunity, more than 30 youth from the Lane Equity Achievement Project (LEAP) program will actively participate in portions of the institute. LEAP’s mission is to ensure that each child in Lane County has opportunities for intellectual growth and success regardless of their location or need. While on the OSU campus the attending LEAP students have a host of opportunities to explore the college and future careers.

“The Lane middle school students will have opportunities to experience some of the best that OSU campuses have to offer, said Nell O’Malley, Director of Education Licensure at OSU. “In addition to being part of the institute, students will participate in hands-on STEM activities such as robotics, tsunami and wave exploration, and computer animation. They will spend time at OSU’s Hatfield Marine Science Center for remotely operation vehicles development and estuary investigations. Throughout the week students will be chaperoned by STEM students at OSU and campus leaders creating multiple opportunities to explore career pathways. ”

Each afternoon, scheduled sessions will be open to the public. Sessions will address recruitment and retention of culturally and linguistically diverse educators, the new performance assessment (edTPA) adopted by Teacher Standards and Practices Commission, recent results from statewide surveys of educators, and even a demonstration that uses avatars to help future educators practice classroom management skills. Materials will also be available online after the institute has concluded. For a full schedule of events and additional information on the institute, click here.

The Oregon Education Investment Board (OEIB) is chaired by Governor John Kitzhaber, and led by the Chief Education Officer. It was created in 2011 to oversee an effort to build a seamless, unified system for investing in and delivering public education from birth to college & career. OEIB is dedicated to building a student-centric system that links all segments of the educational experience together to ensure each student is poised for a promising future. 

coretocollegeOEIB

childcarefamilyresources

The office of Childcare & Family Resources is currently accepting nominations for the 2013-14 Family Friendly Faculty Award. The Family Friendly Faculty Award is awarded to a faculty or staff member who has provided exemplary support to an OSU student with children.

Support may come in the form of mentoring, encouragement, accommodations, or anything parents have found helpful in and out of the classroom to remove barriers to success and/or elevating the campus awareness of students with children.

If you know of someone deserving this award, please take a few moments to write a nomination letter including within: their name and department, your name and department, why you would like to nominate this person, and examples of ways they have helped you (or someone you know) be successful at OSU. Nomination letters are due to amy.luhn@oregonstate.edu  or delivered to the Childcare & Family Resources office before July 31, 2014.