Throughout her career at Oregon State, Emeritus English Professor Anita Helle prioritized supporting her fellow faculty members’ growth as scholars, teachers and innovators. Now, she has established an Honors College fund that will advance faculty excellence in the HC in perpetuity. The Anita Helle Endowed Faculty Support Fund for the Honors College will provide resources for professional development, travel, speaker honoraria, and course research and innovation. Helle’s commitment to this fund is motivated by her long-standing association with the HC, dating back to 1995 when the college was founded under the leadership of Dean Joe Hendricks, four years after she started at Oregon State.
Helle met Hendricks when she was a junior faculty member. “He introduced me to his vision of the Honors College and explained how faculty could get involved in teaching in honors,” remarks Helle, who went on to teach many colloquium courses during her career. “His hopes for the Honors College to be a laboratory for innovation in teaching and learning made sense to me and holds true to my subsequent experience with the HC.”
Inspired initially by her mentorship from Hendricks, who played a crucial role in shaping the college’s ethos emphasizing inclusivity, exploration and scholarly achievement, Helle laid the foundation for her own significant contributions to the HC over the years. “I feel I’ve been fortunate that my engagement with the HC has evolved over time. In each stage of my career, I’ve had the opportunity to do something new in the college,” she explains. As a junior faculty member, she served on the Honors Board of Readers, which reviewed applications to the HC. She went on to teach several colloquium and baccalaureate core courses over the years and even served on the search committee for Hendricks’ replacement. “It seems I’ve had one side of myself in honors for a while and in many ways.”
Beyond her involvement with the HC, Helle left a lasting impact on OSU’s academic landscape through various leadership roles. She was the inaugural director of the School of Writing, Literature and Film from 2011 to 2015 and the director of the College of Liberal Arts Center for Teaching, Learning and Research from 1999 to 2002. For her work, she has received the Burlington Northern University Teaching Award, the College of Liberal Arts Robert Frank Research and Creativity Award and the G. Warren Hovland Award for Service.
Reflecting on her leadership roles, Helle says, “I’m extremely grateful to have had several leadership opportunities. I’m always looking for ways to do things for faculty and students, and I really have seen myself as a faculty advocate in my career.”
Looking to create a permanent resource for faculty, Helle established the HC fund to “transcend traditional forms of giving.” Helle adds, “I want this fund to be flexible and used in a variety of ways.” Her belief in the leadership of Honors College Dean Toni Doolen, who will ultimately oversee the fund, inspired confidence that it could achieve her aims.
Helle’s desire to give to the HC reflects her commitment to the interdisciplinary culture of honors. “I was motivated to give to the Honors College because this is a site in the university where the donor is supporting all colleges. And while I’m deeply attached to my discipline, I believe magical things happen in this transdisciplinary environment.” With this endowment, she has made sure that the magic can continue long into the future.
By Kallie Hagel, Honors College Communications Coordinator
CATEGORIES: All Stories Courses and Faculty Donor Stories Homestories