Janet Nishihara (b. 1956) first came into contact with OSU as an undergraduate, majoring in English Education and completing her degree in 1978. She returned to Oregon State in 1980 as a master's degree student in the College Student Services Administration program, a time period during which she also became involved with the Educational Opportunities Program (EOP) at OSU. For more than three decades following, Nishihara has played a central role in a wide variety of student support and diversity development initiatives on campus. In 2009, after many years on staff, Nishihara was promoted to director of EOP, the mission of which is to provide support for the personal and academic development of traditionally underrepresented students at OSU. In her interview, Nishihara reflects on her upbringing as a third generation Japanese-American raised in rural eastern Oregon; discusses her multifaceted experiences as a student and faculty member at OSU; and shares her perspective on diversity advancement at the university from the mid-1970s to present day.
Audio-only life history interview conducted by Chris Petersen for inclusion in the Oregon State University Sesquicentennial Oral History Collection (OH 26), Special Collections and Archives Research Center, Oregon State University Libraries.
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