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Hello graduates, families, faculty, staff and guests.  

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My name is Victoria Scholerman and I am the president of the Western 

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Oregon University Alumni Association.  I want to congratulate

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you the class of 2021 on your commencement and 

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want you to know that we are immensely proud of you. 

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Each year at graduation, the Alumni Association presents our most

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prestigious award: the Alumni Award of Excellence. 

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This year's winner of the Alumni Award of Excellence is Dr. Phyllis Lee.

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Her achievements while attending Oregon College of Education, 

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her dedication to education and her passion for supporting underserved

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and under-represented population has made her stand out as

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a well-deserving recipient of this year's award. 

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Thank you so much and congratulations and welcome back  

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to Western Oregon University, Dr. Lee. 

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It's great to be back but it's also great to be 

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honored with the award from the Alumni Association. Thank you.

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Excellent. I want to ask you a couple of questions. 

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What was your first teaching experiences like

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and what was your favorite part about them?

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I think all my teaching experiences were favorites in one way or the other. 

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But it's the student, the faculty and others that I got to teach with and the

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places in which I taught or worked with people in education.

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Wonderful. And what was the most significant experiences of your career?

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I would have to say it was working with the centers that provided assistance

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to school districts in Oregon, Washington, Idaho and Alaska to 

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to help them come into compliance with civil rights regulations 

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and with Title IX regulations and to see the changes that could occur

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when people put their hearts and minds to this task. 

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What an incredible experience!

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And then finally what is the advice that you have 

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for this year's graduation class of 2021?

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A lot of advice, but mainly to take advantage of the opportunity

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that you have in tumultuous times to do some wonderful things.

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And to think of yourselves as not only unique characters,

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because everybody is unique, but also to think of yourself

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not only as a me but as a we.  And that as a we,

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you are part of a village that makes this world

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thrive, survive and keep going. 

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And whatever you do, do it will joy and with passion. 

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And with long and rich lives. 

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Thank you so much for joining us.  That was great advice.

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And thank you for being such an incredible role model for our future generation.