WEBVTT 00:00:03.000 --> 00:00:08.000 My name is Maria Dantas-Whitney, and I'm from Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. 00:00:08.000 --> 00:00:16.000 I came to Western in 2004, and I'm a professor of ESOL and bilingual education here. 00:00:16.000 --> 00:00:23.000 When I was invited to come to Western Oregon University and to teach here, I jumped at the opportunity. 00:00:23.000 --> 00:00:32.000 Western Oregon University has a really wonderful reputation in the field of teacher education. 00:00:32.000 --> 00:00:38.000 The faculty here have been doing really innovative work in this area. 00:00:38.000 --> 00:00:44.000 The College of Education at Western Oregon University has a lot of different degrees that we offer. 00:00:44.000 --> 00:00:50.000 Although people primarily think of us as preparing teachers, and we certainly do that extensively, 00:00:50.000 --> 00:00:56.000 we are also very proud to offer degrees in Community Health Education, in Exercise Science, 00:01:00.000 --> 00:01:07.000 Well, we have some very specific goals for preparing candidates in all of our programs in the College of Education. 00:01:07.000 --> 00:01:11.000 We have a lot of other programs besides those in teacher preparation, 00:01:11.000 --> 00:01:20.000 and one of the things that's common about all of these is that we need to prepare all of our graduates to be academically strong in their discipline, 00:01:20.000 --> 00:01:28.000 and also prepared for very complex and demanding jobs in their various professions. 00:01:28.000 --> 00:01:36.000 Dantas-Whitney: The reason why I like to work here at Western is because of the relationships that I have been able to make and maintain. 00:01:36.000 --> 00:01:40.000 Not just with my colleagues, but also with my students. 00:01:40.000 --> 00:01:44.000 You know, I was an international student once, here in this country, 00:01:44.000 --> 00:01:50.000 and I know how important it is for an international student to have a real sense of community. 00:01:50.000 --> 00:01:55.000 And I think that Western Oregon University really offers that. 00:01:55.000 --> 00:01:60.000 The classes are small. You really have individual attention from your professors. 00:02:00.000 --> 00:02:05.000 You have the opportunity to build relationships with your classmates. 00:02:05.000 --> 00:02:09.000 We have a small campus that's very nurturing and very welcoming. 00:02:09.000 --> 00:02:14.000 Rosselli: As I think back to the 10 years that I have been here at Western Oregon University, 00:02:14.000 --> 00:02:18.000 I've really come to value certain qualities of this institution. 00:02:18.000 --> 00:02:24.000 And I really have to say, first off, the size of this campus is wonderful. 00:02:24.000 --> 00:02:29.000 It means that you get to see people on the street walking around that you know, 00:02:29.000 --> 00:02:32.000 and that leads to conversations. 00:02:32.000 --> 00:02:37.000 Our classes are the right size, where faculty know when a student's not attending. 00:02:37.000 --> 00:02:47.000 On top of that, I really believe that the faculty who are attracted to Western Oregon University come here because they love teaching. 00:02:47.000 --> 00:02:51.000 Dantas-Whitney: Plus, all the facilities are very modern, too. 00:02:51.000 --> 00:02:58.000 As a professor, I really appreciate all the technology that's available in all the classrooms. 00:02:58.000 --> 00:02:63.000 I myself, and I know many of my colleagues, use technology on a daily basis. 00:03:03.000 --> 00:03:08.000 It's really good to have state-of-the-art facilities in this respect. 00:03:08.000 --> 00:03:12.000 Rosselli: Students here have a chance to become involved, and they do. 00:03:12.000 --> 00:03:17.000 I'm so impressed when I see the kinds of service learning that students engage in. 00:03:17.000 --> 00:03:20.000 There are opportunities for them to work within the community. 00:03:20.000 --> 00:03:25.000 That's pretty much of an added benefit to a campus like Western. 00:03:25.000 --> 00:03:28.000 Dantas-Whitney: And another thing, I really enjoy the weather here. 00:03:28.000 --> 00:03:31.000 The temperatures are not cold. 00:03:31.000 --> 00:03:37.000 It rains a little in the winter, but the summers and the fall are beautiful here.