Oral Histories

An initiative that began in 2017, the University Archives has begun to digitize items from the Historical Audio Recordings collection and other collections. We have sorted these recordings into four categories: Lectures and Presentations, Oral Histories, Performances and Speeches. At present the category of Oral Histories is the only category that we are actively adding to. With support from the Office of the Provost, the University Archives has been interviewing current and emeritus faculty, staff and students on their experiences at Eastern Michigan University.

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Dave Willoughby, Oral History Interview, 2022

Matt Jones

Dave Willoughby was an active member of the Arm of Honor Fraternity from 1987 until 1992. In this interview, Willoughby describes his upbringing in the College Heights area of Ypsilanti with EMU virtually in his backyard. With a father who owned Willoughby Shoe Store in downtown Ypsilanti, Willoughby details his time at Central Michigan University before coming to EMU where he lived in "The Hutch," a windowless room in the Arm house with room for a dresser and a twin bed. Willoughby speaks of his Arm of Honor brothers, his decision to join the frat, his mandatory ride, and the relationship between the University Department of Safety and the Arm of Honor Fraternity. Willoughby describes the night the Arm house was firebombed by a rival frat and the all-neighborhood brawl that nearly followed. Willoughby describes managing fraternity events, charging cover for parties, and the effect of the 2008 recession on the fraternity.
David Cahill, Oral History Interview, 2022

Cassandra Mitchell and Matt Jones

In the Fall of 2022, Matt Jones’s Oral History Techniques class conducted a set of interviews documenting the stories behind the student unrest on Eastern Michigan University’s campus from 1966-1972. A former political science assistant professor at Eastern Michigan from 1969 to 1970, David Cahill was "non-rehired" after just one year for his support of students and the underground newspaper, the Second Coming. His dismissal fueled student unrest and upset with EMU administration, which led to a student led strike.
David Geherin, Oral History Interiew, 2019

Matt Jones

David Geherin served as professor of English Language and Literature from 1969 until his retirement in 2010. During his time at EMU, Geherin, an author of crime fiction novels and analytic studies of contemporary crime fiction authors, designed several courses, most notably on crime fiction. Geherin was also an avid traveler during his time with the University, accompanying students on World Cultural History tours across Europe, studying classic works or art, history, and literature in their places of origination. Geherin received Emeritus status in 2010.
Dawn Richberg, Oral History Interview, 2022

Matt Jones

In 2021, Eastern Michigan University Archives lecturer Matt Jones began documenting the story of Ypsilanti’s Human Rights Ordinance #1279 in an effort to explore the ways in which local queer activism has evolved multi-generationally in Ypsilanti. What began as a refusal of service by a local print shop to a small EMU student group quickly turned into a years-long battle over who was deserving of basic human rights. To the LGBTQ activists and community members documented here, they had always been present in the community: working, paying taxes, painting their houses, mowing their lawns, attending council meetings, and even serving on council. This ordinance battle was about more than just LGBT rights—it was about protecting the human rights of all Ypsilantians. On January 20th, 2022, Jones met with activist, creative, and mother, Dawn Richberg. Originally from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, Richberg moved all across the country with her family before making her way to Ann Arbor in the 1980s. While attending graduate school at University of Michigan, she got involved with the American Friends Service Committee's LGBT Issues Program, which led to her participation in the ordinance campaigns. Richberg's experiences as a Black lesbian meant she brought an important perspective to the campaigns that was needed to help bridge the gap between Black communities and queer communities in Ypsi. In this interview, she shares those personal experiences, her work with the AFSC, and her passion for social justice. Richberg also reflects on the process of making change in the community.
Debbie Sarafian, Interview, 2021

Matt Jones

On October 9, 2021, students from the EMU Archives and Oral History Program recorded stories of EMU students past and present. Using the EMU Aerie, the Archives’ mobile oral history recording booth, student oral historians captured the formative experiences and perspectives of EMU alums from a variety of campus eras. Here, alum Debbie Sarafian details coming up through the Detroit Public Schools, the cost of attending EMU in the 1980s, and getting proposed to in the Alexander Music Building after walking down the hallway with a rival love interest.
Deisha Myles, Oral History Interview, 2021

Erica Moore and Matt Jones

A member of the Native American Student Organization at Eastern Michigan University at the time of the struggle to change the EMU mascot and logo, Deisha [Olszewski] Myles attended nearly every meeting related to the change of what many considered to be an insensitive depiction of Native American culture. Myles speaks of her experience as a student on the Logo Selection Committee, witnessing the tense interactions between university administrators and describing the divisions amongst indigenous participants, divisions that often adhered closely to differing generational values.
Dennis Hertel, Oral History Interview, 2022

Katherine St. Amand and Matt Jones

In the Fall of 2022, Matt Jones’s Oral History Techniques class conducted a set of interviews documenting the stories behind the student unrest on Eastern Michigan University’s campus from 1966-1972. Dennis Hertel was an EMU student in the late 1960s and early 1970s. Vice President of the student body, and president of the student senate, Hertel was involved in making important decisions regarding the status of student unrest and upset with EMU administration. He would go on to be a United States congressman.
Devon Meier, Oral History Interview, 2024

Cassandra Mitchell

Devon Meier worked as the Chief Development Officer at Jewish Family Services (JFS) of Washtenaw County from 2020-2022. In her role as Chief Development Officer, Meier was responsible for the annual giving and major gifts program, as well as, other fundraising efforts for JFS. In this interview, Meier explains how she got her role at JFS, a day in the life of a chief development officer, and what fundraising looked like during the early years of the COVID-19 pandemic. Meier describes how JFS got involved in the Afghan resettlement following the Taliban takeover of Afghanistan in 2021, the logistics of resettlement work, fundraising for the Afghan humanitarian parolees, and the collaboration between JFS and Eastern Michigan University in resettling 12 of the Afghan families into student housing in 2022.
Dick Look, Oral History Interview, 2023

matt Jones

Dick Look was active with the Arm of Honor Fraternity from 1962 until 1966. Look discusses his personal growth in the fraternity and at EMU, and expresses his appreciation for EMU Dean of Men, James "Bingo" Brown. Look also talks about the presence of the Arm of Honor Fraternity in the coaching field in Michigan. Look emphasizes the importance of a sense of belonging in a community in which all members are mutually supportive. Graduating from Walled Lake High School, Look retraces his journey to EMU, including his father's occupation in the entertainment industry and his own plans for a different life for himself. Look attributes his interest in sports broadcasting to listening to Mel Ott and Van Patrick on the radio as a child. Look also recalls his surprise to be dorm mates with four Black men, the first Black people he had ever associated with. Look also speaks of Gilbert Gregory, an Arm brother on the Autism spectrum, and describes the day that the Homecoming float caught fire during the Homecoming parade. On his pledge "ride," Look was taken to Canada and dropped off. Look speaks of the condition of the house and the lengths to which frat brothers went to conserve their sparse collections of clothing.
Dick "Stubby" Cottrill, Oral History Interview, 2022

Matt Jones

Dick Cottrill was an active member of the Arm of Honor Fraternity from 1963 until 1967. IN this interview, Cottrill details his upbringing in Flint, MI before arriving in Ypsilanti for college. Cottrill describes his friend Bob Schneider, leader of Bob Schneider and the Collegiates, the Arm of Honor house band, and his efforts in booking the band in various venues around Ypsilanti. Cottrill describes the criteria for joining Arm of Honor and the initiation process, before talking about his employment iwth the first Domino's Pizza on Cross Street in Ypsilanti and how the fraternity house was received in the neighborhood on Emmet Street. Cotrrill also describes the feeling of leaving the fraternity at the end of his active membership.
Donad Loppnow, pt.1, April 24, 2019

Matt Jones and Alexis Braun Marks

Joining EMU faculty in 1974, Donald Loppnow spent fifteen years as the Head of the Department of Social Work before moving to leadership positions in EMU central administration. Loppnow has served as Director of the Office of Research and Development, Associate Vice President for Extended Programs, Assistant to the President for Strategic Planning, Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs, Executive Vice President and Interim President on three different occasions. Since his arrival at EMU, Loppnow has been a bottomless well of support for Eastern Michigan University and it's surrounding community.
Donald Loppnow Oral History Interview, 2017

Matt Jones

Donald Loppnow served Eastern Michigan University in several capacities over a total of 40 years. He was the department head of the School of Social Work, the assistant to the president for strategic planning, associate vice president for extended programs, provost, vice president and executive director of the EMU Foundation. In this informal interview, Loppnow discusses his relationship with Bruce Nelson, former Vice President for Instruction at EMU, and longtime supporter of a wide variety of University-related causes. Loppnow talks of his first meetings with Nelson, as well as his constant interest in the Ypsilanti community and the welfare of EMU students.
Donna Benke, Oral History Interview, 2022

Matt Jones

In 2021, Eastern Michigan University Archives lecturer Matt Jones began documenting the story of Ypsilanti’s Human Rights Ordinance #1279 in an effort to explore the ways in which local queer activism has evolved multi-generationally in Ypsilanti. What began as a refusal of service by a local print shop to a small EMU student group quickly turned into a years-long battle over who was deserving of basic human rights. To the LGBTQ activists and community members documented here, they had always been present in the community: working, paying taxes, painting their houses, mowing their lawns, attending council meetings, and even serving on council. This ordinance battle was about more than just LGBT rights—it was about protecting the human rights of all Ypsilantians. On June 6th, 2022, Jones sat down with EMU alum and former Tri-Pride member, Donna Benke. Benke found her way to Eastern in the 1990s, looking to obtain degrees in social work. Noticing the absence of a student org dedicated to LGBTQ students in the Masters in Social Work program, she joined her fellow students in founding Tri-Pride. Later, after the group was denied service by the print shop in 1997 and the incident made its way to the city council, Benke became one of the first students to speak up at the Human Relations Commission Hearings. She continued to be an active presence in Tri-Pride throughout the ordinance campaigns and up until her graduation from EMU in 1998. In this interview, she recounts how her academic and personal backgrounds impacted the way she navigated the campaigns, how the Tri-Pride students supported each other, and the lessons she took with her afterwards.
Donna Regan-Southwick, Oral History Interview, 2022

Matt Jones

In 2021, Eastern Michigan University Archives lecturer Matt Jones began documenting the story of Ypsilanti’s Human Rights Ordinance #1279 in an effort to explore the ways in which local queer activism has evolved multi-generationally in Ypsilanti. What began as a refusal of service by a local print shop to a small EMU student group quickly turned into a years-long battle over who was deserving of basic human rights. To the LGBTQ activists and community members documented here, they had always been present in the community: working, paying taxes, painting their houses, mowing their lawns, attending council meetings, and even serving on council. This ordinance battle was about more than just LGBT rights—it was about protecting the human rights of all Ypsilantians. On March 8, 2022, Jones interviewed EMU alum, former Tri-Pride co-chair, and outspoken supporter of the ordinance, Donna Regan-Southwick. Before she made her way to Eastern, Southwick was a mother and activist working with Noel Keane in the early days of surrogacy. She enrolled at EMU as a non-traditional student, earning both her bachelors and masters degrees here. During her time in the MSW program, Southwick joined her classmates in the formation of Tri-Pride, where she acted as co-chair. After the group was denied service, she became an outspoken proponent of the ordinance and helped further bridge the gap between student and community campaign perspectives. Southwick had to balance activism and academics, all while raising a son, who witnessed the fight alongside her. In this interview, she sheds light on finding that balance, understanding grief, and finding the strength to stand up for what's right.

This interview includes discussion of sensitive subjects that may be triggering for listeners, such as abuse, drug addiction, alcoholism, and depression.
Don Pearson, Oral History Interview, 1998

Laurence Smith

Don Pearson led the Economics Department at Eastern Michigan University from 1969-2009. In this interview, Pearson details the administrative and faculty power structure of Eastern Michigan University during the 1970’s and 1980’s. Pearson was also instrumental in the separation of the Economics Department from the History and Social Science Departments. This interview was conducted for the purpose of gathering primary research for Laurence Smith’s book, Eastern Michigan University: A Sesquicentennial Portrait (1999).
Don Ward, Interview, 2021

Matt Jones

On October 9, 2021, students from the EMU Archives and Oral History Program recorded stories of EMU students past and present. Using the EMU Aerie, the Archives’ mobile oral history recording booth, student oral historians captured the formative experiences and perspectives of EMU alums from a variety of campus eras. Here, alum Don Ward (class of 1992) describes his initial interest in, and journey to, EMU in the fall of 1984. He details his relationships and impressions of notable EMU employees like President John Porter, Laurence Smith, and Roy Wilbanks.
Doug Harvey, Oral History Interview, 2022

Charles Calcaterra and Matt Jones

In the Fall of 2022, Matt Jones’s Oral History Techniques class conducted a set of interviews documenting the stories behind the student unrest on Eastern Michigan University’s campus from 1966-1972. Harvey served two consecutive terms as sheriff between 1964 and 1972, and during that time he was tasked with managing the protests on EMU's campus. He was a strong individual in the Ypsilanti community, a force to be reckoned with until he passed away in 2023.
Dr. Albert P. Marshall, Oral History Interview, 1998

Laurence Smith

Dr. Albert P. Marshall served Eastern Michigan University from 1969 until 1980, during which time he taught library science, served as Library Director and Dean of Academic Services. This interview serves as a comprehensive biography of Marshall, from childhood through his time as Dean of Academic Services at Eastern Michigan University. Notable are Marshall’s experiences as librarian for the United States Coast Guard before arriving at EMU, and his concern for the welfare of black students at Eastern. This interview was conducted for the purpose of gathering primary research for Laurence Smith’s book, Eastern Michigan University: A Sesquicentennial Portrait (1999).
Ed Mattos, Oral History Interview, 2022

Ellie Keys and Matt Jones

In the Fall of 2022, Matt Jones’s Oral History Techniques class conducted a set of interviews documenting the stories behind the student unrest on Eastern Michigan University’s campus from 1966-1972. Ed Mattos was a student at EMU in the late 1960s and early 1970s. He was a student activist, most notably as the chairman of the Student Mobilization Committee. Mattos dedicated his time at EMU to being an activist, and was involved with demonstrations on campus.
Edwin Pear, Oral History Interview, 2023

Hilary Hill and Matt Jones

Edwin "Ed" Pear is an attorney with a long distinguished career in real estate, business, and estate planning. Pear attended the Roosevelt school from K-12, and was apart of the graduating class of 1959. In this interview, Ed recounts memories of growing up in a Jewish family in Ypsilanti, his fathers clothing store, and other local businesses that existed at the time. He also reminisces about his time as a student at Roosevelt, sharing his experiences in athletics, extracurriculars, and lamenting about the sadness of the schools closure.
Egbert R. Isbell, Oral History Interview, 1967

Unknown

Egbert R. Isbell was an administrator and faculty member at Michigan State Normal College, Eastern Michigan College and Eastern Michigan University from 1937 until 1967. This presentation serves as an overview of EMU history until 1965, briefly profiling various facets of the University including student organizations, athletics, early presidents, and various department origins.
Emily LaDuke, Interview, 2023

Christopher Durden

In November of 2023, Eastern Michigan University’s LGBT Resource Center hosted an event in collaboration with the University Archives’ Oral History Program during Transgender Awareness Week where students could share their experiences with being part of the LGBT community on and off campus. EMU student Emily LaDuke talks about transferring to Eastern, getting rid of social media app TikTok, and finding a sense of belonging.
Eric Brown, Interview, 2021

Matt Jones

On October 9, 2021, students from the EMU Archives and Oral History Program recorded stories of EMU students past and present. Using the EMU Aerie, the Archives’ mobile oral history recording booth, student oral historians captured the formative experiences and perspectives of EMU alums from a variety of campus eras. Here, EMU alum and President of the Alumni Association Eric Brown speaks of his journey to EMU in the fall of 1982, his first impressions of campus, and the joy of having the EMU community turn out for high school track and field events on the EMU campus. He describes his relationship with mentors Glenna Frank Miller and Gregory Peoples, and the enormous influence of EMU President John Porter in his life.
Eric Monat, Oral History Interview, 2022

Matt Jones

In 2021, Eastern Michigan University Archives lecturer Matt Jones began documenting the story of Ypsilanti’s Human Rights Ordinance #1279 in an effort to explore the ways in which local queer activism has evolved multi-generationally in Ypsilanti. What began as a refusal of service by a local print shop to a small EMU student group quickly turned into a years-long battle over who was deserving of basic human rights. To the LGBTQ activists and community members documented here, they had always been present in the community: working, paying taxes, painting their houses, mowing their lawns, attending council meetings, and even serving on council. This ordinance battle was about more than just LGBT rights—it was about protecting the human rights of all Ypsilantians. On January 25, 2022, Jones talked to EMU alum and former student secretary of Tri-Pride, Eric Monat. Monat, one of the group's founders, worked on promoting and programming events like Visibility Week, and eventually spoke at the Queer Student Leadership Summit. During the ordinance campaigns, he attended human relations commission hearings, and like his fellow students, kept Tri-Pride visible throughout. Monat recalls the camaraderie and support among the students and how they kept each other safe and sane in the midst of hatred. Throughout this interview, he talks through the trauma of the hearings, some of the ins-and-outs of Tri-Pride, and how he saw the campus evolve after all was said and done.
Evan Zimdars, Interview, 2023

Katie Delahoyde

On October 7, 2023, students from the EMU Archives and Oral History Program recorded the stories of EMU students past and present. Using the EMU Aerie, the Archives’ mobile oral history recording booth, student oral historians captured the formative experiences and perspectives of EMU alums from a variety of campus eras. Here, Zimdars (class of 2018) speaks of his experience obtaining degrees in Social Work, the importance of staying local, and the decision to pursue Social Work rather than Psychology.