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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John Nick Pappas, oral history interview, 2023

Kat Hacanyan, Akaiia Ridley, Cassandra Mitchell, and Catherine Pappas

John Nick Pappas was an Emeritus Professor of art at Eastern Michigan University who taught classes for forty years before his retirement in 2000. During his time at EMU he spearheaded the movement to showcase student art on campus, many such pieces can still be viewed around buildings like Ford, Welch, Starkweather, and more. John was a renowned sculptor worldwide and his works are housed the globe, from Detroit to Rome. EMU graduates Kat Hacanyan, Akaiia Ridley, and Cassandra Mitchell joined John and his daughter Catherine in his Ypsilanti studio to learn about his upbringing, creative process, and all the people who made him who he was. This interview was conducted in February 2023 and John passed a few months later, in July 2023. Transcript and audio have been reviewed by Catherine Pappas and published with her permission.
John Porter, EMU Roles and Perspectives Interview, 1972

John Porter

EMU Roles and Perspectives was taped television program broadcast from the campus of EMU, and produced by Robert Hoexter (1930-1978). Hoexter joined the faculty at the EMU School of Education in 1964, and served as Coordinator of Graduate Advising from 1969-1971. A member of the Faculty Senate from 1973-1976, Hoexter was elected vice-chairman from 1974-1975, and chairman, 1975-1976. In this episode of Roles and Perspectives, Hoexter interviews John Porter. In 1979, Dr. Porter was appointed the seventeenth President of Eastern Michigan University. During his first year of administration, Dr. Porter unveiled an ambitious plan entitled "A Decade of Advancement", a phrase which has come to describe Dr. Porter's legacy to Eastern. In 1989, upon retirement from the University, Dr. Porter joined the newly created national Board for Professional Teaching Standards. In this interview, conducted when Porter was State Superintendent of Public Instruction in Michigan, Porter discusses the matter of accountability in Michigan schools. Accountability, to Porter, boils down to providing quality education to all Michigan citizens, but also includes quality communication between schools, parents, students, administration, and taxpayers. Bypassing the term “testing,” Porter instead claims that “assessing” students should involve determining whether students have acquired the skills and knowledge that teachers have expressed as being important to students. When questioned about promises made by the state in terms of funding, Porter says that it is the new responsibility of the state to “bridge the gap between promises and practices;” if the state can not meet the demands of the teachers, they must delegate responsibility to an entity that can meet those demands.
John Sanford, October 17, 2018

Rachel Burns and Matt Jones

John Sanford is an alumnus in the Eastern Michigan University and was highly involved in student activism. Serving as a member of Campus Service Corps, Sanford was instrumental in discussions with administration after the take over of Pierce Hall in February 1969.
John W. Porter Oral History Interview, 1998 April 23

Laurence Smith

John Porter was the 17th president of Eastern Michigan University, his term lasting from 1979 to 1989. Major improvements and upgrades were made to the University during Porter’s tenure. In this interview, Porter discusses his upbringing, professional life, and the many structural and educational changes which took place during his time as president. This interview is the first in a series of two. This interview was conducted for the purpose of gathering primary research for Laurence Smith’s book, Eastern Michigan University: A Sesquicentennial Portrait (1999).
John W. Porter Oral History Interview, 1999 May 7

Laurence Smith

John Porter was the 17th president of Eastern Michigan University, his term lasting from 1979 to 1989. Major improvements and upgrades were made to the University during Porter’s tenure. In this interview, Porter discusses his upbringing, professional life, and the many structural and educational changes which took place during his time as president. This interview is the second in a series of two. This interview was conducted for the purpose of gathering primary research for Laurence Smith’s book, Eastern Michigan University: A Sesquicentennial Portrait (1999).
Joseph Gurt, October 3, 2019

Matt Jones and Luis Peña

Dr. Joseph Gurt was a professor of music at Eastern Michigan University from 1967 until his retirement in 2000. During his time at EMU, Gurt was renowned as a teacher with students coming from all over the world to study under him and also as a concert pianist performing in the U.S, Israel, Australia, Taiwan, Hong Kong and on stages from Carnegie Hall to Lincoln Center.
Juanita Reid, Oral History Interview, 2021

Cheyenne Travioli and Matt Jones

Juanita Reid served EMU for 28 years in vital roles such as Vice President of University Relations, Executive Associate to the President and Secretary of the Board of Regents. Reid's integral roles gave her a front row seat to the workings of upper administration and her view of the EMU logo and mascot change reflects this close, professional proximity. Explaining the rationale of the Board of Regents and the president in changing the mascot and logo, as well as the reactions from the community both on and off campus, Reid paints a uniquely vivid portrait of a university enmeshed in the thorny process of altering the identity of a university and committing itself to the cause of inclusivity and social justice.
Karen Paciorek, Oral history interview, 2025

Matt Jones

The EMU Women in Philanthropy Oral History Project documents the organization's history across its 15 years of giving to the EMU community. In 2025, Matt Jones sat down with Karen Paciorek, emerita professor of Early Childhood Development, about her involvement with WIP. Alongside women like Jaclynn Tracy and Donna Schmitt-Oliver, Paciorek was a foundational member of WIP and served as the inaugural chair for the organization's outreach committee. In this interview she talks about being inspired by Dr. Sondra Shaw-Hardy, how the first members were recruited, and what she hopes is in the future of WIP.
Kassie Keil, Oral History Interview, 2023

Kat Hacanyan

In this interview Kassie Keil explores their experience with Ypsi Pride, sharing that the first one they attended was in 2021 when they moved to Ypsi. Keil explores their involvement in the Fun Girl Dance Company, explaining that it is a safe space that helps them explore their queerness through their art. They also discuss recently discovering that they are intersex, the journey of processing those feelings, and the community impact of events like Ypsi Pride.
Kate Mehuron and Dennis O'Grady, Oral History Interview, 2024

Matt Jones and Kat Hacanyan

Kate Mehuron, professor of History and Philosophy and the Department of Women's and Gender Studies, and Dennis O'Grady, professor with the Departments of Communication, Media, and Theater Arts and Women's and Gender Studies, were both instrumental in the planning and implementation of the EMU LGBT Resource Center. Acting as a vital connection between faculty, students, and administration, Mehuron and O'Grady describe working with other faculty like Kathleen Russell to win support for the center. They also describe some of the pushback to the center amongst EMU faculty.
Kathy Palmer, 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 February 27, 2022, Jones met with EMU alum and former chair-person of Tri-Pride, Kathy Palmer. Palmer found herself at EMU after learning more about the Master's in Social Work program and comparing it to others she was considering. She took up a graduate assistantship from Kathleen Russell, and was eventually picked to serve as a Tri-Pride co-chair. Palmer was only directly involved with the ordinance effort for a short time, as the Tri-Pride complaint was filed in February, and she graduated in April. Despite this, she kept close ties to the community and stayed updated throughout it all, and her "outsider" perspective gave her a new awareness of the campaigns' impact. In this interview, Palmer describes that new awareness and appreciation and shares more of the values and beliefs behind Tri-Pride and its members.
"Kayla" and "Jamia," Interview, 2023

Brooke Boyst

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, EMU alums and longtime friends “Jamia” and “Kayla” discuss their formative experiences on the campus of EMU, including shopping at the Quick Fix, where students could “buy anything from candy bars to condoms,” and the Meijer Midnight Madness grocery shopping trips hosted by EMU. Both interviewees discuss courses and faculty who were influential, and both express hopes that their children will also attend EMU.
Ken Barna, Oral History Interview, 2022

matt Jones

Ken Barna was an active member of the Arm of Honor Fratternity from 1961 until 1965 and was the older brother of fellow Arm Serge Barna. Barna describes his experience at Redford High School, the occupations of his parents, and how he got interested in athletics at a young age. Barna speaks about his outlook on fraternity life prior to coming to EMU, the enduring historical names in the fraternity, and the importance of recruiting locals to the fraternity. Barna recounts the letters he received from Bingo Brown, advising him to get his grades up, notable speakers on campus, and the future of the active fraternity.
Ken Moon, Oral History Interview, 2022

Chyelle Pitts-Chatman 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. Ken Moon was a Black administrator at EMU during the lates 1960s and early 1970s, and an important mediator between the students and the administration. Moon was an influential figure on campus and supported students academically and personally.
Kenneth Curtis, Oral History Interview, 2023

Kat Hacanyan

In this interview Ypsi native Kenneth Curtis shares their experiences with Ypsi Pride, the first of which they attended in 2017. Curtis's first Ypsi Pride inspired them to start a GSA [Gay-Straight Alliance] at their high school, and later opened the door for them to join the Ypsi Pride board in 2021. They explain the difficulties of throwing Pride during pandemic, the importance of community spaces, and the hopes that Ypsi Pride will continue to grow and improve.
Kenneth Stevens, August 21, 2018

Matt Jones and Alexis Braun Marks

Kenneth Stevens served with the Communication and Theater Arts Department -currently Communication, Media, and Theater Arts Department- from 1973 until his retirement in 2014. During that time, Stevens created the graduate and undergraduate programs in Arts Management, directed hundreds of plays and musicals, was a ten-time winner of the faculty recognition awards, received the EMU Gold Medallion Award, and the Teaching Innovation Award. Outside of teaching at EMU, Stevens has also served as Associate Director of the Cherry County Playhouse in Traverse City, producer at the Red Barn Theater in Saugatuck, MI, as well as Director of the Actors Repertory Theater in Las Vegas, and President of the Michigan Theater Association.
Kevin, Interview, 2025

Olivia Aldanondo

In this interview community member Kevin shares his experiences at Ypsi Pride, detailing that he just came out as bisexual around 2022, the year he also attended Seattle Pride. Kevin discusses coming out as bisexual in his mid-thirties and explains how having a wife and kid can lead to others invalidating his identity, experiencing joy in a largely gay male space in Seattle, and feeling kinship and connection to queer history and community.
Kevin Werner, Oral History Interview, 2024

Finn Vincent-Fix

In this interview EMU alum and community member Kevin Werner shares his experiences at Ypsi Pride, noting that he continues to come every year because he loves the community. Werner also explains that he was the first student to transition while living in the dorms at EMU in the early 2000s, is currently producing Stonewall the Musical, and discusses his involvement in trans support groups and the Outloud Chorus.
Kira Nieman, Interview, 2025

Wilder Cook

In this interview youth pastor and LGBTQ+ ally Kira Nieman, shares her experiences at Ypsi Pride, noting that this is her first Pride and she wanted to come to learn more about the community. Nieman discusses the importance of Pride for her LGBTQ+ students, and notes that many people have confided in her because she has an open mind and is happy to listen to others.
Kirk Profit, Oral History Interview, 2022

Matt Jones

Kirk Profit was an active member of the Arm of Honor from 1970 until 1975. Son of University Controller Louis Profit, Kirk Profit was a student at Roosevelt School until its closing in 1969 when he moved to Ypsilanti High School. Profit details some of the physical changes to campus since his student days, and the more familial aspect of campus in the 1950s and 1960s. Profit speaks of his father's friendship with President Harold Sponberg, and the need to keep a low profile during the tumultuous days on campus in the late 1960s. Profit describes fraternity living, and the pursuit of the All Sports Trophy, given to the most decorated fraternity in intramural sports. Profit discuesses fraternity initiation and taking clandestine drives to Silver Lake to try marijuana. Profit walks the reader through the Arm house, explaining the orgins for many of the room names.
Kris Pride, 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 13, 2022, Jones talked to EMU alum and former member of Tri-Pride, Kris Pride. Pride came to EMU to earn her MSW, and was a graduate assistant in the LGBT Resource Center before she became a founding member of Tri-Pride. She was immersed in campus life and culture, and gained a sense of safety and comfort amongst her peers here. When Tri-Pride was denied service, Pride recalls that it felt like a reality check; that not everyone experienced the same she did. Although most of her time was spent on school, she remembers the differences in approach between the social work students and community members when it came to resolving the issue. Throughout this interview, Pride describes the campus atmosphere during the ordinance efforts, and how queer culture differed on and off campus.
Kurt Hill, October 18, 2018

Rachel Burns and Matt Jones

Kurt Hill is a graduate of Eastern Michigan University, active member of the Black Student Association, and Campus Service Corps, as well as present during the take over of Pierce Hall take over of February 20th, 1969.
Larry Smith, Oral History Interview, 2021

Connor K. Ashley and Matt Jones

Former Vice President for Marketing and Student Affairs Laurence Smith, worked at Eastern Michigan University from 1975-2000. Smith worked in the capacity of Vice President for University Marketing and Student Affairs where he had overall leadership responsibility for strategic University marketing, communication and media relations, as well as student affairs. Smith played an important role in campus life and served on the EMU Logo Review Committee and Logo Selection Committee. In his interview, Smith describes the state of higher education thirty years ago compared to now; how alumni and community placed value in the institution vs. a symbol; and the selection process for a new logo. Smith speeks in broad strokes about higher education and their role in social justice causes and does not speak to the specifics of the committee's work.
Lauren London, Oral History Interview, 2024

Finn Vincent-Fix and Elizabeth Allen

Lauren London is the General Counsel for Eastern Michigan University, and has been working at EMU for over a decade now. In this interview, London explains her decision to become a lawyer, how she became EMU’s General Counsel, and the challenges of being a Jewish person in the modern political climate. London describes her connection to Jewish Family Services, falling into the role as the project manager for the Afghan resettlement process, and the legality and logistics of opening up on-campus housing to the 12 Afghan families in 2022. London discusses future projects EMU hopes to work on relating to refugees, her gratitude to work at an institution that genuinely cares about people, and the things she does to practice self-care.
Leah Dotson, Oral History Interview, 2023

Kat Hacanyan

Kat Hacanyan interviews Leah Dotson, a progressive activist and Eastern Michigan University graduate, for the Ypsilanti Bicentennial Celebration. Leah discusses her journey into activism, starting in 2013, and her involvement in environmentalism and community organizing. She highlights Ypsilanti's welcoming environment, its family-friendly parks, and the growing sense of community, particularly among young families. Leah envisions Ypsilanti as a leader in renewable energy, leveraging existing initiatives like Solar Ypsi. She emphasizes the city's resilience, mutual aid during the pandemic, and hopes to be remembered as a community advocate who balances activism with listening.