After 43 years in education, Donna Hudson, our Director of Student Success, is retiring on August 22, 2018. Donna has served the OLS program for the past 8 years, first as an instructor before moving into her current role. Prior to her tenure at OLS, Donna served in the public school system as a teacher, a principle, and a Director of Education.
During her time with OLS, Donna has revolutionized the program with her creative approaches to education. Among her many accomplishments at OLS, Donna implemented new systems such as a training program for new faculty to provide support during their first year teaching and created the system to help students who may be struggling.
“My hope is I left the instructional program better than I found it, knowing it is work that can be built upon,” says Donna. “OLS represents to me what I always wanted to do in education. I always wanted to focus on instruction, training, and helping students. In this role, I was able to focus on what I love.”
Donna always maintained an open-door policy with students in the program. “Students always knew I cared about them, and they could trust me.” That care and trust led to many fun and memorable moments with students over the years, including how she dismissed her classes as an instructor. “My students knew our class was done when I would say, ‘May the force be with you,’ and they would say, ‘May the force be with you,’ and if I forgot to say it, they wouldn’t leave the class until I remembered.”
While Donna has many happy and fun stories to share about her time here, she remembers the hard times as well. When OLS student Sarah Paulson tragically passed away, OLS students and staff came together to remember her. Donna delivered a eulogy on behalf of the staff. She also advocated for integrating the Sarah Paulson Award, an annual award given by OLS students to recognize a Bellevue College employee for outstanding customer service. “People don’t understand the impact losing a student has on a teacher,” says Donna. “I had Sarah in three classes, and I truly loved her. She overcame so much and fought for success and was achieving it.”
Donna knew shortly after starting with OLS that this would be the last place she would work before she retired. “The day after I started, I went to Marci [Muhlestein] and told her I intended this to be the last job I ever had. I knew right away it was a match. We consistently focus on the students. The faculty focuses more on the students than themselves. In my experience that is rare.”
Donna’s forward-thinking and creative approach to education will be missed by both the students and staff of OLS, but her impact on this program and her legacy will live on through our students, our staff, and our instructors. Donna had so many creative ideas to help OLS grow and thrive and continued to share new ideas during her last days with the program.
Donna, thank you for giving so much of your time, energy, and expertise to the program, the students, and the OLS community. We will miss you so much, and we wish you the happiest of retirements!
Last Updated August 1, 2018