At Ohio University, I’ve had the pleasure of interacting with many incredible faculty and staff members. OU is home to truly some of the best people who also happen to be excellent journalism professionals. However, the leader among all of these is Eddith Dashiell, more commonly known as Dr. D.
After 33 years of educating, serving and loving OU students, Dr. D. will enter a new chapter of her life: retirement. For the most recent five years, she served as director of the E.W. Scripps School of Journalism.
She has accumulated a multitude of accolades during her more than three decades at the university, most recently being inducted into the Scripps College of Communication Hall of Fame. She is a recipient of the Athens County Outstanding Woman of the Year and Ohio University Professor Award.
However, what merit are these awards if not backed up by action? It is nearly impossible to try and calculate how many students Dr. D. has touched. Thousands and thousands of students have come through the J-School, and almost everyone who has graduated since 1992 at least knows Dr. D. The proof is in the pudding – Dr. D. always refers to her students as her “kids.”
With so many “kids” running around not only Athens, but the world, you might think it’d be difficult to make each of them feel seen. Not for Dr. D. She takes the time to personally know her students and make them feel valued. Her signature “Happy (insert day)!” greeting is known by all, and her commitment to the color purple is legendary.
At The Post, the majority of our editorial staff are journalism majors. When asked what words they associate with Dr. D., adjectives such as “tenacious,” “inspiring,” “passionate,” “magnificent” and “classy” were all thrown around.
One Postie wrote, “Dr. D is a thoughtful and generous instructor and mentor. She can command a room while speaking in an even tone because she has mastered the ability to impart knowledge without being patronizing to her students. I will miss being in the classroom with her because it was a place where I felt recognized as a student motivated to learn and capable of putting in the work.”
Her admirable qualities extend far beyond the classroom. A lifelong advocate, Dr. D. was among some of the first to speak out against the removal of 12 race-based scholarships last spring.
“Dr. D. taught me the power of defiance and rebellion; in today's world, giving up on truth-telling is simply not an option,” a Postie wrote about her.
Nelson Mandela once said, “Education is the most powerful weapon which you can use to change the world.” Dr. D. made Ohio University a better place and Bobcats better people. Thank you, Dr. D. for your commitment to excellence, kindness and justice.
Happy Tuesday, and happy retirement!
