Shirley Imada Metcalf
Sometime in fall 1966, a group of new, nervous sophomores gathered in Mrs. Ruth Chang’s class to work on class activities. Over the next three years, this group would form many friendships and Shirley Imada would emerge as one of its leaders. A leader with a warm, enthusiastic and inclusive nature, Shirley would achieve remarkable accomplishments in her career in higher education.
Shirley was a tenured professor in the University of Hawai‘i system for 26 years and served as the dean of instruction and dean of outreach at Hawai‘i Community College. She moved to Washington when she was named Vice President for College Advancement at Lake Washington Technical College in the Seattle suburb of Kirkland. In 2011, Shirley was hired as dean of extended learning at Central Oregon Community College (COCC), the oldest two-year college in Oregon. Shirley then served as interim vice president for instruction for five months before her appointment as the fifth president of COCC, the first woman of color to serve in that position and one of very few Asian-American women to lead an institution of higher education.
One of Shirley’s major accomplishments at COCC has been strengthening the role of the college in the central Oregon area. Under her leadership, COCC increased the level of federal grants received, increased the college’s endowments by $6 million to more than $23 million and increased the level of scholarships awarded.
During Shirley’s term, providing students with the tools and opportunities to succeed was at the core of her commitment and she received many accolades from the central Oregon community for her work in providing new opportunities for high school graduates. In addition to her education and experience, Shirley describes her proudest achievement at COCC as instilling the Hawaiian value of ‘ohana into the college’s culture. She is widely credited with significantly improving the morale of instructors and making the college a welcoming place.
Shirley will complete a distinguished career of 47 years when she retires in July 2019. She plans to remain active in the community in Bend, Oregon. Living in Bend will also allow Shirley to run into COCC graduates and enjoy the fruits of a career well served.
We congratulate Shirley, a compassionate and inclusive leader who inspires her colleagues and KHS classmates, on her success and many accomplishments.
