Alumni
Elizabeth Harchenko Makes Her Mark
Most Oregonians probably couldn’t pick Elizabeth S. Harchenko BS’72, JD’76 out of a crowd — but everyone in the state wants her autograph. As director of the Oregon Department of Revenue, her signature graces every tax refund check sent by the department.
Giving back seems inherent to Harchenko’s nature. In addition to serving on the College of Law’s Board of Visitors, she has been active in the school’s Mentor Program since its inception more than 15 years ago. In fact, Harchenko was instrumental in first getting the program off the ground. “Oregon Women Lawyers (OWLS) was formed in 1989,” said Harchenko, a founding board member. “At the time, there were only a few women practicing law. As a group, OWLS knew that the female students needed more mentors and role models.”
Students
Madame President
“At a school like Willamette, you don’t run for student government for a line on your resume,” said Judith Parker, president of the third-year class in 2006. “Here, there’s an intrinsic motivation to do good things for the school because you’re so closely tied to it and your classmates.”
Faculty
Devout Defender of the First Amendment
Take a look at Professor Steven Green’s genealogy and you might conclude that he is the black sheep of his family. Green comes from a long line of clergyman that includes his father, brother, uncle, grandfather and great-grandfather. Although the associate professor of law did not directly choose a life of religious service, his career has kept him deeply embedded in family tradition. Green has remained true to his Baptist roots — and stayed in the good graces of his family — by working to safeguard religious freedom in the U.S. and preserve the separation of church and state.
