Short biography

My name is Elizabeth Strobel, but I go by Betsy. Elizabeth is what substitute teachers and people who work at the DMV call me, and it always takes me a minute to remember that they mean me. So, call me Betsy.

I graduated from the Oregon State University Honors College with an HBA in English and a minor in Spanish, along with some almost minors in Chemistry and History. I tried to make it in the world for a while as an editor/copy editor, but the print industry started failing, and so I decided to apply for a job at the Legislature for the 2009 session. I made it in as a page in the House of Representatives, which opened my eyes to the inner workings of the political process, which then discouraged me from attempting to involve myself further in politics, but introduced me to a lot of the issues that Oregon and other states face, especially in regards to teachers and the education budget. I then decided that I shouldn’t try for a more selfish career in publishing, and I didn’t think that I would be able to really influence anyone in politics, since everyone pretty much has their minds made up at this point, so I looked to teaching as my way to really change the world for the better. Since I enjoy and sympathize with high schoolers, and I’m so passionate about literature, I decided that teaching high school English would really be a lot of fun. My mother, as an elementary school teacher, made me visit classroom after classroom so I could decide if I really wanted all the stress and pressure, but it still seems like fun, and much more rewarding than any office job could be, ever. I never wanted to be an elementary school teacher, because it’s pretty much impossible to engage elementary age children on the level that I want to communicate knowledge, and I know the most satisfying experience will be helping even a few high school students to think critically, and analyze information that is presented to them.

I’m kind of a nerd, myself. I love books, and I grew up on Star Trek, and I went through college with lots of people who were video game nerds, so I picked up some residual computer gaming habits. I also enjoy music, movies, social dancing, board games, delicious food, and really good conversation. I’ve visited England, Ireland, Scotland, Chile, Mexico, and Canada, and I wish I had the money to travel more. That’s pretty much me in a few paragraphs.