HEART OF WP
Gustavo Olvera Interim Dean of Education
As one of the two deans of color in the state of Oregon, leading a university education program, Olvera describes his passion for advocacy in equity and inclusion.
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Interim Dean of Education Gustavo Olvera has spent the past few years at Warner Pacific University advocating for teachers, leading the Warner Pacific Education Department as well as molding minds in the classroom every day. As one of the two deans of color in the state of Oregon, leading a university education program, Olvera describes his passion for advocacy in equity and inclusion. Olvera was born in one of the five largest cities in the world, Mexico City, Mexico. His family migrated to the United States when he was seven years old. Even at that age, Olvera was interested in becoming a teacher, but because this dream seemed distant into the future, he went with his natural abilities. Olvera said, “As early as I can remember, I have always loved school. As a result, I have always been determined to succeed in spite of any hurdles that have come along the way.” Discovering his artistic abilities in high school, he decided that art school would be a smart next step. He spent his undergraduate years in digital filmmaking at the Art Institute of Portland, and within a few years’ time, he was working in the film industry. However, the Lord had a different plan for him. With an opportunity to lead an after-school film club at a local high school, he soon found himself serving as an instructional assistant at all six of the district’s elementary schools, directly supporting the academic needs of migrant students. This is where Olvera discovered his true passion for education. “I could see myself represented in each one of the
elementary students I worked with, and I deeply understood the challenges they were facing inside an education system that was not set up to meet their unique needs as diverse students. I truly believe that our Lord Jesus Christ placed me in that environment to present me with my gifts as an educator.” With this newfound call on his life, he decided to earn his Master of Arts in Teaching and began working as a bilingual elementary teacher in August 2009. Since that time, he has been an instructional coach, a bilingual program liaison, an elementary school principal and a central office administrator. Olvera accepted a faculty position at Warner Pacific University in 2017. He came to WPU because the “mission and vision attracted me to pursue a career in higher education. While I had spent my entire career teaching in suburban and rural settings, I have always yearned to work in an urban setting. I was also attracted to WPU because of the diverse population of students, faculty and staff. One of the major struggles in P-12 public education is the significant gap between the diversity of students and teachers. I believe that WPU is consciously working on having equal representation amongst the staff and faculty so that we mirror our students’ demographics.” As Olvera has gotten to know Warner Pacific education students over the years, he has noticed how kind and caring they are, and he enjoys their shared love for Christ. He is confident that their connection in Christ makes them great allies who will be able to support the well-being of their future students.
When Olvera took on the role of Interim Dean of Education at Warner Pacific in 2018, he took on a new level of responsibility and collaborated with many to make one dream a reality. In July 2019, the WPU Education Department launched its first two Paraprofessional Education Program (PEP) cohorts. This accomplishment positions WPU as one of the leading Oregon institutions responding to the need of creating accessible and sustainable “Grow Your Own” programs. As such, WPU developed a program that recognizes the numerous assets para-educators naturally bring into the classroom and, as a result, created a pathway for them to become licensed educators. While Warner Pacific celebrates answering the call to create a new program to better prepare our future educators, we also celebrate leaders like Gustavo Olvera who take on innovative opportunities and step up in a time of need. As Olvera continues to serve and teach, he is reminded of where his passion for advocacy and equity and inclusion began, a small after-school film club. He continues his mission to educate because for him, “there is nothing more rewarding than seeing and knowing you have made a positive impact in the lives of your students.” ▪ Learn more about how Interim Dean of Education Gustavo Olvera and the PEP strive to increase teacher diversity on pp. 10–13.
