Oral Histories from IHP-Dearborn
Oral histories are an exciting method of gathering information through loosely formatted and open ended interviews with interviewees (also referred to as “narrators”) who share their lived experiences (Oral History Association, "OHA Core Principles"). Oral histories stand unique among other primary sources because narrators can reveal personal perspectives, insights, and feelings or elaborations on past events.
The interviews in the DCM Collective have been conducted by and for IHP-Dearborn projects. As such, these interviews span a variety of topics relating to the history of the campus, university, and beyond. In addition, many of the projects at IHP-Dearborn utilize the digital curation application, the Oral History Metadata Synchronizer (OHMS), meaning many of the interviews have detailed indexes that provide additional searchability and context. We invite you to browse the collection below.
We are always looking to showcase new stories and welcome contributions from our campus community. If you have a story to share, either through an oral history or written piece, we encourage you to reach out through our “Get Involved” page and help us expand our understanding of UM-Dearborn history.
Explore the Interviews
Stan Henderson
Stanley Henderson served as Vice Chancellor for Enrollment Management and Student Life at the University of Michigan-Dearborn from 2005 to 2015, where he restructured student services around a unified mission of student success.
Elton Higgs
Elton Higgs was a faculty member in the English department at the University of Michigan-Dearborn from 1965 to 2001. During his long tenure, he also served as the campus historian.
Roger Klungle
Roger Klungle is a University of Michigan-Dearborn alumnus and former instructor in Industrial Engineering and Project Management, who first enrolled at the university in 1962 and later returned to campus to teach.
Blenda Wilson
Chancellor Blenda J. Wilson is the state of Michigan’s first Black woman chancellor. She was in office at UM-Dearborn from 1988–1992, during which time she oversaw campus changes despite the bleak financial situation facing Michigan at that time. This particular interview with Chancellor Wilson was recorded in 2025 for a documentary in the works about her time at UM-Dearborn and her official portrait by prominent African American artist and University of Michigan-Ann Arbor Professor, Jon Onye Lockard. The documentary, Best in Class, was created by the Inclusive Storytelling Hub (ISH) and was premiered in February 2026.
Roma Heaney
Roma Heaney served as the Director of Institutional Research at the University of Michigan-Dearborn from 1985 to 2016.