Darlene Maurer:
CLASS OF 1974
Silverton Union High SchoolClass of 1974
Silverton, OR
Marylhurst UniversityClass of 1998
Marylhurst, OR
Marylhurst UniversityClass of 1986
Marylhurst, OR
Darlene's Story
Life
One of my greatest interests is as a volunteer scientific field researcher with the non-profit organization, Earthwatch. In March 2009, I completed my 9th expedition to South Africa. My previous destinations have included Fiji, Kingdom of Tonga, Barbados, Costa Rica, Australia, Trinidad, Greece, and Kenya. I obviously love the adventure of travel combined with environmental preservation.
In 2011, I completed a 10th Earthwatch adventure. I worked on shark research and conservation activities in Belize. I even unexpectedly caught a shark on the end of my fishing line! Beautiful country and an excellent research project..
Please see photos from some of my travel adventures compliments of Earthwatch.
In September 2015, I hiked 200 miles of the Camino de Santiago pilgrimage in northern Spain ("The Way of St. James:"). The pilgrimage is the subject of the movie, The Way. The entire pilgrimage is 500 miles. Plans are now underway to walk the Camino once again, but through Portugal (the coastal route) and then into Spain, with the final destination also Santiago and the Cathedral of St. James.
In September 2022, I planned an unique pilgrimage for our church, traveling specifically to Oberammergau, Germany, to view the renowned Passion Play. This pilgrimage was postponed for 2 years because of the pandemic. We also traveled to points in Switzerland and Lichtenstein. Even with successful treatments for COVID and sophisticated vaccinations, about half of our travelers contracted COVID either just prior to, during, or upon return home. It was a stark reminder of why the Passion Play was originally started ... in the hopes of surviving the black plague ravaging Europe and in thanksgiving for lives spared. It is only performed once every 10 years.
In 2008 I led my church's first ever Habitat for Humanity build. I had the great challenge of helping to raise over $70,000 in less than a month and scheduling 165 eager volunteers to work on the construction site. We experienced the thrill of an old-fashioned barn raising as we physically raised walls and brought the home to life. The personal rewards have been indescribable, and our efforts are directly benefitted a very deserving family.
I followed up this successful build experience with a second one, this ...Expand for more
time negotiating a sponsoring partnership with another church in the Portland metro area. We broke ground in October 2009, and just completed the home in June 2010. In addition to coordinating volunteers for this build, my employer awarded me a "Volunteer Sabbatical," to work 3 months for Habitat for Humanity. One employee per year is given the opportunity to work for a nonprofit and be paid their salary and benefits. Unfortunately, with resources low and a number of extenuating circumstances surrounding my job, this was not a sabbatical in its purest sense, and I was required to split my hours between Habitat for Humanity and my paying job. As a result, it extended my time with Habitat to be more like 6 months. While working for Habitat, I was in charge of Volunteer Management and provided construction support. I completed my sabbatical with Habitat in July 2010, and in the process, gained tremendous experience and insights into the world of nonprofits.
College
I completed a B.S. in Management from Marylhurst University in 1986, and a M.A., in Organizational Communication from Marylhurst University in 1998.
The title of my Master's thesis is "Amish Values: Entwined in Religious Doctrine or an Individually Adaptable Model in the Larger Society?"
Workplace
I worked in the telecommunications industry for 24 years, and 12 years for NW Natural, a natural gas distribution company headquartered in Portland, Oregon. I held two positions with NW Natural: Pipeline Safety Specialist, and most recently, Operations Supervisor. On May 1, 2017, I retired from NW Natural.
After a great summer of rest and relaxation, in September 2017, I was recruited for a part-time position with my church, St. Mary Magdalene Catholic Church ("The Madeleine"), as a Pastoral Assistant. I worked with the pastor and an external group in coordinating a $4.5 million capital campaign to restore the original church on the grounds. This brought me full circle in combining my love of volunteer service and desire to work in a more relaxed non-profit setting. Since restoration completion, I continue to serve in the Pastoral Assistant position with expanded areas of responsibility ,and across time, inching ever closer to a full-time equivalent job, but with much more scheduling flexibility.
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