Donor Bio
Susanne Wightman-Rochester
I was raised by a progressive activist in Columbus Ohio. After the death of my father, my mother led by example. She started me on the teaching track in 1964, when I met a teacher of young children in center city Columbus. Mrs. Whitmer recommended I pursue Head Start status which I did. I’ve never looked back and my love of teaching grew.
1948 – Born, Columbus Ohio
1966 – Bishop Ready HS graduation/Head Start
1969 – Married Robert Douglas Wightman.
1972 – B.S. Elementary Education from Ohio Dominican College, Columbus, Ohio
Teaching, Columbus Public Schools, 32 years
1975 – Founding ‘mother’ of Douglas Alternative School Progressive education in an open-spaced school designed to have multi-age groups as well as children who had differing abilities/opportunities
1989 – M.A. Early Childhood, The Ohio State University
Opened Early Childhood School in Monterray, Mexico with R. Williams, Ph.D. and graduate student teachers
2003 – Ph.D. Early Childhood, The Ohio State University
2004 – Husband deceased
2005 – 2012 – Master Gardener OSU extension Teaching, The Ohio State University
Lecturer and Program Manager, College of Education School of Teaching and Learning Aligned Study
- Professional Development School
- Literacy Collaborative
- Reggio Emilia Study Groups
- Child Advocacy Issues
- Classroom as community
2008 – Mpeasem Village Ghana, West Africa
2012 – Retired from OSU. 40 years teaching, total
2013 – Married Ronald Eugene Rochester, Moved to Avon Ohio (close to Lake Erie)
6 children, 9 grandchildren
Present – Enjoying family, gardening, hiking, traveling, reading, staying in touch with friends & colleagues
Keeping Mpeasem children in my heart!