Fond du Lac Tribal and Community College is sponsoring and hosting a public presentation by award-winning speaker and author Dr. Donna Beegle at 10:00 a.m. on Monday, April 25, in the Minitorium/Room 195 on campus. Dr. Beegle’s presentation about her fascinating personal story and expertise on poverty is open to everyone and admission is free.
Dr. Beegle is the only member of her family who has not been incarcerated. After growing up in generational migrant labor poverty, leaving school for marriage at age 15, having two children and continuing to cope with poverty, she found herself at age 25 with no husband, little education, and no job skills.
What followed were establishing her self-confidence, then earning a G.E.D., an associate of arts degree in Journalism, a bachelor’s of arts degree with honors in Communications, a master’s degree with honors in Communication with a minor in Gender Studies, and finally completion of a doctorate degree in Educational Leadership. Donna’s inspiring story and work have been featured in newspapers around the nation, on local television and on national television programs.
For 25 years, Donna has worked with educators, judicial system professionals, health care providers, social service agencies, and other organizations who want to make a difference for people living in the crisis of poverty. She was selected 2008 National Speaker of the Year by the New Mexico State Bar Foundation. In 2010, Portland State University’s School of Social Work dedicated the Donna M. Beegle Community Classrooms in her honor. In 2011, she won the Oregon Ethics in Business award.
Dr. Beegle is co-founder and President of Communication Across Barriers, a national and international gold standard consulting firm. The firm assists organizations and communities who want to improve outcomes for people living in poverty. She is the author of See Poverty, Be the Difference and An Action Approach to Educating Students Who Live in the Crisis of Poverty.