From Ethiopia to Eugene—UO PhD candidate on motherhood, her maternal health studies, and pursuing her passion
When Emrakeb Woldearegay boarded a series of one-way flights from Addis Ababa, Ethiopia to Eugene, Oregon in 2017, she knew the journey wouldn’t be easy, but she didn’t realize just how challenging it would prove to be. Eventually moving her partner and two children across oceans and continents to join her, she focused on realizing a dream—pursuing her passion for journalism and earning a PhD. 
During her time in Ethiopia, Woldearegay was a successful media and women's rights activist, editor, and lecturer at Addis Ababa University. Yet with all these accomplishments, she still had one dream: earning her PhD. When a colleague mentioned the University of Oregon’s communication and media studies doctoral program to her, it was just a thought in her mind. After she was accepted into the program, the thought grew into a possibility, and when she was afforded scholarships, that possibility grew into a reality, and soon enough, she was taking a leap of faith and preparing to uproot her life and head to Oregon.
“My family's immigration journey was fraught with challenges because I had two primary school-going kids, my husband was working as a director of a nonprofit organization, and I had my work,” Woldearegay said. “I was leaving all that behind to join my PhD program in 2017 and achieve one of my lifelong dreams. Uprooting everyone to a new country was daunting. My partner and I agreed that I should come to Eugene by myself first to acclimatize to a new country, culture, and learn how to go through a rigorous PhD study.”
Despite spending ten months apart from her family and missing them every day, Woldearegay was able to become acclimated to Oregon, while also taking action to prepare for her family’s arrival. She arranged for family housing and registered her kids for school, all while adapting to her rigorous PhD study.
As if moving across the world wasn’t enough of a challenge, 2020 brought several more hurdles for Woldearegay and her family. COVID-19 took over everyday life, the murder of George Floyd shook the country, and a civil war in Ethiopia brought extra hardship and concerns about friends and family back home. Expecting to defend her dissertation proposal in 2021 and become a doctoral candidate, her plans to graduate in four years were pushed back.
“It was a lot. I have to say at that time. I think in the history of modern times it was the first time that parents were expected to be with their school-going kids 24/7, so nobody expected that,” Woldearegay said. “[Pre-COVID], I would have at least six hours when they’d go to school and then I can do my thing, but now parents couldn't."
However, in the face of these major challenges and setbacks, Woldearegay continued to look for the silver linings, like spending more quality time with her family. 
"[My kids] were one of the things that really gave me peace in my heart at that time. Was it sad? In a way. I have two Black boys, so having them next to me, and they need not to go out and be in a world that was unsafe for Black people, was a true relief. You worry as a mom, 'where would they be?' I did not need to worry about that. They were next to me 24/7.”
Despite these turbulent times, Woldearegay has continued to pursue her dream of earning a PhD over the past seven years. Inspired by her connections to Ethiopia and the lack of research done on her home country, she decided to dedicate her dissertation to the mothers of Ethiopia. She used her research to bring awareness to the women in Ethiopia who lack access to safe birthing options, ultimately naming her dissertation Critical Assessment of Public Communication Campaigns in Ethiopia: The Case of ‘No Woman Should Die While Giving Life.’
“When I had both of my kids, they were not easy pregnancies, and the birth thing was not easy. What I went through [helped me] understand that a lot of Ethiopians lose their lives while giving life. I nearly lost mine, and I have access to doctors and health facilities. So, imagine those who are not in urban areas. Imagine those who do not have access to all that. Ethiopia has one of the biggest numbers of maternal deaths. So, I went to investigate. I put a bit of my journalistic hat on when I did my research.” 
In addition to working on her dissertation and parenting her two children, today Woldearegay also works as a Family Graduate Employee for the Division of Graduate Studies, a role in which she’s able to help families in similar situations to hers. She said the constant push and pull of motherhood, work, and PhD life is a challenge, but she couldn’t do it without her family.
“We PhD students go through loads of coursework and comprehensive exams. You are expected to publish. You are expected to do research. You are expected to teach. It is almost impossible to have any work-life balance. Fortunately, I have an incredibly supportive husband. He is there 100% for me. I have my kids to keep me in touch in life. [Being around them is] so much fun and they give me all this Gen Z slang to learn! It is funny how being a mom is one of the most rewarding things you can imagine for me. I am so glad. I never thought I would have kids, but I did. I am so happy I have them.”
Woldearegay’s hard work has paid off, and in fall term of 2024, she will defend her dissertation and graduate shortly after. As she moves onto a new chapter in her life, her passions remain in the same place—pursuing journalism and teaching.
"I love teaching and writing. I would love to continue doing that; it could be at a university in the US or elsewhere. My plan is to have a job, teach, write and be part of a change I want to see—a better world where everyone, despite our differences, is well represented in the media and where they feel they belong and can live to realize their full potential. It might sound like a pipe dream to some, but to me, it’s real—the world will be a better place in my children's generation."
—By Olivia Arciniega, class of 2026 (business administration), UO Alumni Association student writer