Michelle Datiles '94

As Michelle Datiles ‘94 looks back on her experience at Oakcrest and how it shaped her formation as a young woman she sees herself as the recipient of a “cohesive, integrated education,” she says.  

“When people talk about the ‘liberal arts,’ sometimes they misinterpret it to mean some kind of undirected, unstructured exploration of all subjects. At Oakcrest, there’s no scattering or dispersion: it is a cohesive, integrated education. Not only of your mind with time-tested foundational texts and ideas but your whole self. All dimensions: mind, body, heart, spirit.” 

Michelle was raised by two Filipino immigrants, a young surgeon and lawyer, who came to the United States to raise their family. Michelle was joined by her three sisters at Oakcrest: Joyce ‘98, Maggie (Datiles ‘00) Watts, and Jenny ‘02. After graduating from Oakcrest, Michelle majored in philosophy at The Catholic University of America (CUA) before then earning her law degree at New York Law School. While in law school, she focused on International human rights and had the opportunity to intern at the United Nations over several semesters. 

Currently, Michelle has returned to CUA where she is earning her Ph.D. in History. She most recently received her double MA in History and Library Information Science. Loving not just the research and the teaching, Michelle said it’s the “dynamic rhythm of university life in general” that keeps her in the field. 

“I am a historian of late medieval and early modern Britain,” Michelle explains. “I have always loved literature and the arts and knew my work would be rooted in the humanities… My dissertation research focuses on English Catholic resistance to state coercion during the English Reformation.” 

This past summer, Michelle had the opportunity to travel around England, “visiting archives in York, London, and Oxford to examine court records of English Catholic women - ordinary women, married and single, mothers, sisters, widows - who were brought before different courts for their refusal to give up their religion during the seismic upheavals under the Tudors.”

“Many were not only intrepid and sharp-witted, they were courageous and knew sacrifice. Having had such strong female role models early on at Oakcrest has clearly influenced my interest and research in women’s agency, influence and impact on society and culture.” 

Looking back at her Oakcrest experience - the influence of two teachers in particular has stuck with Michelle, both Dr. Edwina Maksym and Miss Pat O’Donovan. 

“There’s a magic to live theater–the immediacy of idea, language, and voice in the telling of a story–that also exists in teaching,” Michelle said. “Having teachers like Dr. Maksym and Miss O’Donovan was priceless. I think I’ve always carried this gem of a memory with me throughout both law and graduate school, and it’s something that definitely comes out in the way I teach. History, at its core, is the telling–in a certain way, through a certain lens, for certain reasons–of a story. In a very real sense, the truer the story-telling, the more effective and enduring the teaching. And if there’s one thing that Oakcrest has always excelled in, it’s excellent teachers.”

As a student, Michelle was active on Student Council and the Respect Life Club, as well as frequently performing in the Variety Show and in the Chorus. A talented artist, Michelle spent her time both sketching and painting in the art studio. 

“I still paint regularly, usually to give the art as gifts, but some of my original work has been in shows, including a watercolor on permanent exhibit in the Kimmel Cancer Center at Johns Hopkins,” she says. 

Michelle’s artwork was recognized as Artwork of the Year in 1994, depicting a gorgeous watercolor of an English Cottage Garden. It is featured on the new alumnae birthday card. 

To the graduating seniors, Michelle encourages joy and resilience as you embrace your calling. “The world will always need strong women who know who they are, and are not only capable and intelligent, but generous and cheerful.” 

With gratitude for Oakcrest and how it formed her as a young person, Michelle adds that with a strong foundation in the important things, “it’s so much easier to build a fruitful and meaningful life.” 

“Looking back, I can see seeds of so much of my life having been planted then: learning the value of personal relationships, knowing what it is to listen and understand, having been listened to and understood myself, wanting to do something great and good with my life. Also valuing good work, a job well done, not only with intelligence and responsibility but with cheerfulness and generosity. These and so many other facets of the Oakcrest experience constantly come to bear on both my personal life and my professional path.”