D. A. (Doris A.) Dirks is a Canadian activist, instructor, and author.

Early life and education

Born in Quebec of German immigrant parents, Dirks grew up in Calgary, Alberta. Dirks received a B.A. in art history and M.A. in history from the

University of Calgary The University of Calgary (U of C or UCalgary) is a public research university located in Calgary, Alberta, Canada. The University of Calgary started in 1944 as the Calgary branch of the University of Alberta, founded in 1908, prior to being ins ...

, and an M.A. in higher education and student affairs and Ph.D. in educational leadership from

Western Michigan University Western Michigan University (Western Michigan, Western or WMU) is a public research university in Kalamazoo, Michigan. It was initially established as Western State Normal School in 1903 by Governor Aaron T. Bliss for the training of teachers ...

Career

Dirks is contract faculty in the Departments of General Education and Humanities at Mount Royal University in Calgary. They primarily teach courses that examine diverse genders, sexualities, and identities. D.A. was previously a senior academic planner at the

University of Wisconsin A university () is an institution of higher (or tertiary) education and research which awards academic degrees in several academic disciplines. Universities typically offer both undergraduate and postgraduate programs. In the United States, t ...

System Administration; the coordinator of student organizations for social justice and LGBT Resource Center at

Northwestern University Northwestern University is a private research university in Evanston, Illinois. Founded in 1851, Northwestern is the oldest chartered university in Illinois and is ranked among the most prestigious academic institutions in the world. Charte ...

; and the coordinator of LBGT Student Services at Western Michigan University. Dirks is the co-author with Patricia A. Relf of ''To Offer Compassion: A History of the Clergy Consultation Service on Abortion'' (Madison, WI: University of Wisconsin Press, 2017).

References

{{Authority control Canadian activists University of Calgary alumni Western Michigan University alumni