As a Willamette student during a tumultuous period in American history, Short turned her commitment to diversity into action.
Inspired by national efforts in the 1960s to end segregation and discrimination in the South, she started a student civil rights organization on campus and also worked in Tennessee and Mississippi on literacy, voter registration and Freedom Summer programs. Persevering in often-dangerous circumstances, she endured harassment and abuse and was jailed five times.
Later, through her 23-year career as an executive recruiter and her volunteer efforts for nonprofits, Short continued to work and advocate on behalf of diversity, minority communities and social justice issues.