[4] Her dissertation, Recent marine diatom taphocoenoses off Peru and off southwest Africa: reflection of coastal upwelling, was supervised by Hans Schrader.
She held positions as dean of distance and continuing education, as well as director of Portland area programs for Oregon State University, and she was superintendent of the Gresham-Barlow School District.
[7] She was appointed interim commissioner for community colleges and then was named special assistant to Oregon State University's provost for Portland area programs in 1996.
[10] In 2008 Schuette made a US$50,000 donation to the Chemeketa Community Foundation to support the campus art gallery, "to do more exhibits that explore diversity and new viewpoints".
[12] The gift supplements a scholarship fund begun while she served as president of the college, "for people who have some aspect of their lives, whether ethnicity or not having a great income or special circumstances, that make it more of a challenge to perhaps even see themselves at Chemeketa".