Cougs around the world
Esteban Mena-Salgado (’16 Mech. Eng., left in photo) and Anthony Bonilla (’19 Chem. Eng.) are part of a Lamb Weston project management team that built a new French fry plant near Mar del Plata, Argentina.
Across the state
The Cougulance appeared on billboards, made it onto ESPN’s GameDay, and drew crowds wherever it went. But I heard of it only a few months ago—and contacted Cougar superfan and former WSU student Paul Twibell to learn more.
A decade or so ago, Paul was a registered nurse with American Medical Response, an ambulance service in the Seattle area, which was selling one of its older ambulances. Paul bought it and had it decorated with several Cougar logos.
Its first trip to Pullman was almost its last. As the Cougulance crossed Snoqualmie Pass, a troubling sound began to emanate from its innards. The source was the alternator belt. This necessitated a tow back to Ellensburg, where Paul replaced the alternator. But the closest belt was in Yakima. Fortuitously, some friends were in town and loaned Paul their car for the trip. Finally, the Cougulance was repaired and on its way again.
Just outside Colfax, the Cougulance’s transmission went out. None of the forward gears functioned, but Paul was able to shift into reverse. Bound and determined to reach WSU, he turned on the flashing lights, pulled around, and headed for Pullman, driving backward at 10 miles per hour. This caught the eye of law enforcement, and soon the Cougulance was towed for the second time that day.
The Cougulance has since made many tailgating trips to WSU. Now, it sits for sale at Paul’s home overlooking Puget Sound. Maybe you’d like to be the next one to jump behind the wheel, turn on the lights and siren, and head for Pullman?
Ken Fielder ’77 Poli Sci.
Watch a 2018 KREM 2 interview with Paul Twibell on Facebook.
Maybe more history
The article about the Whitmans [Fall 2025] seemed unfinished. It failed to give any depth to the Whitmans’ involvement. Many of us who took Washington state history as high school freshmen remember a version involving the death of the Whitman’s young daughter, emetics in watermelons, and rampant diseases that deeply affected the lives of the Indigenous peoples who were served by the Whitmans.
History is written by the winners, according to the old saying, but this article gives us too little information about what really happened to provoke one of the most horrific occurrences in Washington state history. A good follow-up article with more background would really be appreciated!
Eileen Glaholt ’65 Soc. Stu.
Around the blocks
Kayla Rhodes D’Asaro (’18 Comp. Sci.) was a runner-up in the magazine’s Summer 2025 “Block By Block” contest. She originally built a version of Orton Hall in LEGO Digital Designer, and then built it with real LEGO bricks. It was displayed at BrickCon in Bellevue on September 6–7, 2025.
What’s on your mind, Cougs? Let us know at: magazine.wsu.edu/contact