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Pat Caraher

Summer 2004

Pathfinder Award winner recognized early in career

Washington State University alumnus Brad Rawlins has earned one of the nation’s top scholarly awards in public relations.

The assistant professor of communications at Brigham Young University received the Pathfinder Award November 20 in New York City. He was recognized by the Institute of Public Relations for “a whole body of work through a number of years.”

Rawlins’s research examines ethical practice in public relations, especially moral decision making. He hopes to use concepts such as authenticity, accountability, and responsibility to show the need for transparency in communications.

“If you can help an organization become more transparent, then that organization has to account for what … » More …

Summer 2004

WSU Hall of Fame adds 5 who excelled

Carol Gordon

On February 21, the day of her induction into Washington State University’s Athletic Hall of Fame, Carol Gordon offered a silent prayer. That evening she shared her petition with 180 guests at the induction banquet in the Compton Union Building.

“Please let me speak before George [Raveling],” the longtime WSU professor, coach, and administrator said. Her comment drew a rousing ovation from the audience, including Raveling himself. The charismatic Cougar basketball coach from 1972-83 would speak later. Olympic gold medallist Julius Korir; Linda Williams Sheridan, Spokane prep coaching legend; and football All-America Mike Utley were the other honorees.

Gordon championed women’s athletics at … » More …

Summer 2004

Racial profiling in Washington— policy and perception

The likelihood of being stopped by the Washington State Patrol on state roads and highways is not affected by a driver’s race or ethnicity, according to Washington State University researchers who analyzed two million WSP contacts between May 2000 and October 2002.

The WSU report was issued last summer by political scientists Nicholas Lovrich and Mitchell Pickerill, criminal justice professors Michael Gaffney and Michael R. Smith, and sociologist Clay Mosher. Unlike studies in other states, the report indicates no evidence of biased policing in the rate of driver stops.

Washington is one of at least 14 states that have passed legislation to help eliminate “the … » More …

Summer 2004

Short Shakespeareans

In a scene from A Midsummer Night’s Dream, Demetrius calls for a sword. His request produces instead a yellow rubber chicken tossed from off stage.

“Shakespeare should be fun,” says Sherry Chastain Schreck, founding director of the “Short Shakespeareans.” Children in the drama troupe are 4 to 15, most of them pre-teenagers. In the 25 years since making their debut, the thespians have become a community treasure in Wenatchee.

A Midsummer Night’s Dream is a favorite of the Short Shakes. “The children love it. It is easy for young people to follow and understand,” Schreck says.

While the cast of characters has changed over the … » More …

Spring 2004

Late history professor, chairman was popular with students, faculty peers

Raymond Muse became a teacher at the urging of his father, a farmer in the Ozarks, who didn’t want to see his son spend the rest of his life “looking at the hind end of a team of mules.”

During more than three decades at Washington State University, the history professor earned “favorite teacher” status from thousands of students. Faculty peers praised his leadership. His tenure as chairman was the longest in the department (1956-79).

Muse died October 28, 2003 in San Diego after a long illness. He was 88.

His teaching career began at age 18 in a rural one-room school, not far from … » More …

Spring 2004

Cougar finds a home in faternity house

After roughly 45 years, S.J. “Bill” Monro’s prized Cougar has a new home. The longtime San Francisco restaurateur donated the stuffed animal to the Washington State University chapter of Sigma Nu Fraternity.

His wife, Barbara, discovered the specimen among a number of stuffed Northwest animals on auction in San Francisco nearly a half-century ago. She purchased the five-foot long, 300-pound cat as a gift for her husband. It has occupied a prominent spot in the “Cougar Room” of the family home.

“It should be a good conversation piece for the Sigma Nus,” he says.

The Monros returned to Pullman in late April with other members … » More …

Spring 2004

Cougar cruise spreads good will on 1,700-mile voyage

To many, Washington State University is a landlocked university. But Tom and Barbara Wilson beg to differ. The Seattle sailors covered 1,700 nautical miles last summer aboard their 53-foot boat powered by twin 700-horsepower Caterpillar engines. The Wilsons started their “Cougar Country Cruise” in Shelton and ended it at Clarkston, before returning home to Seattle. En route they visited WSU Vancouver and WSU Tri-Cities via the Columbia River. And came within 25 miles of the Pullman campus at Wawawai Landing on the Snake River.

Tom Wilson’s goal as 2003-04 commodore of the 300-member Cougar Yacht Club is to put on a CYC event in all … » More …

Spring 2004

Scientists and researchers honored by WSU

Washington State University created the Alumni Achievement Award in 1969 to honor alumni who have provided significant service and contribution to their profession, community, and/or WSU. In recent months, three individuals have been recognized.

Richard H. Pehl

While completing his doctorate in 1963 at the University of California, Berkeley, Richard H. Pehl was the last graduate student to use the famous 60-inch Cyclotron. His research group was undertaking the initial effort to develop radiation detectors fabricated from semiconductors. He was the graduate student responsible for that effort. This work established a base for his career.

Pehl (’58 Chem. Engr., ’59 Nuclear Engr.) was honored by … » More …

Spring 2004

WSU alumni president has a grasp on things

After graduating from Washington State University in 1989, Lorie Dankers headed for the other Washington–the one on the East Coast-with no job in sight. Her first Saturday there she attended a WSU alumni event. Mingling with other Cougars provided “wonderful contacts – names of people and companies to call.” She quickly found work. As a producer for Newslink, a Washington, D.C.-based television news bureau, she attended press conferences and congressional hearings and covered White House events, marches, and protests. There were tougher assignments to tackle as well-the U.S. decision to invade Panama, Mayor Marion Barry’s arrest on drug charges, and the Supreme Court’s addressing of … » More …