WSM staff

Spring 2016

Daughters of Hanford

Sue Olson, 94, came to Richland in 1944 and worked throughout Hanford as an executive secretary. She also worked in the labs at Hanford, calculating the numbers from radioactive samples. Eventually, she landed a job working for the assistant general manager of Hanford, Wilfred “Bill” Johnson. She says back then, “It was all business to win World War II. And afterward, during the Cold War it was that way too.” She had top-secret clearance and locked her filing cabinet each night before going home.

Olson’s story is part of the “Daughters of Hanford” multimedia project, in which radio correspondent Anna King ’00, photographer Kai-Huei … » More …

Spring 2016

Briefly noted

American Indian Health and Nursing

By Margaret Moss ’81

Springer Publishing Company: 2016

A nursing faculty member and assistant dean of diversity and inclusion in the State University of New York at Buffalo School of Nursing, Moss published this work because American Indians have the highest suicide rate for teens, the highest prevalence of diabetes, and one of the lowest life expectancies in the United States. It is the nation’s first nursing textbook tailored to Native Americans.

My Years in the Information Technology Trenches, From Data Processing to Information Technology

By Bruce Johnson ’59, ’62 MS

Trafford Publishing: 2015

Involved in computers since … » More …

Spring 2016

Class notes

To read more class notes or post your own, visit the online class notes site, MyStory

1970s

Retired public school secondary language arts teacher Suzanne Cofer (’71 English) published a book in 2013 about her maternal grandmother, Ruth A. Haworth, and early pioneer life in the state. She donated a copy of the book to the WSU Manuscripts, Archives, and Special Collections. Recently, she was informed that her book will be online at the Legacy Washington website.

Gene Estabrook (’76 Police Sci., ’77 Poli. Sci, ’79 MA Crim. Jus.) retired in December after more than 35 years of public service as a juvenile probation … » More …

Spring 2016

In memoriam

1930s

Fred Ernest Kasline (’33 Eng., Alpha Tau Omega), 104, October 4, 2015, Fair Oaks, California.

Fae Bowers (’x34 Busi., Zeta Tau Alpha), 101, September 12, 2015, Spokane.

Grant Arthur Graber (’35 Econ.), 98, December 23, 2010, Wapato.

Aimee M. Frazier (’39 Theatre, Pi Beta Phi), 99, October 13, 2014, Spokane.

Francis M. Roberts (’39 Ag. Eng.), 99, August 26, 2015, Spokane.

1940s

Bruce V. Arnold (’40 Gen. St.), 99, October 20, 2015, Walla Walla.

Marie Margaret Bley (’40 Pharm.), 96, April 8, 2015, Spokane.

Norman C. Donaldson (’40 Agron.), 98, October 29, 2015, Colville.

Bernadine Fulfs Seabrandt (’41, ’54 Microbio.), 97, October 21, 2015, … » More …

Spring 2016

Phyllis Campbell

Before she became a bank executive, philanthropist, and civic leader, Phyllis Campbell ’73 felt the powerful impact of a benevolent act.

Former WSU Regent Campbell was trying to raise money to attend Washington State University, when a check for $2,500 arrived from a WSU scholarship fund aimed at low-income students. “The thing that left the impression was this person who gave back, who paid it forward,” she recalls. “I know the power of a check, the power of somebody’s message, somebody paying attention,” she once told a reporter.

Now Campbell is receiving recognition for giving back to others with the Seattle-King County First Citizen … » More …

Spring 2016

A grand gathering place

Cougar-owned landscape architecture and design firm Land Expressions in Spokane won a top national award in December for work on Spokane’s Huntington Park and the Spokane Tribal Gathering Place.

This project won over much larger design build projects from all over the country. The Grand Award from the National Association of Landscape Professionals (NALP) “is the biggest award we can receive in our industry,” says Dave Nelson ’83, president and owner of the company.

The Land Expressions team—which includes senior landscape architect Clayton Varick ’00 and landscape architects Nicholas Hamad ’10 and Fernando Camargo ’10—had a very good year in 2015.

They won the … » More …

Spring 2016

Mary Jean Craig

Mary Jean Craig ’68 couldn’t wait to join 4-H. Her mother and a friend started a pre-4-H club that got her interested, and Craig squeaked into the local fair with a sewing project. After 60 years of involvement in the organization, she knows it was worth it.

Craig, who lives in Moscow, Idaho, was inducted into the National 4-H Hall of Fame last October for her lifetime achievements and contributions.

After 11 years in the club, Craig continued as a member of the “Crimson Clovers” collegiate 4-H chapter at WSU and then as a volunteer leader. She became an extension professional in Idaho in 1980, … » More …

Spring 2016

Still Cougs after all these years

Golden and Diamond grads back in Pullman

WSU may have transformed a lot since 1955, or even 1965, but the camaraderie of graduates from those years hadn’t changed a bit.

One of the largest groups of golden and diamond alumni in years gathered late last October at the Lewis Alumni Centre, where they joined their old friends from 50 or more years ago. Gerry Danquist ’65 thought it was great to see so many fellow pharmacy students.

“We have about half the class of 26 pharmacy graduates here,” says Danquist. He traveled from Indianapolis, where he retired after getting his MBA from Harvard Business School and working 34 years at Eli Lilly. “I saw several pharmacy students I … » More …

Winter 2015

Briefly noted

A Formative Decade: Ireland in the 1920s

Edited by Jason Knirck ’96 MA, ’00 PhD, Mel Farrell, and Ciara Meehan

Irish Academic Press: 2015

Knirck, a history professor at Central Washington University, and his fellow editors and contributors chronicle the events in Irish history during the ’20s, when Ireland underwent transformations in national identity and allegiances. Knirck’s contribution examines the role of the loyal opposition, the Irish Farmers’ Party.

Zen and the Art of Dog Walking

By G. Ray Sullivan Jr. ’73

Deeds Publishing: 2015

Sullivan authored this collection of photographs and musings as a simple descriptive journey of how he discovered natural … » More …

Winter 2015

Volunteers drive the Cougar Nation (really)

Organizing a trip to a Major League Soccer game for 100 people could intimidate anyone. Not to mention a community garden, a networking meeting for young alumni, or even a WSU football viewing party. Fortunately, there’s an engine that drives the Cougar nation and its events: volunteers.

Ashley MacMillan ’05, president of the Oregon Chapter of the WSU Alumni Association, has seen that engine work. “We have so many people here who are passionate about being involved with other Cougs, we’ve been able to diversify our events,” she says.

That includes the hottest sports ticket in Portland: MLS soccer team the Timbers, which is one … » More …