The big reunions of June 2023 brought many Cougs back to Pullman and Spokane to visit their alma mater.
Washington State Magazine writers met with some of them at CougStoryCorps—a forum to hear their stories and share them with other Washington State University alumni recollections.
Here are some of their stories:
Nancy and Jim Lemery
Washington State University is her “happy place.”
As an undergraduate student in Pullman, she found the campus to be “a safe, encouraging, supportive environment with a lot of positives going on.”
Nancy (Mitchell) Lemery (’63 Ed.) is “forever grateful” for that. Her dad studied here, too. “So some of … » More …
In the early 1990s, when he was going through treatment for cancer, Tim Kohlhauff found the time he felt “the best and connected or healthiest and most relief” was when he was in the garden—specifically the Japanese Garden at Washington Park Arboretum at the University of Washington.
“I was not as worried when I was there and that had a sort of longtime effect,” he says. “I recovered, but I found I wanted to spend more and more time in the garden.”
Cancer brought him to gardening. Gardening brought him to Washington State University Extension » More …
Louisa R. (Winkler) Brouwer (’17 PhD Crop Sci.) was one of three researchers at Washington State University who collaborated on “The History of Oats in Western Washington and the Evolution of Regionality in Agriculture.”
The 2016 study—written by Brouwer along with crop scientists Stephen S. Jones, director of the WSU Breadlab, and Kevin M. Murphy (’04 MS, ’07 PhD Crop Sci.)—appeared in the Journal of Rural Studies.
It was a precursor to her dissertation: “Building the Genetic, Agronomic and Economic Foundations for Expansion of Oat Cultivation in Western Washington.”
Recently, she discussed her work and oats with Washington State Magazine.
Breakfast and oatmeal go hand in hand. Sometimes, though, cooking time is limited and you need something quick and ready to eat.
I’ve found a tasty, make-ahead alternative in overnight oats, similar to Bircher muesli or other preparations that let oats soak up liquids and flavors over time. I like to try out different combinations with various fruits and nuts.
The star among my overnight oats experiments features Cosmic Crisp® apples, one of the delicious foods developed by Washington State University. Combining the tart-sweet flavor of Cosmic Crisps with spices, nuts, and other additions makes a wonderful base.
It takes scores of volunteers of help the Washington State University Alumni Association connect with Cougs across the country. Meet three of the alumni who help make it happen.
‘All about giving back’
It was her first Cougar football game. WSU was playing Stanford at Stanford, and the Cougs had just scored.
“I remember being in the stands,” says Katey Koehn, who attended the October 23, 2010, game with her husband. “There was a group of three or four Cougs behind us, and they started singing the Fight Song. I realized I didn’t know it. That moment made me think, ‘If I really … » More …
If you have a 3D printer at home or access to one, there are a variety of free model files available to show your Washington State University pride. From Coug logo cookie cutters to keychains and ID holders, sites such as Thingiverse and Printables will give you a start.
Read about WSU innovations in 3D printing and additive manufacturing in “It all adds up,” Summer 2023 issue.
