Fall 2018
Returns on education
Damien Pattenaude returned to Renton School District as a teacher, principal, and now superintendent—with an aim to improve the teacher diversity in Washington state. » More ...
Alumni
Fall 2018
Being best
A 9-year-old slave girl fanned her young mistress to keep the flies off her while she learned her lessons. Because she picked up enough education to be able to read and write a little, she ended up teaching other slaves and ex-slaves.
Her daughter became a schoolteacher, married to a Presbyterian minister in segregated Columbus, Ohio. The couple passed on the family mantras to their children: “You must get an education to get ahead” and “you must be a credit to our race.”
Their children, the second generation born free, took the advice to heart, attending college and becoming teachers and professionals. One of them, … » More …
Fall 2018
A formula for funny
When Kelsey Cook ’11 was a junior in college she delivered her first stand-up performance during an open-mic night at a campus dining hall.
“You’re basically intruding on everyone’s dinner,” she recalls. Even if the crowd thought something was funny they had food in their mouth so she couldn’t really hear their reaction.
Cook has since made a name for herself in comedy and last spring made her stand-up debut on The Tonight Show and earned her first credit on Comedy Central.
She was also back on the road performing stand-up, including a weekend last April at the Spokane Comedy Club where a … » More …
Fall 2018
Class notes
1950s
The Edward R. Murrow College of Communication recognized Roberta (Bobbie) Ulrich (’50 English) in its Hall of Achievement for more than 50 years of work in the journalism industry. She reported for a number of media outlets, including The Oregonian, and published a pair of books about late twentieth-century Native American history.
1960s
Don Weller (’60 Fine Arts) was recently chosen as this year’s featured artist for “The America’s Horse in Art” show and sale. With an affinity for “cowboy culture” plus decades of graphic design and illustration experience, Weller’s award-winning Western art has appeared on posters, magazine covers, postage stamps, and more.
Bill … » More …
Fall 2018
In memoriam
1930s
John Baecher (’39 Ani. Sci.), 101, April 11, 2018, Salem, Oregon.
1940s
Manley Kjonaas (’40 Gen. St., ’42 Chem. Eng.), 101, April 6, 2018, Indianapolis, Indiana.
Lester Stanley King (’41 Mech. Eng.), 98, June 8, 2016, Puyallup.
Roy V. Lewis (’42 Elec. Eng.), 96, July 30, 2014, Syracuse, New York.
Jack McVicar Hayne (’43 Busi.), 97, February 26, 2018, Conrad, Montana.
Jean C. Sharp (’44 Elec. Eng.), 93, February 19, 2018, Lac du Flambeau, Wisconsin.
Rodney Guy Hoff (’45 Phys. Sci.), 92, November 25, 2014, Yorba Linda, California.
Eleanor Baker Macy (x’45 Speech and Hearing Sci.), 95, April 17, 2018, McMinnville, Oregon.
Evelyn J. … » More …
Fall 2018
Architect of other worlds
A green furry dragon named Elliot living in the forests of the Pacific Northwest. A twisted and pathetic creature yearning for a ring in Middle Earth. A monstrous ape, an alien jungle, a future dystopian city.
If any of these cinematic creations will capture the imaginations of moviegoers, they need the magic of visual effects created by wizards like Eric Saindon ’96. Saindon’s own imagination was stirred by animated films as a kid, which led to over two decades designing effects and leading teams of visual effects artists on some of the largest blockbusters on screen.
Much of Saindon’s career has been with » More …
Fall 2018
Deer at Twilight—Poems from the North Cascades
By Paul J. Willis ’80 MA, ’85 PhD
Stephen F. Austin State University Press: 2018
Hiking solo through the mountains can be a lonely endeavor. Missing human companionship, some turn to the subtle moods and personalities inherent in the woodland world itself.
Those emotional complexities come alive in this lovely little volume written while author Paul Willis explored the North Cascades National Park during an artist-in-residence program and a subsequent residency with the North Cascades Institute.
His verse covers territory … » More …
Fall 2018
Cougar rendezvous in Lahore, Pakistan
Recently I briefly visited Pakistan, one reason being to deliver a keynote address at the Global Forum on Islamic Economics in February—sponsored by the University of Management and Technology in Lahore—on “Economic Thought of Early Islamic Scholars and Impact on Western Scholarship.”
During the visit, on February 25, 2018, some friends arranged a memorable luncheon rendezvous with several Pakistani Cougars (and a couple of Vandals). There was nostalgic sharing of wonderful memories from their Palouse days.
Washington State University has had long-standing academic links with Pakistan that began in the 1950s when, under the leadership of President C. Clement French, WSU established an Inter-College Exchange … » More …
Fall 2018
A high five for Cougar V
This fall, the WSU Alumni Association will release Cougar V—the fifth offering in the Cougar Collectors’ Series that celebrates Cougar wineries and the role WSU alumni play as leaders in the wine industry. The Cougar V red blend was created by a team of outstanding Cougs at Mercer Estates Winery, including Rob Mercer ’91, Brenda Mercer ’90, Will Mercer ’92, and winemaker Jeremy Santo ’03.
The only guaranteed way to get your bottle of Cougar V is to join the Wine-By-Cougars Wine Club. WBC carefully selects world-class Coug wines and delivers them to your door four times a year, with four different club levels … » More …
Fall 2018
WSU in 100 words
The Winners
When we asked for your memories of Washington State in 100 words or less, we had no idea we’d get such a flood of compelling stories. It wasn’t easy to choose winners from the dozens of entries, but the magazine staff and colleagues who evaluated the stories picked three that really spoke to us. They’ll get Cougar Gold or a WSU cap for their efforts.
Here are the winners:
Nothing is certain except death, taxes, and Pullman Transit. One winter morning, I was waiting alone at the bus stop near Cougar Crest Apartments. Heavy snowfall the night before. A thick mist … » More …