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Other Notable Alumni

Spring 2023

Helen Szablya in her own words

Helen Szablya’s recent memoir details her escape from Communism in her native Hungary, her time at Washington State University, and then her roles as an honorary consul to Hungary.

Szablya and her family fled their home country of Hungary and its Communist regime in a harrowing journey under the cover of night in 1956.

They traveled to Austria, Canada, and then to Pullman, Washington, where Helen received a degree, her husband John was an engineering professor, and they raised their family.

She tells the full story in the second volume of her memoir, From Refugee to Consul. Adriana Janovich, associate editor of Washington State Magazine, … » More …

Book cover of The Cascade Killer
Winter 2022

The Cascade Killer: A Luke McCain Novel

Book cover of The Cascade Killer

Rob Phillips ’78 Comm.

Latah Books: 2020

 

A father and son snag a black bear near Chinook Pass during their first hunt of the season and come across human remains⁠—an ear among the animal’s stomach contents. Luke McCain, a Yakima-based Washington State Department of Fish and Wildlife officer who also just happens to be a WSU alum, is called to the scene along with his trusty sidekick.

Jack, a yellow Labrador retriever, leads McCain and a crew of sheriff’s deputies … » More …

Fall 2022

Help pets of Ukrainian refugees

The flow of refugees from the invasion and conflict in Ukraine isn’t just a human crisis.

Dogs, cats, and other pets often make the journey with their people, and they have their own needs. Pets endure the stress of travel, unknown places and faces, and dangerous situations.

In turn, though, they give comfort to Ukrainians forced to flee their homes.

“When your world is turned upside down, but you have the unconditional love of a pet, that is going to be what helps. That bond is unbreakable,” says Marty Becker (’80 DVM).

Becker and others are helping with pets of Ukrainian refugees in Romania, Poland, … » More …