Eastern magazine | winter 2014

It’s a Great "Time" to be an Eagle!

up front

EditorKandi Carper ’05

Art dirECtorryan Gaard ’02

Contributing WritErsBrian Lynn ’98, Kandi Carper ’05, dave CooK, dave Meany

Contributing dEsignErsryan Gaard ’02, Steve BateMan, Heidi Jantz

Copy EditorsBrian Lynn ’98, CaMeron piLKinton

photogrAphy david Lane, pat SpanJer ’80, david HeLBerG, eriC GaLey ’84, SaM BuzBy ’07

EditoriAl boArdSteve BLewett ’69, Gina Mauro CaMpBeLL ’90, JaSon CLerGet ’07, Brendan GentHer ’00, niCK LawHead ’07, LiSa LeinBerGer ’98, KayLa Carter nortHrup ’08, roBin piCKerinG ’03, ’97 and nanCy tSutaKawa ’70

ViCE prEsidEnt for uniVErsity AdVAnCEmEnt MiCHaeL weStfaLL

dirECtor of Alumni AdVAnCEmEntLiSa popLawSKi ’01, ’94

EWu Alumni AssoCiAtion prEsidEntGina Mauro CaMpBeLL ’90

dirECtor of mArkEting & CommuniCAtionstereSa Conway

ContACt useMaiL: [email protected]: 509.359.6422write: EastErn MaGazine, 300 SHowaLter HaLL, CHeney, wa 99004-2445

EastErn magazinE is publishEd fall, wintEr and spring by Ewu markEting & CommuniCations and is mailEd frEE to alumni of rECord in thE unitEd statEs. ViEw this and prEVious issuEs onlinE at www.ewu.edu/easternmagazine.

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014EastErnTHE MAGAZINE for Eastern Washington University Alumni and Friends

dear alumni and friends, one of the great things about football Saturdays at eastern washington university in recent years is the evolution of the game-day experience. the large number of alumni and supporters who are now taking in the many pregame festivities has reinforced what many of us already know – the ewu spirit is thriving like never before!

the expanded parking lot, the new inferno team Shop, an increased number of attendees, the smell of barbecue and events like the alumni red zone only make afternoons at roos field more enjoyable and exciting. But tailgating, as we like to call it, is more than just about food and friendship. it is also about building community.

as you know, one of the university’s key strategic goals is community engagement. this involves fostering strong relationships within our own campus and with the surrounding region as well.

on campus, the eastern community continues to grow stronger each academic year. this past fall, ewu opened Snyamncut Hall, our first new residence hall in more than 40 years. with three-quarters of our record student body now living in Cheney, this new state-of-the-art building provides a greater sense of community for students who live within the residential district. and by the time you read this, the doors will have opened to the renovated main academic building, patterson Hall. it will be a premier educational facility for faculty and students, and its modern amenities will promote student success and add a visually appealing element to the center of campus.

Beyond campus, the university continues to be a driving force in the greater Spokane region. our office of Community engagement offers students and faculty a way to develop beneficial partnerships. and alumni, like you, continue to represent ewu in many important social and professional roles. we profile several of them in this issue of Eastern magazine.

Still, none of these great things can happen if we don’t build a great community on campus. and that’s why the game-day experience is truly something special. your continued support at athletic events or a university concert, play or lecture is greatly appreciated, because you are helping us build a strong culture of support that is only enhancing the ewu community!

rodolfo arévalo, phd president

12 it’s a great "time" to be an Eagle! ewu is moving onward and upward

22 funny man Comedian Brad upton brings laughter to audiences around the globe

26 building success one City at a time Katy allen's legacy of public service

28 lifelong bonds the brothers of pi Kappa alpha stay connected

3EastErn: WIntEr 2014

features

departmentson the covereagle fans show their school spirit at

the 2013 Homecoming game, oct. 19, at the inferno at roos field.

2 up front 4 letters to the editor 6 on the road 8 eastern etc. 21 on the shelf 30 your turn: The Life of the Wild, Full-Grown Leopard

32 faces & places 35 class notes 40 in memoriam 42 final thoughts 43 calendar of events

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eaglePalooza wow, your article on campus concerts brought the memories flooding back. i was the activities vice president of the student body at eastern from September 1968 to June 1969, and several of the concerts mentioned were those i was responsible for booking.

typically back in the '60s and '70s, if eastern held a concert, it was related to Homecoming, and if we "went big" on that concert/entertainment, that really severely limited any other options during the year. and certainly there were circumstances when we successfully went big, as you can see from some of the pictures in your article from the early years.

the other path, admittedly a bit more risky, was to try to make great choices on current/emerging talent at far less expensive prices, and see if you could get lucky.

when Kenny rogers and the first edition came to eastern, the band had only one hit, Just dropped in, which reached #5 nationally – and that was it. we paid $1,750 for the group. the night of the concert they got fogged-in in San francisco for two hours. they asked to reschedule but we had no ticket stubs and we said we'd wait as long as it took. they didn't get to eastern until almost 10 p.m. but they were met with a resoundingly positive roar. the first words out of Kenny rogers' mouth were, "Geez, who do you think we are, the Beatles?" it was a great concert. Later, Kenny rogers’ concerts with dolly parton were said to have cost $750,000.

deep purple (pictured in the article) was later considered one of the pioneers of heavy metal and hard rock. their single hit, hush, hit #4 nationally. i think we got deep purple for $1,200 as a stop-off performance between other larger college dates (a tactic eastern used often).

(also pictured in the story) the original Cast’s anti-war song, one tin soldier, became the anthem for anti-war demonstrations in 1969. it was their only major hit. at eastern, they were one of the first performers in an experimental mini-concert series held monthly in a small venue on campus, an attempt to replicate the small-club atmosphere. ethel ennis (pictured in the article) also performed that same year in the "club" setting.

and there you have it – what we called "eastern after Hours" in the late 1960s. Great talent at prices we could (barely) afford.

rick allen ’69, tacoma, wash.

i love the print edition of the magazine and look forward to every issue.

Some input on the eaglepalooza feature, which i really liked: you note that the Grateful dead played on campus. the Grateful dead never played in Cheney as far as i can tell. for historical accuracy, the Jerry Garcia Band played in reese Court on oct. 27, 1978. the band included donna Jean and Keith Godchaux, who were both in the Grateful dead at that time, but not the other guys. i believe the closest the Grateful dead got to Cheney was when they played the Spokane Coliseum in June 1980.

i really support what you do and love that you keep us informed.

mark grey ’84, yorba linda, calif.

Rick Allen

we want to hear from you! Send us your letters. Letters may be edited for length, clarity and civility.

Letters to the editor


eagle Pridei enjoy reading our alumni magazine and especially enjoy seeing many of the alumni holding the Eastern magazine as they travel throughout the world. My wife, Jeanne, and i just returned from a cruise that took us to england, ireland, Scotland, norway and the Shetland islands.

i did not have a recent copy of Eastern magazine so i took along my eastern ball cap. Several fellow cruise passengers asked about my loyalty to the philadelphia eagles football team, and i had fun explaining that my ball cap was from my college alma mater.

again, thank you for the great magazine. it keeps me connected with eastern and other alumni!

edmund (ed) mclaughlin Jr. ’90, kennewick, wash.

Proud of alumnafabulous article "Street Smarts" (in the fall issue of Eastern magazine) about an amazing ewu graduate, (laura moulton ’97), who is doing worthwhile endeavors with her degree and enthusiasm.

She is a model for us all!

lynn cannon ’77, eugene, ore.

note from the editori want to thank everyone who completed the Eastern magazine readers’ survey! we had an impressive number of responses, and your comments and recommendations will be considered as we continue to work to bring you an entertaining and informative publication about your alma mater.

Congratulations to Joan schauerman, Phil kiver, sheri Vandiest and kerry dirk – randomly chosen to win $25 ewu Bookstore gift cards as a thank you for participating in the survey.

your story ideas and input are always appreciated. Keep us informed about what you’re up to by sending us a “Class note” and … drum roll please, new this issue, “your turn,” a reoccurring feature that invites you, our alumni, to submit personal essays of approximately 1,000 words. tell us your story or what’s on your mind. rules: keep it relevant, pithy and respectful. Send to [email protected] or eastern Magazine, 300 Showalter Hall, Cheney, wa 99004-2445.


ewu alumni and fans, too numerous to mention, gathered at Stockman’s Bar in Missoula, Mont., oct. 25,

the night before the ewu-Montana game.

retired ewu professors haideh lightfoot and husband don lightfoot sailed from Malaga, Spain to Barbados in

the windward islands of the Caribbean on the tall-mast ship the star flyer.

’10 krista aghabeigi and ’12 rusty haehl took a autumn trip to San francisco. the Golden Gate Bridge is in the

background.

’88 krisann hatch and husband James Sloan, in Galveston, texas. they were in texas for the ewu football

game in September. Krisann works for red Lion Hotels and is a member of the ewu foundation Board.

’82 Jurg gerber, a professor at Sam Houston State university, took his magazine and ewu letterman’s jacket

(soccer) to the SHSu vs. ewu football game, Sept. 28. “Men’s soccer was a varsity sport for at least two years (’80, ’81), which meant riding the bus to places like ellensburg and Missoula and eating in fast food establishments,” writes Gerber. “However, it provided me with the memorable experience of playing a soccer game in falling snow against Montana.”

’71 kathi and ’72 mark eckerich, channeling the spirit of the roaring ’20s with their Model a ford in front of JfK

Library in october at the library’s annual oktoberfest.

’12 alicia dickson and ’12 morgan deardorff were in Cozumel, Mexico, in front of their cruise ship on Halloween.

alicia lives in Spokane and Morgan lives in Kennewick, wash.

’74 gayle and ’76 mike Van matre at a Mesa verde cliff house in Colorado in September. Both are retired educators

and administrators and live in Medical Lake, wash.

’69 elizabeth bock visited the Montreal Botanical Gardens in Montreal, Quebec, in october. She retired after 34 years

teaching in the Grand Coulee dam School district.

’99 melanie franks salas and ’01 chad salas in Cancun in September. they live in San antonio, texas,

with daughters Sadie and Sydnie. Melanie is a real estate broker and Chad is in health care it.

’71 Jim fischer, during grape harvest on the family vineyard in oregon’s willamette valley. Jim retired from the u.S.

Customs Service in 2003.

’03 bobbie hall is pictured in runaway Bay, Jamaica. He lives in Seattle and is a field marketing manager for

experience Six/Sti.

’81 bob shoemaker at the county parliament building in worcester, england. He’s been working as a manufacturer's

representative for several companies during the past 30-plus years.

’96, ’93 allyson smith-dennis at Carpenter’s Hall, in philadelphia, pa. the retired human resource manager was

visiting friends in the “City of Brotherly Love” in october.

’70 curt and ’68 Joan (reinbold) hisaw in front of the Capitol Building in washington, d.C. they are retired

teachers/coaches and live in Cheney.

’00 brendan genther and wife marla on top of Mt. Sentinel above the university of Montana in Missoula in

october.

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Where will Eastern magazine be spotted next? You are invited to send photographs holding up the current issue. Include some information about yourself with your submission. We may not be able to publish every submission. Extras will be posted on the Eastern magazine Facebook page and on the magazine’s website. Send to [email protected] or Eastern Magazine, 300 Showalter Hall, Cheney, WA 99004-2445.

on the road with eastern magazine

president Arévalo named to higher Education boardewu president rodolfo arévalo was named to the 2014 Board of directors for the american association of State Colleges and universities (aaSCu) during the association’s annual meeting in Los angeles in october. dr. arévalo will be one of 15 presidents from around the country serving as a director for aaSCu, a washington, d.C.-based higher education association of more than 400 public colleges, universities and systems. aaSCu members share a learning- and teaching-centered culture, a historic commitment to underserved student populations and a dedication to research and creativity that advances their regions’ economic progress and cultural development.

steven pinker presents research on Violence ewu and the daniel and Margaret Carper foundation welcomed one of the world’s leading cognitive scientists, Steven pinker, to Spokane in november, as he shared his analysis of violence. faced with a ceaseless stream of news about war, crime and terrorism, one could think that we live in the most violent age ever. But pinker, in his presentation, “a History of violence,” argued otherwise. pinker, named one of time magazine’s 100 Most influential people in the world, is considered a brilliant speaker and is highly respected in scientific circles. His books include the better angels of our nature: why Violence has declined, which garnered a new york times Book review notable Book of the year award, the blank slate and how the mind works, both bestsellers, and both finalists for the pulitzer prize. ’72 daniel carper, Ba sociology, and wife Margaret (Margie), through the Carper foundation, support and encourage the highest goals of the liberal arts tradition, skeptical analysis and the ability to critically analyze controversial ideas and theories, or those which clash with mainstream or common belief. the Carper foundation has shown generous support of ewu through the many scholarships endowed each year as well as in the creation of a Chertok professor’s Chair, the holder of which teaches at least one course a year dedicated to critical analyses of current academic discussions. this lecture series is a component of the Chertok course.

$150,000 a generous couple, who wish to remain anonymous, have created a unique scholarship fund that is the first of its kind within the ewu foundation. this gift will provide current scholarship support and create an endowment for transfer students entering ewu from a community college. it is a wonderful legacy and greatly appreciated.

transfer student scholarship fund Created

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eastern etc.


record Enrollmentwith 12,791 students, ewu has set an enrollment record for the fifth consecutive year. the record enrollment is the byproduct of the university’s strong student retention efforts, quality programs and lower tuition costs compared to other public institutions in washington. the successful retention efforts are also reflected in the fact that there is an increase of more than 300 juniors and seniors on the campus than during the same time last year. this year there is also an increase of 116 transfer students.

baldwin named big sky Coach of the yeareastern’s head football coach was awarded Big Sky Conference Coach of the year, the league announced nov. 27. this is the second consecutive year Beau Baldwin, now in his sixth year at the helm, has received the honor. “i am humbled very much,” said Baldwin, who ranks in the top seven all-time in Big Sky history for winning percentage overall and in conference games only. “especially in the sport of football, a coach of the year award is more accurately stated as a coaching staff of the year award. So much of it is because of what the assistant coaches do every year. i’m lucky to have not only great football guys, but great teachers and men on this staff. this type of award is a tribute to them.” Baldwin led ewu to its third Big Sky title in four seasons with an 8-0 conference mark and a 12-3 overall record. He became one of four coaches in fCS history to lead his team to a win over a ranked fBS team when his eagles topped no. 25 oregon State 49-46 to open the season. Baldwin’s honor is the seventh for an eastern head coach. dick zornes was the first in 1992, followed by Mike Kramer in 1997. paul wulff was honored in 2001, 2004 and 2005 prior to Baldwin winning the honor in 2012. “what a tremendous accomplishment by Coach Baldwin, his staff and team to go through a Big Sky season undefeated. and having Coach Baldwin’s peers recognize the accomplishment is special too,” said eastern athletic director Bill Chaves. “there is no doubt that Coach Baldwin has taken what all of our past coaches have built at eastern and expanded upon it. you need an orchestra leader to do the things we are doing, and Beau is just that – the best in the business. His record speaks for itself, and we are just so fortunate to have him leading our program and be a face of eastern washington university.”

eastern etc.


eastern etc.

Vernon Adams Jr., Quarterback – big sky offensive player of the yearadams was selected as the Big Sky Conference offensive player of the year in a vote by the league’s head coaches, winning the honor for the 10th time by an eastern player, including nine of the last 13 years. the honor was announced nov. 26. adams is 20-4 as a starting quarterback and led the eagles to a perfect 8-0 finish in the Big Sky Conference and 12-3 overall in 2013. prior to the fCS playoffs, he had already set the league record for total offense (4,550) and passing touchdowns (46). a redshirt sophomore from pasadena, Calif., adams finished second behind eastern illinois senior quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo in voting for the prestigious walter payton award, given to the best offensive player in the football Championship Subdivision. But the good news is he has two more years in an eagle uniform.

Cooper kupp, Wide receiver – Jerry rice Award WinnerKupp is a Sports network first-team all-america wide receiver - one of only five freshmen to

earn first-team honors since 1990 and the second wide receiver (randy Moss, 1996). He was also a first-team all-america selection by the american football Coaches association, associated press, walter Camp foundation and Beyond Sports network, and was the College Sports Madness fCS freshman of the year and second-team all-america wide receiver.

Kupp was selected as Big Sky Conference freshman of the year and one of two unanimous first-team all-BSC selections (the other was teammate vernon adams, as both received first-team votes on all 12 ballots as selected by the league’s head coaches).

the redshirt freshman broke the fCS all-time records for receptions, yards and touchdowns by a freshman with season totals of 93 catches, 1,691 yards and 21 tds (previously held by randy Moss). His yardage and td totals are both fourth overall in fCS history.

His total of 1,691 yards and 21 touchdowns receiving led the fCS, and his average of 112.7 yards per game leads all Big Sky receivers and is ranked fifth in the nation.

Kupp broke the all-time fCS record with a td catch in each of 14 consecutive games - the first 14 games of his career. He caught two td passes in each of seven games and one in each of the other seven.

in all, he broke four ewu records, one Big Sky Conference mark and six fCS records.

t.J. lee iii, Cornerback – All-AmericanLee was named american football Coaches association and Beyond Sports network first-team all-america cornerback, and was a second-team choice by associated press and College Sports Madness. He is only the third player in school history and 45th in the 50-year-old Big Sky Conference to win first-team all-Big Sky Conference honors three times. Lee is in sole possession of the school record for career forced fumbles with seven and had a school-record four in the 2013 season to rank 27th in fCS in average per game (0.27). He was third in fCS with four total fumble recoveries. Lee also had four interceptions, 25 passes broken up and 3.5 sacks in his 49-game career (35 starts). He is just the 35th eagle in school history to have 200 career tackles. Lee earned all-america honors in 2012 from the Sports network (second team), and was also honored on the College sporting news “fabulous 50” all-america squad.


Engineering program Certifiedthe accreditation Board for engineering and technology (aBet) has accredited eastern’s Bachelor of Science in Mechanical engineering program. this is eastern’s second engineering program to be accredited, with electrical engineering being the first. the university has offered engineering programs since 2005, and engineering technology degrees since 1991. in 2009, the university received legislative permission to grant mechanical engineering degrees, and the university graduated its first group of mechanical engineers in 2012. there are nearly 950 students at ewu studying either engineering or technology and computer science, and those numbers are expected to grow in the coming years. additionally, for the past four years, eastern has offered its electrical engineering program in the north Seattle area in order to serve more place-bound students.

teaching through musicthe eastern washington university Jazz ambassadors, a newly formed group of 18 music students dedicated to teaching and inspiring others through creative action, debuted with a performance at Spokane’s Shriners Hospital on veterans day in november. the ambassadors, who received a $4,500 grant from the Kalispell tribe, not only perform but also teach children some of the finer points of making music. “one of our goals is to inspire children though the arts,” said phil doyle, an ewu lecturer in music who is leading the project. “the ambassadors hope to show that through the positive elements of music,

we can effect change and show there is a pathway toward a positive and enriching life.” doyle notes that the program also aims to foster leadership among the jazz band members through its community outreach. the concerts and clinics will teach them about teamwork and creativity, and give them a chance to enhance their community while advancing the university’s research, teaching and service missions.

eastern etc.


When we were here, Eastern felt a bit forgotten; like it was in a

recession – everything was a hodge-podge. I remember buckets all around the Phase to catch the

dripping water. Now the facilities scream ‘collegiate pride’ and

make it a place I’m even more proud to call mine.

-Heath Haynes '93

when high school seniors graduate, leave home and embark upon their eastern washington university experience, they begin a critical time of change, a period when they will mature both physically and mentally, when their belief systems will begin to form the foundation of their identities for decades.

to be an EaglE! to be an EaglE! It’s a great "TImE" It’s a great "TImE"

By Brian Lynn ’98


SnyAmncut HAll

to be an EaglE! to be an EaglE! and with them throughout those identity-creating years is the whole of eastern washington university – the classroom education, the personal relationships, the extracurricular events, the shared experiences. ewu serves as the backdrop to our individual development, which in turn impacts the communities we all work in – those small towns and large cities across the state of washington and, indeed, around the world.

Like its students, the university itself experiences critical times of change. from periods of stagnation to eras of progress and development, ewu has had its share of growing pains in its 132-year history – and that’s not a negative connotation, for it’s the audacity to change and grow that allows both the student and the institution to move forward on a path that promises a greater future.

for ewu, the greatest development phase in more than 50 years has taken place for the better part of the past decade – and the renaissance of physical and spiritual changes has spurred the university down a new path. from multiple years of record enrollment and new construction across campus to record attendance at football games and an unprecedented tailgating scene, the palpable vibe permeating campus life has created a new foundation upon which the future of eastern can build a campus rivaling that of any regional university in the country.

camPus lifeGrowth takes dedication and resources, and multiple administrations in recent years have overcome hurdles associated with both to reshape the face of ewu. if you haven’t visited campus in the past 15 years, you might find it hard to believe the changes that have taken place. remodeling of outdated buildings and new construction abound across campus, while amenities throughout give faculty, staff and students options for everything from dining to studying or holding a meeting.

for alumni, the changes can evoke a mixture of nostalgia, pride and even envy. two years ago, fraternity brothers Jeff Hill and Heath Haynes returned to campus to commemorate the 20-year anniversary of their chapter’s installation at ewu. touring campus left a distinct impression upon the 1993 graduates.

“when we were here, eastern felt a bit forgotten; like it was in a recession – everything was a hodge-podge. i remember buckets all around the phase to catch the dripping water,” said Haynes. “now the facilities scream ‘collegiate pride’ and make it a place i’m even more proud to call mine.”

Hill echoed the sentiments. “it doesn’t scream ‘state college’ the way it used to. Coming back is a pleasant treat.”

to be sure, the newest addition to campus, Snyamncut (pronounced sin-yam-en-suit) Hall, a state-of-the-art residence hall that houses approximately 350 students, will evoke twinges of wistfulness veined with envy from alumni.

“you can explain how it is state of the art and has all the amenities you’d expect: wireless connectivity, community spaces, and collaborative study areas, a great room with a gas fireplace, full kitchens and laundry facilities on every

floor. But, when you actually see it, you say to yourself: ‘this is unbelievable,’” said Josh ashcroft, chief housing officer for

Housing and residential Life. “it makes you want to go back to school. everyone also comments

on how it can build community and help students be successful.”


the new hall, named for the Spokane tribe’s Salish-language word meaning “place of gathering,” opened for the 2013 fall quarter. the latest jewel in the ewu trove came in response to burgeoning student enrollment.

nearly 12,800 students registered for classes in 2013, a record enrollment number for the fifth straight year. with close to 1,700 students living in campus housing, 62 percent of whom are first-year students, and the Board of trustees recently voting to require all full-time, first-year students under the age of 21 to live in university housing throughout their first year beginning next fall, the modern addition was necessary for ewu to keep pace in its march into the future.

“the new hall really signifies a commitment to the on-campus experience and environment of the student – a focus on student success and the spaces, environment and culture that foster it,” said ashcroft. “to all potential students, current students and alumni, it signifies a dedication to the student and the identity of being an eastern eagle.”

that steady commitment has caused an undeniable culture change on campus. no longer is ewu the commuter school where students visit for a few hours of class time and then abandon the campus for the conveniences of Spokane. today’s campus has become a place that attracts students and keeps them engaged. ewu has shifted from an isolated campus surrounded by wheat fields to a center of learning that includes a branch campus in Spokane and satellite campuses in Bellevue, everett, Kirkland, Lakewood, Longview, yakima, Seattle and vancouver, wash., as well as hosting an emerging, yet robust virtual campus online.

Snyamncut Hall is just one in a long string of construction projects that update the campus both aesthetically and technologically.

on Jan. 7, 2014, patterson Hall, the main academic facility located next to the pence union Building in the heart of the ewu campus, was rededicated and opened for use after a $57 million renovation that saw the building dismantled to the foundation. the near-four-year renovation process added new office wings on three sides of the building and modernized 136,730 square feet of space, including classrooms, two computer labs and a forensics lab, behind a new glass façade.

in 2008, the three-story, 117,699-square-foot university recreation Center opened. Located on the north side of the puB on elm Street, the urC sits next to the new Snyamncut Hall and close to the other residence halls. the $26.3 million facility was financed as a university and student partnership – the university funds the annual operating costs as part of its general budget, and the students pay a $65-per-quarter activity fee against university-issued bonds.

the contemporary structure features high-tech equipment and offers students, faculty, staff and alumni unprecedented athletic facilities, convenience and amenities.

Seating for 850 spectators surrounds a multi-purpose arena – a 19,455-square-foot sports floor that doubles as an ice rink. a 30-foot-high indoor climbing wall, 17,000-square-foot fitness center, gymnasium, cardio center and 200-meter running track are also available. the urC is home to ewu’s epic adventure outdoor program, the campus recreation & Health, wellness and prevention Services, as well as the roost – a premier dining venue on campus.

the visitor’s Center was constructed in 2006. the 2,500-square-foot building, located next to Sutton Hall, serves as a gathering place for first-time visitors and prospective students, and is an information showcase on the university and offered programs. parking information, directions to different


Patterson Hall

parts of campus and university tours with eagle ambassadors are just some of the things that take place in the building.

Before Snyamncut, Brewster Hall was the newest residence hall. Construction was completed in 2002, and the structure changed the dynamic of campus living. it’s technically off campus, located on Second Street, and is a joint-operated venture with the university and private business. the 131-bed hall features suite-living spaces – where two to four students share a common living area but have their own rooms.

in September 2003, construction began on a new facility designed to house eastern’s School of Computing and engineering Sciences, opening for fall quarter classes in 2005. the four-story facility, anchored by a multi-story atrium, is located across the lawn from the JfK Library. the building features expanded capacity for course offerings, with state-of-the-art classrooms and fully equipped 21st-century laboratories for the fastest-growing areas of study.

while these new construction projects tend to overshadow remodeling projects, for alumni returning to campus, the changes to some of the old buildings they attended class in, or perhaps lived in, decades ago might stand out just as much. Monroe, Hargreaves, Sutton and Senior halls have all undergone major facelifts and updating. Currently, discussions are delving into upgrading the central gathering spot on campus, the puB, an endeavor that will surely impact student morale and add to the campus appeal for prospective students.

Gone, too, are the days of students finding nourishment only at tawanka or Baldy’s in the puB. today’s students not only have the urC’s roost, but the tawanka Bistro, eagle express Market, Swoop’s Sandwich Shop and multiple smoothie and coffee venues on or near campus.

indeed, campus life is changing at eastern. the awkward years of a little commuter school tucked away among the region’s channel scablands are gone; now a university with modern architecture and technology is growing and impacting the region.

Construction is changing the physical presence of the grounds, but there’s something more to the story – more to eastern washington university. the culture is changing. from the administration and faculty to the students and alumni, the customs of ewu are evolving and forming a foundation for the university’s future. the physical and cultural changes are coalescing and evolving together. and there’s a primary driver behind much of the shift, one that unites all ewu's constituents.

“with the new state-of-the-art facilities and common areas, you can’t help but be a little jealous,” said Hill during his fraternal return to campus. “a championship football team doesn’t hurt either.”

ah, football: a pastime that brings people together not only physically to cheer on their team, but also intangibly – a common interest, a shared experience, the creation of memories. at eastern, the football program’s rise to national prominence has spurred school pride to new heights on a level that can’t be accomplished by the construction of mere buildings. it hits on a more personal level – one that connects the entirety of the ewu community. But it also complements and helps drive the physical changes taking place on campus – the long-tail effect being more students attending the university and greater community support.

football. there is where the rest of the story is to be told.


Left to right: Campus Mall, The Inferno at Roos Field, Visitor’s Center, Ice Rink in University Recreation Center, Climbing Wall in URC, Computer, Engineering Building.

university Recreation center

eagles game dayon Jan. 4, 2008, Beau Baldwin was named the 20th head coach of the ewu football team. during the press-conference announcement, Baldwin spoke about opportunity - not just the opportunity given to him, but the opportunities for the program as a whole because of the university. as an assistant coach from 2003 to 2006, Baldwin witnessed the growth of that support.

I know what I’m getting into and it’s something special,” Baldwin said from the podium, extolling the ideals of never settling – of always pushing to rise to the next level. “I know

how many great things are going to happen here – I know that, and I believe that and I’m excited about that.

press-conference enthusiasm aside, Baldwin’s passion, dedication and expectations have led the program from a state of constant flux to one of stability and growth. in the six seasons since standing at that podium, Baldwin has molded the eagles football program into one that has produced Big Sky titles, national and conference award winners, all-american

selections and players who are breaking school, conference and national records (not to mention 224 academic all-americans, more than any other Big Sky school).

“it’s just gotten to be a bigger and bigger deal every year. in the past, eastern moved forward a year or two at a time, but then would have a year or two where they would be rebuilding,” said Larry weir, the radio voice of eastern football for the past 23 years, in an ewu athletics video detailing the Baldwin era. “But now they’ve reached that era where Montana is at – where they’re not rebuilding every season, they’re reloading every season.”

if you had to point to a momentum change within the program, it came two short years after Baldwin took the helm. in the 2010 season, the support the new coach heralded from the podium came to fruition when the university installed synthetic red turf. thus was born “the inferno” at roos field – a site that has proven a gridiron hell for opposing teams. Since its installation, only four visiting teams have escaped without losing.

the eagles opened the 2010 season on the notorious turf by beating Montana 36-27 en route to defeating five other top-25-ranked teams, sharing the Big Sky Conference title with Montana State and winning the


tHe InfeRno At RooS fIeld

football Championship Subdivision national title in dramatic, come-from-behind fashion against the university of delaware in frisco, texas.

there has been no looking back. Last season the eagles again shared the Big Sky title and advanced to, and hosted, the national semifinal game – where a 42-point rally fell three points shy of a return to the national championship game. this year the eagles claimed the Big Sky championship outright – the first time that’s been done in the conference since the ’97 team - defeated the 25th-ranked oregon State Beavers, began the playoffs as the third-ranked team in the nation and once again advanced to, and hosted, the national semifinal game.

that success on the field, combined with the university’s commitment to better the student experience throughout campus, has bled over to the ewu community at large, and to alumni around the region like never before.

in 1997, the eagles had home-field advantage throughout the playoffs and hosted their first semifinal appearance – a loss against powerhouse youngstown State at albi Stadium in Spokane. that team, recently inducted into the ewu Hall of fame, played those games in front of small crowds – at times the number of ewu fans in the stands was nearly equal to the number

of Montana fans, who bused over three mountain passes in december in a show of conference support after their team had been eliminated from the playoffs. tailgating at the time was anemic, and usually consisted of team members’ families and a few devout fans. this was also a time when student enrollment was half of what it is today, and the state was considering turning ewu into an extension campus of washington State university.

that’s a testament to how far the university, football program and community support have come in a relatively short time. in just more than a decade, the campus has received a physical overhaul, student enrollment has nearly doubled and we have a nationally recognized football program that plays on a one-of-a-kind turf - not to mention faculty who are nationally recognized and world renowned.

the change in support is obvious, and the success of the football team brings something to the equation that can’t be quantified. whatever that spiritual piece is that emerges when a large group of people gather together in a shared experience, it's reverberating through the community and pulling alumni back to campus in droves. the culture is changing and traditions are being created around the game-day experience, and that, in turn, is showcasing the university in new ways.


Left to right: Video scoreboard, installed in 2012, Military Appreciation game 2013 season, 2010 National Championship trophy, 2013 Eagle Cheer Squad, Fans at Roos Field 2013 season.

“while there have always been a number of die-hard tailgaters in the past, during the last four years that number has exploded. the atmosphere has totally changed from small groups of people to mini-cities within the lot, each having their own group members who attend every game, and there’s an emphasis on the food, drink, friendship and eagle pride,” said Campitelli, noting that in four years the number of season-tailgate spots has increased from 47 to more than 150. “tailgaters come in all manner of vehicles from huge motor homes, trailers and fifth wheels to my favorite, the old school bus conversions, teardrop trailers and super-cool custom-conversion buses.”

new game-day amenities include a newly opened bookstore filled with ewu paraphernalia in a building shared with roos field Concessions, which offers food sales by dining Services, and a video scoreboard that keeps the crowd dancing, singing and laughing during breaks in the on-field action.

if you’re an alumnus/alumna who hasn’t returned to campus in more than a decade, you owe it to yourself to reconnect with the revitalized campus and to experience the burgeoning game-day festivities. if you’re concerned about not having a place to tailgate, don’t be – university support extends to alumni as well.

“with the growth in football, we wanted to capitalize on the opportunity to build new relationships with alumni and enhance their return to campus by offering a place to stop by and gather with friends,” said Lisa poplawski, director of

“tailgating has definitely gone from simply attending a football game to a whole-day experience that links our fans to the university in a way that cannot be accomplished otherwise,” said director for Campus recreation, Mike Campitelli. “Many of them come in the day before so they can make a trip to the ewu Bookstore to buy eagle gear and walk around the campus while reconnecting to ewu. they are alumni, family of current and former players, the former players themselves, ewu faculty and staff, football fans and just friends of the eagles of all kinds.”

that dynamic shift isn’t lost on those who attended class or played in prior decades. “when i talk to former players from across the country, those who played in front of 1,500 people, and who come back and see 10,000-plus fans in the stands, they all tell me: ‘there’s something different going on here than we ever experienced or believed could happen,’” said associate athletic director Marc Hughes.

“we’re selling out most of our games. all the parking lots and spaces around the field are full. people are parking on campus streets and are filling up parking lots down at Showalter and Sutton halls. all of those people are getting out of their cars and are flowing – walking – through campus on a weekend, and all because we’re relevant on the football field,” he added, underscoring the indefinable effect the extensive campus construction of the last decade has on visitors.


tAIlgAtIng 2013 SeASon

alumni advancement. “More than 10,000 people are attending ewu football games and most don’t have a tailgate spot. 'the red zone’ is a family-friendly spot to provide that environment.”

the alumni office and alumni association have partnered with the eagle athletic association and washington trust Bank to provide fans a robust experience at the game. the red zone, located in Lot p12, includes food and beverages, large-screen tvs featuring college games and video games, drawings for prizes, games, a photo booth and more.

the future: Pathways to choosefor some, it might seem that ewu has reached a pinnacle that we should be happy with; after all, we’re at record enrollment, the campus looks incredible and the football team is garnering national attention. Let’s coast for a while and enjoy the success.

that is one option. But for Hughes, who was the women’s and men’s golf coach prior to traveling the country in support of athletics, that stagnation is the beginning of the end – it’s the same inertia that leads a young student to become disenchanted and to settle for a future that is less than what it could be.

“i used to tell my players that they needed to work hard to achieve success, and when they finally did, i told them: ‘now’s not the time to rest; now’s the time you have to bust your ass,’” he said. “eastern is definitely in a huge growth mode

right now, and the beauty is that we’re on the verge of expanding more. we have an opportunity in front of us right now. the question is: what do we do with it?”

that opportunity is the Gateway project – a multi-million dollar redesign of the entire roos field site, from traffic flow and parking on washington Street to a complete overhaul of stadium seating. included in the plans are space for academics, athletics, student services, retail and an overall expanded student environment. the ambitious vision is a transformational project that not only takes eastern to the next level, but provides the platform to anchor them atop the national scene.

“the Gateway project has the ability to create an environment like Boise State, Gonzaga, Montana, where there’s a true home-field advantage and almost guarantees a win,” said Hughes. “when you’re talking five or six games a season that are almost guaranteed wins, and then you make it into the playoffs and host a few, that’s a huge recruiting advantage to have every single year.”

whether or not the Gateway project becomes a reality or not, the promise of a bright future that exists because of the commitment to bettering the university both physically and spiritually has instilled a pride in students, alumni and the greater Cheney-Spokane community when it comes to eastern. Like a student who discovers a possible course into the future, campus enthusiasm is at an all-time high, and the pathways into the future are bright. it’s a good time to be an eagle.


20 EastErn: FaLL 2013

Spokane’s premiershopping, dining and entertainment center.

riverparksquare.com


You Herd Me! I’ll Say It If Nobody Else WillBy ’86 Colin Cowherd

in this age of billion-dollar athletic marketing campaigns, “ feel-good” philosophy with no connection to reality and a sports media echo chamber that’s all too eager to swallow whatever idiotic notion happens to be in vogue at the moment, it’s tough to find people who aren’t afraid to say what they’re really thinking. But that’s where Colin Cowherd comes in. as his millions of fans on eSpn radio and eSpnu already know, Cowherd is the rare sports analyst who’s brave enough to speak his mind, even if it makes people angry. it helps that a lot of what he has to say is simply hilarious. Many writers can tell you about Boston’s storied sports history, but how many can tell you why Boston is america’s 5-year-old? Lots of writers will brag about the stuff they got right, but how many will happily list all the calls they got completely wrong? whether he’s pointing out the stupidity of conspiracy theories, explaining why media bias isn’t nearly as big a deal as many assume or calling out those who prize short-term wins over sustainability, Cowherd is smart, thought-provoking and laugh-out-loud funny.

Publisher: crown archetype

Trial and Error… Then RepeatBy ’98 melissa Lowdon

Mistakes happen whether we are sitting still or constantly moving; their benefits arise out of what we choose to make of them. this is the challenge that Lowdon addresses in her heartening and humorous memoir, a tale in which she seeks out her identity and realizes that it is necessary to make mistakes – even big mistakes. Lowden writes, "will i be content with the silence that creeps in my mind when demands are not put upon it? i was nervous about my upcoming free time. i was nervous about discovering who i am when i’m not moving. i had so many layers of characters to hide behind along my life’s journey, that i wasn’t sure where i would land. who am i?" from sibling rivalry to identity crisis, boot camp to higher education, the highs and lows of single parenthood to the welfare lines that accompany it, awareness solidifies with the turning of each page and arrives at an ending that encourages applause. no one is alone in the journey to find an identity that fits, and Lowdon encourages her readers to join her journey before diverging on their own paths.

Publisher: tate Publishers, llc

Rocky’s Road HomeBy ’85 Kathy taylor

rocky’s road home is the true story of a shelter dog from Colorado and the remarkable group of people who work together to get him transported to his "forever home" in washington state. rocky sets off on his journey during the middle of winter in this heartwarming and humorous tale. this is taylor’s first children’s book. it includes a recipe for rocky’s favorite dog treat and offers 10 ways that you can help your local animal shelter. taylor lives in odessa, wash., where she loves to sing, quilt and read. She has volunteered for the Humane Society and hopes to promote responsibility and awareness regarding shelter adoptions for animals. a portion of the sales from this book will be donated to local animal rescue and welfare organizations. the book may be purchased at www.createspace.com/3598282. the book is illustrated by Lexi watkins, an ewu student majoring in visual communications.

Publisher: rockdog Publishing

on the shelf

http://www.createspace.com/3598282

When comedian and EWU graduate Brad Upton began his career as a stand-up comedian in the '80s, he would sit backstage during a comedy competition and his background in running the hurdles for the Eagles would kick in.

Everybody observes things

or sees funny stuff, they just don’t have

the outlet like you would if you’re a

comedian.

funny man

By Brandon Hansen ’08

funny man


“I was in several competitions and one thing I noticed was how much the mental aspect of track and field helped me out,” Upton said. “When you run the 110-meter hurdles, you have to execute the 10 hurdles perfectly, and I’ve always had the mindset that the seven other guys will take care of themselves.” In the look-at-me atmosphere of stand-up comedy, however, other comedians would stalk the backstages at competitions trying to get a pulse on what the other guys were going to say or do. Upton, who ran his best time of 14.40 in the hurdles at age 30, knew he had to figuratively run his own race. “I knew I just had to go out there and perform my set, and I was always mentally prepared and good to go,” Upton said. “There were some neurotic comedians who were so worried about the other guy out there that they just kind of fell apart.” Upton has turned his laughs-under-fire approach into a 29-year career in comedy. For the past six years he’s been the opening act for the legendary Johnny Mathis, something Upton is very proud of. His career has included 5,400 shows, tours with Tim Allen, Kenny Rogers, the Smothers Brothers, Lewis Black, Joan Rivers, Dolly Parton and Rita Rudner, and appearances with the HBO Comedy Festival, The Masters of Stand-Up and NPR. “People always ask me if I do anything else, because the only comedians they know are the really famous ones,” Upton said. “But there are a group of professional comedians who work all the time and they’re good comics. People just can’t believe that you can do it for a living.” Upton started as a fourth-grade teacher in Pasco, Wash., after graduat-ing from EWU in 1979, and began attending open mics and laugh-offs in Spokane in the mid-1980s. He noticed that the majority of the guys competing were doing it full time and that his routine was just as good as theirs. “When I was a kid growing up in Richland, I always liked comedy and would stay up to watch Johnny Carson,” said Upton. “When I got into college, I was writing comedy at EWU but I was always too chicken to get up and perform it.” Upton also started attending open mics in Seattle and receiving more and more notice. That notice turned into opportunities at clubs, and Upton’s “clean” brand of comedy has made him not just incredibly endearing but also marketable. “When you clean up your act, you can work in a much greater range of environments,” said Upton, who frequents cruise ships and performs in corporate settings. “You can open for a lot of big-name musicians too. It appeals to a wider range of audiences.” Upton’s brand of comedy is easy to relate to, something that has helped him turn it into a full-time job in an environment where it’s increasingly difficult to make it as a comedian. “It’s changed immensely,” Upton said. “Comedy is a completely different creature. Before, you’d just mail a VHS of your act to someone. While it’s a lot easier to do that now, in Seattle, there are dozens of open mics and it clutters up the market. There’s actually less work and it’s harder now as a comedian to get started. You almost have to be a headlining act before you can quit your day job.” Upton’s observational type of comedy continues to draw interest, and the talent of delivering the material is always something he’s excelled at. The 57-year-old comedian has refined his act through the years, and is now married with two children, ages 19 and 17. “You always know when you’re watching a good comedian,” Upton

said. It’s kind of like baseball and seeing someone throw a 95-mile- per-hour fastball. You’ll just go, ‘Oh, this guy is good.’” Upton feels fortunate that he’s in a line of work that doesn’t really feel like work. He’ll tell you his act changes constantly and that with most comedians, the jokes won’t be the same if you see them on different occasions. It’s an ever-evolving act. “Everybody observes things or sees funny stuff,” Upton said. “They just don’t have the outlet like you would if you’re a comedian.” The comedian pointed to a situation where pickup trucks and SUVs creep over speed bumps in a parking lot. While he doesn’t have a fully developed joke yet, he knows there’s some comedic gold in that situation. Most comedians, he said, are extremely bright people and he feels that being on stage keeps him mentally sharp and on his toes. “While there are some crazy comedians out there, you’ll find that the majority of us are very, very normal,” Upton said. “Most comedians are acting, and they don’t want a lot of attention offstage.” One of the drawbacks of the job is people always coming up to him after shows with jokes - some with varying degrees of vulgarity. “People feel like they have to make you laugh, and when you’re on cruise ships you see these people over and over,” Upton said. “I don’t think people go up to a doctor and tell him how to do surgery.” He will, however, listen to his daughter when the joke involves her and he’s doing a fundraiser for her school. “She’s usually OK with me telling jokes about her because she knows it pays the bills,” Upton said. “But when it was a couple of fundraisers in front of her school, she was like ‘Dad, can you not tell that one?’” Along with his family, Upton’s other love has been track and field. He became an assistant track coach at Pasco High School while teaching for the school district. For seven years, including one as head coach, Upton’s relay teams were some of the fastest in Washington state history and his 1985 team is the only Pasco team to win the Pasco Invitational, the largest one-day high school meet in the nation. Upton left teaching in 1986, but he never stopped coaching. He served as a volunteer coach for the University of Washington from 1988 to 1994, when he was in town and not on the road, and was a full-time assistant coach from 1995 to 1997, when he returned to comedy full time. During that period, he helped many athletes become All-Americans, and the Huskies notched more points in the hurdle at the Pac-10 Championships than any other school. He continued to coach despite his full-time comedian status. In 2000, he coached Seattle Pacific’s men's and women’s 400-meter hurdlers one day a week and had both the men's and women's conference champions. Currently, he’s coaching the hurdlers at Shorecrest High School, producing state champions at the 3A level. “I think being a high school coach is the most rewarding,” Upton said. “In the three months of track, the improvement you can see in a 15 to 18 year old is just immense.” Upton even helps the EWU track and field team. He used to be the roommate of current men’s head coach Stan Kerr ‘80. “I try and keep Stan informed about the track talent in western Washington,” Upton said. “I just try to put kids on his radar. I’ll also work with the EWU hurdlers for a day in Cheney during the winter. I’m just another person who can maybe see something that they’re doing. That’s really what coaching is.” And considering what he’s done as a stand-up comic, maybe that’s what comedy is too – just another set of eyes observing life.

funny manfunny man


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25EastErn: FaLL 2013

connie (mcspadden) and bill cross graduated from Eastern Washington State College in June 1966. That fall, Connie began a successful teaching career of more than 25 years and Bill started graduate studies in microbiology at the University of Montana, where he earned his master’s and doctorate degrees in 1968 and 1970. following graduate school, Bill spent three years on active duty in the u.S. army before being honorably discharged as a Captain in 1973. in 1974, Bill accepted the position of senior scientist with Bristol-Myers Squibb Company in evansville, ind., and managed the microbiology laboratory. after serving in positions of increasing responsibility, he was appointed vice president of quality assurance in 1986. He and his staff were responsible for quality assurance for all of the pharmaceutical and nutritional products manufactured by Bristol-Myers Squibb in north america. this became a global responsibility in 1990. “the position was extremely challenging, but i enjoyed it very much as it required a blending of scientific training and management skills,” said Bill. He retired from Bristol-Myers Squibb in 2000, after 26 years of service. “all successful careers have a beginning, and mine and Connie’s certainly began at eastern,” said Bill. the couple gives a lot of credit for their success to Marion and roma Bacon, their friends and mentors. “when i attended eastern, the Biology department became my second home," said Bill. "i became acquainted with dr. Marion Bacon, who taught many biology courses, but bacteriology would turn out to be my favorite.” professor Bacon taught biology at eastern from 1959 to 1979. it was Bacon and his wife, roma, who encouraged Bill to apply to graduate school. over the years, whenever the Crosses returned to their hometown of Spokane for holidays, they often visited the Bacons at their home in Cheney. professor Bacon passed away several years ago, and roma Bacon died in 2007. Connie and Bill will always remember their visits and how they helped guide their careers. to pay tribute to their mentors, they have established an endowed scholarship in the names of dr. Marion and roma Bacon. the scholarship will be used to help an undergraduate biology student at eastern. Connie and Bill believe the Bacons would be pleased to know they are helping students, and ewu is grateful to the Crosses for their desire to give back in the names of individuals who have given so much to them.

if you would like more information about contributing to this scholarship or establishing your own, please contact foundation development officer Mary ann Murphy, 509.359.6703 or [email protected].

Honoring Our Friends and Mentors

mailto:[email protected]

BY KANDI CARPER

Building Success One City At A TimeReflections on my college roommate


The first time I met Katy Swanson we were moving into our dorm

room on the fifth floor of Morrison Hall. It was September

1973. I couldn’t Google her, or check her out on Facebook. The only thing I knew about

my future roommate was that she was from Oak

Harbor, Wash., wherever that was.


Katy was the perfect roommate. She didn’t snore or party late into the night. She picked up her clothes, helped me with my “math for dummies” class and made sharing an 9x16-foot room bearable. i remember our lunches at tawanka, the occasional parties, laundry trips to my parents’ home in Spokane and card games with our high school sweethearts – the ones we followed to eastern. Katy chose eastern because, being from the west side of the state, she wanted some independence but she also wanted to be near her sister at wSu. randy allen, her boyfriend (and future husband), was already at eastern on basketball and golf scholarships and, ever the pragmatist, Katy analyzed the situation and found eastern to be the best value in terms of time and money. Her philosophy of managing time and money carried over to her 35-plus-year career in public service, including 25 years with the city of Spokane, eight years as public works director/city engineer for the city of San Jose, Calif., and her most recent appointment as the city administrator for Liberty Lake, wash. Katy graduated from eastern in three years with bachelor's degrees in both math and economics. in 2001, she earned her master’s in public administration from ewu. in between, she earned her civil engineering degree from Gonzaga university. “eastern was the right place for me after i graduated from high school,” said Katy. “i didn’t have to wait for the accelerated classes that i needed. the quality of the professors, the challenge, they really lit my fire. you get in, you get your education, it’s solid and you move on.” after graduating, she did move on to a career with the city of Spokane, first as an engineer technician, then as an associate engineer and finally, as director of engineering Services and city engineer. at age 47, Katy was ready for the next chapter in her career. “i wanted to be professionally challenged and i wanted to learn something new, and California was all of that,” said Katy. Katy commuted from her home in Liberty Lake to her townhouse near downtown San Jose. Her timing with the job in San Jose couldn’t have been better. the city, located in the heart of Silicon valley, was beginning its “decade of investment” – development and completion of more than 1,500 capital projects totaling more than $4 billion. Before she got there, the city had passed bond measures for public safety, libraries and parks and recreation, and was building a new city hall and an airport. “i was able to go into the implementation role of delivering all of those projects, and i love projects. i love people and i love innovative practices,” said Katy. “So it was just an ‘aha!' moment, a ‘wow’ for me, and then there’s the politics. i found that i liked the politics of working with people who have differences of opinion and working to bring together a consensus and advancing services or projects for the public. and i liked doing it fast, efficiently and being fully accountable.” Her policy of working with contractors as partners throughout the construction process was one of those innovative practices.

in most jurisdictions, cities are at odds with contractors, so it’s very adversarial.

i have a completely different mindset. that contractor is my partner, and i want them to be successful. they’re in business to stay in

business, and i’m in the business of delivering good services to the community.

Katy said that because of the trust, transparency and partnerships she and her team cultivated with these contractors, disputes were handled before problems developed, meaning there was virtually no litigation, which is almost unheard of. projects were completed on time and under budget. after her stint in San Jose, Katy retired briefly but found that she still had more to offer professionally. in april 2012, she was chosen, from a pool of 54 candidates, as the city administrator of Liberty Lake, a city of 8,000, located between Spokane and the idaho state line – a huge difference from San Jose, with a population of 983,000. But Liberty Lake is her home. it’s where she and her family have lived since 1983, and it was an opportunity she couldn’t pass up. “Looking back, i’ve never had the same job twice,” said Katy. “in Spokane, it was basically engineering services – horizontal work - pipes and roads. in San Jose, it was all vertical work, so we were building projects. Here in Liberty Lake, it’s more about making good policy decisions. it’s about understanding where our opportunities are and taking care of what we have. it’s also about building out the parts of the city that are designed, but not yet developed.” the common denominator in Katy’s career in public service is the satisfaction she gets in making peoples’ lives better – bringing city water to people who were living on wells, paving dirt roads, fixing potholes, putting in sidewalks and streetlights so people feel safe, “if a project doesn’t benefit somebody, than you shouldn’t be doing that project,” said Katy. when she’s not working, Katy spends time with her husband of 39 years, randy, also an eastern alum (’92 Med, ’79 Ba business education, ’76 Ba education). randy retired a year ago as assistant principal at river City Middle School in post falls, idaho. they have two sons, Jeff (’01 Ba finance) and paul, three grandchildren and another one due in february. at 58, Katy said she’s not even thinking about retirement. “as long as i think that i’m adding value i’ll keep working. i really do enjoy my work. when i’m ready to go i’ll know.” it’s been 40 years since i first met first met Katy. Back then, sitting in our dorm room talking about our dreams and ambitions, we had no idea where life’s journey would take us. Sitting in her office at City Hall and interviewing her for this article was surreal. i’m so proud of my roomie – of who she is as a person and all she’s accomplished.

“ “

by bailey Wolff ‘10

Nearly 45 years ago, when dave Zack’s mother and sister dragged him to Eastern for an interview with the dean of Admissions, he had no idea it would be a turning point in his life. “my 1.5 high

school gpA wasn’t going to let me go to any college,” Zack said. “they took me to the meeting to keep me from becoming a bum.”

Zack was a first-generation college student. he came from a one-parent family and hadn’t planned his future. When the dean admitted him on probationary status, it was bittersweet. now he had to grow up.

A friend took Zack to the pi kappa Alpha (pike) fraternity house on sixth street in Cheney. he became a member and sensed that there was something special in the house and among its brothers. “they were serious about making college a business and doing it well. Walking into that house as a kid, i saw some serious role models that i needed badly.”

Zack’s pledge class was required to study two to three hours a night. older brothers accompanied him to meetings with his professors. because of these efforts, Zack learned how to study and to do his work. in 1970, he graduated with a 3.0 gpA. family members came all the way from Canada to celebrate the occasion.

some pledges to the pike house already knew how to study. ken privratsky, also the first in his family to get a bachelor’s degree, says he was a jock and an excellent student who “didn’t really think much about college.” he was working full time at a gas station and said that the pike house helped him form real relationships with other students. While his commute from spokane to Cheney could have disconnected him from Eastern’s social

scene, his membership in the house kept him close to young men also interested in intramural athletics, social functions, student government and community service.

the brothers in the house were guided by pi kappa Alpha’s motto of forming, “scholars, leaders, athletes and gentlemen.” they came mostly from smaller communities around the northwest, and many of them were also first-generation students.

Jamie Wolff started at the university of Washington but transferred to Eastern after “not fitting in” at uW. “the fraternity gave each guy what he was looking for, without him even knowing that he was looking for it,” said Wolff. “guys showed up and didn’t know how to get a date. some couldn’t hold their liquor and behave. some couldn’t do their homework and others were scared to play sports. it was a huge maturation process where everybody felt satisfied and included.”

this maturation process also included planning, developing and carrying out projects that benefited the community. one such event was a cleanup day around Cheney. Another was a bed race on campus. denny york said these projects taught them to be successful and serve the community. “A core group of us even stayed together into our twenties and then went into business together after college.”

the same bonds that connected these fraternity brothers have been connecting Eastern’s students for more than 130 years. most of them sought practical degrees with which they could build families and make a living. Eastern’s university Archivist Charles mutschler said that Eastern

LifeLoNg LifeLoNg LifeLoNg

bonds bonds bonds


has always attracted such students. “A lot of bigger, research universities are only concerned with educating the mind. historically at Eastern, we’ve focused on teaching skills that make a living. if the oldest in the family got a college education, then he could help pay for his younger brothers and sisters to go through college too.”

though they didn’t pay for one another to get through college, the pi kappa Alpha brothers took responsibility for one another and made sure everybody’s work got done. the results of this process are friendships that have lasted for the past 45 years.

A less-talked about but grim reality that contributed to the camaraderie of these students was the Vietnam War. in 1969, randy turner, one of the chapters’ founding members, was killed in this war. At their reunion last summer, the brothers paid tribute to turner and more than 20 other brothers who have since died from other causes.

privratsky, a retired major general in the u.s. Army, shared an idea that wasn’t stated but was silently hanging over their heads: “don’t flunk out or you’ll get drafted.” this may have motivated some to work harder than they would have without such a threat.

the combination of these factors created what denny york calls a “magical window of opportunity” from 1965 to 1970, where the fraternity members created lifelong bonds. “brothers who came a few years before this window and those who attended a couple years afterwards don’t participate in our monthly meetings or come to our once-every-four-year reunions,” said york.

york is referring to the monthly lunch meetings held for the past 15 years in the spokane Valley. sometimes as many as 20 brothers show up to tell stories from the past and to stay informed about the present. they laugh until they cry when gary garcea retells how he threw pat mcmacken’s beautiful chrome motorcycle parts in the dumpster following an order from the president to clean the study hall closet. he follows with a story about the time he came home late one winter night to find his bed relocated from the warm sleeping porch to the parking lot, and though it was covered in snow, the movers had been thoughtful enough to warm garcea’s bed by connecting his electric blanket with an extension cord.

last summer, more than 50 members gathered in spokane for one of their reunions. they came from as far away as georgia, florida and Alaska. their efforts to stay connected show how through sharing their lives with one another, all of these men got more from Eastern then they could have received by themselves.

now they are giving back. these Eagles are in the process of raising $250,000 to provide scholarships for Eastern students. their desire to give back to the school that gave each of them so much is a testament to the work Eastern does to produce community-minded graduates. the fact that they are all still friends is a testament to the work they did to help one another get through school. perhaps it was this awareness that unsettled and attracted dave Zack to Eastern more than 40 years ago. perhaps it’s this same quality that still attracts students to Eastern today.

bonds bonds bonds



there is a grisly image you may remember from your surfings of the internet, of a man being scalped by a leopard in india. this is a nightmarish photo of a big cat attack, an image so violent it is near comical. in the picture, the man’s scalp is flapping from his head, as if the wind was gently lifting a toupee. the leopard, coiled at his waistline, is swiping for his face, teeth shining brightly, looking as wild and mean as a brakeless locomotive. naturally, the man has withered to repel the attack. Guarding his face, the wig has fallen askew. i left eastern with snow on the ground, at the end of fall quarter. i put dirty clothes into garbage bags and carried the bags down to my ugly ford escort. Sometimes, you can leave a place and when you do it can change enough in your absence that you lose connection to it. i was leaving on a set of new snow tires i should’ve thanked my father for but never did, and about $300 in cash i’ll never know how i managed to hold onto.

By Barrett pryce '08

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military state policemen, wearing berets. Some will float belongings on makeshift rafts of banana trees. young girls with gold earrings and bright dresses will hold bundles of linen while standing in fishing boats. Men will carry sacks of grain from relief organizations. when the waters subside, there will be months of cleaning, repair, renewal.

floods have long symbolized renewal. the sudden thought of leaving this humid, molding flat

gives me a moment of solace i can only lose, the noise of the rain washing it away. i hear only rain.

i feel as if the city is about to swallow me up. as with the leopard, Guwahati has turned on me. this place is a prison and this endless rain is pooling to engulf me. Soon, the floodwaters will meet the rain as it falls.

the photo is real. the leopard attack happened and Hari survived it.

the rest of that is fiction.

i work for imageworks, a creative agency. professionally, i am a writer, a storyteller, paid for my thoughts and ideas. i work with four other eastern alums orchestrating creative campaigns for clients across the northwest.

Somewhere along the way, what i wanted from life either changed on its own or was changed by the life i was living. i am alive in the suburbs of pasco, wash., with my wife and son. in november, i called someone to blow out our sprinkler system. every thursday, i make tacos for my family. and each day when i get to the office, i turn down the public radio voice and grab my coffee. i think about where i am and realize the satisfaction in doing exactly what i want to be doing.

thank you, eastern, for all of this.

imageworks is a creative agency, helping clients tell the better story. located in pasco, wash., imageworks will celebrate its 20th anniversary in January 2014.

you can follow Barrett on twitter @barrettpryce and at http://imageworks.co/blog.

your turn

the pudgy gentleman with the leopard looks to be wearing a classic beige Member’s only-style jacket. He has a short mustache. india is as densely populated with mustaches as it is with large predatory cats. the mustache is a cultural symbol of masculinity, a sign of regal bearing. the man with the leopard is wearing blue denim trousers. there are gold rings on each hand, five across-brass knuckles of affluence. His name is Hari. on the morning of the attack, Hari was walking to work as cook for a wealthy family. He’s relatively famous now, immortalized by the photograph. Hari lives forever.

after two nights in a Sea tac motel room and less than a week with the family of an old girlfriend, i found work on a processing vessel bound for the Bering Sea, a fish boat. i remember driving over Snoqualmie pass and thinking i was going to slide under a truck and be crushed somewhere near Lake Kachess. the road was icy. i wanted a hot shower then very badly. My sense of home was irretrievable.

i live in a sparsely furnished apartment in Guwahati, the capital city of the indian state of assam. Guwahati is close to the dense Garbhanga forest. that is most likely where the leopard came from, according to authorities. it was said that because of the availability of feral animals, some leopards enjoy the city and hunt it regularly, treating certain neighborhoods as natural habitat. assam is impoverished and heavily jungled. one million people live here.

Silpukhuri is the neighborhood where Hari, the cook, was attacked. i live near there; it's perhaps only a five-minute walk from my flat. on that day, people streamed past my window in the street below, on foot, on bicycle. as word spread, the crowd slowly amassed, descending upon the animal. two young boys ran toward the scene, loudly boasting of bravery. the spectacle, which i witnessed from my balcony, lasted for three hours, creating a panicked chaos that sickened me with anxiety.

on days like this during the monsoon, when the rain is cascading down my window and i cannot venture outside and i am alone, i become wistful for old friends in dry sunny places in washington. i’ll ask sad questions while sipping the first sip from the first cup of another pot of black tea. why am i here in Guwahati? why is anyone anywhere? i’ll pick up some stale bread. i will chew it aimlessly, staring into the distance. i will feel silly about my introspection. i’m not sure i want to be here anymore.

i’ve been listening to the radio since early morning, when the din of the rain intensified. it woke me. uneasy and unable to return to sleep, i make tea and light a cigarette. the monsoon is particularly bad this year. the Brahmaputra river is staged to flood; this will displace human life in the millions. it is the first week of September. By next week, the street below my window will be flooded. families with packs over each shoulder will ford the streets to meet boats maneuvered deftly by mustachioed

your turn is a reoccurring feature giving eastern alumni the opportunity toshare their thoughts, opinions, musings and stories. readers are welcome to submit original essays of 1,000 words for consideration.

Send to Eastern magazine, [email protected] or 300 showalter hall, Cheney, WA 990024.

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ewu vs. western oregon, sept. 7, 2013

ewu vs. weber state, oct. 5, 2013

dental hygiene class of 1983, homecoming, oct. 19, 2013

ewu vs. southern utah, homecoming, oct. 19, 2013

ewu young Professional networking event, oct. 3, 2013

ewu young Professional networking event, nov. 7, 2013

ewu vs. Portland state, nov. 23, 2013

ewu vs. south dakota state university, dec. 7, 2013

ewu vs. Jacksonville state, dec. 14, 2013

ewu vs. towson, dec. 21, 201333EastErn: WIntEr 2014

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High interestin families.Low interest on loans.

Learn more at numericacu.com

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3535

’13 Hannah M. Frank, BAB

marketing, has been hired by

unleashed online media as a campaign

strategist.

’13 Joey Sexton, BS computer science,

has joined etailz, a Spokane e-commerce

company formerly known as green

cupboards, as a Web application developer.

’12 Jeremy Blasdel, BS

technology, has joined Keller

Williams Realty Spokane. Previously he

worked as a project manager for a local

construction company.

’12, ’98, ’96 Melissa Elfering, mBA, mS

physical education, Bed physical education,

has been hired as the sports and fitness

director for the Spokane club. Previously

she served as the fitness director for eWu’s

university Recreation center.

’12 John M. Mujica, BfA visual communication

design, has been hired by Klündt | Hosmer in

Spokane. His industry emphasis on typography

and photography will be utilized in the

development of brand identity work, print and

online visual communications for the firm’s

corporate clients.

’12 Kelsee D. Tower, BA recreation

management, has joined the lincoln

center in Spokane as an event coordinator

specializing in weddings. She has previously

served as a wedding coordinator at the

davenport Hotel.

’11 Sophie Benson, BAf visual

communication design, has been

hired by Rainmaker creative as a visual

communications designer. Previous positions

include graphics editor at the Easterner, eWu’s

student newspaper; creative arts director for

Pinnacle church and, most recently, traffic

manager and graphic designer for Bozzi media.

’11 Jason Pearce, BA accounting, has joined

etailz, a Spokane e-commerce company

formerly known as green cupboards, as a

financial analyst.

’11, ’99 Tara Weldon, BA interdisciplinary

studies, BA psychology, is pursuing a

graduate degree in clinical psychology in a

joint program between Palo Alto university

and the Stanford School of medicine. She

is currently working on a drug study that is

analyzing connections between unipolar

and bipolar depression, insulin resistance

and cognitive decline. After graduation, she

plans to pursue a career within a medically

integrative environment where she can

collaborate with other medical providers.

’10 Adam C. Jones, BA finance,

BA accounting, was awarded the

2013-14 Washington Society of certified

Public Accountants Rising Star award as chair

of the WScPA Spokane new Professionals

committee. He received the award for his

enthusiasm, leadership of the committee and

commitment to the committee’s success. He

is a staff accountant at dingus, Zarecor and

Associates in Spokane Valley.

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the artistimagine looking up at a 42-story building and seeing a giant projection of your artwork. that was the reality for Bridget Freeman Wamsley when an image of her piece, it’s what’s inside that Counts: the tuna Can, appeared on the Linc LiC Building in Long island City, n.y., in october. it appeared as part of Creatives rising, see.me exhibition.

although she wasn’t present for the exhibition, an image of her tuna can also made it to paris in november as part of the 40th annual international Contemporary art fair. top international galleries present work by up-and-coming artists at this prestigious event.

in 2012, wamsley earned bachelor degrees in studio art and art history from eastern, graduating summa cum laude at age 47. She was awarded the frances B. Huston award for outstanding Leadership, academics and Community Service.

wamsley’s works of art may be considered avant-garde. Her culminating project for her studio art degree was a retirement party for her ovaries, held at the fox theater in Spokane. “Coming from a family with 15 kids, it was always hard to get noticed,” said wamsley. “i wasn’t one of the ‘bad’ ones and i guess i chose to single myself out through creative endeavors.”

wamsley always knew she had the talent and the energy, but ewu helped her focus on the professional side of being an artist. “there’s no way i would have achieved as much success as i have without the rigorous professional practices required for the degrees,” said wamsley. “i know that i’m on the launching pad and ewu put me there.” Her future plans include graduate school. “i’ll work my tail off for my Mfa,” said wamsley. “i will also look for ways to teach art.” in the meantime she’ll continue her work restoring the horses at Spokane’s Looff Carousel.

Her solo exhibition, good people, will run from Jan. 23 to feb. 8, in the gallery at interplayers theater in Spokane. the show features the ‘are you my mother?’ reading room, signed prints of the world-renowned the tuna Can and two new pieces. to see more of wamsley’s work, visit her website, www.bridgetfreemanwamsley.com.

class notes8 EmAil your notEs to [email protected]

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http://www.bridgetfreemanwamsley.com


class notes

’09 Yana V. (Kononchuk) Clovis, BA psychology, married

Keenan clovis on July 24, 2010. She has

been working as a school psychologist for

the central Valley School district in Spokane

Valley since September 2012.

’08 Jarret Clarke, BA

communication studies, and ’06 Sherry C. Clarke, BA graphic

communications, welcomed their first child,

corinn lottie clarke, on June 20, 2013. they

live in lake tapps, Wash.

’08 Andrew J. Northrop, BAB management,

and ’08 Kayla Carter Northrop, BAB

marketing, welcomed their daughter,

emerson June, born Sept. 12, 2013.

’07 Jason Clerget, BA

marketing, is utilizing his skills

in art, creativity and business for the Pita Pit

uSA branding division. this is in addition

to running dollar Per month, a nonprofit

organization he cofounded, working as a

marketing specialist at Keller Williams, being

the principal at Propaganda creative and

owning the Basement, a nightclub in cheney.

’07 Pamela Russell-Elliott, BA

interdisciplinary studies, has been hired

by the community colleges of Spokane

as the operations manager for the center

for Workforce and continuing education.

She has more than 10 years of project

management experience and previously

served as a program coordinator at eastern

Washington university.

’06, ‘04 Jeff James, mBA, BA

economics, has been hired

by mercer Health & Benefits as an account

manager. Previously, he worked for six years

as an underwriter for guardian life.

’06 Bart Mihailovich, BA journalism, was

named as one of Inland Business Catalyst magazine’s “20 under 40” for his work as

the Spokane Riverkeeper for the center for

Justice.

’06 Raenell M. Rafferty, BS applied

developmental psychology, passed the

national counselor exam (nce) in April 2013,

and became a nationally certified counselor

in June 2013. She lives in maryland.

’06 Denielle Waltermire-Stuhlmiller, BA

social work, has been named as one of Inland Business Catalyst magazine’s “20 under 40”

for her work as owner of Simply northwest, a

premier full-service gift boutique.

’06 Susan Welberry, BA interdisciplinary

studies, has been hired by Spokane teacher’s

credit union as director of operational

services. Previously, she worked as business

supervisor at WorkSource Spokane and as

community development manager at global

credit union.

’05 Stacie Prasser, BS applied

developmental psychology,

has joined Keller Williams Realty Spokane.

Previously, she was with traveler’s Insurance.

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rose named President of Portland’s arena football teamafter a 14-year absence, arena football returns to the rose City, with ’00 Jared rose as the newly named president of the franchise. from 1997 to 1999 portland had the forest dragons before the team relocated to oklahoma City. as franchise president for the portland thunder, rose is responsible for building the team’s brand and developing ticket and sponsorship sales and marketing plans. “everything you can imagine from the ground up needs to be done prior to mid-March 2014,” said rose. the thunder will play at the Moda Center (aka the rose Garden).

previously, rose served as the director of corporate marketing at palace Sports and entertainment, for the detroit pistons. rose got his feet wet in sports as a student at eastern, working in the ewu athletics equipment room with bosses Kerry pease and Ginny Knox, who both had a big impact on his career path.

after earning his degree in business administration and marketing, rose began his career as media relations and promotions director for the Spokane indians baseball club. in 2005, he became vice president of marketing for the Spokane Shock arena football team. “i hope we develop a fun rivalry with the Spokane Shock, since they’ll be our closest regional competition and are one of the league's model franchises,” said rose.

there’s always a chance that some former eagles could land on rose’s portland team. “i’ve had at least one eagle on every pro team i’ve worked for – Spokane indians, alexis alexander; Spokane Shock, raul vijil and erik Meyer among others; detroit pistons, rodney Stuckey. So you know i’ll be chirping in Coach Sauk’s ear to make sure the streak continues.”

37EastErn: WIntEr 2014 37

class notes

’05 Selina Shehan, BA graphic

communications, has been promoted to

senior graphic designer for Switchup Web &

marketing in Spokane.

’05, ’03 Ryan Stemkoski, mBA, BA

economics, was named one of Inland Business Catalyst magazine’s “20 under 40” for his work

as the interactive director/principal at Zipline

Interactive, a boutique interactive advertising

agency.

’03 Michelle Carbon, BA

professional accounting, has

been hired by embassy management llc as

cost accounting manager and finance counsel.

She has five years of experience working with

publicly traded companies and is a member of

the Washington State Bar Association.

’03 Kara (Hendrick) Lamb, BA criminal justice,

and husband Bill welcomed a daughter, cassidy

Ann laVonne, on march 4, 2013. She joins big

brother nolan, age 2.

’03 Shawna M. Pierce, BS community health,

won the light heavyweight class and overall

title in the 35-plus division at the national

championship Bodybuilding competition in

Pittsburgh, Pa., in July 2013. She has earned

International federation of Body Building and

fitness professional status. Pierce models for

various bodybuilding websites and is a personal

trainer and nutrition consultant living in

Phoenix, Ariz.

’03 Brian G. Sites, BA social studies education,

a teacher at River’s edge High School in

Richland, Wash., will receive the Horace mann

Award for teaching excellence, $10,000 and

recognition as one of the nation’s top educators

at the neA foundation’s Salute to excellence in

education Awards gala to be held in february in

Washington, d.c.

’01 Holly Lytle, BA urban and

regional planning, was recognized

for her work as the founder and executive direc-

tor of the ISAAc foundation and named one of Inland Business Catalyst magazine’s “20 under 40.”

the ISAAc foundation, a nonprofit organization

that provides financial grants for therapy for

children affected by autism, was established by

Holly and her husband Reed following the death

of their son Isaac, who passed away in 2007 due

to a heart defect unrelated to autism. Because

they knew the struggles that parents of children

with autism face, they channeled their grief into

a lasting memorial to honor their son.

’00, ’92 Arlene Fisher, mPA, BA

general studies, has received the

2013 Professional finance officer award from

the Washington finance officers Association.

the award recognized professional service

achievements and ongoing education and

training. She is the city administrator for the city

of cheney.

’98 Leslie Czernik, BA english, has been selected as president of

the board of directors for the Spokane Regional

marcom Association. She is a marketing

communications specialist at Hotspot in

Spokane.

“e” for eastern? the “e” is for evanson. Joel evanson (’09 Ba accounting, ’02 MS biology, ’00 Bed biology, ’96 BS biology) and wife kelly evanson (’99 Ba music education) have opened a new distillery in Spokane called evanson Handcrafted distilling LLC. they offer 80-proof vodka and soon will offer 100-proof vodka and an 80-proof white dog whiskey. Joel, a former high school and college science teacher, has brewed beer, pop, ciders and ales for many years and has been developing the distilling business for two years.

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eagle encounterduring a recent group travel tour to france, several couples from across the united States began discussing the names of athletic team mascots. after some exchange of examples, a woman from California said, “i went to college where the mascot was a Savage.” a man in the group from virginia sat bolt upright and said, “So did i.” that’s how ewu grads ’59 stan Johnson and ’62 Janet (morrow) thompson met.

they realized they needed a photo for Eastern magazine with a recent issue in hand, but neither had a copy. they decided that a good substitute would be to relive the eastern tradition during excursions to Spokane – meeting under “the clock” in the old Crescent department store. So they made a sign and stood under the ancient clock in rouen, france.


class notes

’98, ’97 Karmen Blake, med

computer science, Bed computer

science, has been hired by magner Sandborn

as a senior solutions architect. He has more

than 15 years of experience in developing Web

and mobile applications and was previously

with Apple.

’98 Tim Papineau, mPt, has joined Pinnacle

Physical therapy and Sports medicine in Post

falls, Idaho. He has 14 years of experience as

a physical therapist and is a member of the

American Physical therapy Association.

’97 Dia Maurer, mBA, has been

appointed executive director of

Partnering for Progress. She has worked with

several nonprofit organizations in Spokane.

’96 Nick Murto, BA graphic

communications, was awarded

the Spokane downtown Rotary club 21

Innovative community Service through

Business Award.

’96 Jeanette Radmer, BA recreation

management, has earned national

recognition for her work as part of the

business development team for numerica

credit union, featured in Credit Union

magazine’s "Rock Stars" edition.

’92, ‘83 Neva Crogan, mA

nursing, BA community health,

has received the 2013 International Award

for nursing excellence. the award was given

in the field of research utilization for a menu

system she co-developed to improve health

and quality for patients at skilled-nursing

facilities. She is a member of the nursing

faculty at gonzaga university.

’92, ’87 Wende Wilber, muRP, BA

exploratory, has been hired by the ecI/Hyer

firm in Anchorage, Alaska. She has been

working with multidisciplinary architectural,

engineering and construction teams for

more than two decades and holds several

professional certifications.

’90 Tamsen L. Leachman, BA

general studies, a partner in

the Portland, ore., law office fisher & Phillips

llP, has been selected for inclusion in The Best Lawyers in America 2014 in the employment law

and labor law categories. She has been listed

in The Best Lawyers in America since 2008.

’87 Alan E. Lesher, BA

accounting, chief financial

officer of ymcA of the Inland northwest, has

been appointed to a three-year term on the

Board of trustees of 501(c) Agencies trust,

a nationwide organization that serves more

than 1,600 nonprofit entities.

’86 Greg Deckard, BA

management, the president,

chairman and ceo of State Bank northwest,

has been elected to the Independent

community Bankers of America’s federal

delegate Board. State Bank northwest is

headquartered in Spokane Valley.

west side tawankans meetthe fall luncheon for the westside tawanka alumnae was held in issaquah, wash., on oct. 23. the event was hosted by ’55 sandra allen lyon and facilitated by ’57 Pat chandler. the group held its first meeting in May 2011. the tawankans residing throughout the puget Sound region meet twice a year to socialize, receive updates on eastern and contribute to the two tawanka scholarships awarded annually. interested former tawanka members are encouraged to contact pat Chandler at 425.582.9068.

pictured front row: ’59 marguerite borgert, ’55 sandra lyon, ’57 Pat chandler and ’59 aubrey eliott

Back row: ’57 Phyllis elslip, ’49 Jean mcclure, ’60 merrie J. matheson, ’54 Vi medak, ’49 Jean biermann and ’45 ardell morgan

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class notes

’85, ’80 Jack Smith, med

school administration, Bed

english, has been named chief Academic

officer for the maryland State department of

education. He comes to mSde from calvert

county, md., where he spent the past seven

years as Superintendent of Schools. He is the

current maryland Superintendent of the year.

He and his wife of 33 years, ’91 Gayle M. Smith, met in dressler Hall in 1978.

’81 Joe Terhaar, mA counseling

psychology, has accepted

a national Internet radio talk show on

addiction with Voice America, a talk radio

network. the show, Overcoming Addiction: Hope with Prevention, Intervention and Treatment, launched oct.

2, 2013, on the Health and Wellness channel.

He is the administrator of Harmony grove

counseling, Inc., a state-certified outpatient

addiction counseling center, and also

maintains a private practice, Intervention

Specialists, llc, in Spokane.

’80 Kathy Amistoso, BA

home economics education,

has joined Re/mAX of Spokane as a

broker. Previously, she was a judicial

assistant in the Spokane county district

court.

’76 Andrew W. Slipper, BA

radio/tV, has been promoted

to vice president, affinity relationship

manager for HomeStreet Bank. He has

been with HomeStreet for two years

and previously worked for the u.S.

department of Agriculture for 31 years,

most recently as a regional director.

’72 Gary Lindeblad, BA

accounting, was inducted

into the Inland northwest Sports Hall of

fame in october. He is the golf pro and

general manager of Indian canyon golf

course in Spokane.

’71 Dale W. Cloninger, BA

business education, has

been hired as a financial advisor for

Wheatland Bank’s Wealth management

division. cloninger has more than 14

years of experience in the financial

services industry and holds professional

registrations in several states.

’68 Larry Miller, BA biology,

and his wife, Joyce, celebrated

54 years of marriage in September 2013.

they have six children, nine grandchildren

and one great-granddaughter. Sons

michael d. miller, douglas c. miller and

daughter-in-law dionne Bell all graduated

from eWu, as did larry’s late mother

marguerite g. Kahl miller (cheney normal

School) in 1931. grandson Jake miller is

the punter on eastern’s football team.

history lesson’13 lee g. nilsson, Ma history, is one of 10 members of the inaugural class of the national digital Stewardship residency (ndSr) program with the Library of Congress, in partnership with the institute of Museum and Library Services. the nine-month program began in September 2013. the ndSr program offers recent master’s program graduates in specialized fields the opportunity to gain valuable professional experience in digital preservation.

nilsson and the other residents were selected by an expert committee of Library of Congress and institute of Museum and Library Services staff, with commentary from each host institution.

“we are so proud of Lee, who is planting the ewu flag at the Library of Congress,” said Larry Cebula, associate professor of history at eastern. “this is an extremely competitive fellowship, and Lee beat out students from ivy League institutions.”

nilsson, from eastpointe, Mich., is working in the Library of Congress’ office of Strategic initiatives. “i’m working with the staff on a project to extend the life of digital objects,” said nilsson. “the best part has been d.C. itself. i love this city – so much to do and much of it is free. it’s a history lover’s dream. it’s also pretty fun being allowed to walk into the Capitol Building. that is something to write home to mom about.”

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in memoriam

40

’03 James Matthew Sevenich,

age 44, died Aug. 13, 2013,

Spokane, Wash.

’95 Richard K. Matthiesen, Jr., age 65, died Sept. 1, 2013,

Spokane, Wash.

’91 Lynda J. Blair, age 67, died oct. 13, 2013,

Spokane, Wash.

’91 Jenny Greenwood, age 51, died July 8,

2013, Spokane, Wash.

’90 Donna S. Grimm, age 65, died Aug. 5,

2013, Phoenix, Ariz.

’89 Richard T. Jones, age 78, died

Sept. 1, 2013, San Angelo, texas

’89 Deanna I. Reich, age 61, died oct. 23,

20013, lake Stevens, Wash.

’86 Lidwina E. Dalla, age 69, died Sept. 27,


’86 Toni L. Wagner, age 51, died oct. 15, 2013,

yakima, Wash.

’84 Sidney Roy Leffler, age 56, died may 5,


’84 Sandra S. Steeves-Wattawa, age 71, died

nov. 18, 2013, Spokane, Wash.

’81 Linda Lee Morris, age 54, died Aug. 12,

2013, moses lake, Wash.

’80 Kenneth J. Norris, age 72, died Sept. 8,


’78 Robert J. McCorkle, age 67,

died June 30, 2013, fulton, texas

’75 Michael J. Noder, age 80, died Aug. 16,

2013, cheney, Wash.

’68 August D. Roberts, age 69,

died Sept. 7, 2013, Phoenix, Ariz.

’67 Bernard L. Averill, age 88, died nov. 15,

2013, mercer Island, Wash.

’67 John H. Foss, age 79, died nov. 5, 2013,

Vancouver, Wash.

’63 Durward C. Anderson, age 98, died Aug.

2, 2013, Spokane, Wash.

’63 Michael Neil Macaulay, age 72, died oct.

2, 2013, Seattle, Wash.

’63 Benjamin A. Weatherby, age 92, died

Sept. 14, 2013, Boise, Idaho

’62 Harold E. “Pete” Richards, age 74, died

Aug. 11, 2013, White Salmon, Wash.

’61 James Lockard, age 80, died Jan. 13, 2013,

lane country, ore.

’59 James F. Bauer, age 80, died

feb. 3, 2013, Spokane, Wash.

’59 Theodore Nilson, age 77, died Aug. 16,

2013, Priest lake, Idaho

’59 Lester M Zehr, age 80, died Sept. 21, 2013,

Vancouver, Wash.

0395

8978

6859

’02, ’98 Joshua brian Pearson Josh pearson, 37, of richland, wash., died aug. 17, 2013, after a two-year battle with GBM stage-4 brain cancer.

“the diagnosis was terminal,” said pearson’s Sigma phi epsilon fraternity brother ’98 Kory Kelly. “at a time when many would retreat, Josh pushed forward and took the illness head on. He became a valuable volunteer at the tri-Cities Cancer Center, often donating his time to spend with other cancer patients.”

the staff at the Cancer Center was warmed by his positive spirit, constant smile and handyman help. the impact of his service to the community through the center resulted in fundraising valued at more than $250,000. pearson’s strength of spirit in sharing his story brought awareness and real-time help to others in need.

pearson graduated from eastern with a master’s degree in public administration in 2002, and his Ba in criminal justice in 1998. prior to his diagnosis of brain cancer, he was a chief engineer on an ocean-going tugboat.

in his youth, he was part of many Mexico mission trips with the Chapel Hill presbyterian Church youth group. as an adult, he volunteered with Habitat for Humanity. His hobbies included fishing and home remodeling. He had the ability to repair almost anything, and was always willing to help anyone.

pearson is survived by his wife, Liz, and their children, emma and Joey.

in memoriam

’57 Joseph W. Thompson, age 81, died nov. 2,


’50 Ronald L. Rosbach, age 85, died oct. 21,

2013, Kelso, Wash.

’50 Carl A. Schultz, age 84, died oct. 2, 2013,

Spokane, Wash.

’49 Joy Peterson, age 88, died

oct. 29, 2013, greenacres, Wash.

’49 Margaret Rayburn, age 86, died may 14,

2013, grandview, Wash.

’48 George E. Hering, age 90, died Aug. 25,

2013, Portland, ore.

’47 Richard H. Mason, age 92, died nov. 23,


’40 Annette L. Gray, age 93, died oct. 8, 2013,

Visalia, calif.

’34 Ruth P. Moffitt, age 99, died

Aug. 5, 2013, Seattle, Wash.

’30 Rita Y. Studebaker, age 102, died Aug. 11,

2013, lewiston, Idaho

Faculty & staff David Scott Bell, PhD, passed away Aug.

29, 2013, at home in evans, Wash. He was

79. Bell’s passion for comparative politics

sparked the imagination of his students

during his 35 years of teaching at eastern.

through fulbright grants, exchange

programs, sabbaticals and other travel

opportunities, he conducted research, taught

classes, consulted and led student and

teacher groups to malaysia, Indonesia, the

Philippines, South Korea, Japan and 27 times

to thailand. He had extensive professional

relationships with numerous foreign

ministers and other government officials

throughout southeast Asia. After retiring

in 1999, Bell continued to keep up with

events in that part of the world through the

Association of Southeast Asian nations.

Joseph Daughtery passed away on Aug.

27, 2013. He retired from eastern’s Art

department on Sept. 1, 1986, after 27 years

of service.

Professor emeritus John Ross passed away

oct. 15, 2013. He retired from eastern on

July 1, 1999, after 31 years of service in

the Anthropology department. Ross left a

wonderful legacy to the Spokane tribe and to

the world. He wrote the 13,000-year history

of the Spokane People before the white man

came, titled The Spokan Indians.

49

34

Calling AllAlumni!

Enter to win by taking a short survey

on EWU Foundation Philanthropy at:

go.ewu.edu/alumsurvey13.

an iPad Air!

All responses to the survey are confidential and will not be shared with a third party.

Make it permanent with a brick in Showalter's historic walkway to support scholarships.

ewu.edu/brick

There’s a better way to leave your mark at EWU.

final thoughts


From Lisa Poplawski, director of Alumni Advancementthis past october, i had the privilege of spending an afternoon in issaquah, wash., with 10 lovely women bound together in friendship as tawanka alumni. if you’re not familiar with this group, in 1926 the tawanka women’s club was formed by dora Lewis, home economics teacher and one-time dean of women. the members, who were dedicated to helping at campus events and engaging in special projects, served eastern and our community for 34 years until 1960.

although the club is no longer in existence, the tawanka women still gather at least once each year to reminisce about their time at eastern. at the october gathering, i witnessed spirited talk of college boys, snowy winters, family and travel excursions. it was a room filled with nonstop conversation and laughter.

their energy, generosity and love for each other and for eastern inspired me to dedicate this month to celebrating our ewu friendships - not just the friends we still keep in touch with, but those who kept us smiling, motivated and inspired during our journey at eastern.

who do you remember and miss? who inspired you to try something new, let your guard down or laugh so hard you cried? who taught you the finer points of practical jokes, late-night study sessions and citing references?

i am proud to be pictured here with my best friend and ewu roommate, Jennifer kerns (harnish), who taught me, an only child, how to share a small space and tolerate clutter (sort of). we made some awesome memories at ewu. one of my favorites was a late-night plan to take a Greyhound bus to anaheim, Calif., for spring break. we did it, but not without some interesting encounters and the decision to never again take a Greyhound bus that far. or maybe never to take a Greyhound bus anywhere!

after graduation, Jen received her doctor of optometry degree from pacific university in 1999. today, you can find her and her incredible energy and talents at Spokane eye Clinic. although our education, jobs and families have taken us on various paths, in a matter of moments we reconnect like we are still college roommates.

after spending that day with the tawankans, i began reminiscing about old friends with whom i have lost touch. i thought about 1993, my year as a resident advisor in Morrison Hall, when i learned about leadership with a group of incredible, funny, smart fellow students. i miss all of them: tammy grove, matt wade, theresa murrell, tom driscoll, laura eagan, Jennifer weicher, cary masuko, nikol kollars, Jason clizer, robyn sherwood, kelly Prior, teresa repp, chris youseph and zorre dearborn, and of course, our hall director, steve bertram – who was very forgiving of our craziness!

this month, i invite you to join me in celebrating these treasured friendships. as the tawankans showed me, it’s never too late to reconnect.

visit the ewu alumni facebook page to post your friendship photos and stories from college. and, if you are really missing someone, call or email the office of alumni so we can help you reconnect with friends: 509.359.4550 or [email protected].

lisa Poplawski and Jennifer Kerns


events calendar

1 alumni association

board meeting (Cheney)

1alumni appreciation

basketball game (Cheney)

7 work it! career fair

(Cheney)

6young Professionals

network (spokane)


network (spokane)

7-8communication

disorders: uPcd 25th anniversary weekend (riverpoint Campus, spokane)

13-15first robotics

competition (Cheney)

13-15arizona alumni

weekend and mba golf getaway

(arizona)

12dental hygiene all-class

reunion (riverpoint Campus, spokane)

26orland killin dinner,

dance & auction (Cheney)

7-14get lit! festival

(spokane)

17eagle 4 life tour*

(triCities)

Join your fellow alumni and friends at these exciting upcoming events. For more information and to register, visit alumni.ewu.edu or call 888.EWU.ALUM.

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network (spokane)

MA

RC

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APR

ILM

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network (spokane)


(tacoma)

* the Eagle 4 life tour 2014 will be the beginning of a new alumni tradition. watch for upcoming information and tour dates in your area.

31alumni awards

gala (fox theater, spokane)


http://alumni.ewu.edu

CONGRATULATIONS on a great season!

Big Sky Conference Champions!EWU set 48 school records, 22 Big Sky records and 12 FCS records

592 points, previous conference record 537 by Montana in 2009

83 touchdowns, topping Idaho’s 72 scores in 1993

8,002 yards of total offense, shattering the 6,735 by Eastern in 1997

Regular-season attendance SOARS to record average of 9,522

University AdvancementEastern Washington University102 Hargreaves HallCheney, WA 99004-2413

Non Profit Org.U.S. POSTAGE

PAIDEastern Washington

University

EastErn Magazine

Eastern magazine | winter 2014

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Transcript of Eastern magazine | winter 2014