Eastern Magazine | Spring/Summer 2010 by Eastern Washington University

From EWU to

Another academic year is in the books here at Eastern Washington University, and despite the financial challenges that continue to hang over higher education, there are many reasons for optimism here at Eastern. For the 2010 spring quarter, EWU had more than 9,600 full-time students, an increase of 364 from spring quarter of ’09. This continues a yearlong trend where our enrollment numbers have surpassed the previous year’s numbers by a wide margin. And, I can already tell you that fall enrollment looks to be approaching last fall’s record enrollment. There is obviously a lot of work to do, but freshman and transfer applications are up by almost 6 percent. Some of this can be attributed to the economy, as more students are staying in school or opting to pursue professional degrees. Others are choosing Eastern because of our great value in a time of rising higher education costs. Whatever the reason, I am convinced Eastern is poised to meet this demand. This summer, the university will complete the consolidation of its colleges, reducing the number from six to four. This will continue the university’s trend of saving administrative costs, and because we do not foresee changes to any programs, students should not be adversely impacted. Additionally, Eastern’s prudent spending and limitations on hiring over the past two years have put the university in a position to absorb the latest budget reductions set forth by the state Legislature. The state has asked us to cut another $5.2 million from the current operating budget, but we should be able to absorb those reductions because of the savings measures we have taken in the past. As I have said before, my top priority is to ensure each student receives a quality educational experience in this difficult economic environment. That’s why the support of you, our alumni and friends, continues to be so important. While we are doing all we can as a university to be good stewards of state dollars, the reality is that state support continues to decline, as student tuition continues to increase. For these reasons, scholarship support for our students is greatly needed. Therefore, the next time you receive an appeal, please consider a gift to our student scholarship fund. It will directly ensure the success of the next generation of alumni. As you read this issue of the magazine, you will see why I am so convinced that the state of university is strong. You will meet EWU’s first student Fulbright Scholar, discover how technology has evolved in our classrooms and get acquainted with some of our proud alumni – including an ESPN radio and TV host who recently returned to campus, and a financial planner who has started a scholarship. And, our professors want to know if you are smarter than a college student. Go ahead, take the quiz, and good luck! Thank you for taking the time to read Eastern magazine, and have a great summer!

Dr. Rodolfo Arévalo President Eastern Washington University

EASTERN

EASTERN THE MAGAZINE for Eastern Washington University Alumni and Friends

SPRING/SUMMER ‘10

A Letter from the President

Editor – Kandi Carper ‘05

Graphic Design – Ryan Gaard ‘02 Copy Editor – David Rey, Judy Crabb Contributing Writers – Kandi Carper ’05, David Rey, Brandon Hansen ’08, Dave Meany, Dave Cook Photography – Eric Galey ‘84, John Demke ’98 Editorial Board – Doug Kelley ’83, Jack Lucas ’77, Pia Hallenberg Christensen ’98, Kory Kelly ’98, Gina Mauro ‘90 Vice President for University Advancement – Michael Westfall Director of Alumni Advancement – Lisa Poplawski ’94 and ‘01 EWU Alumni President – Kevin Linn ‘88 EWU Foundation Chair – Steve Dahlstrom ‘94

easternmagazine@ewu.edu 509.359.6422 Eastern Magazine, 300 Showalter Hall, Cheney, WA 99004-2445

Address Changes Alumni Correspondence Class Notes Submissions E-mail: Website: Phone: Write:

ewualum@ewu.edu http://alumni.ewu.edu 888.EWU.ALUM or 509.359.4550 Office of Alumni Advancement 506 F St., Cheney, WA 99004-2402

Support Eastern Washington University For information about making a gift to Eastern, please contact the Office of Alumni Advancement. E-mail: Website: Phone: Write:

ewualum@ewu.edu www.ewu.edu/supportewu 509.359.4550 Office of Alumni Advancement 506 F St., Cheney, WA 99004-2402

Eastern, a magazine for alumni and friends of Eastern Washington University, is published fall, winter and spring by University Marketing & Communications, and mailed free in the U.S. to alumni of record. This issue, and previous issues of Eastern magazine, may be viewed at www.ewu.edu/easternmagazine.

On the cover

Contents

ESPN broadcaster Colin Cowherd returns to EWU to host annual Killin event

From EWU

Features

Leading “The Herd”

Evolution of the Classroom

Big Careers Start at Eastern

Are You Smarter Than a College Student?

Greek Revival

Dirty Job? Somebody’s Got to Do It.

Colin Cowherd’s journey from EWU to ESPN Technologically-enhanced classrooms are changing the way students learn Otto Guardado makes the most of a second chance to succeed. Take the quiz and see how you stack up against today’s students. Now and then – fraternity and sorority life at Eastern Alums share some of their tacky, gross and amusing employment experiences.

Departments 2 4 5 6 13 28 32 34 35

A Letter from the President Letters to the Editor On the Road ewubeat Sights and Sounds Class Notes In Memoriam The Back Page Alumni Events Calendar

34 spring/summer 2010 3

Letters

to the

Editor

Editor’s note: Eastern Washington University reserves the right to edit letters for space, content and material of a potentially offensive nature.

Into Africa:

Alumni Provide Hope and Healing

Masterful Writing Makes Sallee Story Memorable I am moved to write to congratulate you on a masterful piece of writing in Eastern magazine’s winter 2010 article, “Out of the Ashes.” I was struck time and again at the evocative phraseology written by a master writer, David Rey. “Seventeen years old is an uncommon age to have your l ife force its most pivotal moment upon you...” for example. Wow. There is an understanding of history, yet the prose is not obviously discussing history. Statements such as a “burst of creativity and purpose” that led to increased environmental investment after World War II was news to me. The comments on fighting blister rust reminded me of the late 1950s when my brother had a forest service job fighting blister rust, although I never before pondered whether he pulled gooseberry and currant bushes. I believed it involved only pine trees. Bob Sallee sounds like a remarkable gentleman, and with his keen recollections and manner of speech, he no doubt unknowingly assisted in the article being so compelling. However, I feel David Rey’s writing talent was unmistakable and brought the reader face-to-face with Mr. Sallee’s life-changing fate, and how the Mann Gulch fire impacted the rest of his life. I shall remember this article. Thank you, David Rey. In future issues of Eastern magazine, I shall look for your byline, or maybe we shall see your name in larger venues? Carol Johns ’83 MSW

Peace Corps Numbers Thanks for featuring my story as a Peace Corps Volunteer (winter 2010). I’m just one of 7,700+ volunteers currently serving in the Peace Corps. There are more than 187,000 volunteers who have served to date. My family and friends loved seeing me in their mail boxes and across campus. Joe Lockridge ’05 BA social work

Program Offering Comfort to Children Continues to Grow Thank you again for the article about the “Survive the Night” program (fall 2009 issue). We’ve received a lot of awesome feedback. My mom even had a call from an old classmate of hers who was an EWU alum. We have now distributed more than 625 bags, primarily in western Washington. Right now the big need is to bring the program to Cheney and Spokane Lori Gagnon ’05 BA children’s studies Editor’s note: Survive the Night is a program founded by Gagnon and ’06 Jason and ’07 Tiffany Alvarado. They give children, who have been unexpectedly removed from their home for their own protection, a night’s worth of comfortpajamas, tooth brush, new underwear and a stuffed toy. For more information, go to www.survivethenight.org.

EASTERN

On the Road with

Eastern Magazine Priscilla Milasich ’09, took Eastern magazine with her in February, when she visited the popular Mayan ruins at Tikal Monumental Park in Guatemala. She loves to travel, and is off to live and teach ESL abroad.

Jamie ’05 and Cherie Gwinn ’05, brought Eastern magazine with them to the 2010 Winter Olympics in Vancouver, B.C. in March. Jamie is the manager of EWU’s Recreation Center and Cherie works for the Spokane Regional Convention & Visitors Bureau.

Thomas K. Brunke ’86, a captain for Delta Airlines, brought Eastern magazine with him on his flight to Honolulu. This photo was taken on the flight deck at 38,000 feet over the Pacific Ocean.

Vance Youmans ’90, reads Eastern magazine, in The Burren Forest, Co. Cavan, Ireland in March. Youmans teaches history at Spokane Falls Community College, where he helps facilitate SFCC’s International Programs. Where in the world will Eastern magazine next be spotted? Eastern alumni are invited to send in photographs of themselves holding up the current issue. Please include some information about yourself with your submission. Due to space constraints, we may not be able to publish every submission, but the extras will be posted on the Eastern Magazine Facebook fan page. Send to easternmagazine@ewu.edu or Eastern Magazine, 300 Showalter Hall, Cheney, WA 99004-2445.

spring/summer 2010 5

ewubeat Red is the New Green

Google the words “red turf,” and page, after page, will come up analyzing the pros and cons of Eastern’s plan to replace the grass field at Woodward Field with red synthetic turf. The red turf will be the first of its kind in the nation.

In January, the university’s plan to install red turf received national attention. It was a hot topic on cable TV sports shows, radio

programs, and in newspapers and blogs around the country. The “Support EWU’s Red Turf” Facebook fan page has more than 4,000 fans. The project was jump-started with a generous pledge of $500,000 from former Eagles football standout and current Tennessee Titans tackle Michael Roos and his wife Katherine, also an EWU alum.

Total cost to purchase and install the turf is estimated at $900,000. The project will be 100 percent funded with donor dollars. Eastern

Athletic Director Bill Chaves said the university needs to secure additional funding before actual replacement can be started.

Eastern Head Football Coach Beau Baldwin sees several significant advantages. “It’s huge for recruiting because potential student-

athletes can see the progress we are making and the positive direction of our program,” said Baldwin. “With all the different events that can take place at Woodward Field, and a stronger game-day experience, it’s bound to bring more exposure to our program. We already feel proud of the great things we are doing, but hopefully this project will help us be even bigger and better.”

The stadium, built in 1967, has always had a grass field. Modern artificial turf provides a safe, fast, low-maintenance surface for football,

and is particularly advantageous in regions with inclement weather. The football team typically has practice issues late in the season in dealing with darkness. With artificial turf, the Eagles can practice on their game field under the lights, at their convenience, with minimal field condition worries. Eastern will be the sixth of the nine universities in the Big Sky Conference to convert to artificial turf.

In addition, the university expects to save approximately $12,000 annually on field maintenance, and will eliminate 300,000 gallons of

water used, each year.

EASTERN

Big Sky Champions and Coach of the Year Congratulations to EWU’s Women’s Basketball team. They accomplished a number of firsts during the 2009-10 season. The team made history, winning the program’s first-ever Big Sky regular season title and participating in post-season national competition for the first time since 1987. Head Coach Wendy Schuller was named Big Sky Conference Women’s Basketball “Coach of the Year.” Schuller has now collected 113 wins in nine seasons – the second-most victories in school history – with a 56-78 conference record. In her first five seasons, the Eagles qualified for the Big Sky Tournament and have now made Big Sky Tournament appearances in six of her nine years as coach. In addition, junior Julie Piper was the first EWU player to be named Conference Player of the Year. Sophomore Brianne Ryan was named co-Defensive Player of the Year, while junior Kyla Evans was named to the All Conference second team. Even though the team lost to the Oregon Ducks in the first round of the WNIT, the team’s future looks bright. “We have an excellent nucleus of players returning, and some incoming prospects who will help us continue to move forward,” Schuller said. “We have had outstanding success in the classroom over the past several years, and I am proud of the recent strides we have made on the court. I want to thank our fans and administration for their support and patience, as we have worked to build the program to a Big Sky Champion.” Over the past eight seasons, the team has been ranked among the top 10 squads on the Women’s Basketball Coaches Association (WBCA) Academic Top 25 Head Coach Wendy Schuller Honor Roll, something achieved by only one other team, Indiana State.

Front Row (left to right): Jessica Huntington, Jordan Schoening, Breauna Russell, Chene Cooper, Brianne Ryan, Kyla Evans Back Row: Jessica Thielen, Julie Piper, Courtney Nolen, Nicole Scott, Carrie Ojeda, Tatjana Sparavalo

spring/summer 2010 7

ewubeat Hess Named Fulbright Student Scholar Summer Hess, a graduate student in the Creative Writing Department, has been named a 2010-11 Fulbright Student Scholar. She is the first EWU student to receive this prestigious award. In the spring of 2011, Hess will travel to San Pedro de Atacama, in northern Chile, for a 10-month stay. She will participate in the local researchers’ efforts to educate the community about the disappearing Atacamean culture and language – a result of tourism and economic development. To fulfill her scholarship requirements, Hess will write several essays about the Atacama region, and she will take courses at the Andean School and at the Catholic University of Northern Chile. This project will build upon her previous experience, gained during her participation in the English Open Doors program in 2006, where she taught English to the local high school children for six months. The Fulbright Program, sponsored by the U.S. Department of State’s Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs, is the U.S. government’s flagship educational exchange program.

Follow us on our Social Spaces Become an Eagle fan or friend. Facebook Check out the official EWU Alumni fan page on Facebook. Join today and catch up, connect with old friends and find out what is going on at Eastern. Visit http://www.facebook.com/EWUAlumni. Twitter Get short, timely messages from EWU. Twitter is a rich source of instantly updated information. It’s easy to stay on top of an incredibly wide variety of topics. Join today at http://twitter.com/ewutweet and follow @ewutweet.

Flickr EWU uses Flickr and so can you! View more than 1,000 EWU photos from university and alumni events. Flickr is a great way to stay in touch with people and explore the world. It’s free and fun. Go to http://www.flickr.com/photos/ewuphoto.

YouTube Watch fun and informative EWU videos on YouTube at http://www.youtube.com/ewuvideo.

EASTERN

2010 Hall of Fame Class to be Inducted on Oct. 9, 2010. The 10th class of inductees into the Eastern Athletics Hall of Fame will be announced soon! The 1950 Football Team, as well as four individuals and a recipient of the Eastern Athletics Hall of Fame Service and Contribution Award will be honored in ceremonies that will take place on Oct. 9, 2010, in Cheney, Wash., in conjunction with the Eastern Washington vs. Northern Arizona football game that afternoon. Established in 1996, the total number of individuals in the Hall of Fame is currently 49. Six teams have also been inducted, and there have been three recipients thus far of the Eastern Athletics Hall of Fame Service and Contribution Award. More information will be available in the fall issue of Eastern magazine and via the Hall of Fame website at: http://goeags.com/hallfame/hallfame.

Campus PRIDE Center Opened After years in the making, Eastern’s PRIDE Center officially opened in March. A crowd gathered in Showalter Hall to help celebrate the grand opening of the center that is home for Eastern’s Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual and Transgender community. University President Rodolfo Arévalo announced the official opening of the center saying, “There are a lot of things on this campus that are a long-timecoming, and this is definitely one of them.” The president’s address was followed by an emotional speech by the university’s provost, John Mason, who also pointed out the importance of the center for the university’s GLBT community. He recounted how he and his partner came to Eastern when he started as provost three years ago, not really knowing how the Eastern community would respond to an openly-gay provost. He said the university’s acceptance turned out to be “wonderful.” The student leader of the Pride Center, Richard Arquette, said he appreciated the effort it took from all corners of the campus to get the center established. He was also impressed by the turnout for the grand opening.

EWU Signs onto Educational Assistance Program for Veterans EWU President Rodolfo Arévalo joined the state director of the Department of Veterans Affairs on April 15, to sign a certificate agreeing to help veterans achieve their higher education goals. The Partners for Veterans Supportive Campuses certificate ensures state institutions promote a culture that supports and understands the unique needs of veterans and their family members. The agreement also asks that education personnel know how to refer veterans in need of additional support to the Washington State Department of Veterans Affairs. “By signing this certificate today, I am making it clear that Eastern Washington University is committed to giving something back to these veterans, and making sure they have the opportunity President Arévalo and John Lee, director, to obtain a college degree,” said Arévalo. “This is important, because the state expects to see large state Department of Veterans Affairs numbers of veterans enrolling in school once they return from duty in Iraq and Afghanistan.” Eastern currently has about 500 students who are veterans, and the university was named as a “Military Friendly School for 2010” by GI Jobs Magazine after reviewing its policies, programs and services. In addition to the signing ceremony, the university presented Eastern Washington University Challenge Coins from the Military Service Advisory Committee to students and employees who are veterans.

Tibetan Scholar Visits Campus In March, the Eastern Washington University campus community turned out in large numbers to listen to visiting Tibetan speaker Geshe Thupten Phelgye talk about diversity and interfaith cooperation, social and community service and Middle Eastern issues. A member of the Dalai Lama’s Tibetan Parliament in-exile, Geshe Phelgye related his life experiences as a Buddhist monk and scholar to issues faced every day on the EWU campus and in the lives of EWU community members. The visit to EWU was the first for Geshe Phelgye, who has spoken at other local universities and colleges over the past couple of years. The event was sponsored by the EWU Compassionate Interfaith Society and co-sponsored by EWU’s College of Social and Behavioral Sciences and the College of Arts and Letters.

spring/summer 2010 9

By Brandon Hansen â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;08

EASTERN

urn on ESPN Radio weekday mornings or ESPN2 in the afternoon and you’ll hear and see Colin Cowherd broadcasting from coast to coast. Despite this national audience, Cowherd has local ties and remains connected to the state of Washington and Eastern Washington University, something he’s not shy to talk about on the air.

“It’s part of my life, these are my roots,” said Cowherd,

While he was developing

who grew up in the small town of Grayland, in western

his broadcasting skills at

Washington. “Much of my personality was formed here.”

Eastern, Cowherd went to

Cowherd’s unique talk show, The Herd with Colin Cowherd,

a Seattle Mariners game,

isn’t just about breaking down box scores, but rather

where he received some very

discussing far-reaching topics in sports and comparing them

important advice from one

to everyday life. He will not only say that a team is bad, but

of the team’s announcers.

explain why it’s poorly run and how people make the same

mistakes that the team does.

to the Major League Baseball

Cowherd was told to go

I’m probably the most polarizing commentator on ESPN. Twice a week the phone lines go crazy. My job is to create conversation and passion.

“You can break down games, or, you can have an impact on

winter meetings that are

people’s lives,” Cowherd said. “My show has always been about

held every year and ask

the journey through life and sports and how they converge.”

around for a job. He went to

Cowherd’s journey brought him through Eastern

the meetings in San Diego

Washington University, after his basketball coach suggested

and, just a short time later,

the school. It was a perfect fit, since the coach knew the

he received a phone call

basketball staff at the university, and Colin was interested in

saying that he had gotten

journalism and broadcasting – two programs that were held

the play-by-play job for a minor-league team in Las Vegas.

in high regard at Eastern.

early, but he said that it was something that his professors

Cowherd attended Eastern from 1982-86, before

Just a few credits short of graduating, Cowherd left school

embarking on a more than 20-year professional broadcasting

supported since it was such a great opportunity.

career. He was sports director of Eastern’s on-campus radio

station, and was a broadcaster for a variety of Eastern

I was ready,” he said. “I gave it a shot and it worked out, I’m

athletic events, on both radio and television, during Eastern’s

very fortunate.”

transition to NCAA Division I.

“It was a very hands-on program. They were here to help

back to the Northwest, settling in Portland. It was there

you but would not get in your way,” said Cowherd. “If you

he started hosting a radio show called The Herd for the

were ambitious, the sky was the limit here.”

afternoon drive-time slot. Then in 2003, he got a call from a

radio consultant who said he was a finalist for a tremendous

Cowherd said that he loved sports and the athletic

“It was a gamble I guess, to some degree, but I felt that

From Las Vegas, Cowherd went to Tampa, and then came

department, and, while it became clear to him right away

radio job.

that he didn’t have the physical ability to play basketball at

the Division I level, he was nevertheless an Eagle at heart.

leaving,” said Cowherd. That somebody was Tony Kornheiser

“He wouldn’t tell me what, because somebody was

“It was just fun to be around the program,” said Cowherd,

on ESPN Radio. Six months after that phone call, Cowherd

who knew his main focus was broadcasting. “My mom, one

was on a national stage of the premier sports entertainment

time told me, that I was going to have to know more than

company in the world.

sports, and I told her that I’m going to work in sports. I just

knew it.”

very hard up there. We often get criticized,” said Cowherd.

“We’re at the top of the mountain and the wind blows

spring/summer 2010 11

“But it’s like a really big toy department; people are genuinely happy, work hard and take a great deal of pride in what they do.”

Some of the show’s topics are controversial, but Cowherd

defines himself as a truth teller. “I’m probably the most polarizing commentator on ESPN,” explains Cowherd. “Twice a week the phone lines go crazy. My job is to create conversation and passion; so many shows connect with people. Generally, racial topics create deep passion.”

Does he ever regret what he says? “I don’t look back,” said

Cowherd. “The next day means the next show.”

Just recently, Cowherd started co-hosting a new television

show, SportsNation, which airs weekdays on ESPN2. He wanted it to be a fun show – something without the pressure of investigative reporting. He wanted a personality-driven show that people enjoy coming in to work on. “It’s the fastest growing show in nine years

Favorite sport: College football – great passion and intensity

for the company,” Cowherd said.

Least favorite sport: Hockey – the only thing that should

And while it certainly stretches out his workday to a 10-hour

endeavor, it’s something he’s used to since he admits to being somewhat of a workaholic. “Those are the same hours as a doctor or lawyer. Those aren’t unreasonable hours for somebody who makes a good living.”

And even though he’s now making a living in Bristol, Conn.,

Cowherd still has a place in his heart for the Northwest. He said he

be on ice is vodka

Favorite thing to do in Cheney: Go to Zips Favorite place to hang out on campus: The Phase Red turf at Eastern: Great idea – will bring attention

to the school.

loves the smell of pine trees and the distinct dampness of the west

Best interviews: Mike Tyson and Charles Barkley

side of the state.

are always interesting.

“It has a certain feel to it,” he said. “It’s home.” E

Cowherd Back on Campus Cowherd served as emcee for the 29th annual Orland Killin Dinner, Dance and Auction held April 24, 2010, in partnership with the Michael Roos Foundation. Proceeds from the event benefit areas of greatest need within Eastern Athletics. The Michael Roos Foundation was established to support local non-profit organizations, including EWU’s Eagle Athletic Association, Special Olympics in Washington, and Boys and Girls Clubs of Spokane County.

Cowherd joined Michael Roos, who was also

honored at the event, to pledge his support of the “Red Turf” project at EWU’s Woodward Field. Roos and his wife, Katherine, are contributing $500,000 toward the “Red Turf” project. Cowherd also pledged $25,000 towards the project.

Killin was a huge success this year! If you missed out

on all the fun, look for information and announcements early next March, at www.goeags.com.

Michael Roos and Colin Cowherd at 2010 Killin Dinner

EASTERN

sights&sounds

If you are an Eastern alum or faculty member and have written a general interest book or have a music CD on the market (self-published works will be included if space allows) and would like to have it considered for inclusion in Eastern magazine’s Sights and Sounds section, please send it (along with your contact information) to: Eastern Magazine, 300 Showalter Hall, Cheney, WA 99004-2445.

To the Rescue – Stories from Healthcare Workers at the Scenes of Disaster Edited by Nancy Leigh Harless ’85, Kaplan Publishing Every year, hurricanes, earthquakes, wildfires and a host of other disasters, devastate the lives of millions. But upon notice of these catastrophes, physicians, nurses and EMTs go into action to save lives. In To the Rescue, those closest to the scene of disaster share intimate tales from the frontlines about the people they meet and the remarkable obstacles they must confront in order to care for patients under extraordinary circumstances. To the Rescue provides a fascinating journey into the hearts and minds of the people around the world who save and care for the millions who are affected every year by extreme situations. Nancy Leigh Harless, ARNP, is a retired nurse practitioner who has traveled around the world to care for patients in extreme circumstances. She is an award-winning poet and writer whose works have been included in many anthologies, including, Cup of Comfort, The Healing Project, Chicken Soup for the Soul and Travelers Tales, as well as many professional and literary journals. She is also the editor of another compilation of stories regarding nurses who are far from home, Caring Beyond Borders: Nurses’ Stories about Working Abroad (Kaplan, April 2010). www.kaplanpublishing.com

Guest House By Barbara K. Richardson ’85, Bay Tree Publishing Driving home from work on a summer afternoon, Melba Burns witnesses a horrific collision. The wreck ends her pursuit of success at any cost. Melba parks her car, quits her job and stops driving. She retreats into her beloved old farmhouse, yearning for peace. But peace and Melba’s new roommate, JoLee Garry, have never met. A shallow, self-absorbed stunner, JoLee magnetizes messes and trouble. She brings a series of unexpected guests who transform Melba’s solo life into something different, darker and richer.

Richardson earned her MFA in creative writing at Eastern, where she studied with Ursula Hegi, Nance Van

Winckel and John Keeble. Her work has appeared in Northwest Review, Cimarron Review, Quarterly West and Dialogue. www.baytreepublish.com

A Saint in the City: Coaching At-Risk Kids to Be Champions By Scott Glabb ’85, Tate Publishing

In A Saint in the City, Scott Glabb shares his inspiring experiences from years of coaching the Santa Ana High School wrestling team. These kids had little hope for success, but Coach Glabb roused his athletes to bravely overcome their disadvantages to raise their school from being the pariah of southern California wrestling, to one of the most-respected athletic programs in the state.

A Saint in the City openly describes the crime-ridden lives of athletes who didn’t even hope for more until

they started wrestling and found a coach who stirred them to greatness. Through Coach Glabb’s reflections and his athletes’ own words, A Saint in the City chronicles the tribulations and triumphs of one team that wrestled for victory. www.tatepublishing.com

spring/summer 2010 13

Evoluti on of

the

Classro om T

here was a tim e when a was a high tech overhead classroom transpare picture meant th ncy proje s involved ere ctor. Watc rolling in the lectur h ing movin the 8mm e involved g projector. rewinding were the Recording closest th cassette t ings to co apes. Calc mputers. ulators That was 1980. By David Re

EASTERN

Thirty years later, Eastern Washington University classrooms have touch-sensitive “Smart Boards.” Millions of video clips can be immediately streamed onto a large screen in front of the class via YouTube. Digital recorders capture lectures for podcasts. Students carry iPhones in their pockets that pack more power than old desktop PCs. But, do the new techno-gizmo possibilities equate to better teaching and learning? And, how are Eastern’s professors and IT people dealing with those new possibilities? “It’s a complex sort of thing and there are a lot of aspects to it,” said EWU mathematics professor Keith Adolphson. “I believe technology allows us to do things in the classroom we wouldn’t otherwise be able to do.” Adolphson believes that the interactivity enabled by some emerging technologies can help his students reach learning concepts earlier. That view is shared by EWU information systems professor Vance Cooney. “You’ve always had professors who were able to animate the content,” Cooney explained. “But, now that you have technology, you have rich content anybody can bring in to enhance the learning experience.” Both Adolphson and Cooney have adapted emerging technologies into their classrooms and curriculums. Adolphson uses the Smart Board technology, a giant touch-sensitive screen in the front of the classroom, to speed up the learning process for his students, most of who are training to become math teachers. He explained that, in the past, students working on graphing equations spent lots of extra time physically drawing graphs for each problem rather than solving the problems. With the Smart Board, students can concentrate on solving the equation and the board will provide the neat graph. “They can display their graphs in front of the class and focus on the data and interpretation – they cut out the labor and focus on the ideas,” he said. Cooney uses technology to give his students tools for outside the classroom. He is a prodigious podcaster, recording each of his lectures and posting them via the Web on iTunes U, Apple’s download site for “digital lessons.” Cooney started podcasting because he saw it as a good way of not only ensuring his students had easy access to information for his classes, but also because it helps him keep his teaching organized and easily accessible for his own future reference. He said he sees his podcasting mainly helping three types of students – students for whom English

is a second language, students who miss a class, and methodical students who like to be sure they absorb as much of the material as possible. “I’d say about 20 percent of the students are consistent users and another 20 percent use it a bit more sporadically,” Cooney said. That’s nearly half his students using a non-required learning tool. EWU Spanish language professor Marge Andrews uses Eastern’s readily-available Blackboard system to add content to her course. Blackboard is an online university-specific site that allows professors to group their digital course content and course grading into a single webpage that each of their students can access. Andrews posts music videos from YouTube and other sites on Blackboard so her students can see and hear native Spanish speakers in a more candid and real context. Also, she can make her course materials available on Blackboard to high school teachers in the Spokane and Mead school districts so they can enhance their class offerings. Of course, all of the new technology tools require a team of technicians for installation, maintenance and training. Eastern’s “Three Wise Men” of classroom technology, Dave Dean, Grant Ramsey and Lee Urbaniak, have about 80 years of combined experience at EWU. Urbaniak came to Eastern in 1978, when integrating classroom technology meant wheeling a film projector into the class – complete with a student projectionist. Dean and Ramsey arrived on campus in the mid-’80s – about the same time as IBM personal computers. The trio harkened back to memories of 1986, and the university’s first general-access computer lab, which had three early-model Apple Macintosh computers. The Macs had 512 kilobytes of operating memory each – it would take more than 100 of those Macs to achieve the operating memory capacity of Apple’s current iPod Nano (64 megabytes). “That place was always packed,” Ramsey said. “So we got two more…” Real integration into the day-to-day curriculum didn’t really start to occur until the advent of the Internet, though. “When a syllabus could go

There tends to sometimes be an emphasis on just throwing technology at something rather than working out a real solution, Technology itself is more of a concept – not an object.

spring/summer 2010 15

onto the Web, that’s when we started to see what we’d call instructional technology,” Ramsey said. In the fall of 1999, the university began its pilot testing of Blackboard, with Dean and Ramsey nursing the effort through its initial growing pains. “That was a big hurdle. We had 12 faculty members the first year and 200 students using it,” Dean said. “Now, we have about 9,000 students, 1,400 courses per quarter and 2,000 online assessments per day during the school year.” “The burden has gone up exponentially,” Ramsey added. In addition to the Blackboard undertaking, the university also began to equip some classrooms with better technological infrastructure and devices, calling the newly outfitted rooms, “enhanced classrooms.” What started out as a piecemeal effort has grown into a more planned and comprehensive effort. The last couple building remodels on the Cheney campus, Senior Hall and Hargreaves Hall, have incorporated enhanced classroom improvements. The upcoming Patterson Hall remodel will further increase the number of technologyenhanced classrooms on the EWU campus. “We have every intention of doing every classroom on campus eventually,” Urbaniak said. The trio has recently been working on setting up video conferencing over the Internet, which will eventually allow EWU faculty members and students to share educational experiences with peers from around the world. Urbaniak said they have already made links to Germany, Japan, Palestine and Colombia. Cooney said he sees potential in the idea of “virtual teaching” through Internet video connections. He said the currently available modes of online distance learning are not engaging enough to get the most out of the experience. “I think if we get video and we get sound, we can deliver a better ‘removed’ institution,” he explained. “Real-time, seamless, two-way video linking would be a big step in distance teaching to student’s higher-level cognitive skills.” Kevin Pyatt, a professor in EWU’s education department and chair of the university’s Academic Computing Council, teaches Eastern’s education students how to incorporate instructional technology into their future and current classrooms. Pyatt’s courses have a mix of current teachers furthering their education and future teachers working towards their degree. Pyatt said K-12 teachers are facing the same sort of challenge that Eastern’s faculty face, making technology a truly integrated element of their curriculums, rather than just a sideshow. “There tends to sometimes be an emphasis on just throwing technology at something rather than working out a real solution,” Pyatt said. “Technology itself is more of a concept – not an object.” He said it is important to view technology as more than just fancy gadgets. “We need to not just celebrate the tools of technology, but also the teaching methods that can support it.” E

EASTERN

Glossary of terms

Blackboard - an electronic course management tool that enables faculty and students to communicate and collaborate online through real-time chat forums, discussion boards, E-mail and online file exchanges. Students are able to take tests and submit papers to their professor via Blackboard. Byte: On almost all modern computers, a byte is equal to eight bits. Large amounts of memory are indicated in terms of kilobytes (1,024 bytes), megabytes (1,048,576 bytes) and gigabytes (1,073,741,824 bytes). Computer lab - a space intended to provide students access to computers for individual or group work Digital recording - produced by converting the physical properties of the original sound into a sequence of numbers, which can then be stored and read back for reproduction iPhone - an internet-connected multimedia smartphone designed and marketed by Apple Inc. iPod Nano - a portable media player designed and marketed by Apple Inc. IT - information technology iTunes U - a service created to manage, distribute and control access to educational audio and video content for students within a college or university as well as the broader Internet. iTunes U functions much like podcasts in that users can either download individual streams or subscribe to a stream so that iTunes will automatically download it. Kilobyte - A unit used to measure storage capacity of a hard drive, diskette, or random-access memory. One kilobyte equals 1,024 bytes. Macintosh or Mac - is a series of several lines of personal computers designed, developed and marketed by Apple Inc. Megabyte - one million bytes PC – personal computer Podcast - a downloadable audio program Smart Board - large whiteboard that uses touch technology for detecting user input that are equivalent to normal PC input devices, such as mice or keyboards. A projector is used to display a computer’s video output onto the whiteboard, which then acts as a huge touch screen. Smartphone - a mobile phone offering advanced capabilities, often with PC-like functionality YouTube - a video sharing website on which users can upload and share videos

Thank You!

Honor Roll of Donors 2009

Visit www.ewu.edu/2009honorroll to see the names of thousands of individuals who contributed to the success of our students in 2009. Our generous alumni and friends made a huge impact on the students, faculty and programs of Eastern Washington University. Thank you to all who truly started something BIG in 2009. spring/summer 2010 17

big careers start at Eastern By David Rey

You meet them everywhere – Eastern graduates. They’re your neighbor, your city planner, your physical therapist, your accountant, your child’s coach. They’ve utilized the quality education and opportunities they’ve received at EWU and are succeeding in a wide variety of careers. Otto Guardado admits that he probably wasn’t a “most likely to succeed” kind of person coming out of high school. His first two years at Eastern were a bit rocky, but with some time away from school to reflect, and some timely intervention from the faculty in the university’s Chicano Studies program, he came into his own. “I was a late bloomer,” Guardado said. Once he started to bloom, the 1995 EWU grad started giving off the sweet smell of success. Named to the “Accomplished 40 & Under” list by the Vancouver Business Journal last year, Guardado has turned hard work and a desire to help people into a very successful career as a financial advisor for Ameriprise Financial Services. One of the key reasons he was selected for the “40 & Under” honor was his commitment to his alma mater. He’s been instrumental in establishing an EWU alumni group in the Portland, Ore., area, but it’s the commitment he made to helping Chicano students finance their education at Eastern that really sets him apart. The scholarship he established reflects his own personal experience of growing up in the Tri-Cities, in Kennewick, Wash., in a family who didn’t have large financial means. “I probably wasn’t the most studious or ideal candidate for college when I was in high school – I didn’t have great grades and I didn’t really study,” Guardado said. “I applied to college almost as an afterthought.” Things didn’t go all that well after he arrived at Eastern, as

EASTERN

Otto Guardado

You could take 100 kids – could they become doctors or something like that? I think every one of them could do it – if they learn to put in the hard work and dedication – it’s not closed off to them.

his poor study habits and the freedom of being away from home for the first time nearly conspired to end his college experience prematurely. “I was really unfocused and that freedom went to my head,” he said. His academic performance at Eastern was so poor that he teetered on the edge of being kicked out of school for bad grades. He also had financial issues that eventually forced him to take time off from school. That time off, and the realization he was squandering his opportunity, reshaped his approach to things and he looked to return to school. When the poor grades made it iffy whether he would get a second chance, the late Carlos Maldonado, then director of the Chicano Studies program, helped him get back on track. “The people in the program went to bat for me,” Guardado said. “My education, and the faith they had in me, makes all the difference in the world to me,” he added. “Without the second chance they helped me get, I wouldn’t be where I am today.”

And, where he is today is a very good place. In addition to his successful financial services practice, he also serves on the board of directors of the National Association of Insurance and Financial Advisors and is a very active member of the East Vancouver Business Association. Guardado said that recent events have cast a bad light on the financial industry, and actions by some people in his industry have further eroded the public’s trust. He wants to be a leader in reshaping people’s opinions about those in the finance industry. He said most kids coming from a background similar to his, not having wealthy parents, friends and family members, don’t see the finance industry as a viable career path. He wants to change that so the industry attracts people from a broader base, making it more responsive to everyday people’s needs. “Getting kids to see the opportunity is there for them is extremely important – they can do whatever they want to do,” he said. He’s not just mouthing platitudes, either. Guardado puts those feelings into practice, volunteering for the Junior Achievement program and doing volunteer teaching in the high school in his area every Friday. Whether it is in the finance field or other careers, Guardado wants to see kids succeed.

“You could take 100 kids – could they become doctors or something like that?” he said. “I think every one of them could do it – if they learn to put in the hard work and dedication – it’s not closed off to them.” After graduating, Guardado spent six years in pharmaceutical sales – and hated it. “I wanted to do something where I could help people,” he said. Now he works at giving people financial security for their future, regardless of their background. “This kind of career is always seen as something for the rich kids to get into, with a client base you could step right into,” Guardado said. “But the effort I put into this is far greater than the average individual is willing to – when I realized that I could control the direction of my life and the amount of effort I put into it, things started to click for me.” Guardado started his scholarship at Eastern because he knows that sometimes it takes a bit of time to grow up and come to that realization, and life sometimes throws hardships in the way to make things even more difficult. The scholarship can help bridge those times until the late bloomer emerges. “I feel that I identify with it – and I want it to continue,” he said. E

Where did Eastern take you? Maybe your company is successful because of all the Eastern alumni who make it great, or maybe you were given an opportunity to accomplish “something big” because of your experience at EWU. If you would like to share your success, or your company’s success, with Eastern magazine, send a photo and the information to easternmagazine@ ewu.edu, or to Eastern Magazine, 300 Showalter Hall, Cheney, WA 99004-2445. For more information, call Kandi Carper at 509.359.6422.

Fill in the blank. Your went to Eastern. The list is endless. EWU highlighted the many careers Eastern alumni are succeeding in with this display at Spokane’s River Park Square in March.

spring/summer 2010 19

nt?

e d tu S e g e ll o C a n a h T r e rt a m S u o Are Y u can ny of these questions yo Join the class! See how ma s from mpiled some test question co ’ve We y. ctl rre co er answ u stack U professors. See how yo actual exams given by EW nts. up against today’s stude __ distribution a change in _________ 1. Crime experts view nds. tre e crim st influence on as having the greate a. age b. gender c. poverty d. ethnicity From SOCI 301: Crime and

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for st directly responsible Which brain area is mo s? t homeostasi regulating body weigh a. amygdale b. hypothalamus c. medulla oblongata d. pons e. prefrontal cortex

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ulatory & Visceral System

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EASTERN

Science /Social

United States? g causes of death in the What are the three leadin and drugs a. accidents, firearms diabetes b. accidents, cancer and cardiovascular disease and za c. accidents, influen e, cancer, diabetes d. cardiovascular diseas

& Physical Education for

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Aiken, PhD

allow a friend to ut Lake Jet Ski Rental. You Tro the at rk wo You 9. jet ski and are charge. They crash on the use a jet ski without of: se fen de al leg uld use the injured. Your boss sho erior a. respondeat sup ligence neg t b. defendan munity im nal tio c. recrea s vire ra ult d. l Green, PhD ndations in Recreation &

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Leisure Services, Pau

_____________. 10. A lyric poem ______ m long ago of heroes and villains fro a. Tells the stories rsery rhyme nu d oo much like a childh b. Makes no sense, uld answer sho r de rea the or a question c. Contains a riddle speaker otions or thought of the d. Expresses the em n to Literature, Christina

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Valeo, PhD

of id recommends which 11. The USDA Food Pyram ? the following ratios tein, 10% carbohydrates a. 30% fat, 60% pro tein, 30% carbohydrates b. 60% fat, 10% pro tein, 60% carbohydrates c. 30% fat, 10% pro & Physical Education From PHED 390: Health e lvill Me tt Sco or Profess

for Elementary School,

hest rate of

ing groups has the hig 12. Which of the follow crime victimization? a. the elderly b. teenagers s c. divorced female owers wid and s ow wid d. From SOCI 301: Crime and

PhD Justice, Dale Lindekugel,

T required to salute? 13. When is a soldier NO superior officer , he or she recognizes a a. When in uniform indoors b. When reporting rs them when played indoo An nal tio Na c. To the lle and retreat) vei (re flag the of ng eri low d. To the raising and From MLSC 101: Military

del Leadership, Maj. Robert Rie

14. What is the name of the group within the Federal Reserve that makes decisions about mon etary policy? a. Federal Advisory Committee b. Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation c. Federal Open Market Com mittee d. Federal Funds Operating Grou p

21. How would you describe the stra tegic tradeoffs associated with mass production vs. job shop or batch production? a. Batch production is more effic ient and results in low cost products, whereas mass productio n is better for high volume products. b. Batch production produces more costly, low volume products, but it is more flexible and can change more rapidly than mass line production. c. Mass production is flexible and produces less expensive products that batch production. d. Mass production is better for low volume production, whereas batch production is better for high volume, standardized products.

From ECON 201: Intro to Macroeconom

ics, Professor Kelley Cullen

15. Which of the following is NOT one of the Synoptic gospels? a. Matthew b. Mark c. Luke d. John

From OPSM 330: Operations Managem

From ENGL 387: Literature of the Bible , Garrett Kenney, PhD

ent, Patricia Nemetz-Mills, PhD

22. The change in the dependent variable given a one-unit change in the indepen dent variable is expressed by the ____________ ________. a. Coefficient of determinatio n b. Correlation coefficient c. Coefficient of covariation d. Regression coefficient e. None of the above

16. How many calories must be burn ed up in order to lose one pound of body fat? a. 120 b. 600 c. 1,000 d. 3,500 From PHED 390: Health & Physical Educa tion for Elementary School, Professor Scott

Melville

17. Apples and oranges are substitut e goods. A freeze in Florida destroyed a good portion of the orange crop. Ceteris paribus, a. The price of oranges will incre ase and the price of apples will fall. b. The price of oranges will fall and the price of apples will increase. c. The price of both apples and oranges will fall. d. The price of both apples and oranges will increase. Professor Kelley Cullen

18. The hippocampus is essential for normal: a. food intake b. hormone secretion c. memory formation d. skeletal muscle activity ular & Skeletal Systems, Karen Carlberg,

19. If Max’s demand for hot dogs falls as his income rises, then hot dogs are a. a bad good b. an inferior good c. a preferential good d. a related good e. none of the above

PhD

a. b. c. d. e.

Estate and gift taxes Custom duties Corporate income taxes Individual income taxes Excise taxes

24. Which of the following is NOT a simile? a. “Hungry like the wolf ” b. “Life is a bowl of cherries” c. “Dumb as a rock” d. “As smart as the next person” From English 170: Introduction to Litera

ture, Christina Valeo, PhD

nomics, Professor Kelley Cullen

Are You Smarter than a College Stud ent? Answers: D D D C B C C

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8. 9. 10. 11. 12. 13. 14.

Recreation & Leisure Services, Paul Gree

25. A recession is often considered by economists to be: a. an economic downturn that persists for more than two consecutive quarters of the year . b. an economic downturn that pers ists for more than four consecutive quarters of the year . c. any period of more than six months in which unemployment is rising. d. any period in which the une mployment rate exceeds 6 percent.

A B D D B C D

s, Professor Kelley Cullen

20. A mountain biker, on a commer cial bike trip, took the wrong trail down a steep mountainsid e. He/she could have easily stopped and hiked back up to the correct trail. They chose to proceed downhill and were inju red. Your strongest legal defense to a claim of negligence is: a. assumption of risk b. unforeseen circumstance c. comparative negligence d. contributory negligence From RCLS 400: Legal Foundations in

23. The single largest source of tax revenues for the U.S. federal government is:

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, K. Damon Aiken, PhD

1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7.

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From MKTG 411: Marketing Research

spring/summer 2010 21

K S S R G By David Rey

he study of arts and letters has a long and influential history on the Eastern Washington University campus, but a different type of letters, Greek ones, have had a huge impact on the lives of many Eastern alumni. For the past 45 years, fraternities and sororities have provided EWU students with the opportunity to build social networks, try on leadership roles, help the needy, and, of course, have a good time. Their history on campus is a tale of ups and downs, most of which mirrors the oscillating fortunes of the university itself, from a robust era in the ‘60s, a downturn in the ‘70s, a re-establishment in the ‘80s, growth in the ‘90s, and a vibrancy of new activity in the past decade. While the “Greek system” has, and probably always will, face what former Alpha Xi Delta president Alicia Kinne (’07 government), called the “uphill battle regarding traditional stereotypes,” a closer look at its history reveals it has more to offer than parties and good intramural sports teams. Since the inception of a Greek system on the EWU campus, the university has been healthiest when fraternities and sororities were their healthiest – and viceversa. It’s been a symbiotic relationship that looks destined to continue into the future.

“Because the college permits it…” In 1964, the Eastern Washington State College’s Dean of Students, Daryl Hagie, issued a memo outlining the conditions Greek houses would have to follow to be officially recognized by the college’s administration. His memo left no question as to the college’s view of fraternities: “A fraternity exists on a college campus because the college permits it to exist there.” Hagie wanted to make sure the fledgling fraternities knew where they stood. “The continued presence of the fraternity on campus depends upon the extent to which it makes a positive and useful contribution to the college’s total program,” the memo read. The administration listed 13 conditions that had to be closely followed for a Greek

EASTERN

Theta Chi Upsilon members from 1970 Kinnikinick yearbook

L D V I R SV organization to establish itself on campus. The rules ranged from the requirement of a live-in “house mother” to the prohibition of hazing – “Hell Week” will not be tolerated, the memo said, instead, “Help Week” would be encouraged. Eastern’s official archivist and historian, Charles Mutschler, PhD, looked into the efforts of fraternities trying to establish themselves on the campus under the newly-proscribed rules. Student life was very vibrant during the mid-‘60s, with most students living on campus in living groups revolving around specific residence halls. The new Greek organizations jumped right in. “The fraternities seemed to have a fair degree of support early on,” Mutschler said. “They show up regularly in the yearbooks and The Easterner (student newspaper) as frequent participants in allcampus activities and events.” Mutschler said there appeared to be a push to establish fraternities at the college shortly after World War II, but those efforts “Didn’t really go anywhere.” The movement towards establishing fraternities started again in the late ‘50s and culminated in Hagie’s 1964 set of conditions, Mutschler said. The Kinnikinick, the college’s yearbook, had a new section featuring the Greek system in 1965, by then, the Greek system expanded into five organizations. A 32-member fraternal “colony” calling itself Epsilon Sigma was said to be looking for affiliation into a national fraternity. It started in 1962, with the efforts of six students, and was recognized as Eastern’s first-ever fraternity – albeit without official administrative recognition. Another group seeking national affiliation, Kappa Chi Lambda, housed 35 members and pledges (and a dog named Studley) in a house across from Sutton Park, a few blocks from campus. They put on a pajama dance, a hayride and four mixers during the school year. As the ‘60s gave way to the ‘70s, the campus started to change, and with it, changed the college’s Greek system. An influx of cheap apartments in Cheney and Spokane lured students off campus. Students became less interested in “belonging” to organizations and the Greek system at Eastern saw its participation diminish as the decade advanced. In 1978, the movie Animal House was released, which etched negative stereotypes about fraternities into the country’s consciousness. Greek systems throughout the country saw precipitous drops in participation around this time. Eastern’s remaining Greek system fizzled out and died in 1980, with the dissolution of the campus’ last two fraternities, Theta Chi Upsilon and Alpha Pi Alpha.

Rebirth The EWU students who worked to re-establish a Greek system at the university in the late 1980s were a determined bunch, and perhaps most determined among them were the female students who carved out a bigger place for sororities on the campus. “I just wanted to have as much of a college student experience as I could,” said Gina Mauro, (’90 BA communication studies) the first president of EWU’s chapter of Alpha Phi, EWU’s first nationallyaffiliated sorority. Mauro and “just a couple girls” moved into a house on Second Street in 1986, and founded a local sorority, calling themselves Zeta Theta Nu. “That started a lifetime of ‘doing things’,” Mauro said. Feeling ambitious, Mauro and her sorority sisters pushed forward in an effort to become affiliated with Alpha Phi, a national fraternal organization for women started in 1872. After proving to the national organization that they were a going concern, the women of Zeta Theta Nu became Alpha Phi members. The momentum from the affiliation was immediate, and the sorority quickly grew to 50 members by Mauro’s senior year in 1990. The challenge of being president of the sorority was huge, Mauro said. “It was a lot like herding cats – I like to think I cut my teeth on leadership during that time, managing all aspects of the running of the sorority,” she said. “It was challenging, arranging social events, doing philanthropy and keeping the girls safe. But we survived it. We got there – and they are still there.” Remembering the humble abode they began in, Mauro said she is a bit jealous of the current Alpha Phi sisters. “Their house, that’s nice – that looks like a sorority house.” But, Mauro said running a sorority was less complicated at that time, as Greek organizations weren’t as focused on protecting their chapters from lawsuits as they are now. “We didn’t have a risk manager, like they do now,” she said. “I look back, we had parties, but nothing ever got out of control – it was sort of an idyllic time.” At some of those parties was a young Sigma Nu named Connan Campbell, (’91 BA business) who, 20 years after the fact, is now dating Mauro. “Facebook is a wonderful thing,” Mauro laughed. Campbell came to Eastern in 1986, and joined what would become EWU’s nationally-affiliated Sigma Nu chapter. After a decade of campus life devoid of Greek organizations, five fraternity houses reopened at EWU over five years, beginning with Delta Chi in 1984. Campbell said his fraternity had about 40 people, with the other fraternities averaging about 30 members each. “The late 1980s was a time of rebirth of Greek life all over the

spring/summer 2010 23

country – although we didn’t really know that at Eastern,” Campbell said. “The energy here was good and positive with involvement of Greek members at all levels of student leadership – there was a lot of motivation to grow the chapters.” Campbell’s experience in the Greek system at EWU left a deep impression on him, so much so that he has made a career out of keeping fraternities and sororities on the good side of their university’s administration as a Greek advisor. He currently holds that position at Washington State University, after stints at Syracuse, Southern Illinois and Fresno State. Campus life at Eastern was somewhat tame at the time, with commuters dominating the campus enrollment, so the livening Greek system provided a social outlet and opportunity for those students wanting a more dynamic college experience. The university’s administration, realizing that the Greek system could provide some much needed campus life opportunities, became very cooperative and supportive. Frank Borelli, the university’s vice president for student services released a memo in 1986, encouraging faculty and staff to become involved as advisors for the Greek organizations. Campbell said the good behavior of the EWU fraternities at the time helped with the administration and other students. “I don’t really recall a lot of negative interactions with non-Greek students or the administration,” he said. By the end of the decade, the Greek system had carved out a new place for itself in EWU campus life. “We were all pretty proud of what we’d done,” Campbell said.

Reinvigorating Campus Life When Jared Rose (’00 BA marketing) arrived as a freshman at the university in 1996, Eastern’s enrollment was declining, as other state universities were reporting growing enrollment. It was at the point where legislation was being introduced to merge EWU into WSU. For Rose, the Greek system was the cure to EWU’s bleak campus life. “At the time I got to Eastern, it was a very commuter-driven school,” he said. “There were not a lot of people in the dorms, there were not a lot of people on campus – the majority of people you ran into on campus were here for just three hours per day.” Midway through his first year, Rose was invited to a Super Bowl party at a fraternity, “My 13-inch TV in the dorm wasn’t doing me any good,” he said. He was delighted to see

EASTERN

the opportunity for the college With the growth experience he’d been looking for. of diverse student He joined Sigma Phi Epsilon and threw himself into leadership enrollment at Eastern, roles both in his fraternity and on campus. The experience allowed we definitely will him to have a front row seat for continue to see growth a massive turn of fortunes for the university, following the arrival of in our multicultural Dr. Stephen Jordan as university president. Greek groups,” Wagner Jordan saw that the miserable said. “A sense of campus life at EWU was making it hard to attract students to the community is a strong university. He immediately set value for a lot of those about reversing that, moving onto campus himself and throwing multicultural students, his energy and support behind repairing Eastern’s campus social and these organizations system. have those values Seeing the Greek system as a logical ally in reinvigorating built into them. campus life for students, Jordan engaged the fraternities and sororities and encouraged them to inject some spirit into the campus. The results were immediate and spectacular. Greek membership surged within the first couple years of Jordan’s presidency and Eastern itself became the fastest-growing university in the state. Rose’s fraternity grew from 23 members his first year, to 51 members the day he graduated, four years later. “When Dr. Jordan started, he said to us, ‘Let’s turn this campus into a real campus,’” Rose said. “There was suddenly so much going on, we had a new president who lived on campus, and when spring came, I remember thinking that this was an entirely new school now.”

The men of Lambda Chi Alpha cheer on the men of Pi Kappa Alpha in the 1966 Homecoming Tug -O-War.

Today and Tomorrow The growth started during the Jordan years continued, and the EWU Greek system has benefitted. Since the Greeks carved out a foothold again at Eastern with a handful of fraternities and sororities in the late ‘80s, their numbers have swelled. EWU’s Greek life advisor James Wagner started at the university a couple years ago, and in that time the number of Greek organizations has grown from 14 to 21, and there are now five Greek councils on campus overseeing and coordinating Greek activities. The evolving demographics of the university are playing a part in the growth of the Greek system at EWU, as African American and Latino-oriented fraternities and sororities have established themselves on campus. “With the growth of diverse student enrollment at Eastern, we definitely will continue to see growth in our multicultural Greek groups,” Wagner said. “A sense of community is a strong value for a lot of those multicultural students, and these organizations have those values built into them.” The Greek system at Eastern will have some challenges in maintaining its growth, as the shrinking state budget and rising tuition is putting additional pressure on all of Eastern’s students, the majority of which don’t come from affluent backgrounds. Alicia Kinne, who served two terms as ASEWU (student body) president, and as president of her sorority, Alpha Xi Delta, said she still keeps in touch with the current members of her sorority. She sees the emerging challenges. “Being in a sorority can be a big financial and time commitment,” she said. “I think it is important that Greek organizations make it possible for students to work and be involved in other campus organizations, while still maintaining their membership in the organization.” Wagner said he sees the same challenges. “The student’s financial aid and tuition are impacted by today’s economic conditions,” he said. “It makes it tough for those eight organizations with facilities, because they have to run like a business.” Wagner said he hopes the Greek system at EWU continues to thrive, as they’ve not only been important to student life on campus and student government, but also to the local community, through their philanthropic efforts. He pointed out the movement of the historic Moorman House in Cheney, which was relocated and turned into the city’s museum. “The Greek diversified group council did a lot of work helping get that building physically moved,” he said. The EWU Greeks also sponsor blood drives, raise money for cancer and disease research and donate time to local and national charities. And, while they still have to fight everyday against the lingering stereotypes, the caliber of graduates the EWU Greek system has helped cultivate at Eastern is undeniable. Kinne, who now works as a policy analyst for the state Legislature, said the Greek system at EWU can continue to be a positive force at the university as long as they keep their mission in mind. “Greek organizations provide an amazing opportunity for students to become more engaged in leadership, as well as lifelong friendships,” she said. “As long as Greek organizations at EWU continue to remind students of the history they are rooted in, the values they promote and the leadership and friendships they provide, they will continue to grow and provide a great community for many future students.” E

Alpha Xi Delta, 2006, Michelle Gross, Colleen Olson, Alicia Kinne, Ashley Bloom and Kelli Martson

Sigma Lambda Beta 2009 graduation

Alpha Phi, 1990 (Gina Mauro, second row, second from right)

spring/summer 2010 25

Dirt Job? Somebody’s Got to Do It.

Having any job in our current economy is a good thing, but some jobs are better than others. We asked our readers to share some of their more “unusual” jobs with us. Reminiscing about these jobs gives us a good laugh and makes us appreciate how far we’ve come.

Sounds Fishy Bart Mihailovich ’06 If you’ve ever taken fish oil, or are currently doing so, try to forget you’ve read this story.

I spent my college summers working at a salmon processing plant in

Naknek, Alaska. For three of those summers, I worked in what was called the “head shed” – and what happened in there would make most anyone feel a little queasy. In fact, when tours would come through the plant, the guide would rush people past our little corner muttering quickly, “This is where they make the salmon oil, and now here is the… (something else).”

So what was going on in there? We were grinding fish heads, steaming

them in 1,000-gallon pressure cookers, extracting a few inches of salmon oil off the top of each batch, purifying that oil, and dumping 990 gallons of oatmeal-looking fish head chunks into the Naknek River, where birds feasted like pilgrims on Thanksgiving Day.

Here’s the process. As whole fish enter the cannery, their heads are

chopped off. The fish is eventually gutted, cleaned, chopped up, canned and steamed. The heads entered our area on a conveyor belt and were dumped into a giant grinder. A hose spews water into the grinder to help reduce friction and to create a soupy mess of blood, guts, fish skin and eyeballs, and a giant vacuum sucks it all up through a hose and spews it out into one of six 1,000-gallon steam pressure cookers called retorts.

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For three summers, I ground up fish heads and cooked them - and I wouldn’t trade

that experience for anything in the world.

This process always creates splatters, especially when it starts to

fill up. There’s nothing like getting a face full of ground up fish heads first thing in the morning. Once a retort is full, it steam cooks for 35 minutes. When it’s finished, at the top, sits an inch or so of shiny orange fish oil. The oil is extracted, purified, cooled and boxed up for shipment to pharmaceutical companies.

You didn’t have to work there long to learn who the “head shed”

boys were. Being a “head shed” boy was a great thing – it was very prideful. Sure, there were better jobs, but not many where you were left alone for days at a time. Because who wanted to enter the “head shed?” Especially knowing the initiation rules, which called for every new “head shed” worker to take a ladle-full of warm fish oil – a rule I extended to all visitors under my tenure.

For three summers, I ground up fish heads and cooked them -

and I wouldn’t trade that experience for anything in the world.

Pepé Le Pew John Traylor ’69

Aha Moment Leslie Hand ‘00 Years ago, when I was about 17, I worked as a hostess in a fine dining restaurant. One of my jobs was to “check the bathroom” throughout my shift. I remember doing as I was asked, walking around in there, looking and thinking to myself, no problems, no one passed out on the floor, looks good to me.

There was a time when the manager came up to me and said

someone had complained there was no toilet paper in the bathroom. He asked me if I had been checking it, and, all of a sudden, a light bulb went on and I thought, “Oh that’s what I’m checking for!” I had no idea.

The Pinsetter Carol (Ulery) Williams ‘60 While as student at Mossyrock High School in southwestern Washington, I was one of several of my classmates who set pins at a small bowling alley outside of town. The bowling alley was in the basement of the Howard family home, next to their small gymnasium!

There were just four lanes. Here’s how it worked: The pinsetters

stood aside as the bowler lobbed their first ball down the lane. Then we picked up the ball and placed it in the ball return, picked up the fallen pins and placed them in the proper order in the frame that held the pins, and got out of the way – again. If anyone made

During summer break my sophomore year in 1967, my fellow ROTC

a strike, we did it all after their first ball was thrown. The job was

cadet Tom Roe and I were interviewing for a job with the YMCA at

fun and exhausting, and we all loved it. It was a lot more fun than

Camp Reed, north of Spokane. At that time, they had a big problem

picking strawberries, raspberries and blueberries in our little town.

with skunks under the cabins. We were already hired for the job, but

Au Revoir, Gopher

when the director found out that we could shoot, we were asked if we could report a week early.

Tom and I picked out the best cabin for ourselves, and over the

next week, ridded the neighborhood of the striped raiders. There were quite a few of them, and after a while, we no longer really noticed the smell. After a week, the other camp counselors showed up for duty and none of them wanted to share the same, rather nice cabin. Nor did they really wish to eat with us, or even wish to converse with us. Tom and I finally figured out that perhaps we might offend in some way. It just goes to show you – while you may really be needed, you may not always be appreciated!

Gordon Budke ‘63 While growing up in Dayton, Wash., I had a job of setting traps to catch gophers that enjoyed meals of recently-planted seedling apple trees. My payment was ‘per the tail,’ so I would run my trap line twice daily and sever the gopher tails and keep them in a jar until each Friday, when I would go to the office and we would open the jar, count the tails and I would get paid.

The days were long and the job was a real bore. The process of

counting the tails was a very quick process. You can imagine the smell!

spring/summer 2010 27

classnotes ’10 s

’10 Chad Holzer, BA accounting, has been hired by Moss Adams LLP, to join its Spokane office audit staff.

‘00 s

’09 Elena Samylkina, BA accounting, has been hired by Moss Adams LLP, to join its Spokane office tax staff. She previously worked for Stewart and Associates, P.S. CPA. ’08 Jarret Clarke, BA communications studies, and ‘06 Sherry C. Donaldson, BA graphic communications, married Feb. 20, 2010, in Tacoma, Wash. The couple lives in Lake Tapps, Wash.

’08 Anna Fagerland, BA accounting, has been promoted at McDirmid, Mikkelsen and Secrest, P.S. in Spokane. ’08 Mary Halverson, BA marketing, and ’07 Tony (Anthony) Faso, BA visual communication design, married Oct. 24, 2009, in Post Falls, Idaho. Tony is the Internet Yellow Page manager for Hagadone Directories and Mary is the marketing coordinator for Skamania Lodge on the Columbia River Gorge. They live in Hood River, Ore. ’08 Rocky Hanni, BA criminal justice, and ’08 Janelle Balin, BA exercise science,

married July 25, 2009, in Orting, Wash. The couple lives in Tacoma, Wash. ’08 Brandon Hansen, BA journalism, has been hired as the sports editor for The Lake County Leader in Polson, Mont. ’08 Josh Richard, BA interdisciplinary studies, has been hired by Western States Insurance Agency of Spokane as a personal lines sales executive. ’07 Brooke M. Guthrie, MA urban and regional planning, has started a new business, brookesbites.com, a foodie walking tour in Olympia.

Alumni Photo Album Winter/spring 2010 was a busy, fun-filled time for Eastern alums. From gathering to help current students with career plans, to sharing fine wine with old friends, there’s never a dull moment when our alums get together. See more photos at http://www.flickr.com/photos/ewuphoto/collections, and to make sure you don’t miss out on the fun, check out upcoming alumni events at http://alumni.ewu.edu. EagleBiz social gathering, Jan. 21, 2010, in Spokane.

Alumni Social, March 25, 2010, in Spokane. EWU Arizona alums celebrate in Phoenix, February 2010

Spokane’s St. Patrick’s Day Parade, March13, 2010

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Alumni Association Board members Monica Zhang, Stacie Fuhriman, Nancy Tsutikawa and Karen Kendall join Swoop Jan. 30, 2010, Reese Court.

’07 Casey Knopik, BA journalism, co-manages Just South of North, a blog now in its second year, which covers many topics from around the Northwest. He lives in Issaquah, Wash. ’07 Melissa A. Pettigrew, BA business, is a human resources representative at Telect in Liberty Lake, Wash. She and fiancé Travis Kuntzmann, of Seattle, are planning to marry June 12, 2010, in Long Beach, Wash. The couple will reside in Spokane. ’07 Chelsea Waldron, BS biology, married Tyler Keck, June 20, 2009, in Spokane. The couple lives in Wichita, Kan., where she works as a patient coordinator. ’06 Ryan Coleman, BA criminal justice, and ’06 Sasha Cvetkovski, BA health services administration, married March 13, 2010, in Coeur d’Alene, Idaho. Ryan is a deputy for the Lincoln County Sheriff’s department and Sasha is the lead customer relations specialist at Rocklyn Medical Supply. The couple lives in Davenport, Wash. ’06 Bradley Cooley, BA computer science, married Sally Jane Reynolds, Oct. 24, 2009, in Lake Tahoe, Calif. The couple lives in Boise, Idaho, where he is a buyer for Grasmick Produce. ’05 Shann Ray Ferch, MA creative writing, is the winner of the 2010 Katherine Nason Bakeless Literary Publication Prize, for his collection of short stories entitled, American Masculine: Montana Stories. The collection will be published by Graywolf Press in 2011. Ferch, who writes under the name Shann Ray, teaches at Gonzaga University, and lives in Spokane with his wife and three daughters. ’05 Brooklyn Howard, BS nursing, married Steve Amaro, Aug. 16, 2009, in Spokane. The couple lives in Killeen, Texas, where she is a registered nurse at Metroplex Hospital. ’04 Lance D. Kissler, BA graphic communications, was elected to the 2010 board of directors as VP of public relations for the Portland, Ore. Public Relations Society of America (PRSA) Metro Chapter. He was also elected to the Council for Advancement and Support of Education (CASE) District VIII board of directors as the communications co-chair. ’04 Tara Pendleton, BA accounting, has been promoted to assurance manager at BDO Seidman LLP, in Spokane. ’04 Bernadette Pillar, BA interdisciplinary studies, has been hired by Windermere Real Estate/City Group LLC, as a sales associate for the company’s Spokane’s office.

Thomas Receives Homeland Security Award The Christopher Columbus Fellowship Foundation selected ’68 James Thomas, BA mathematics, as the recipient of the $25,000 Homeland Security Award for 2009. The award was presented in October in Washington D.C. Thomas is a laboratory fellow at Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, in Richland, Wash. This honor recognizes Thomas’ international leadership and outstanding scientific achievements in founding and establishing the growing science of visual analytics and the numerous associated technologies that aid in detecting, predicting, preventing and responding to acts of terrorism. This technology has been utilized by frontline law enforcement and counter-terrorism personnel at the San Diego area Automated Regional Justice Information System, the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey, and the Seattle Police Department. Thomas has also received several international science awards including “Top 100 Scientific Innovators” (Science Digest) and twice the Research and Development’s Industrial Research 100 Significant Scientific and Industry Accomplishments “Top 100 Innovators in Science and Industry.” In addition, he has twice been awarded the Federal Laboratories Consortium Technology Transfer Award for innovation in transferring research technology to industry and universities.

Alumna Centenarian Honored ’30 Evelyn Potts Sanders, teaching certificate, celebrated her 100th birthday March 21, 2010, at the Good Samaritan Nursing Home, in Spokane Valley. In 1930, she graduated from Cheney Normal School and began teaching in Liberty Lake, Wash. After her marriage to Howard Sanders in 1934, she and her husband owned successful restaurants in north Spokane. In the late 1950s, they sold everything and founded the Community Church of the Bible in Spokane Valley. To help support the new church, Evelyn returned to public school teaching while also running the church’s programs for children. Even after her retirement, many of her school and church “children” have kept in touch with her, and a large number of them attended her birthday celebration.

spring/summer 2010 29

classnotes

’03 Nicole Edwards, BA art, married Chris Ehrlich, Aug. 7, 2009, in Spokane, where the couple is living. ’03 Douglas Charles Hammond, MA public administration, has been hired by Graham Construction and Management, Inc., as business development manager. Previously, he worked for Empire Health Services as facilities director for 10 years. He has 34 years of development and construction experience. ’02 Timothy Lee Linfor, BA theatre, married Holly Campbell, Oct. 25, 2009, in Gleed, Wash. The couple lives in Yakima, Wash., where he is a substitute paraprofessional for the Yakima and Selah school districts. ’02 Malena (Bjorklund) Whitehouse, BA management information systems, married Alex Whitehouse, Oct. 24, 2009, in Oregon City, Ore. She earned her MBA from Marylhurst University in June 2009, and is an operations manager for Pacific Power. The couple lives in Lake Oswego, Ore. ’01 Noel Pitner, BA government, has been promoted to a principal shareholder at Ewing Anderson P.S. in Spokane. He previously worked as an associate attorney with the firm.

’90 s

’99 Amy L. (Bouchard) Brooks, BA human resource management, was elected president of the Las Vegas Valley Chapter of Public Relations Society of America. She is employed as assistant director at University of Nevada, Las Vegas, in alumni and external relations. ’99 Rebekah Giangreco, BA developmental psychology, was recognized during the Spokane Holistic Chamber of Commerce Awards for 2009, as Holistic Health Care Practitioner of the Year. ’99 and ’92 Barb Richey, MS communication studies, BA applied psychology, has been hired as director of marketing for Spokane Teachers Credit Union. She previously worked for Pacific University near Portland and EWU, and has 13 years of marketing and communications experience. ’98 Katie McKeehan Hart, BA education, and her husband Carl, welcomed daughter Luce Ann to their family Aug. 10, 2009. The family lives in Seattle. ’94 Steve Dahlstrom, MBA, has been elected by the Credit Union National Association to serve a two-year term as District 6 director. He is the president and CEO of Spokane Teachers Credit Union and serves as chair of the Eastern Washington University Foundation’s board of directors.

Learn more at www.ewu.edu/brick

’93 Leroy Eadie, BA urban and regional planning, was appointed director of Spokane Parks & Recreation by the Spokane City Council in March. He is the city’s former planning director and has served as acting parks director since October 2009. ’91 Shannon (Edwards) Cartier, BS organization and mass communications, married Tim Drangmeister, Feb. 2, 2009, in Breckenridge, Colo. They live in Richland, Wash.

’80 s

’89 Jack Fallis Jr., BA business, has been appointed as a board officer for Greater Spokane Inc. Fallis is the president/CEO of Global Credit Union in Spokane.

The Team Behind the Teams

JOIN TODAY - Eagle Athletic Association (EAA)

AT E

GL E

• VIP/Donor Hospitality Access • Season Seat Priority Purchasing • Donor Parking • Program Recognition

For more information regarding the Eagle Athletic Association, or the Eagle Athletic Association Fund Drive, visit www.goeags.com/EAA or call Krysta at 509.359.6208. Become a fan of the EAA on Facebook – www.facebook.com/EWUEAA.

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O C I AT I O

TIC

The Eagle Athletic Association is the official booster organization for Eastern Washington University Eagle Athletics. Show your support of our student-athletes who devote endless hours of pride and passion in the classroom, and on the field or court. Join the EAA by contributing to the EAA Fund Drive. All proceeds are dedicated to the Athletic Scholarship Fund. Help us reach our goal of 1,000 members! The EAA has eight different donation levels to choose from. All donation levels provide you membership into the EAA, and all have membership privileges associated with them. Some of these privileges include;

’04 Chelsea S. Spence, BA music, will complete her master’s degree in music from Colorado State University in August 2010. She is now principal harpist with the MidColumbia Symphony in Tri-Cities, Wash.

Save the Date! Homecoming Weekend Oct. 22-24, 2010. More details to come. http://alumni.ewu.edu ’86 Sue Poffenroth, BA physical education, a teacher at Keller High School in Keller, Texas, was honored in January, as the “2009 Teacher of the Year” by the Dallas Ecological Foundation, a nonprofit organization that promotes outdoor education. ’85 Paula Gibson-Smith, BA childhood development, of Jefferson Elementary School in Spokane, was recognized as Holistic Teacher of the Year for 2009, by the Spokane Holistic Chamber of Commerce. ’84 Dan Eyman, BA physical education, was named “Coach of the Year” by the Washington State Football Coaches Association in January. Eyman has served as head football coach for Eisenhower High School in Yakima, Wash., since the late ‘80s. ’84 Cal FitzSimmons, BA journalism, has been named managing editor of The Wenatchee World. He was formerly editor of The Daily News in Longview, Wash. FitzSimmons grew up in Spokane, and began his career in the sports department at The Spokesman-Review while attending EWU. ’83 and ’77 Mike Kirby, MEd school administration, BA education biology, has been chosen as the Tumwater (Wash.) School District superintendant, beginning July 1, 2010. He currently serves as the assistant superintendent for the Richland (Wash.) School District. Kirby has been in education since 1978. ’82 and ’76 Richard J. (Ritch) Hall, MBA and MA geology, has been appointed chairman of Premier Gold Mines Ltd., a Canadian-based mineral exploration and development company. He previously served as president and CEO of Metallica Resources Inc. ’80 and’77 John “Mike” Mires, MA and BA biology, has been hired as dean of professional, technical and workforce education for North Idaho College, in Coeur d’Alene, Idaho. Previously, he served as the dean of instruction for technical education at Spokane Community College and has worked in various other positions for the college since 1983.

’70 s

’73 Ron Sand, BA marketing, and his wife Carole Montre-Sand, have joined the Peace Corps and will serve two years in Jamaica. Ron will be serving in the health sector, while Carole will be working in Youth as Promise. They will be returning stateside in 2012.

’71 Larry R. Halgren, BA management, is the new director of business development at the accounting firm of Varner Sytsma Herndon in Bellingham, Wash. ’71 Karen A. Robbins, BA education communication disorders, retired from Clark County School District in Las Vegas, Nev., where she spent 30 years as a speech/ language pathologist.

’30 s

’34 Lester C. Hailey, reports that he’s “having a good life.”He’ll be 99 years old in November. The Lake Stevens, Wash. resident spends his winters in Arizona. He managed Hailey Cattle Ranch in Mesa, Wash., from 1945-1983, after serving in the U.S. Air Force during WWII. He taught for eight years in Toppenish, Wash. While at Cheney Normal School he was active in student government, W Club, cross country, track, pep band, orchestra and served as president of Sutton Hall (‘32-’33).

Class of 1960 Reunion Oct. 22-23, 2010

Welcome Back Reception and Service Organization Tribute – 4:30 p.m., Friday, Oct. 22 If you were a member of the Intercollegiate Knights, the Sponsor Corps, the Spurs, Tawankas, or any other of the many service organizations on campus during the ‘40s, ’50s, ‘60s or ‘70s, make plans to join us for this special tribute.

Homecoming Parade, Bon Fire/Pep Rally and Bed Races – 6:30 p.m., Friday, Oct. 22, downtown Cheney. Don’t miss these exciting annual events celebrating Homecoming 2010 with this year’s theme “Swoopstock!”

Remembering Eastern Presentation and Reception - 9:30 a.m., Saturday, Oct. 23 Join university archivist and historian, Dr. Charles Mutschler, for a presentation on the transformations at the university since 1960. Treats will be hosted by the Friends of JFK Library.

Lunch with the President - Saturday, Oct. 23 Enjoy a pre-game barbecue lunch with President and Mrs. Rodolfo Arévalo, with details to come.

Homecoming Football Game - 1:05 p.m., Saturday, Oct. 23 Special field seating for reunion registrants, Eastern Eagles vs. Sacramento State Hornets

Reunion Wine Tasting and Dinner Dance – 5 p.m., Saturday, Oct. 23 Additional details and costs will be mailed out this summer. Call the Office of Alumni Advancement at 888.EWU.ALUM, if you need assistance contacting friends you hope to reconnect with.

spring/summer 2010 31

inmemoriam ’90 s

’92 Michelle (Lisko) Mast, 40, BA business, died in an automobile accident on Oct. 8, 2009. She is survived by her husband Christopher Mast, son Kevin and daughter Megan. She was employed as a substitute teacher in the Dieringer School District, Lake Tapps, Wash. ’91 Sr. Mary Francisca, (Janice Klotz), 61, MS nursing, died Jan. 28, 2010. She entered the Religious Congregation of Mary Immaculate Queen in 1972, after graduating from Orange Coast College in Costa Mesa, Calif. She served as a medical coordinator and counselor for St. Michael’s Academy in Spokane, as well as a coordinator for the Singing Nuns musical group. ’90 and ’88 Joan Leach, 64, MA and BA education, died Dec. 7, 2009, in Spokane. She taught school in Lancaster, Calif., and served as assistant principal at Sadie Halstead Middle School in Newport, Wash., and principal at Meadow Ridge Elementary, in Mead, Wash. In 2000, she became principal at Raymond Elementary in Raymond, Wash. She was recognized as an “Outstanding Elementary Principal” for the state of Washington.

’80 s

’88 Martin Rogers, 65, BA liberal studies, died Nov. 6, 2009. He lived in Medical Lake, Wash., and worked for Avista Utilities throughout the Pacific Northwest for 27 years, retiring in 2007.

’85 Patricia (Trish) Pizelo, 50, BA education, died Jan. 13, 2010. She taught Sunday school for many years and served as a mentor to many young girls at her church. ’84 Katheryn E. Jones, 63, BA economics, died Feb. 5, 2010. She worked for Rural Hand County Schools, Moscow Idaho Library, Washington State Library, and retired from the Mid-Columbia Library System in 2008.

’70 s

’79 Glen Hickman, 55, BA mathematics, died Dec. 3, 2009, in Spokane. He worked for Wagstaff Engineering, Aztec Electrical and Spokane Teachers Credit Union, where he was a computer network administrator. ’75 John B. Harris, BA psychology, died Nov. 15, 2009, in Spokane. He was an animal rights activist and a member of the ASPCA for many years. He worked as a custodian for Spokane Public Schools for more than 30 years. ’74 James E. Garland, 64, BA accounting, died Nov. 10, 2009, in Bremerton, Wash. He served in the U.S. Navy after graduating from high school in 1962, and was awarded the Vietnam Service Medal, the National Defense Service Award Medal and the First Good Conduct Medal. While at Eastern, he had the distinction of being the oldest player to earn a starting position on the football team, at age 29. After graduating from Eastern, he began his career in real estate and investments, which he continued until his death.

Dale J. Gredler 1967-2010 ’90 Dale Gredler, BA urban planning, passed away suddenly on Jan. 27, 2010, in London. At the time of his death, Dale was a Foreign Service officer with U.S. Agency for International Development, stationed in Almaty, Kazakhstan. He joined the USAID in May 2001. He previously served in Indonesia, helping with tsunami relief, and, prior to that, he was a Peace Corps volunteer on Camiguin Island in the Philippines. His service to his country improved the lives of thousands in impoverished countries. In 1987 and 1988, Dale lettered as an offensive lineman in football at EWU. He was a 1985 graduate of Wenatchee, Wash., High School. Dale is survived by his wife Caroline and daughters Alyson and Sarah.

EASTERN

’72 Gerald William “Bill” Keevy, 60, BA liberal studies, died Jan. 9, 2010. ’71 Charles “Eric” Erickson, 72, BA social work, died Dec. 9, 2009, in California. He lived in Spokane, where he worked as a social worker. An avid runner, he ran in every Lilac Bloomsday Run (Spokane’s annual 12-K run) through 2009. ’70 Duane William Reagan, 90, MA curriculum specialist, died Feb. 9, 2010. He flew missions over Europe, as the lead navigator/bombardier in B-26 Martin Marauders during WWII, and in B-29 bombers over Korea. He and his wife Pat were married for 57 years.

’60 s

’69 and ’57 Wayne Chandler, 79, MA counseling and development, BA early childhood education, died Feb. 10, 2010, in Spokane. He taught at Finch Elementary, Glover Junior High and Shadle Park High School, in Spokane. After earning his master’s degree, he served as a counselor and Dean of Students at Shadle, retiring in 1987. ’69 Patrick D. Pfeifer, 62, BA physical education, died Dec. 19, 2009, in Coeur d’Alene, Idaho. His coaching career spanned four decades. He taught for 15 years at Lewis and Clark High School and 15 years at Ferris High School, both in Spokane, and coached at Central Valley High School in Spokane Valley. In 1992, he received the “Disney Teacher Award.” He was honored with the Washington State Coaches Association’s Lifetime Achievement Award, and he was inducted into the state’s Track and Field Hall of Fame.

’68 William E. “Bill” Donahue, 69, BA accounting, died Feb. 22, 2010, in Spokane. While attending college in LaGrande, Ore., he was injured in an automobile accident that left him a paraplegic. He returned to college at Eastern and, in 1968, was hired by the Spokane County Auditor’s office as a clerical supervisor. In 1982, he was appointed auditor, a position he held until he retired in 1999. He served as treasurer of the Inland Empire Chapter of the National Rehabilitation Association and was involved in establishing wheelchair accessibility in downtown Spokane. ’68 James Noland, 63, BA English, died Jan. 16, 2010. He taught English and became the president of the Wapato Teachers’ Association at Wapato High School. He was a gifted athlete and completed 15 marathons, including New York City and the 100th Boston Marathon. He spent the past nine years working with the marketing team at Lockheed Martin, where he was one of the producers of an Emmy Awardwinning commercial. ’68 Anna (Glover) Speer, BA business, died Dec. 19, 2001, in Richland, Wash. Anna retired from Energy Northwest with more than 25 years service as a budget analyst. She was a member of the National Accountants Association. She is survived by husband ’70 Lee Speer, BA business education, and daughter ’03 Suzanne L. Speer, BA interdisciplinary studies. ’67 Terry Doupe, 70, BA industrial technology, died Nov. 22, 2009, in Coeur d’Alene, Idaho. He taught industrial education, vocational math and drivers’ education for the St. Maries School District for 33 years, before retiring in 1996. ’66 Betty J. Strickland, 81, BS communication disorders, died Jan. 28, 2010. She was a Girl Scout Leader and worked for the Inland Empire Girl Scout Council.

’50 s

’58 Richard G. Case, 74, BA chemistry, died Jan. 8, 2010. He was a poet, scientist, social worker, factory worker, commercial fisherman in Alaska and a cook. He operated a halfway house in Lewiston, Idaho, worked in substance abuse at State Hospital North in Orofino, Idaho, and finished his professional career as a community resource development specialist for the state of Idaho, a position from which he retired.

’40 s

’49 Joseph F. Scarpelli, 84, BA chemistry, died Jan. 1, 2010, in Spokane. He served as a U.S. Navy pilot during WWII. He taught elementary school for several years in Spokane, and he was an avid golfer and ham radio operator.

’41 Dorothy (Yeend) Lee, 89, died Dec. 28, 2009, in Kennewick, Wash. She taught elementary school in the Walla Walla area.

’30 s

’39 Duwain Dalquist, 93, BA early childhood development, died Jan. 22, 2010, in Everett, Wash. He spent most of his adult life in Spokane. He taught in Lamont, Wash., Otis Orchards in Spokane Valley and at Clarkston High School in Clarkston, Wash. ’38 Virginia May Bell, 95, education certification, died Jan. 22, 2010, in Pullman, Wash. She began teaching at the one-room Benge School, at age 19, for $55 per month. She was principal there and later taught in Riparia, Wash. She and husband Urgel farmed in Riparia, Hooper and LaCrosse, Wash., until retiring in 1971. Virginia was a former EWU employee and 12 of her grandchildren have attended EWU.

John “Jack” Thornton, 81, died Jan. 31, 2010. He retired in 1994, as a computer operator in Information Resources after nine years of service. Scott Tomson died Jan. 18, 2010. He worked in Building Maintenance since 1998. David Weekes, 78, died Jan. 5, 2010. An associate professor of English, he taught at Eastern for 34 years, before retiring in 1997.

Donna J. Westerlund El-Din 1933-2010

’38 Yetta Gray, 91, BA early childhood education, died Feb. 2, 2010, in Spokane. She taught elementary school in Springdale, Wash., and numerous schools in Spokane. ’31 Jeanetta L. Jolley, 98, BA education, died Dec. 8, 2009, in Spokane. She started teaching in Newport, Wash., before moving to Spokane, where she taught for 38 years. She worked as a classroom teacher, librarian, curriculum director and counselor for a total of 42 years.

’20 s

’28 C. Richard Hungate, 100, teaching certification, died Dec. 8, 2009, in Laguna Woods, Calif. He received his law degree from Stanford University in 1937, and settled in Los Angeles, where he specialized in entertainment law for 40 years. He enjoyed summers at Priest Lake, Idaho, from 1914 to 2006.

Staff and Faculty

Don Barnes, 83, professor emeritus of history, died Dec. 6, 2009. He retired in July 1995, after 29 years at Eastern. Minnie Miller, who retired in 1998 after 22 years of service in Custodial Services, died March 3, 2010. Michael A. Nelson, 61, died Nov. 29, 2009, in Spokane. His last 22 years were spent at EWU where he taught accounting and was a budget analyst. Donna Sprague, 64, died Feb. 11, 2010, in Spokane. She worked at EWU for 25 years. Mary Jane “Janie” Stoughton, 62, died on Dec. 11, 2009, in Cheney. She retired in May 2009, after 23 years of service.

Dr. Donna El-Din with Dr. Arévalo at EWURA breakfast in 2006

‘78 Donna J. Westerlund El-Din, PT, PhD, FAPTA, died April 26, 2010. She was hired in 1984, to organize the development of EWU’s physical therapy program and to chair the department. She retired in 2003. She also served on the EWU Retirement Association Board as an at-large member, vice president, president and past president. After retiring in 2003, she continued to teach part time in the Department of Physical Therapy and was instrumental in the development of the doctoral program. In 1996, she was awarded the EWU Trustees’ Medal, the university’s highest form of recognition for faculty achievement. Donations in Dr. Donna El-Din’s memory may be made to the Donna J. El-Din Memorial Scholarship Endowment, check payable to EWU Foundation. Eastern Washington University, 127 Hargreaves Hall, Cheney, WA 99004-2413 Attention: Asha

spring/summer 2010 33

the

backpage My Name is West, and I’m an American Soldier Maj. Gen. Scott West (’76, BA history) reflects on his journey from ROTC to retirement.

Left to right: Gen. Ann Dunwoody, Maj. Gen. Scott West and his wife Patti, at change of command ceremony at TACOM-LCMC, Jan. 29, 2010.

Thirty-three years came and went way too fast. My career began well, at what was then Eastern Washington State College. From the beginning, I had great role models, including officers, noncommissioned officers and fellow cadets. I never would have survived ROTC had it not been for Sgt. 1st Class Bill Thistle, Capt. Kelly Hudson, and an upperclassman named Cadet Neal Sealock. Bill Thistle retired as a sergeant major, the highest rank for an enlisted man. Kelly Hudson retired as a lieutenant colonel, and Neal Sealock retired a couple of years ago, as a brigadier general. All three are in my “Hall of Heroes.” These three people showed me what it meant to be a soldier first, as well as an officer and leader. That foundation, which I received at EWU, set me on course and served me well throughout a very rewarding career as a soldier. Through every assignment, I had the privilege to serve with some of the finest people America had to offer; young men and women who put the needs of the country and their fellow Americans ahead of their own; people who sacrificed greatly to serve the American people, including many who made the ultimate sacrifice; wonderful young people who wanted to be a part of something bigger than themselves; tough people who have valiantly fought and won our nation’s wars. In every job, in some of the toughest circumstances, I was always surrounded by truly great people. By trying to take care of them, and them taking care of me, I was able to rise through the ranks to increased

EASTERN

levels of responsibility. Nearly everything I achieved in this Army I owe to our phenomenal warriors. I also owe my success to my very supportive wife Patti, and my family. I could not have made the Army a career had it not been for her love and support. My wife endured 20 permanent moves in those 33 years. The U.S. Constitution, and all of the freedoms guaranteed therein, is underpinned by the American soldier (sailors, airmen, Marines and Coasties included). The American soldier is underpinned by his, or her, family. We, as a nation, should never forget this. If we fail to care for our soldiers and their families, we will lose them. If we lose them, how long can we survive as a nation? Having the opportunity to be a part of something like this has been an honor that words cannot define. For 33 years, whenever I was asked, “Who are you, and what do you do?” I had the privilege to say, “My name is West, and I am an American soldier.” I am now transitioning to another career. I don’t know what I will do, or where I will live, but I hope to be in a position where I can continue to serve this nation and her warriors. E

Alumni Events

Calendar

JULY 22

Second Annual Liberty Lake Wine Cellars Affinity Partnership Wine Tasting A full-capacity crowd attended the inaugural event last year. Join us from 7-9 p.m. We will continue to have Legacy Club wine memberships available for EWU alumni! Sample the wines available at Liberty Lake Wine Cellars and share an evening with EWU alumni, friends and family!

23 Tri Cities Alumni Wine Tasting Mark your calendars. More details and location to come.

AUGUST 4

2010 Ron Raver Memorial Golf Tournament Hit the links at this popular golf tournament to help support athletic scholarships at EWU. More information available at http://goeags.com.

EWU Night at the Spokane Indians Game time 6 p.m., sponsored in part by Karene Garlich-Loman and Coldwell Banker Tomlinson South. Join us in the Bud Bullpen for a summer evening of fun. Tickets are $6 per person. Information at http://alumni.ewu.edu.

SEPTEMBER 2

Start something big at EWU events. For more information and to register, visit http://alumni.ewu.edu or call 888.EWU.ALUM.

EWU Football at Reno, Nev. Tentative kickoff 6 p.m. The Alumni Office is partnering with the Eldorado Hotel Casino to offer a travel package. The package will include roundtrip airfare, three nights standard accommodations, tickets to the football game, free game day breakfast buffet and airport and game day transportation. Approximate price: $350/person. Please continue to check http://alumni.ewu.edu for updates.

10-11 Showdown on the Sound II – EWU Football vs. CWU Qwest Field in Seattle, time TBD. Join us for the second Showdown at Qwest Field as your EWU Eagles take on the Central Washington University Wildcats. Details will follow, but you can count on an alumni social on Friday evening and a pre-game event on Saturday. Mark your calendar and stay tuned!

The “Original Red Turf Tailgate” Party Northern Quest Casino, Airway Heights, 6:30-9 p.m., the eve of the EWU – Montana football game. Eight restaurants will provide tailgate food, and the big screen will have previous highlights of our games. Coaches and cheer squad will be attending. Tickets: $20. No host bar.

18 EWU Football vs. University of Montana Woodward Field, kickoff 4:05 p.m. 25 EWU Football at Montana State Kickoff 12:05 p.m.

OCTOBER 2

EWU Football at Weber State Kickoff 12:05 p.m.

EWU Football vs. Northern Arizona 2010 Hall of Fame class inducted. Woodward Field, kickoff 1:05 p.m.

16 EWU Football at Northern Colorado Kickoff 12:35 p.m. 22-23 Homecoming Weekend http://alumni.ewu.edu 23 Homecoming Game – EWU Football vs. Sacramento State Woodward Field, kickoff 1:05 p.m. 30

EWU Football at Portland State Hillsboro Stadium, kickoff 6:05 p.m. Mark your calendars for an alumni pre-game event. More details and location to come. For more information regarding alumni activities and updated event details, visit http://alumni.ewu.edu/events, or call 888.EWU.ALUM or 509.359.4550. For a detailed schedule of all fall athletic events, ticket prices and to reserve your seats, visit www.goeags.com.

What’s Going on in Your World? Good news to share? New job? Change of address? Tell us so that we can update records and share your news with alumni and friends in an upcoming issue of Eastern magazine.

Please send to: EWU Alumni Advancement 506 F Street, Cheney, WA 99004-2402 Call: 888.EWU.ALUM (398.2586), 509.359.4550; Fax: 509.359.4551 or visit http://alumni.ewu.edu

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EASTERN Magazine

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License Plate Lotto Play the EWU License Plate Game!

If you have one of the EWU plate numbers shown below, we want to hear from you. Send in a photo with your Eastern plates for a chance to have your picture featured in this spot. Be sure to tell us why you like having Eagle pride on your ride! Donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t have a plate? Join the growing number of Eastern alumni and friends who do. By putting a plate on your vehicle, youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re showing your support for EWU students, today and into the future, with $28 of the $30 specialized plate fee going toward scholarships at Eastern. If you want to find out how you can add to the more than $150,000 in scholarship money raised so far from these special plates, contact the Olympia Department of Licensing or go to the EWU alumni website, http://alumni.ewu.edu, for an application.

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