Eastern Washington University is a national champion! It was great to see so many of your faces in Frisco, Texas, to watch the Eagles capture the 2010 FCS National Championship - in a most dramatic fashion! Whether you enjoyed the game live, or from one of our watch parties across the nation, your support was greatly appreciated. As the proud president of your university, I love sharing the story whenever I can, because the title shines a whole new light (including a national spotlight) on our great university. As you might expect, a big part of this issue of Eastern magazine is dedicated to this extraordinary achievement. This is more than just a big win on the football field. It is also a win for the many people who fought through the most difficult times over the past 30 years to make sure Eastern had a place in Division I athletics. It is a win for our alumni, many of whom have stood behind the university through all of our challenges. It is also a big win for Cheney, the greater Spokane community, and the state of Washington, which rallied behind the Eagles during the playoff run, and are now sharing in the pride of this rewarding accomplishment. In the fall issue of this magazine, I mentioned how the red turf has literally, and figuratively, changed the landscape at EWU. I wrote how the field was creating a lot of national and regional media attention, and how the turf project seemed to inject a new sense of pride in many students, alumni and of course, our student-athletes. Never did I realize what would happen next. In addition to going 8-0 on the turf – with the final win in front of a nationallytelevised audience on ESPN2 – the publicity over Eastern’s title run has been off the charts. In the midst of perhaps the most challenging economic crisis to hit our state, Eastern, in a way, has struck gold – people now look at us just a bit differently. They want to know more about our institution, from the number of students (which is at a record high), to hearing more about our many fine academic programs. The surrounding communities are congratulating us with parades, proclamations and billboards. Truly, we are enjoying every moment of our success. How will we handle this success? I challenge you to stay connected and enthused about EWU. Stay active in your overall support of the university. Share Eastern’s story with a friend. Support our events, both athletic and academic. Wear your Eagle gear with pride! In the midst of the challenging budget issues we have experienced in recent years, Eastern continues to move forward, doing what we do best: educating our students and making an impact on the communities in which we live and work. Recently, we have produced a new research magazine, unveiled a new website and construction on our main academic building is now in full swing. The momentum is on our side. It’s been said many times before, but never has it meant more than right now – it truly is a great day to be an Eagle!
Dr. Rodolfo Arévalo President Eastern Washington University
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EASTERN
WINTER 2011
upfront
THE MAGAZINE for Eastern Washington University Alumni and Friends
Editor – Kandi Carper ‘05
Graphic Design – Ryan Gaard ‘02 Copy Editor – David Rey, Judy Crabb Contributing Writers – Kandi Carper ’05, Dave Cook, David Rey, Ralph Walter ‘91, H. George Frederickson, Dave Meany Photography – John Demke ’98, Pat Spanjer ’80, Eric Galey ’84, Ryan Gaard ’02, Larry Conboy, Keith Currie, Aaron Malmoe Editorial Board – Doug Kelley ’83, Jack Lucas ’77, Pia Hallenberg ’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 – Rob Neilson ‘81
Contact Us Eastern Magazine Letters or comments E-mail: Phone: Write:
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.
Cert no. SCS-COC-000648
On the cover All-American J.C. Sherritt,
Contents
senior linebacker and FCS defensive player of the year, helps lead EWU’s team to its first-ever NCAA Division I Football Championship Subdivision Title.
Cover Story
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Magic Carpet Ride
16
Being There
18
A Struggle Worth Remembering
19
Walter Brothers’ Road to Frisco
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Eastern Fans Unite
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Community Rallies Honor Team
EWU caps off magical season with National Championship
Alumni thoughts on the biggest game in Eastern’s history H. George Frederickson recounts journey to NCAA - Division I status Alumnus Ralph Walter recounts unforgettable road trip Alumni watch parties held across the country Fans congratulate championship team and coaches
Features 22 Eastern Goes Hollywood
Alums make their mark on Tinsel Town
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A Royal Welcome Home More than a crown
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20
22
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Departments 2
Up Front
4
A Note from the Editor
5
On the Road
6
EWU Beat
28
Class Notes
32 In Memoriam 34 The Back Page 35 Alumni Events Calendar
6 Winter 2011
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A
from the
NOTE
Editor
We want to hear from you! Send us your letters. Letters may be edited for length or clarity and civility.
A Second Chance Fan My first football game at Eastern wasn’t very memorable. It was the fall of 1973, my freshman year. I watched the game from the hillside next to the bleachers. Back then, it was EWSC; we were the Savages and the team finished 5-4. It wasn’t that I didn’t like football. I grew up a few blocks from Joe Albi Stadium in Spokane, and never missed a Friday night game. I just wasn’t into football at Eastern, or college life in general – I was in a hurry to become a “grown up.” I went to Eastern for the same reasons that many students do today – it was affordable, my friends were going there, and it was far enough away from home that my parents wouldn’t drop by unannounced, yet close enough that I could go home if I got Swoop, Kandi and Tom Carper celebrate National Championship homesick. After living on campus freshman year, many of my friends and I moved back to Spokane and commuted to classes. In doing so, we became even more removed from campus life. My sophomore year, I got engaged, quit school and went to work full time. It would take me 32 years to finally graduate in 2005. I chipped away at my classes as circumstances allowed. Honestly, I took Eastern for granted. It was always there for me, but I wasn’t there for the university. Over the years, I’ve cheered for Gonzaga’s basketball teams and WSU’s football teams. I’m always surprised to learn that people, who I assumed attended those schools, were actually EWU alums. It didn’t occur to me, or to them, apparently, to support Eastern. It wasn’t until I began working at the university in 2007, that I became a rabid EWU fan. I didn’t miss a home game this season, and I’ve watched the Eagles’ national championship game six times on my DVR. On Jan. 7, I was lucky enough to witness first-hand that miraculous victory in Frisco, Texas. Being at the game was an emotional experience – to see thousands of people decked out in their red EWU gear, so far from home – strangers becoming instant friends, united for the cause. I still get goose bumps when I think about the team taking the field with fireworks in the background and the parachute jumper delivering the EWU flag at game time, floating through the pink and purple sky like a gift from heaven – and the fans, giddy from the realization that we had just won the most incredible football game in school history, high-fiving and hugging each other in astounded jubilation. Some purists say that people are only jumping on the bandwagon and acknowledging their affiliation with the university because of the national championship; I say, the more, the merrier. There’s plenty of room for everyone on that bandwagon. Others say, “it’s only a game,” but they’re wrong. It’s so much more than that. It’s the spark that lights the fire of pride in anyone who has ever gone to Eastern. For once, we’re not the school with an inferiority complex – we’re the best in the nation! Eastern is all about second chances. I may have missed college life the first time around, but I’m making up for it now. I’m proud to be an EWU graduate, and as the editor of Eastern magazine, I’m privileged to share the inspiring stories of our alumni with the world. I may not remember much about my first Eastern football game, but for as long as I live, I’ll never forget that last one.
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Kandi Carper ‘05
On the Road with
Eastern Magazine Chief J. Allan ’96, and Michael O. Finley ’05, ’03, took their copy of Eastern magazine with them in November, when they traveled to Turkey for the first Native American Business Cooperation trip, sponsored by the Turkish Coalition of America. They met with the Turkish Minister for Foreign Trade and the leadership of the Turkish Exporters’ Assembly to discuss opportunities for economic cooperation between their countries. Allan has served as chairman of the Coeur d’Alene Tribe for five years, and under his leadership, the tribe has developed into an economic powerhouse, which has a $300 million impact on the Idaho economy. He has two children and lives in Worley, Idaho. Finley is chairman of the Confederated Tribes of the Colville Reservation, and has been a member of the Colville Business Council, the governing body for the 9,300-plus member tribes, since January 2008. He is dedicated to helping tribal youth improve their physical and spiritual health, their educational opportunities, and teaches them about the history and culture of the Colville Tribes. He lives in Inchelium, Wash.
Maj. Charles Wagenblast ’00, a Spokane Valley resident commissioned through EWU’s ROTC program, is mobilized in Afghanistan as part of the U.S. Army Reserve. His wife has been sending him every copy of Eastern magazine. “It is nice to see a piece of ‘home’ and share it with other soldiers from around the world,” said Wagenblast. He is a military adviser to the Afghan National Army 201st Corps, and is pictured at Camp Black Horse, east of Kabul.
William “Bill” LaVigne ’60, took his copy of Eastern magazine with him to the Rose Morford Softball Sports Complex in Phoenix, Ariz., where, at age 78, he played in the Senior Softball World Championship. His team took second place in the competition, held in October. LaVigne retired from teaching and coaching after 30 years – 28 in the South Kitsap School District. He lives in Tumwater, Wash.
Kim Bailey ’95, recently worked as a patient intake person at the Mountain Top Ministries medical clinic in Port Au Prince, Haiti, assisting as many as 200 patients a day. Mountain Top Ministries has helped Haitians by creating a school, a medical clinic, and a church. A hospital is also being built. Bailey’s regular job is working for MarketSource, supporting Hewlett-Packard products in the central and west region of the U.S. She worked for eight years as a dental assistant so she had some previous “patient” experience. She lives in Vancouver, Wash.
Where in the world will Eastern magazine next be spotted? Eastern alumni are invited to send 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.
Winter 2011
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ewubeat Familiar Building Getting Extreme Makeover It’s safe to say that nearly every student attending Eastern over the past four decades has taken a class in Patterson Hall. The university’s largest academic facility, completed in 1970, was home to instruction and administration in core academic areas such as English, government, history, social sciences and economics. It was named after Don Patterson, Eastern president from 1954 -1967. Major renovation plans are currently underway. Phase 1 is in the early stages of construction and is progressing on schedule. Even with some difficulties due to weather conditions, the contractor has been able to maintain progress. This project will increase the sustainability and efficiency of Patterson Hall for many years to come. Plans are for the $60 million project to be finished and ready for move-in fall 2014.
Fuller Named Provost Rex Fuller, PhD, has been selected as the new provost and vice president for Academic Affairs at Eastern, a post he has held on an interim basis since June. Fuller’s appointment was effective Jan. 1, 2011. Fuller arrived at Eastern in 2006, as the dean of the College of Business and Public Administration. In addition to that role, he was appointed executive dean of the Riverpoint Campus in 2008. Fuller will continue to serve as executive dean. “Eastern has a long tradition of serving the citizens of Washington by providing the highest quality of academic programs statewide,” said Fuller. “As provost, I want to ensure that EWU remains committed to preparing its graduates for success in a dynamic global society. As we engage one another in planning our future, I am certain Eastern will add to its legacy of having faculty and academic programs which are at the forefront of their respective fields. It is an honor to serve Dr. Arévalo and the faculty of Eastern in this capacity.”
Record Enrollment For the second consecutive year, Eastern Washington University had a record fall enrollment of 10,750 full-time equivalent (FTE) students, almost 250 more than the record quarter of fall 2009. This year’s freshman class of 1,543, is a 75-student jump from last fall’s freshman number and the second largest in school history (Eastern had 1,600 freshmen in 2005). In addition to the high number of freshmen, the number of continuing students also increased, with 128 more students staying enrolled at EWU from the same period last fall. EWU President Rodolfo Arévalo noted the influx of students comes as the state continues to slice its budget. But, he says Eastern will continue to work within its resources to make sure students succeed. “Although our resources have been diminished with cuts in state spending, EWU will continue to strive every day to serve our students,” said Arévalo. “I have a lot of confidence the campus community will continue to find creative ways so we can continue to do great things with the resources we are working with.”
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Shields to Lead National Council Vickie Rutledge Shields, PhD, dean of EWU’s College of Social & Behavioral Sciences and Social Work, was elected president of the Council of Colleges of Arts and Sciences (CCAS) at the organization’s annual meeting in New Orleans in November. CCAS is a membership organization of approximately 650 deans and associate deans of colleges of Arts and Sciences at more than 450 institutions in the United States, Canada, Qatar and Kuwait. More than 500 members attended the 2010 meeting. “I am honored to represent the organization that has had the greatest impact on my professional development as a dean of Arts and Sciences,” said Shields. “The agenda for this year is to continue to offer state-of-the art professional and managerial resources and leadership opportunities to our membership and continue to advocate for the liberal arts and sciences in the national political arena to help shape policy relevant to higher education at all levels.” She has served as dean of the College of Social and Behavioral Sciences at EWU since August 2005. Prior to that, she served as associate dean of the College of Arts and Sciences at Bowling Green State University. Dean Shields received her MA and PhD degrees from Ohio State University and her BA in Communications from Boise State University, where she was named BSU Alumna of the Year in 2005. In that same year, she completed the Management Development Program (MDP) at the Harvard Graduate School of Education.
New Leadership for Board of Trustees Eastern’s board of trustees has a new chair, vice chair and student trustee for the 2010-11 academic year. Bertha Ortega will serve as board chair through September 2011, succeeding Jo Ann Kauffman, who served in that role the past two years. Ortega, who is a founding member of Heritage University in Toppenish, Wash., has served on the board since 2002. Neil McReynolds will serve as vice chair through the same period. McReynolds, a retired corporate executive and dedicated advocate for higher education, has served on the EWU board since 2000. He currently teaches in the Graduate School of Business at the University of Washington and serves as a board governance consultant. Amanda Zeller, appointed by Gov. Chris Gregiore, will serve as the student trustee for the year. She is a senior from Naches, Wash., pursuing a BA in government and pre-law. She also plans to attend graduate school at Eastern. The board of trustees work with the university president to set the strategic direction of EWU, serve as advocates for the university and help ensure that Eastern is academically and financially accountable and successful.
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ewubeat
Save the Date
Homecoming 2011 – Oct. 15
“Swoopstock” Homecoming 2010 The EWU community got their groove on during Homecoming week Oct. 18-24. Highlights included the annual parade, bon fire, pep rally and bed races, held in downtown Cheney, and a Jazz Concert held on campus. The football team, down by 3 points with 33 seconds remaining, pulled off one of their heart-stopping thrillers, defeating Sacramento State, 28-24. Proving their tailgating superiority, the EWU Marketing & Communications team “Eat Red,” led by ’02 Ryan Gaard and ’05 Sam Buzby, took their first win in the annual Alumni Tailgating Decorating Contest. Finishing second, was the two-time defending champs “Grills Gone Wild.” New this year was the first-ever “Golden Grad Reunion,” which celebrated the Class of 1960, and anyone who graduated from Eastern 50, or more, years ago. Service Organization Members were also recognized.
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Photo courtesy KeithCurrie.com
Membership Has Its Privileges
Join the Eagle Athletic Association today and be part of the “Team Behind the Teams.” Your support provides scholarships for our outstanding student-athletes on all 14 Eagle teams and helps continue the tradition of excellence for today’s Eastern student-athletes and tomorrow’s graduates. Go to www.goeags.com/EAA to join. Annual donations may be made with convenient monthly electronic payments. There are eight different donation levels to choose from. Privileges are based on membership level and may include:
• The best available seats on the field and the court. Purchase all season, regular and playoff game seats ahead of the general public (including the EWU-Montana football game). • VIP/Donor Hospitality Access • Priority Parking • Program recognition • Discount at the EWU Bookstore
It is a five-week spring campaign (beginning in April) led by volunteers who call EWU alumni and friends encouraging them to join the Eagle Athletic Association.
For more information about the Eagle Athletic Association or the Fund Drive, go to www.goeags.com/EAA, or contact Krysta Plato kplato@ewu.edu 509.359.6208
Volunteers are asked to call or visit as many alumni and friends in which their schedule allows. A team captain requires the volunteer to find friends to participate on their team and continue to keep them motivated and encouraged throughout the campaign.
Get your 2011 football season tickets now www.goeags.com.
Fundraising can be a scary word, but the Eagle Athletic Fund Drive is a fun experience that encourages exciting rivalries between individual and team volunteers. Alumni names and contact information are provided. Don’t miss out on the opportunity to say you were a part of future success.
Become a fan of the EAA on Facebook www.facebook.com/EWUEAA.
Become a Fund Drive volunteer or team captain! Continue spreading Eastern pride into your neighborhood, office and across our community by participating in what is sure to be the biggest Eagle Athletic Fund Drive in history!
Winter 2011
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We thought we would have a good year and we hoped to be undefeated on the red turf. But I still can’t believe we did it. 10
As the clock ticked down on the remaining seconds of Eastern’s come-from-behind victory over the Blue Hens of Delaware, longtime EWU Sports Information Director Dave Cook knew he had some work to do. But, it wasn’t going to keep him from experiencing the biggest moment in Eastern football history. After finishing his press box duties, Cook sprinted to the post-game celebration – six-foot drop to the field and all. For all the time he spent with Eastern teams over the past 20-plus years, this was a celebration he couldn’t miss.
EWU Caps off Magical Season with National Championship Yes, it was an amazing, magical season, but there was a dash of timely superstition added to the “Magic Carpet Ride” the Eastern Washington University football team took to the NCAA Division I Football Championship. It came in early October; just weeks after Eastern had defeated Montana in the debut of Eastern’s new red Sprinturf surface at Roos Field (formerly Woodward Field). The Eagles had just lost to Montana State 30-7, and Eastern was 2-2 on the season heading into another difficult Big Sky Conference game on the road at perennial power Weber State. A national title was merely a pipe dream at that point, but it
EASTERN
By Dave Cook
was on this day that Beau Baldwin’s signature visor disappeared – for good. “I don’t know the last time I had gone to a practice or a game without wearing one,” Eastern’s head coach explained, exactly two weeks after the Eagles rallied from a 19-0 deficit to stun Delaware 20-19 and win the title in Frisco, Texas. “It’s comfortable and you kind of get used to it – it’s part of your attire.” For some reason, right before the Weber game, Baldwin decided to ditch the visor.
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It wasn’t necessarily how good we were talent-wise, but it was about what kind of team I thought we had. 12
“We played pretty well, and I said, ‘you know what, if we lose somewhere along the line maybe I’ll go back to it. But I’ll see if we can put together a little streak without it.’ ” Eastern won that game 35-24 and the streak began. The Eagles didn’t lose again.
“Why wouldn’t we?” “This season was very special for a lot of reasons,” Baldwin would say later. “Coming back against Delaware and winning 20-19 was incredible. But bigger than anything, Eastern has been a special place for a lot of fans and former players, and it was great to spread the enjoyment of a national title. The bonds we were able to create throughout the year were really special.” One of those players, former wide receiver Kevin Larew (class of ’90) came from Ewing, Va., to be part of the excitement. “It had been over 20 years since I had attended an EWU sporting event and reunited with many of those that I played football with back in the mid- to late- ‘80s,” said Larew. “What a tremendous opportunity to have been able to see the growth in the program and reconnect with past associates. How proud I was to rush the field and share in the glory with past and present alumni.” That 19-0 Delaware advantage in the second half was by far the largest deficit the Eagles faced during their 11-game winning streak. At that point, EWU had been out-gained 337-98 in total offense and a comeback seemed unlikely. But with adjustments made both offensively and defensively, Eastern dominated the rest of the game, owning a 229-90 advantage in yardage with touchdown drives of 80, 89 and 63 yards. The Eagles scored three times in the final 16:18 of the game, including the game-winner with 2:47 to play. Texas native Bo Levi Mitchell was selected as the game’s Most Outstanding Player after passing for all three Eastern touchdowns in the comeback. He finished with a school-record 37 TD passes for the season. “This game wouldn’t be right if that didn’t happen – if we didn’t go down 19-0 and have to make a comeback,” said Mitchell, who is from Katy, Texas. He transferred to Eastern from Southern Methodist University, located a short distance from Frisco.
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Mitchell’s Katy High School team had won the Texas state championship when he played there, and to follow that up with a national championship was amazing. “Football is big in Texas,” Mitchell said in a post-game interview. “The national championship, this is all I could ask for. I have looked forward to this my entire life and I’m glad I’m here.” Defensively, J.C. Sherritt had 18 tackles to equal the seventh-most in school history, as the Eagles held the Blue Hens scoreless on their last four possessions. Sherritt was named the Buck Buchanan Award Winner, the most outstanding defensive player in FCS Division I. “This national championship has been a goal since I stepped foot on campus,” said Sherritt. “To finally get this with my team, it’s everything you dream of.” “Why wouldn’t we?” was the simple and enthusiastic response of an overjoyed Baldwin after the game. That became the mantra of Baldwin and his team, long before the championship game victory. “Honestly, after so many games where it came down to the wire, it almost felt fitting that the Delaware game finished like that,” said Baldwin, who was named College Sporting News FCS Coach of the Year. “That was the first thing I said to a lot of people – ‘why wouldn’t we?’ It was meant to be.”
Red Turf – Yes, Red Turf – Gives the Eagles an Edge Thanks to an incredibly generous $500,000 gift by Tennessee Titan offensive lineman Michael Roos and his wife Katherine, both alums, Eastern announced plans in January 2010, to install a synthetic turf surface – a red one! That initial gift ignited the subsequent generous giving by other friends of Eastern and made the project a reality in time for the 2010 season. Eastern’s new turf would be the first red synthetic playing surface, not only in NCAA Division I, but in the entire country and the results were simply astonishing. “Obviously, the red field is different,” said Baldwin. “Fans and players from other schools come in here, and usually, they don’t like it. Our players like to hear that. It’s something that we have really grabbed onto as our home-field advantage. Whether it is, or it isn’t an advantage, it’s all a matter of believing and thinking that way. The idea is that we are not going to lose on the red turf.” In what may become a new tradition at away games, the players reached up and touched a piece of red turf hanging above the door of their locker room before heading on to the field at the championship game in Frisco. The piece of turf reminded them how they got there. The Eagles would win all eight of their games on the red turf, creating the “Magic Carpet” moniker. But it wasn’t easy – in two games the Eagles trailed in the fourth quarter (Sacramento State, North Dakota State), in two they were tied in the final stanza (Montana and Southern Utah), and in another game, the Eagles were scoreless in the fourth quarter (Northern Arizona). Three of the wins on the turf came in the playoffs. Eastern and the turf received national television exposure on ESPN2 in a 41-31 playoff win over defending champion Villanova on Dec. 17, a semifinal win that catapulted Eastern into its first-ever title game at the FCS level. But the days and weeks leading up to that game – and the subsequent three-week wait for the title game, also on
ESPN2 – really proved the turf’s worth. Record snowfall in November, and another foot of snow in late December, brought a total of 43 inches to the region. Having a surface on campus that could be plowed and used for practices late in the season – and under the lights – was the greatest advantage of all. Without the turf, December and January practices would have taken place on Eastern’s frozen and muddy grass practice fields, or on artificial surfaces available in Spokane. With the team practicing frequently in temperatures in the low- to high-teens, Eastern found out that the Sprinturf surface has the same soft, cushion feel as it has on warm days.
Close Victories Fueled the Streak Eastern opened the season with a 49-24 loss at Nevada, a Football Bowl Subdivision team that finished 11th in the nation. Eastern then edged Central Washington 35-32 for its first win, but the real start to the season was the 36-27 victory over Montana, on Sept. 18, in the debut game in “The Inferno.” Eastern defeated a team that had played in the previous year’s FCS title game and only two weeks prior was ranked No. 1 in the nation. “We talked after the Montana game about how it was one of the biggest victories in the history of our school and how we won the first game on the red turf,” said Baldwin. “I told them they would have this for the rest of their life, but the key was to not really talk about it and reflect on it the rest of the year. We had to move forward.” But a week later, with All-America running back Taiwan Jones sidelined with an injury, the Eagles fell 30-7 to Montana State. “We really did a hard self-scout of ourselves after the first four games,” explained Baldwin. “We wanted to figure out what we could do to put our quarterback, our defense and everybody else in better situations against Weber State and moving forward.”
Even without Jones, Eastern piled up 465 yards of offense against the Wildcats with quarterback Bo Levi Mitchell passing for a career-high 337 yards and four touchdowns in the pivotal 35-24 win. At that point, Baldwin knew he had a special team on his hands. “It wasn’t necessarily how good we were talent-wise, but it was about what kind of team I thought we had,” he explained. “The moment I felt this team was special came after we had some tough circumstances and tough times. Weber State was a team that had been very strong in our conference for the last couple of years, but we responded in a positive way and showed a lot of character.” What followed were five more Big Sky victories as the Eagles shared the league title with Montana State. Three of those games were close, including come-from-behind fourth quarter wins against Northern Colorado (35-28) and Sacramento State (28-24), and a seven-point win over 26th-ranked Northern Arizona (21-14). “Our goal was to win the Big Sky,” said Baldwin. “We weren’t going to talk about national playoffs until we won a Big Sky title. No players on our team – although some had been a part of the 2007 and 2009 playoffs – had been a part of a Big Sky title. Once we did that, we talked about the tournament and what we could do week-by-week to win this thing.”
Playoffs Begin with No. 1 Ranking and No. 5 Seed As a result of their 9-2 finish in the regular season and cochampionship in the Big Sky Conference with a 7-1 mark, the Eagles were rewarded with a No. 1 ranking in The Sports Network poll, and eventually the Coaches Poll as well. An hour after the TSN poll was released; the FCS selection committee gave Eastern a No. 5 seed and a first-round bye. In the first of what would become three-straight home games,
Fall 2011 2010 Winter
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Within a half-hour after the championship game, people were telling us we’re coming back to Frisco again next year,” he laughed. “It’s hard enough to win the Big Sky. 14
EWU sent Southeast Missouri State home with a 37-17 defeat in EWU’s playoff opener. The Eagles then registered a thrilling, 38-31 overtime victory over North Dakota State in the quarterfinals. By the fourth quarter, the weather had turned into a blizzard, and Eastern needed a 13-play, 90yard drive to knot the game with 23 seconds remaining in regulation. The following week against defending champion Villanova, Roos Field was full of Santa-capped Eagles fans, asking for that one last gift on their Christmas list. They got their wish. The Eagles forced six turnovers and held the Wildcats to 230 total yards in a 41-31 win. Meanwhile, third-seeded Delaware took out Georgia Southern with a 27-10 victory to set up an epic battle between the two 12-2 squads, on Jan. 7 in Frisco, Texas.
The Prospects for 2011 With 16 of its 22 starters underclassmen this year, Eastern knew entering the 2010 season that the prospects for the 2011 season might
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be even better. That remains to be seen, but the talent returning in 2011 is immense, and it will be on display again on Sept. 3, 2011, when the Eagles open their season in Seattle against the University of Washington. Mitchell returns after throwing for 3,496 total passing yards. His top two receivers return, including College Sporting News FCS Playoffs Most Valuable Player and All-American Brandon Kaufman. Just a sophomore, Kaufman caught 76 passes for 1,214 yards and 15 TDs, including a pair of 100-yard performances in the final two games of the playoffs. A total of eight starters will return on offense, not counting Taiwan Jones, who declared himself eligible for the NFL Draft although he still has a year to play. Defensively, All America safety Matt Johnson and his twin brother Zach Johnson return after combining for 239 tackles, seven interceptions, 13 passes broken up, 3 1/2 sacks and three forced fumbles. Six other starters are back on defense including All-American Renard Williams. “Going into the year, on paper, we looked like we could even be stronger in 2011 than 2010,” said Baldwin. “But each year is its own, and you can’t get caught up with that – good or bad. Within a half-hour after the championship game, people were telling us we’re coming back to Frisco again next year,” he laughed. “It’s hard enough to win the Big Sky. We had a lot of nail-biters in our own conference, so it was a hard-fought battle
to win the league title, let alone get to the national championship game. “ Eastern will also have to replace two of the best players in school history. Sherritt, a two-time All-American, finished with a school record 432 tackles. And despite the fact Eastern won its last two outings and three total games without the über-talented Jones, his 7.7 career average per rush will be next-to-impossible to replace. He had 1,742 rushing yards and 17 total touchdowns in 10 full games played and parts of two others in 2010, but a foot injury ended his season against North Dakota State in the quarterfinals. “There are going to be new challenges again next season and people are going to be gunning for us,” said Baldwin. “The reality is that we are going to get everybody’s best shot. If we didn’t before, we certainly will now.” The national title will also help the Eagles with future recruiting. But Baldwin and the Eagles vow not to stray from recruiting high school players from the talent-rich state of Washington, and developing them into national title contenders through hard work. “For obvious reasons, the championship has a very positive effect, and I think it can continue to help us, particularly in the next few years,” he said. “We feel like doors are opening, but in other areas we almost feel like we’re late getting out because we played all the way until Jan. 7. But it’s good.” The big question of the off-season is if and when Baldwin will decide he needs to wear his visor again, because, as he says, “I’m not really a superstitious person.” “I really don’t like sunglasses,” he continued. “So if we get some sunny weather in the spring and fall camp, I might need it.” And his only regret from the 2010 season? “Maybe I wouldn’t have worn my visor against Nevada,” he laughed with his smile beaming as big as ever. “If I would have known what was going to happen, I would have taken it off right away. “ E
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Being There
’87 Benji Estrellado, Cheney, Wash That was one of the best experiences I have had at a college event. The whole weekend was fantastic. All those years of hearing the fight song, and all I ever sang was the ‘E-A-S-T-E-R-N, EASTERN EAGLES, GO – FIGHT – WIN.’ Well I actually taught myself the song for this game and proudly sang it. The tailgate was not just a tailgate but an event. Everything was just right. I met so many new people there, which just made it even better.
’87 Benji Estrellado
(at mid field) Fallon Bohnas, ’05 Melanie Duggen, Grant Vetter and ’06 Sharlie Corcoran
’05 Melanie Duggen, Spokane Valley This was truly a once-in-a-lifetime experience. Between driving down to Texas with new friends and getting to witness an amazing comeback by our Eagles. My “so excited I could throw up” comment that was first popular on the news here in Spokane, and then in an AP photo across the country, was not an exaggeration. After we scored the touchdown that put us ahead all I could do was smile huge, I couldn’t even yell like I had been for the rest of the game due to the lump in my throat and tears in my eyes. When we rushed the field after the game, as I congratulated the players and coaches, each of them stopped to say thank you as they searched for their loved ones. That is the mark of a well-coached team. What a blessing to see a victory of that caliber, make memories to last a lifetime, and be filled with excitement and glee every time I think back on my time in Texas.
’07 Erin Thim, Enumclaw, Wash. The game and the trip to Texas was definitely a highlight of being an alum, or student for that matter. From the pre-game activities and watching Swoop dance, to the come-from-behind win that ended in so many hugs with other alumni who I had just met! There were welcoming smiles everywhere in Texas, and the Eastern spirit was evident all weekend everywhere we went. It really was amazing how our little school’s spirit stretched so big to support the team!
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’86 Jim Harvill, Mount Vernon, Wash. On the one hand, the title game was the culmination of what Dr. H. George Frederickson set forth during his tenure at EWU (which also coincided with mine) so it was very fitting to see him in attendance at the alumni events, as well as at the game. On the other, I hope that this is a beginning and that Eastern can capitalize on this just as Gonzaga has with its basketball program, not only to further our sports programs, but so people can see what we have to offer as an institute of higher education. I look forward to going to other alumni events in Western Washington, as well as the EWU-UW game on 9/3/11 in Seattle! GO EASTERN!!
ey Jeffcoat Freeman ’86 Jim Harvill, ’05 Michael Roos ’85 Shell
’95 Jason Scott, Cheney, Wash. (former linebacker) It was a blast from the time we showed up at the tailgate festivities to the time we left the after parties. Eastern’s crowd in Frisco was at least 70 percent of a typical Roos Field (non-Montana game) crowd; tens of thousands (maybe hundreds ’94 Daric Ronngren and ’95 Jason Scot t of thousands) of people across the Pacific Northwest watched or tracked the game with vested enthusiasm. Those kids changed the entire face of the university. There were hundreds of former football players, spanning many decades, who came from far and wide to live a dream. We are all very proud of the guts this group has. Dick Zornes set this all in motion about 25-30 years ago and, without him and his incredible determination and dedication, Eastern would probably be an NAIA school if we had a football program at all.
Terra Boling, junior, education major, Elma, Wash.
Terra Boling, Conor McNeill, ’82 Teresa Boling and Tom Boling
Santa Claus surprised our family with tickets to Texas. We’re Eagles fans true and true, Elma Eagles to Eastern Eagles. For a quick weekend, it turned into an unforgettable experience. We are so thankful we were able to go and cheer them on. Everywhere we went in Texas, we saw seas of RED. On the plane ride down, the flight was filled with EWU fans, including the stewardess who was on her way to the game! Every announcement was finished with “GO EAGS!”We got to meet a lot of friendly people from Texas, Delaware and Eastern. All of the Eastern fans and alumni seemed like one big happy family. It was definitely worth being stuck in a plane on the Dallas/ Fort Worth runway waiting to go home for three hours in the middle of what they call a “snow storm!”
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By H. George Frederickson
A Struggle Worth Remembering
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In a place called Frisco, in suburban Dallas, student athletes representing the University of Delaware and Eastern Washington University played for the NCAA Division I Football Championship. Eastern, of the Big Sky Conference, and Delaware, of the Colonial Athletic Association, represented the best of the 14 athletic conferences, 124 universities and over 2 million students that comprise the Championship Division. Both Eastern and Delaware reached this championship game by winning three post season games against highlyranked opponents. Eastern won three thrilling games on Roos Field, their opponents having experienced first-hand the “curse of the red turf.” Unlike the conclusion of the football season for the universities in the NCAA Bowl Subdivision, with its rather ambiguous results, the results of the Eastern-Delaware game left no question as to which university is the champion. It is Eastern! The game was an exciting football battle. Many true Easterners, including myself, were in Texas to cheer for our Eagles. Others watched on television, particularly many of the estimated 45,000 Eastern alumni living in Spokane and the Inland Northwest. Of course many Delaware alumni and fans were at the game or watching on television, cheering for their Blue Hens. And there were tens of thousands of college football fans around the country watching the game on television, very likely the greatest level of national exposure that Eastern has ever had. The game was a crowning moment for Coach Baldwin and his staff, for the Eastern football players, for President Arévalo, and for the faculty and staff of the university. One could not imagine a more exciting start for the New Year. All of this was made possible by an earlier struggle that is worth remembering. Well before Eastern’s present student athletes were born, Eastern was a state college. After it gained university designation in 1978, intercollegiate athletics was one of the next big challenges that faced the university. Over the years, sports at Eastern had received little attention and had been allowed to drift, so a blue ribbon panel was appointed to study the problem, consider alternatives and make recommendations. After a thorough study, the panel made a bold set of recommendations for action, including seeking status in Division I-AA of the NCAA (the previous designation for what is now the Division I Football Championship Subdivision) and seeking membership in the Big Sky Conference. The reasoning of the panel was that in athletics, as well as in academics, Eastern was like universities in Montana, Idaho, Utah and Arizona. The Eastern Board of Trustees endorsed these objectives, and the university set about attempting to achieve them. To say that the initial response to these plans was mostly critical would be an understatement. The media suggested that Eastern “did not know its place.” Some
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alumni rather strongly preferred the status quo. Some faculty and students were concerned about a possible over-emphasis on sports and were worried about the costs. Nevertheless, the university began the step-by-step implementation of the plan. Eastern got on the football and basketball schedules of all the Big Sky universities. Eastern embraced Title IX, which called for equal status for women’s athletics. The politics of getting the support of the Big Sky universities was afoot. Acceptance in NCAA Division I-AA came quickly. But, year after year, Eastern’s application for membership in the Big Sky Conference was rejected. Each time Eastern was knocked down, those opposed to the plan called for it to be abandoned. Yet, each time, Eastern picked itself up, dusted itself off, prepared a new application and returned to the politics of Big Sky membership. Finally in 1986, after a seven-year struggle, Eastern was accepted, effective in 1987. In the 25 years that have followed, Eastern has proven to be a steadfast, reliable and trusted member of the Big Sky Conference. More important, Eastern has grown from strength to strength in the breadth and quality of its academic programs. And because of that struggle of long ago, Eastern has triumphed in another struggle - winning the national football championship. All Eagles can rejoice and be happy. E H. George Frederickson, now Edwin O. Stene distinguished professor of public administration at the University of Kansas, was president of Eastern Washington University, 1977-87.
WALTER BROTHERS’
ROAD TO FRISCO By Ralph Walter ‘91
Three road trips, more than 6,000 miles and a national championship later, I’ve finally managed to wrest the laptop from my brother Jess. Now what? Jess rarely took his hands off the keyboard during our journeys chronicled in the pages of The Spokesman-Review, when we wrote about Eastern’s first trip to the NCAA basketball tournament in 2004, and recently the football team’s FCS title game in Frisco, Texas. It was in those dispatches that he referred to me as “a harddrinking, skirt-chasing buffoon,” who failed miserably in an attempt to eat a 7-pound burger. In my defense, that burger was at least 8 pounds. Since we got back from Texas, I’ve heard from dozens of EWU grads who are, like me, bursting with pride over the Eagles’ Ralph Walter, class of ‘91, is the deputy design director at The Spokesmansuccess. I’ve also heard from people who wonder why I put up Review. Jess Walter, class of 1987, is a former reporter for The Spokesman-Review with such abuse from my (much) older brother. and author of five novels. Their series of EWU Eagles road trips can be found at www.spokesman.com/blogs/sportslink/tags/road-to-frisco/. Like I always tell them, Jess isn’t the pompous a*s he appears to be in our adventures. He’s a very different pompous a*s. My Norris Fact Thrillogy,” and the reasons start flowing through my pen onto dad says that when Jess was born, the doctor turned to him and said, cocktail napkins why EWU is the king of college football today: “Congratulations, it’s ... an ego.” To be fair, when I called to ask if he’d write this piece for Eastern • Quarterback Bo Levi Mitchell can do 100 pushups with both hands magazine, Jess was gracious, considering he doesn’t usually take my tied behind his back. calls. “Hi, you’ve reached Jess,” he told me. “If you leave your name and • When Schwarzenegger says, “I’ll be back,” at the end of The Terminator, number, I’ll get back to you as soon as possible.” it is implied that he’s going to ask linebacker J.C. Sherritt for help. But I suppose he’s earned the right to have a big head. As he • To raise their standards of safety, automakers now pay Renard often lectures us at family gatherings, or any time we see him, his Williams to tackle their test cars. novels have won dozens of honors and he was a finalist for the • All of Matt Johnson’s toes are big toes. National Book Award (I believe it was in the category of sleep-aid.) At • Taiwan Jones is no longer a noun. It’s a verb. my house, Citizen Vince was named “Coaster of the Year.” • Two and a Half Men was originally a show about defensive end Tyler Jolley. No, the guy is an enormous talent, even if it is trapped in a body too • Wide receiver Brandon Kaufman can count to 10 left-handed. small for normal use. • When a reporter asked safety Jeff Minnerly about his decision to shave I don’t own all of Jess’ books. Last month, I did check out The Zero at his beard, Jeff replied: “If I told you, I’d have to kill you.” He laughed a the library, and when I asked when I needed to have it back, they told little bit, realizing he was going to kill the reporter anyway. me not to worry about it. • Jesse Hoffman irons his shirts while he’s still wearing them. So the last thing I need is Jess’ help writing about the greatest football • Linebacker Zach Johnson can build a snowman out of rain. team in the history of the world. All I need is a Salty Dog and “ The Chuck As for Jess and me, we’re nothing special, “Just Eastern” grads. E
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Eastern Fans Unite
ake it to Not everyone could m big game Frisco, Texas, for the idn’t stop on Jan. 7, but that d gether to fans from getting to t. share in the excitemen
ns met all over the Eastern alums and fa , in Portland, Phoenix state of Washington eer on their Eastern and Los Angeles, to ch Eagles to victory.
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Community Rallies Honor Team Hundreds of Eagles fans gathered at rallies in Cheney and Spokane on Jan. 21 and 22, to continue celebrating the football team’s 2010 Football Championship Subdivision title. The kick-off celebration was held Friday evening at Reese Court. On Saturday, a parade, held in downtown Spokane, made its way to River Park Square, where hundreds of supporters jammed into the mall’s atrium for a victory celebration. Cheney and Spokane city officials congratulated the team and coaches and February was declared “Eastern Washington University Month” by Spokane’s County Commissioners.
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es Hollywood Eastern Goes stern Go Ea
t’s chaos, then quiet, then the smack of the clapperboard and the whirr of the film winding in the camera as the Glee actors do their thing, dancing and singing their hearts out. Then, everything stops as the camera runs to the end of the film roll – and Joey Pacella becomes the center of all things as he carefully removes the film magazine from the camera and scurries it off to a pitch-black room where he unloads the magazine and puts the film “in the can.” Thus, every episode of the massive international television hit has Pacella’s hands all over it – literally. Back in 1999, when Pacella graduated from Eastern Washington University’s film program, he envisioned himself as the subject printed on the film he carries back and forth on the production set. He had his sights set on acting and headed south to Hollywood to see if he could make it a career. When he arrived, he found that it wasn’t his acting skill that would give him a Hollywood career, but rather his work ethic and personality, the combination of which made him a top-class film loader – the jackof-all-trades position in the camera department. Pacella loads and unloads 14 different types of cameras, keeps track of film usage, transports the precious film rolls to the processing lab, does any sort of prep work needed for the cameras, orders camera gear for the shoots and provides any other sort of support needed by the director of photography.
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“It’s a lot of little stuff, as well,” Pacella said with a laugh. “In the early days, I even had to go get the DP’s dry cleaning.” On another set in L.A., a former classmate of Pacella’s, Ted Mayer, operates a camera boom on the upcoming sequel to the hit comedy, The Hangover. For the past decade, he’s been on the set of some of the most popular movies and television series, including Spiderman and Kill Bill. Mayer said working on film and television production can be a huge grind, with 70-hour work weeks. He and his wife Anna both work in the industry, and the arrival of a baby a little over a year ago necessitated staggered scheduling to avoid having to hire in a nanny, which is very expensive in Los Angeles. He recently finished up his part of the filming on The Hangover II and is now on child care duty until his wife wraps up her work on the upcoming movie, The Change-Up. “When she’s done with this movie, I’ll go back to work on Weeds,
’04 Kris and ’02 Lindy Boustedt
’93 Ted Mayer
’99 Joey Pacella
’03 Susannah Lowber
By David Rey
which starts up in March,” Mayer said. “It’s an interesting life – it’s got its ups and downs, but mostly it’s a kick in the pants.” Mayer worked for a long time as a grip on the television series, Scrubs. It was on that set where he met Anna, and also proposed to her – with the proposal set up and filmed by the series’ director and actors as if it were part of the regular filming of an episode. Anna was completely taken by surprise – and her shock, followed by joy, has been viewed by over 750,000 people on YouTube, where the footage is posted. Mayer started working in L.A. in 1997, where he worked some non-union production gigs for as little as
$125 per day for 14-15 hours of work. He did that for three years, until he caught a lucky break and got fast-tracked into the union while on the set of MTV’s Undressed, where he worked as key grip. “I was lucky, it only took me three years to get on a show that turned union,” he said. Once he was in the union, he started working on much larger productions and started making a decent living. “It took me about five years to make it – there were plenty of times in L.A. when I was broke and thought about going home to Seattle,” he recounted. “L.A., when you’re broke, sucks.” When things are going good, however, it’s a thrill ride. Mayer said he’s enjoyed working on films with innovative directors like Quentin Tarantino and Sam Raimi. He also has gotten to know actors like Zac Braff and Donald Faison, from his time on Scrubs. “If you are in the game for a while, you end up meeting a lot of great people – above and below the line,” Mayer said. (The “line” is Hollywood parlance for the invisible separation between the cast and crew, with the cast being above the line and the crew being below the line.) Pacella’s and Mayer’s experiences are shared – in many different forms – by many of the toughened and motivated students that make it through the grinder that is the EWU Film Department. Film and television looks glamorous to us when we are in the theater or on our couch, but the reality of being part of making films and television shows is anything but.
Eastern’s Film Department does a good job of replicating the long and hard (though often rewarding) slog of entertainment production, putting prospective graduates through a program that uses up huge amounts of what used to be their free time. Marvin Smith, the program’s director, believes it is important for those
It took me about five years to make it – there were plenty of times in L.A. when I was broke and thought about going home to Seattle, L.A., when you’re broke, sucks. aspiring to make films and television programs to learn how hard they will need to work. “The students that we graduate here have great work ethic – you can’t get through this program without having that,” Smith said. “You’ve got to like working hard and doing what it takes to do it, because, if you don’t, this industry is going to break your heart.”
A Career in Progress Not many film school graduates walk right out of their commencement robes and right into a production job, but that’s exactly what happened to Susannah Lowber, who graduated from EWU in 2003. The day after she graduated, she started working for the premier production company in the Spokane region, North by Northwest. “School gave me a great background in theory, writing and history – and North by Northwest taught me how to utilize that background,” Lowber said.
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Professor Marvin Smith, Theatre Department
Being able to learn everything, because the program is much smaller sized, is such an advantage, It was just a kick – it’s the best because they gave you a lot of freedom. It turned out that Lowber was lucky Eastern’s program emphasizes writing, as shortly into her fledgling film production career, North by Northwest asked her to co-write a horror film. The company had seen a script she had done at Eastern and felt that she had the tools to deliver something similar as a professional. The result of Lowber being thrown into the water headfirst was the slasher flick, The Choke, which turned out to be equal parts horror film and comedy – using Scooby Doo as a touchstone. “They wanted us to write a horror film, but we were more oriented towards comedy – so we ended up giving the whole thing kind of a goofy feel,” Lowber said. “I didn’t think I was quite ready to do it, but it ended up coming quite naturally to me.” Lowber also received plenty of experience in production design during her time at North by Northwest, and it was in this part of the production field that her career moved forward. After serving as production manager and production coordinator on several films made in Spokane, starring actors such as John Travolta, James Gandolfini and even Chuck Norris, Lowber decided it was time to move to Los Angeles to push her career up to the next level. “I’ve been in L.A. for the past two years because I realized if I wanted to have the most opportunities, I needed to be here,” she
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explained. “Down here, you are constantly on interviews – every project you are on is like an interview.” While she has established herself there in production design, set design and set dressing, Lowber still holds out interest in becoming a director. She has some assistant director credits on her resume, and has done some music video directing and production design as part of the D14 Productions group. Lowber has always found herself torn a bit between art and film, as she studied both at Eastern. The art background helps her in her production and set design work. “Since I’ve been here, I’ve tended to do more design stuff,” she said. “I guess if it’s not going to be directing, I want to do the artistic part of it.”
A Film Marriage Lindy and Kris Boustedt loved their time at Eastern so much, they came back and made their first feature length film in Cheney last year, incorporating their EWU classmates, including Lowber, and EWU film professor Tom Mullin into the project. Their film, Perfect 10, is a very personal autobiographical piece written by Lindy and directed by Kris. It is showing at four different international film festivals this summer. The filmmaking duo met at Eastern, where Kris was a film student and Lindy was a business major with a major interest in films. After they finished up at EWU, they headed to Seattle to start their careers and a production company on the side. The couple keeps “day jobs” to keep the bills paid, with Kris teaching film classes at Shoreline College and Lindy working a management job. Their passion, however, is their production company, “First Sight Productions.” “The company is a great outlet for us creatively – we get to do our
Professor Tom Mullin, Film Department
own stuff and be hired guns,” Lindy said. They set out to make Perfect 10 as their company’s first feature film, shooting it in just 14 days on a two-week dash between Seattle and Cheney and all parts between. “To shoot a feature film in 14 days is a little crazy,” Lindy said. “We hopefully won’t be doing that again,” Kris said laughingly in response. Lindy wrote the script for the film, based upon an experience she had in her life that severely tested her marriage to Kris. The film deals with the issues of body image, infidelity and friendship, and the personal nature of the film added a distinct difficulty for the couple, as Kris directed and shot the film. “I felt like it was a story that I needed to tell, and I kept having to remind myself that I was doing something bigger than just me – bigger than the both of us,” Lindy said. “Premiering it, showing it, was very hard because we were just baring our souls.” “It’s personal story telling – raw and honest,” Kris added.
Forging Talent The success of the EWU program’s graduates isn’t a surprise to Mullin, who came to Eastern in 1991, when the program was still referred to as radio and television studies. Even with the program’s evolution to film emphasis, the scope of work required of its students hasn’t diminished and the emphasis on DIY storytelling is still strong. “If you teach the kids to know what they want to say – and how to say it – you’ve given them a skill that’s applicable to a large range of careers in the industry,” Mullin said. “If you can tell a story, you can go between film, television, etc., and do almost anything within them.” Mullin and Smith both agree that getting the program’s graduates to understand what good visual storytelling looks like and how to appreciate the hard work that goes into it, they would produce
graduates who could succeed across the range of visual arts production. “It’s more important for us to teach what good lighting looks like than to teach how to set up the lights,” Mullin explained. “We do the fundamentals here and the students learn to tell stories – they get their drive to manage the technology and tools they use through their desire to tell stories,” Smith added. Eastern’s program requires every student to write, produce, direct and shoot their own film project. They get to see the process of creation from soup to nuts and do the heavy lifting on lining up actors, finding locations and managing equipment. “The base that I got at Eastern was perfect for preparing me for my career – it taught me a work ethic that a lot of people down here don’t have,” Mayer said. “But, the best part about EWU was where they pretty much just gave you a camera and told you to go out and shoot your story. “Being able to learn everything, because the program is much smaller sized, is such an advantage,” he added. “It was just a kick – it’s the best because they gave you a lot of freedom.” Kris Boustedt echoed Mayer’s insights. “Going to a class on just film theory wouldn’t be that useful – at Eastern you end up getting a solid foundation in production and theory that ends up being remarkably useful,” Boustedt said. “Plus, you always feel like you have great accessibility to your teachers.” Mullin said he and Smith realize that the nature of the program, which demands a huge commitment of time by the students, requires that they give the students the support and critique that they need to survive it. “You’ve got to be there all the time to give them feedback so they can find their way,” Mullin said. “In the end, the most important thing you have to offer them, about what they are producing, is the truth.” E
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A Royal
By Kandi Carper
By Kandi Carper ‘05
American novelist Thomas Wolfe wrote that “you can’t go home again.” Attempts to relive youthful memories will almost always disappoint. Carla (Larson) Richards would strongly disagree. In October, Richards (’92 BS physical education) returned to Eastern to help judge Homecoming 2010 Royalty Pageant. In 1990, and 1991, she stood on that same stage in Showalter Hall Auditorium as a contestant for homecoming queen. She didn’t win, but she never gave up on pageants. Richards, the reigning “Mrs. Washington,” gave a speech at this year’s event, sharing the path she took to win the title. She said she couldn’t have done it without her experiences at Eastern, where she learned poise, self-confidence and how to give an interesting interview. To her surprise, after her speech, EWU Student Body President Justin Terry crowned her the first-ever “Mrs. Eastern Washington University,” complete with a sash and flowers. “I’m redeemed!” laughed Richards. “Thank you Eastern Washington University for blessing my life in more ways than one. It only took me 24 years and nine attempts to win a title,” she said, referring to becoming Mrs. Washington in June 2010. “You never give up. You learn from your experiences and your mistakes, and God makes you stronger.” Richards, 41, came to Eastern in 1987, as an honor student on a scholarship. “I was so excited when I got that letter in the mail,” said Richards, who was raised in North Tacoma, Wash. “I wouldn’t have been able to go to school otherwise. My family didn’t have a lot of money. We had five kids in a twobedroom, one-bath house.” During her visit on campus, Richards stopped at Pence Union Building to have her picture taken in front of the Hall of Fame Photo Gallery, where she and her fellow Jazz III Unlimited Dance Company buddies are pictured as representatives of the 1980s. “What great memories,” said Richards. “We had so much fun together.” One of her best
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Welcome Home
Ian Estes; Kristin Tripp; Mr. Eastern, Robert Boreala; Ms. Eastern, LaKeisha Jones; Lena Lewis; Ellen Zavalney and Carla Richards, Mrs. Washington 2010
memories was when the dance team performed during halftime at a Seattle Seahawk’s game in the Kingdome. Richards formed lifelong friendships with the girls on the dance team. It was through one of these friends that she became involved in Calvary Chapel’s College and Career Group. The group sponsored a street ministry in Spokane. That’s where she met her husband Jeff. “He was my bodyguard,” said Richards. “We would try to turn lives around by sharing the Gospel while providing food, clothing, blankets and a listening ear. We would spend every Friday night on the streets trying to reach people for Christ.” The couple lives in Lakewood, Wash., with their sons Kenny and Cody. For Richards, winning pageants is much more than wearing a crown. It gives her an important platform to share significant life lessons – first as a military wife, and now as an advocate of special needs children. On Valentines’ Day of 2003, her husband’s reserve unit was called up to serve in Iraq. She worried about his safety, not knowing what was in store for her young family. Her boys were 2 and 5 years old at the time. “For the next two years, I assumed the role of a single parent and embarked on my journey into the world of special needs,” said Richards. “It was during this time that both of my boys were diagnosed as significantly delayed. All of a sudden, I had nine different teachers and therapists to keep track of. My joke now is that I should have rounded that number to 10, so I could have had one for myself. I really could have used a therapist,
My two beautiful boys are my precious gifts from heaven, as they have taught me so much,” said Richards. “It is because of their needs that I have learned humility, empathy, patience and perseverance – and for that I am a better person. back then, just for me.” Since then, Kenny (age 12) has been diagnosed with Tourette’s syndrome and Cody (age 9) has been diagnosed with autism. “My two beautiful boys are my precious gifts from heaven, as they have taught me so much,” said Richards. “It is because of their needs that I have learned humility, empathy, patience and perseverance – and for that I am a better person.” She advises parents to become an advocate for their child. Talking about her son Kenny, she said, “I was like wallpaper at his school.” She and her husband have served as Sunday school teachers, assistant coaches, on the PTA, as room parents and Cub Scout leaders – roles that have allowed them to help guide their sons’ spiritual, physical, social and academic well-being. By using her platform as Mrs. Washington, through frequent personal appearances and on her blog (www.mrswashington2010carlarichards.com), Richards has been given the opportunity to educate and encourage parents of special needs children. Richards was thrilled to be able to return to Eastern and share her story. Her eyes lit up as she reminisced about the professors and her dear friends who helped shape her life. “It was a great walk down memory lane,” said Richards. She said she was humbled and appreciative for the honor the students bestowed upon her. Sometimes, you can go home again. E
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classnotes Alumni Photo Album Fall was full of opportunities for Eastern alumni to get together. A record number of alums attended the first-ever Golden Grad Reunion, honoring anyone who graduated 50-plus years ago. The event was held Homecoming weekend, Oct. 22-23. Also recognized were Service Organization members from the ‘40s-‘70s. This year’s annual Alumni Beer Sampling, held Nov. 5, at Lincoln Center in Spokane, was a sell-out! The Alumni Association also hosted special events during the Eagles’ football playoffs, to get everyone warmed up for the North Dakota State game with a “Red Rally” on Dec. 10, at the Red Lion BBQ, in Spokane, and the Inferno Pre-Game Party at Reese Court, Dec. 11. “Operation See Red- Santa Style” was held at Reese Court, to kick off the game against Villanova on Dec. 17. On Jan. 8, a group of 67 Eastern friends and alums gathered at the Seattle Art Museum to tour a landmark exhibition of the work of Pablo Picasso. Attendees travelled from Olympia, Arlington, Monroe and of course, Seattle. Keep your calendar open February – April, 2012. Gauguin is coming to the SAM and EWU Operation See Redwill be there! Santa Style, Dec. 17, 2010 Inferno Pre-Game Party, Dec. 11, 2010
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EASTERN
Annual Beer Sampling, Nov. 5, 2010
Seattle Art Museum Picasso Exhibit Tour, Jan. 8, 2011
Homecoming Reunion, Oct. 23, 2010
Annual Beer Sampling, Nov. 5, 2010
’10 s ’10 Britney A. Dancer, BA art history, and ’10 Justin Fry, BA philosophy, are engaged to be married. They met at EWU during their freshman year in Pearce Hall. ’10 and ’08 James Lewis, BA accounting and BS physical education, has been hired by McDirmid Mikkelsen and Secrest P.S. ’10 Becky Nations, BA accounting, has been hired as a staff accountant for Dingus, Zarecor and Associates, in Spokane Valley. She previously worked as a research assistant for Eastern Washington University. ’10 John Seitz, BA visual design, has been hired by Net Solutions North America, located in Bellingham, Wash. ’10 Annabel Toumi, BA business, married Patrick Babst, June 19, 2010, in Wenatchee, Wash. The couple resides in East Wenatchee.
’00 s
’06 Sarah (Bruno) Hawkes, BA education, and ’05 Gary Hawkes, BA business, welcomed their first child, Justin James, born Feb. 15, 2010. They live in Vancouver, Wash. ’06 Sarah Henze, BA psychology, married Tiernan Tildon Pearson, July 24, 2010, in Elk, Wash. She works at Star Label Company in Spokane. ’06 Ian Shea, BA graphic communication, has been hired by 14Four, a Spokanebased online development agency. Previously, he operated his own company and worked as a lead designer for Imageworks Media Group, in Pasco, Wash. ’06 Angela A. Stainbrook, PhD physical therapy, staff therapist and pediatric specialist at Cascade Summit Physical Therapy in Yakima, Wash., has been recognized by Cambridge Who’s Who for demonstrating dedication, leadership and excellence in physical therapy.
’09 Tara Anne Ransom, BS chemistry/ biochemistry, is a forensic biologist employed by the Georgia Bureau of Investigation in Savannah, Ga.
’05 Seth Dryden, BA accounting, and his wife Deena, welcomed their daughter Ashlyn Anne, born Sept. 3, 2010. They live in Portland, Ore.
’09 Drew Schaefer, BA finance, has joined Financial Management Inc., in Kennewick, Wash.
’04 Mark Cain Fischer, BA interdisciplinary studies, graduated with a Master of Divinity degree from the Lutheran School of Theology at Chicago, in May 2010. He was ordained in the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America and currently serves at St. Martin Lutheran Church in Kansas City, Kan.
’08 Jody Weldon, BA children’s studies, married Brian Morrow, Sept. 12, 2010, in Issaquah, Wash. She is the co-owner of Busy Bark in Issaquah.
’02 David Anthony Cole, BA government, has been hired as a staff writer for the Coeur d’Alene Press newspaper. ’02 Abigail (Abby) Koder, BA government, has been promoted from marketing manager to vice president of marketing and strategy for Global Credit Union in Spokane. She has been with the company for 14 years. ’02 Adrianne Lara, MBA, has been hired as an academic coordinator for Washington State University Spokane’s Master of Health Policy and Administration Program. She previously worked as a French and Spanish middle school teacher at Saint George’s School in Spokane. ’02 and ’99 Brian Reed Robertson, MA and BA history, successfully defended his doctoral dissertation in diplomatic history at Texas Tech University. ’02 Jennifer Barnard Schaefer, BA history, received her MBA from Marylhurst University, in June 2010. She and her husband ’03 Gabriel Schaefer, BA physical education, live in Beaumont, Calif., where he is a teacher. ’02 Malena (Bjorklund) Whitehouse, BA business, and Alex Whitehouse welcomed daughter Emma Rebecca, born on Feb. 26, 2010. The family lives in Vancouver, Wash.
Who was your favorite professor at EWU? Share your thoughts for an upcoming Eastern magazine feature on favorite faculty members. E-mail easternmagazine@ewu.edu or send to Eastern Magazine, 300 Showalter Hall, Cheney, WA 99004-2445.
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classnotes ’01 Kathleen Jo Smith, BA education, completed her master’s degree in curriculum and instruction, through Grand Canyon University, in December 2009. She is a middle school literacy teacher with Jefferson County Public Schools in Lakewood, Colo.
’90 s ’96 Gerald Phillip Regalado, BA radioTV, has been hired as a sales executive for Coca-Cola North America in the Phoenix-Las Vegas area. He and his wife, ’98 Stephanie Regalado, BS dental hygiene, look forward to their new adventure in the Southwest.
’94 Elizabeth (Libby) Wagner, MFA creative writing, has just celebrated five years in business. Libby Wagner & Assoc. is a Seattle-based business consulting firm specializing in leadership and organizational culture change. ’93 Troy Clute, BA education, has been hired as a branch manager for Guild Mortgage in Spokane. He previously worked as a branch manager for Countrywide/Bank of America, and has 14 years of mortgage industry experience. ’92 Maggie Crabtree, BA liberal studies, has been hired as development director for the Spokane Masonic Center. She previously worked as public relations and volunteer director for Shriners Hospitals for Children in Spokane.
’94 Rachelle E. Anderson, BA government, has been appointed as court commissioner for Spokane County Superior Court. She has served as commissioner pro-tem for several years, and most recently, served as an ’80 s ’89 Donna Hudson, BA education, is the administrative law judge. new principal at Greywolf Elementary ’94 Susan Chandler, BA education, married School in Sequim, Wash. Jonathon Morgan, Aug. 9, 2010, in Olympia, ’86 Marchelle M. Fias, received her MAT Wash. She teaches at Idlewild Elementary in elementary education from George Fox School in Lakewood, Wash. The couple lives University in June 2010. in Olympia. ’94 and ’92 Robin D. Kelley, MS and BA psychology, has been promoted to the supervisor of Student Programs and Services in the Seaford School District, Delaware. She has recently completed her doctorate in Innovation and Educational Leadership at Wilmington University in New Castle, Del. ’94 Caroline Labonte, BA education, has been named principal of Sierra Lakes Elementary School in Fontana, Calif. ’94 Earl William (Bill) Nulf, BA business, recently graduated from Southern Methodist University’s Cox School of Business, Executive MBA program. Bill was promoted to Global Channel sales director for Tyco Electronics, Tech Systems group. Bill and his wife Erin McClain-Nulf live in the Dallas-Fort Worth area with their two daughters.
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’85 Nancy “Lynn” Palmanteer-Holder, BA physical education, has been named as the new executive director for the Confederated Tribes of the Colville Indian Reservation by the Colville Business Council. ’84 Delores Bostic, BS biology, a biologist and medical technologist for the National Institute of Health in Montgomery Village, Md., has been recognized by Cambridge Who’s Who for demonstrating dedication, leadership and excellence in medical research. ’84 Tom Hare, BA radio-TV, has been hired by Clarkston Consulting, a leading management and technology consulting firm based in Atlanta, where he and his family reside. ’83 Colleen H. Gillespie, BA social work, has been named chief advisory officer of Olympiabased Cambridge Wealth Management. She has a dual master’s degree in public administration/health administration from Portland State University.
’81 Kerry Barto Lyman, BA journalism, took early retirement after four years as a newspaper reporter and 27 years as a public sector construction project manager for various cities in three states. He trained during the summer of 2010, for a 4,500-mile bicycle trek across America planned for May 2011, from Fernley, Nev. (outside Reno) to Bar Harbor, Maine. He plans to write a book about the experience.
’70 s ’79 Marieta Johnson, BA criminal justice, has been promoted to the St. Louis County Court Administrator in Duluth, Minn. Johnson commutes 130 miles a day from her home in Virginia, Minn. ’79 and ’78 Harish Luthria, MBA and BA finance, has retired after 27 years in the investment industry, the past 12 as a portfolio manager with Wells Fargo Trust Investments. He also earned a CFA. He lives in Pasadena, Calif. ’76 Steve Storey, BA urban and regional planning, has been hired by Sterling Savings Bank as a senior vice president and private banking regional director for the company’s Spokane Private Banking office. ’75 Rick Carter, MA communication disorders, has been promoted to executive vice president and chief operating officer of CRISTA Ministries in the Seattle area. He and his wife Evelyn live in Edmonds, Wash.
’60 s ’67 Lt. Col. (Ret.) Jerry P. Mellick, BA business, has retired and moved back to Spokane, after nearly 33 years with the U.S. Army and more than 10 years with Anheuser-Busch companies. He is enjoying retirement and is traveling around the country flying restored U.S. Army Huey helicopters at air shows, doing re-enactments of Vietnam-era events and giving helicopter rides. ’65 Thomas Tiffany, BA chemistry, has been elected as a director of GenPrime’s board of directors. Tiffany is president and CEO of PAML.
EASTERN WASHINGTON UNIVERSITY’S
GET LIT! 13TH ANNUAL
FESTIVAL SPOKANE, WA
APRIL 13-17, 2011 FEATURING MAUDE BARLOW, ANI DIFRANCO,
READINGS
INTERVIEWS
POETRY SLAMS
TIM O’BRIEN, SENA JETER NASLUND, LOUISE BORDEN, MICHAEL HARMON, SUZANNE MORGAN WILLIAMS, SAM KEAN,
MATTHEW DICKMAN & OTHERS
BOOK SIGNINGS
WRITING
WORKSHOPS
PANEL
DISCUSSIONS
CONTESTS
& MORE EWU.EDU/GETLIT Tickets may be purchased from TicketsWest at 1.800.325.SEAT or at www.ticketswest.com Persons with special needs may make arrangements for accommodations by calling Get Lit! Programs at 509.359.6977 by April 8
Winter 2011
31
inmemoriam ’00 s
’80 s
Sunderland Rosauer ’06, age 30, died Nov. 20, 2010, Spokane
Meredith Ann Ingraham ’89, age 60, died Aug. 21, 2010, Tacoma, Wash.
Steven G. Sharp ’02, age 55, died July 23, 2010, Spokane
Eric David Ochs ’86, age 48, died Aug. 29, 2010, Spokane
’90 s
Mark H. Springer ’86, age 62, died Oct. 26, 2010, Spokane
James Ridenour ’96, age 70, died July 26, 2010, Spokane Alan L. Gage ’95, age 40, died Feb. 13, 2010, Spencer Glacier, Alaska Eric James Korotish ’94, age 49, died Sept. 20, 2010, Spokane Valley Ruby Arleen Peone ’91, age 46, died Sept. 21, 2010, Inchelium, Wash. Roger B. Huddleston ’90, age 48, died Sept. 14, 2010, Liberty Lake, Wash. Stan L. Simmons ’90, age 59, died Sept. 25, 2010, Spokane
Char Zyskowski ’80, age 61, died Aug. 30, 2010, Spokane
’70 s Carla Darline Lamka ’78, age 68, died Aug. 15, 2010, Toppenish, Wash.
Joan M. Johnston ’85, age 68, died Sept. 16, 2010, Spokane
William F. Hanel ’76, age 56, died Oct. 8, 2010, Spokane
Robert E. Rogers, Sr. ’85, age 70, died July 16, 2010, Spokane
Thomas J. Taylor ’76, age 56, died Oct. 29, 2010, Santa Barbara, Calif.
Clark Eugene Hager, Jr. ’83, age 54, died Aug. 30, 2010, Spokane
Wayne Cook ’74, age 78, died Sept. 6, 2010, Spokane
Stanley F. Cienski, Jr. ’83, ’81, age 79, died Sept. 27, 2010, Spokane
Steve Melton ’73, died Sept. 6, 2010, Bothell, Wash.
Karen L. Johnson ’81, age 67, died July 4, 2010, Cheney, Wash.
Janet Marie Kam ’72, age 59, died Oct. 27, 2010, Spokane
In October, former EWU Football Coach and Hall of Famer, ’68 Dick Zornes reunited with his former player/coach, ’85 Jim McElwain, who is the offensive coordinator at University of Alabama. This was the first time Coach Zornes has been able to watch McElwain coach the Crimson Tide team (the 2009 FBS National Champions) in person. They were joined by former EWU football players, ’92 Peder Thorstenson, ’92 Trevor Westlund and former EWU/NFL player, ’91 Kurt Schulz. The group attended the Alabama/Florida Gator football game in Tuscaloosa, Ala. “It was an emotional weekend to say the least, for these guys,” said Marc Hughes, EWU Associate Athletic Director for Advancement. “These guys are a part of a very successful EWU Football tradition both past and present and it was an honor for me to just tag along. Coach Mac and his wife Karen took great care of us.” Left to right from EWU are: Marc Hughes, Dick Zornes, Kurt Schulz, Trevor Westlund, Jim McElwain and Peder Thorstensen. The picture was taken in the ‘Heisman Lobby’ of the Crimson Tide Football Complex with the Heisman Trophy, which was awarded to Alabama running back Mark Ingram after the 2009 season.
EASTERN
Elaine Midgley ’80, age 80, died Aug. 31, 2010, Bellevue, Wash.
Barbara G. Bethards ‘85, age 58, died July 21, 2010, Spokane
Coaches and Players Reunite
32
K’Anne F. Howland ’80, age 52, died Nov. 18, 2010, Spokane
To be included in “In Memoriam,” we require a newspaper obituary or a letter of notification from the immediate family. We extend our sympathy to the families of the following alumni and faculty.
’40 s
Robert Blount ’71, age 62, died Oct. 2, 2010, Spokane
Janet Ann Hein ’64, age 67, died July 22, 2010, Maui, Hawaii
Harold Vincent Shockley ’71, ’70, age 67, died Oct. 10, 2010, Marsing, Idaho
John Robert Bruya ’63, age 69, died Aug. 20, 2010, Spokane
Alice May (Bafus) Robertson ’70, ’67, age 65, died Oct. 24, 2010, Longview, Wash.
Bernice Lundin ’63, age 90, died Aug. 24, 2010, Coeur d’Alene, Idaho
’60 s
’50 s
Ilene Adams ’69, age 99, died Aug. 11, 2010, Lacey, Wash.
Walter J. Schaar ’57, age 79, died Aug. 31, 2010, Spokane
Faith L Smith ’46, age 90, died July 29, 2010, Spokane
Bonnie Bircher ’69, ’43, age 89, died Oct. 10, 2010, St. John, Wash.
Gloria E. Angstrom ’56, age 79, died Sept. 26, 2010, Spokane
Barbara E. Huff ’42, age 89, died Aug. 22, 2010, Spokane
Marguerite Reeves Shamberger ’69, age 86, died June 12, 2010, Lacey, Wash.
Donna “Sunshine” Millhorn ’56, age 78, died July 26, 2010, Spokane
’30 s
Monte Holmes ’68, age 69, died Oct. 15, 2010, Spokane
William Duff “Bill” Millhorn ’54, age 80, died July 2, 2010, Spokane
Patricia Matsch ’68, age 82, died July 5, 2010, Spokane
Robert Young ’54, age 81, died Oct. 27, 2010, Spokane
James Joseph Thomas ’68, age 64, died Aug. 6, 2010, Richland, Wash. Kenneth E. Field DDS ’67, age 70, died Sept. 13, 2010, Scottsdale, Ariz. Helen L. Liberg ’67, ’61, age 74, died Oct. 14, 2010, Spokane Walter Tibert Jr. ’67, age 72, died Sept. 11, 2010, Spokane
Roberta Brown ’53, age 81, died Oct. 4, 2010, Spokane Walter H. Wilson ’52, age 84, died July 6, 2010, Spokane Robert James Small ’51, age 82, died Sept. 27, 2010, Oceanside, Calif. Thomas C. Wallace ’51, age 82, died Oct. 14, 2010, Spokane Robert Bowman ’50, age 83, died July 30, 2010, Spokane Valley
Bernard Bennett ’49, age 85, died July 23, 2010, Ritzville, Wash. Ernest F. Gillette ’48, age 88, died July 3, 2010, Spokane Edward J. Neumeier ’48, age 86, San Bernadino, Calif.
Viola Mae Mac Culloch ’39, age 93, died July 27, 2010, Spokane Glenn Richard Powell ’38, age 95, died Oct. 22, 2010, Prosser, Wash.
Faculty/Staff Grant Thomas, 89, emeritus faculty from business management, died Sept. 9, 2010. He retired in 1988, after 24 years of teaching. Wesley “Wes” Westrum, 89, died Oct. 8, 2010. He taught in the Music Department from 1961 until he retired in 1983. James Wallace, 80, died Oct. 25, 2010. He taught history and criminology for 29 years, until he retired in 1996.
Make Your Mark Want to congratulate your favorite FCS Championship player, recognize your son or daughter’s success in graduating or remember a loved one? Leave your legacy at Eastern Washington University by creating a personalized engraved brick to be set in the Hello Walk - the pathway between historic Showalter Hall and the Gates of Knowledge.
Order now! Go to www.ewu.edu/brick to purchase your brick and see pictures of existing bricks. The tax-deductible bricks are 4” x 8” and will display special messages chosen by you. Alumni and individuals $200 Graduating seniors and their parents $100 Corporate $500 Proceeds benefit the Eastern Fund and are used for the area of greatest need, including student scholarships, academic projects and the Governor Martin Alumni House. For more information call the Alumni Advancement Office at 888.EWU.ALUM.
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the
backpage Iota Tau Chapter Celebrates 35 Years on Campus A lot has changed since 1975. Cheney didn’t have a McDonalds; Morrison and Streeter residence halls were new and the university was Eastern Washington State College. Jamal Randy Allen Rasheed, who went by Randy Allen, or “Sly” back then, was amazed at how much the campus has changed since he arrived from Chicago, on a cold January day 35 years ago. The Alpha Phi Alpha national organization had given him the opportunity to establish the first black fraternity, the Iota Tau Chapter, on Eastern’s campus.
At a reunion reception in November, Rasheed said,
“I’m glad to have the opportunity to come back home. The road was long for us. There was no black Greek life on this campus. We saw our mission as having a social purpose. A number of things needed to be addressed, and they weren’t necessarily related to civil rights. I told the brothers, by all means, don’t ever let this chapter leave here. It’s near and dear to quite a few people.”
The chapter’s founders, the “Seven Warriors of
Alpha Tradition” SWAT, included: ’75 Jamal Randy Allen Rasheed, the first chapter president; ’77 Jack Gwaltney, Jr., BA accounting; ’81 Michael Vines, BA general studies; ’77 Ronald Allen, BA government, ’75 Reginald Nelson; ’76 Phillip Taylor and ’75 Demetrius (David) B. Taylor, BA marketing, deceased.
At the reunion, they were each presented with a
Certification of Recognition to formally acknowledge their contribution to the university’s history.
Rasheed said that when he began recruiting in
1975, the total black student population was around 250. Today, Eastern’s student body is much more diversified. Rasheed reminisced about a chance encounter with Dr. Charles Minor, a professor who helped him meet and recruit black students to join the fraternity. Jack Gwaltney, originally from Virginia, came to Eastern after being stationed in the Air Force at Geiger Field. An accounting major, he served as the chapter’s first treasurer. “I gave them a hard time every time they wanted to spend some money, which I thought was my job,” Gwaltney said. “It was an adventure, a very rewarding experience. I enjoyed it and I got close to all these brothers and it’s really a joy to meet up with them again.”
Alpha Phi Alpha was founded in 1906, just one generation out of slavery, by seven students at Cornell University. They set the initial
stages to form the fraternity, a brotherhood that would become a permanent fixture in this country’s history.
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EASTERN
Start something big at EWU events. For more information and to register, visit http://alumni.ewu.edu or call 888.EWU.ALUM.
alumni
eventscalendar March
June
18
3
Distinguished Alumni Award Nomination Deadline Do you know an Eastern grad who deserves to be recognized for his/her achievements or service? Nominate them for a distinguished alumni award. Nomination forms are available online at http://alumni.ewu.edu.
April 16
Southern California/Los Angeles Social Due to deadlines, the location had not been confirmed prior to publication. Please refer to http://alumni.ewu.ewu/events for event specifics.
29 24th Annual Coaches Golf Tournament Get in the game with the annual golf tournament. For more information, contact Chris Hansen at 509.359.2307 30 Orland Killin Dinner, Dance and Auction Celebrate the legacy of Orland Killin and join us at the 30th Annual Killin fundraiser. Enjoy a delicious meal and have fun while you help support Eastern Athletics. Last year’s event sold out. Get your tickets early. For more information, visit http://goeags.com/trads/ewas-killin.
College of Business and Public Administration Drive for Excellence Golf Tournament Bring your clubs to the Creek at Qualchan for the annual CBPA golf tournament. Donations raised during the event are used to underwrite scholarships. For more information, visit http://www.ewu.edu/x4905.xml or contact Sharlene Bozanich at 509.358.2242 or sbozanich@ewu.edu.
August 3
Ron Raver Memorial Golf Classic The tournament annually has 250-300 players, and is considered the lead-in event to the fall sports season. For event details, visit http://goeags.com
Save the date for some big events
September 3
EWU football vs. University of Washington Husky Stadium, details at www.goeags.com
17 EWU football vs. University of Montana Missoula, Mont. Eagle Athletic Association Fan Bus, details to come www.goeags.com
May
October
13
1
Hall of Fame Weekend
8
Oktoberfest EWU Libraries’ annual fundraiser dinner and auction, JFK Library
Annual Alumni Wine Tasting Due to deadlines, the location and specifics had not been confirmed prior to publication. Please refer to http://alumni.ewu.ewu/events for event specifics.
15-16 Homecoming Weekend
What’s New with You? Did you get a promotion, start a new career, win a Nobel Prize, get married, retire, move or have a baby? Send us your news and we’ll share it with alumni and friends in an upcoming issue. We can also update our records with the new information. Send your note with a click! http://alumni.ewu.edu. Or send this form to Class Notes, EWU Alumni Advancement, 506 F St., Cheney, WA 99004-2402 Phone: 888.EWU ALUM or 509.359.4550 Fax: 509.359.4551
Name (Former Name) Class Year (s) Degree (s)
Address
Is address new?
Phone (s)
E-mail (s)
News
Winter 2011
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EASTERN Magazine
University Advancement Eastern Washington University 102 Hargreaves Hall Cheney, WA 99004-2413
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PAID
Eastern Washington University
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, www.dol.wa.gov or go to the EWU alumni website, http://alumni.ewu.edu for an application.