General Stories

Retirement celebration Thursday for Larry Estrada, who spent 30 years building courses and programs devoted to diversity and inclusion

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Larry Estrada in 2019 at Fairhaven College of Interdisciplinary Studies

Published Tuesday, February 19, 2019 - 11:53am

When Larry Estrada arrived at Western Washington University in 1989 as assistant vice president for Diversity in the Student Affairs division, the university at that time offered only a very few courses and programs dealing with cultural and ethnic studies.

“There were language, anthropology and sociology courses that looked at some elements (of culture and ethnicity) but not necessarily examining both culture and ethnicity together,” says Estrada, who also served as director of the Multicultural Services Center, a precursor to the Ethnic Student Center.

American Cultural Studies, Fairhaven College of Interdisciplinary Studies, Larry Estrada

The Realities of Climate Change: What WWU scientists see in the field

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Published Thursday, February 14, 2019 - 11:47am

In the first of a two-part Q&A, WWU's Doug Clark (Geology) and John Rybczyk (Environmental Science) talk about their research and how their fieldwork is increasingly tied to some aspect of climate change. Clark, a glacial geologist, witnesses firsthand the world's shrinking glaciers (see picture above from his ice coring work on BC's Mount Waddington).

climate change, College of Science and Engineering, Doug Clark, Environmental Sciences Department, faculty research, Geology Department, Huxley College of the Environment, John Rybczyk, Marine and Coastal Science

Students put final touches on 'The Imaginary Invalid' before its debut tonight

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Two student actors from the 'Imaginary Invalid' facing each other, smiling and gesturing towards each other in a positive manner

Published Thursday, February 7, 2019 - 11:05am

Student-actors met Thursday evening, Jan. 30 in the Performing Arts Center to do a dress rehearsal of "The Imaginary Invalid," which opens tonight at the DUG Theater in the PAC. The run-through gave the actors, staff and faculty staff an opportunity to run through the entire play, which is a comedy written by Molière during the 17th century and provides commentary on the pseudo-science that ran rampant in the medical industry during that time.

College of Fine and Performing Arts, Theatre and Dance Department

Postcards from Senegal

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Published Tuesday, February 5, 2019 - 10:54am

Professors of English Christopher Wise and Kristiana Kahakauwila are currently taking 14 English students on a study abroad tour of Senegal for three weeks, including stays in Dakar, Saint Louis, and M’bour. Western Today caught up with Wise to find out more about the trip, how it coincides with his research, and what kind of experiences the students are having.

Christopher Wise, College of Humanities and Social Sciences, English Department, faculty research, student research, study abroad

Q&A with Laural Ballew, Western's first Tribal Liaison

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Published Friday, February 1, 2019 - 11:59am

Western Today recently chatted with Laural Ballew, who just started her job at Western as the university's first executive director of American Indian/Alaska Native and First Nations Relations & Tribal Liaison to the President. Ballew most recently served as department chair of Tribal Governance and Business Management at Northwest Indian College, a program which she created. Ballew was hired following a national search, and she started at Western on Monday, Jan. 28.

Laural Ballew, Tribal Liaison

WWU Alumnus Scotty Paton’s senior project featured in INNOVATION Magazine

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Published Thursday, January 31, 2019 - 1:05pm

In his final year at Western in 2018, Industrial Design student Scotty Paton received the prompt from Professor Del King for his capstone project: “Act like an entrepreneur and design something that matters.”

College of Science and Engineering, Del King, Engineering and Design Department, Industrial Design, Jason Morris, student research

WWU to host the Bellingham Human Rights Film Festival on campus Feb. 21- March 3

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"The Sacred Place Where Life Begins" tells the story of the women of the Gwich’in Alaska Native peoples and their efforts to speak out for their sacred land in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge.

Published Wednesday, January 30, 2019 - 1:04pm

The Bellingham Human Rights Film Festival will feature 18 short and full-length films on Western Washington University’s campus between Feb. 22 and March 2 at Fairhaven College Auditorium (FCA), Academic West 204 (AW) and Communications Facility 115 (CF).

Free and open to the public, these films will explore critical human rights issues with the goal of promoting thoughtful dialog about the dilemmas facing us today.

Friday, Feb. 22

Disaster Capitalism (52 min) 7 p.m. (FCA):

Tuesday Q&A: The Electoral College - Working as intended or a democratic dinosaur?

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Published Tuesday, January 29, 2019 - 11:21am

In this edition of Tuesday Q&A, Western Today chatted with WWU historian Hunter Price and political scientist Todd Donovan about one of the most divisive features of our Democracy: the Electoral College. Only five presidents have been elected even after losing the popular vote, but two of those are since 2000: George W. Bush and Donald Trump.

Is the Electoral College an archaic remnant of our post-Revolution past or a vital cog in our election process? Read on, and decide for yourself.

College of Humanities and Social Sciences, Department of History, Department of Political Science, faculty research, Hunter Price, Todd Donovan

WWU unveils new ‘Make Waves’ brand campaign

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Published Friday, January 25, 2019 - 10:57am

Western Washington University is embarking on a new brand campaign, called “Make Waves,” which launched on Jan. 22 with billboards, print and digital media concentrated in the Seattle metro area.

College of Business and Economics, College of Fine and Performing Arts, College of Humanities and Social Sciences, College of Science and Engineering, Donna Gibbs, Extended Education, Fairhaven College of Interdisciplinary Studies, Graduate School, Huxley College of the Environment, Make Waves, Office of Admissions, Stephanie Bowers, University Advancement, University Relations and Marketing, Woodring College of Education

WWU Students Celida Moran and Samara Almonte Awarded Prestigious Doris Duke Fellowships

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Published Friday, January 25, 2019 - 10:11am

Western Washington University students Celida Moran (San Francisco, California/Environmental Science) and Samara Almonte (Bothell/Urban Planning) have been awarded prestigious two-year Doris Duke Conservation Scholars Program fellowships.

Moran is completing her fellowship at the University of Washington, while Almonte is completing hers at the University of Michigan.