CFPA's Pat Lundquist to retire Aug. 1

Pat Lundquist, operations manager for WWU's College of Fine and Performing Arts, will retire on Aug. 1.

Pat’s work career began decades ago in the strawberry fields of the Skagit Valley where she was born.  Shaped by early years of hard work in the fields, picking berries, roguing spinach, digging flower bulbs, processing and packaging flower bulbs for shipment to Holland, she learned tenacity, grit and respect for hard work.

Since that time, she has worked as a phlebotomist, retail clerk, event organizer, proofreader, translator, and office assistant.  As a young newlywed, she landed a job in the Registrar’s Office at Western, later accepting a promotion in the Admissions Office where she organized the first one-day event for prospective students to visit the university. She completed her Bachelor’s degree in French, magna cum laude, while working full time, then applied for and was awarded a Fulbright-Hays Teaching Assistantship to France.  She taught English in a ‘Lycée Technique”  and experienced French culture in the northwestern city of Nantes. During various school breaks, she traveled to Italy, Germany, England, Wales and Ireland, as well as to other areas of France.  Pat penned a short story of a French adventure titled, “Bonjour, Friendship” that was published in 2010 in a book, Female Nomad and Friends: Tales of Breaking Free and Breaking Bread Around the World.

Upon her return to the United States, most of her work was in the public sector: with the Whatcom County Executive, and  at the City of Bellingham, in addition to some private sector and nonprofit work. Finally, after 20 years away, she returned to Western. She always felt a special affinity to Western as her great grandfather, Thomas Smith, served on the Board of Trustees from 1913-1920, and she has loved being part of an institution with which he was involved in its formative years. Her last 13 years have been in the College of Fine and Performing Arts which she has thoroughly enjoyed. Pat appreciates the warmth, friendship, talent and assistance of her many colleagues in the College and  at Western, and the long, enduring friendships forged over the years.

Scheduled for vacation the entire month of July, Pat will be officially retired as of August 1.  She’ll be settling into a new rhythm in her life with her lifelong sweetheart and husband of 50 years, Bob.  In addition to enjoying time to work in their magnificent garden, having more time for art, writing, and reading, Pat is contemplating one possible volunteer activity:  tutoring English to immigrants.  She would love to help immigrants achieve a better life in this country through improved language ability in English.  She believes in and understands the power of language to improve lives.