Research and Sponsored Programs Director Geri Walker to retire after 35-year career at WWU

Western Washington University’s Office of Research and Sponsored Programs Director Geri Walker is retiring at the end of January after a 35-year career at WWU.

Walker came to work for RSP on Aug. 2, 1974, after graduating from Everett Community College. She would later go on to earn her B.A. from Western's Fairhaven College of Interdisciplinary Studies while working for RSP in 2000. Walker, who grew up in Edmonds, began working for RSP as a typist clerk and later was appointed to other positions within the office as they became available. Walker worked as the secretary and assistant director for RSP before being named RSP director 15 years ago.

“I never expected to stay in Bellingham,” Walker said. “But Bellingham is a great city to be in, and Western is a great place to be.”

A reception to honor Walker's retirement will take place from 3 to 5 p.m. today, Jan. 29, in the Old Main Solarium.

Walker said her favorite thing about working for RSP is being connected to people all over campus who are passionate about the research they are doing.

“I’m always working with everyone on campus, not just one group,” Walker said. “These are people who do really interesting things.”

Walker likes getting to know the faculty and what they’re working on. She said she is able to do this because WWU is a relatively small campus compared to other public state universities, such as the University of Washington.

The Office of Research and Sponsored Programs is the primary resource to assist faculty members, staff and students in finding funding for research projects. They also work with grant recipients to help with the accounting and other reporting required in receiving the grant. Walker said that RSP, which is responsible for $10 million to $13 million in grants annually, also provides internal funding for research, scholarship, creative activity and faculty travel and for coordinating student help with research.

Walker said one of the most memorable events from her time at WWU was when WWU President G. Robert Ross was killed in 1988 in a plane crash along with Vice President for Business and Financial Affairs Don Cole and Vice President for University Advancement Jeanne DeLille.

“It took a long time for the campus to recover from that,” Walker said. “Things changed after that. I don’t think they send the administration out all together anymore.”

Walker said she has not had much time to reflect on her years at WWU because she’s been so busy training her successor and cleaning up 35 years of files. She said she is looking forward to not being tied to an academic schedule in her retirement. This will allow her more time to pursue interests such as bird watching, hiking and traveling. Walker’s husband, WWU sociology professor John Richardson, also will be retiring at the end of winter quarter. They have planned a road trip around the southeastern United States.

Walker said she is also looking forward to spending more time outdoors, something she was not able to do during her 35 years of working in an office.

She plans to still be involved with the university by attending lectures and keeping in touch with the colleagues and friends she has made over the years. Walker said she has spent so much time at WWU that she considers the people she works with as part of her family.

“I will miss the people I work with,” Walker said. “It’s hard to leave a place after so long.”