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Ainsley Allen with long brown hair, wearing a navy blue "Vikings" hoodie, stands before a vibrant autumnal backdrop.
Meet Ainsley Allen, a second year Elementary Education student from Stanwood, WA. Ainsley is studying to be a 3rd grade teacher, where she wants to…
Nick Strobel with a graying beard smiles gently. He wears a dark polo shirt. The background is a bright office space.
How did WWU prepare you for your career?I spent three years at WWU, first completing my master’s in music education, then completing the coursework…
Lynden Miles
Lynden is a marine and coastal science major from Arizona. In the future, he hopes to work in marine conservation with a focus on orcas. He’s…
Joanne Donnellan, graying hair smiles warmly, holding a violin. She wears a dark blue v-neck sweater against a wood-paneled background.
Laurie Vitt with glasses and a beard holds a small alligator whose mouth is taped shut. He's wearing a white shirt. Lush green foliage forms the background.
The Lizard King: Laurie Vitt’s Generosity Fuels Biology ResearchBy Frances BadgettGeckos, skinks, iguanas—when we look at lizards, we may not…
Young woman smiles, wearing a white, embroidered long-sleeve top against a backdrop of golden autumn leaves. A simple necklace adorns her.
 Meet Ally! They are an environmental science major from Shoreline, WA. They were drawn to WWU for thelocation and research labs on campus. They…
Five people pose smiling in a marble lobby in the State Capitol in Olympia, wearing striped scarves; two men in suits, three women in coats.
On Thursday, January 30, the College Promise Coalition, public two- and four-year trustees, student organizations, labor representatives, and other…
Travis Sherer with short, light brown hair holds a microphone, smiling slightly. He wears a black zip-up hoodie. A blurred "Rough Comedy" backdrop is visible.
Comedian and comedy show producer Travis Sherer ('05) got his start in comedy at WWU, taking in shows in Vancouver. He was inspired by the folks he…
Black and white headshot of Tony George dressed in a suit and tie. He has short, graying hair.
OPINION: Why investing in WWU’s Poulsbo campus is a key to the region's growth
Middle-aged man with short graying hair, wearing black-framed glasses and a dark blue collared shirt. Neutral expression.
Marshall Van Beurden is the Chief Technology Officer at myTomorrows, a global healthcare technology company based in Amsterdam specializing in…
Joyce Feldmiller in a pink sweater holds a fluffy white dog. She wears glasses and a colorful scarf. The background is lush green foliage.
Late in life, Joyce Feldmiller reflected on her accomplishments and joys, fondly remembering the friends she made and the scholarship support that…
Ethan-Huynh smiling in a black blazer over a light blue collared shirt. He wears a silver necklace and ring.
Ethan Huynh graduated from Western in 2023 having just co-led the WWU Cheerleading team to the national USA Collegiate National Championships in…
Case District VIII Best of District Winner Awards Program
WWU Advancement wins CASE District VIII awardsCASE (Council for Advancement and Support of Education) District VIII, which represents the Pacific…
A close-up grayscale portrait of a Brad Sliger with a beard, looking directly at the camera with a soft smile. His expression is kind and approachable.
It’s a serrated knife, it’s a ruler, it’s a wire-stripper, it’s a scoring tip, a screwdriver, a bike spoke key, a file, a wrench, a lid opener—heck,…
Alumni Awards 2025
Exciting news: the WWU Alumni Award Nominations for 2025 are live! Do you know of a WWU alum who is doing amazing work in their field,…
A family of four is playing with purple slime in a white bowl. The parents are holding up the slime while the two young children reach for it. The background is a bright pink wall.
by Frances BadgettWhen you’re 15 years old, a college campus—even one as welcoming and beautiful as Western—can be intimidating. But when Andrew…
A blue speech bubble with a Viking helmet and the words "Ask a Viking" in white text. The bubble is surrounded by people in a crowd.
The Foundation for WWU & Alumni and Career Services teamed up to bring students and alumni Ask A Viking, a tool that facilitates mentorship and…
Michael Pittis
Michael Pittis, a 1968 WWU alumnus and long-time supporter of Western, has recently designated a significant portion of his IRA to The Foundation for…
Alumni Awards 2024
The Foundation for WWU & Alumni is pleased to announce our five winners of the WWU Alumni Awards. These awardees were chosen from a community-…
Minh Tran
Meet Minh Tran! A psychology major from Renton, Minh hopes to get her Psy.D and become a clinical psychologist one day. Until then, she is enjoying…
Diego Cardenas
Creative writing major Diego Cardenas dreams of crafting stories that make a positive change in the world.  Why did you choose Western? The…
Aerial of Bellingham, Washington with a white key superimposed over it
Check out this video to watch the The Muljat Group and WWU announce "Western Welcomes Home"The Muljat Group and The Foundation for WWU & Alumni…
Sue Kidd smiles, wearing massive sunglasses. Lake Chelan is in the background
Pierce County’s passionate restaurant reviewer Sue Kidd remembered
Tom Roehl smiles while wearing a t-shirt emblazoned with his smiling face and the words 'be comfortable being uncomfortable.'
Tom Roehl has spent 25 years encouraging students to stretch beyond boundaries
Joann smiles at the camera; behind her are windows looking out on campus.
Otto came to Western from Purdue in 2004 to chair the Biology Department and helmed the department until she retired in 2016
Virgina Wright smiles broadly and holds a wrench, standing next to Mark di Suvero in front of For Handel in this 1974 photo
A brainy timber heiress with a passion for sculpture, Virginia Wright brought some of the nation’s best contemporary artists to Western’s Sculpture…
McKenzie Harris
McKenzie Harris of Bend OR is a psychology major and environmental studies minor. Why did you choose Western? When looking into colleges, I was…
June Fraser Thistle
On Tuesday, Feb. 6, the Western Washington community will say farewell to June Fraser Thistle as she transitions into retirement. Who is June you…
Ashlynn Tibbot
Ashlynn is a second-year at WWU who is expected to graduate in 2026. She’s a double-major in creative writing and women, gender, and sexuality…
a man smiles, wearing a cowboy hat, white T, jeans and boots, sitting on a rock next to a stream.
Julann Spromberg learned to love nature on her family farm, and learned to be a scientist at Western
Ben Bagley holding up a bejeweled Basketball with the letters DET on it.
  Ben Bagley (’22) honed his craft in sports journalism by broadcasting games at WWU and by majoring in journalism with a public relations…
Paul Merriman
Alum Paul Merriman shares a lifetime of financial knowledge with WWU students and the community
Student lounge will provide space for study and informal interactions.
The Holcim Foundation for Sustainable Construction has unveiled the list of 20 outstanding finalists for the Holcim Awards 2023 competition, and…
Justin Gruba
By Frances Badgett The first in his family to go to college, WWU Accounting alumnus Justin Gruba (’07) didn’t really intend on being a mascot for…
Sunset on Bellingham Bay
The WWU Foundation and WWU Alumni Association are now a single organization. Following 18 months of planning, a unanimous vote of the Alumni…
Stephanie Morrell
The friendly, knowledgeable face behind the Bellingham Bells is WWU alumna Stephanie Morrell. Join us on June 13 and you might catch a glimpse of…
Melinda Assink smiling outside wearing a medal
Melinda Assink, executive assistant to the Provost, takes a very supportive and personal approach to WWU Give Day every year—she asks the student…
Terry Clayton
Alumni Spotlight: Terry Clayton Alumnus Terry Clayton is the an author and teacher who excelled at athletics and student leadership. His book Facing…
Anna Cortines
Graduate student Anna Cortines graduated from Western in Spring ’22 with a BA in accounting. She is currently working on her Master of Professional…
WWU geology graduate out on a field trip looking at the stratifications in the earth.
By Frances Badgett When WWU geology graduate student Emily Smoot plans a field trip for high school students, she knows one of the most important…