News

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…
Morgan Whitt
Meet Morgan Whitt, a WWU sophomore planning to graduate in 2025. Morgan hails from sunny San Diego and she is currently studying environmental…
Jennifer Kutcher
Over the past many years WECU's impact on Western has been transformational. Last night at the WWU women's basketball game, we recognized WECU for…
Tyanin Opdahl
Meet Tyanin Opdahl! Olympia native Tyanin plans to graduate in Spring 2024. She’s majoring in computer science with a minor in creative writing. Why…
Henry Belanger
Meet Hank! Montlake Terrace native Henry Belanger, or “Hank” as he’s called, is an Environmental Studies major with an emphasis on policy and a GIS…
Haley Taylor
By Frances Badgett When she died in 2017, beloved coach and gifted athlete Susan Joy Stevens left behind a warm family, grieving students, many…
Petra McDonnell-Ingoglia
In 2016, Olympia High School student Petra McDonnell-Ingoglia was having a rough time. Her parents divorced, she lost an important friendship,…
Milo Campbell
Hi! I’m Milo Campbell and I’m a sophomore planning to graduate in 2025. I’m double majoring in Studio Art and Communication Sciences and Disorders.…
Ellie Potts
Hi, I’m Ellie Potts!(she/her) I recently started my Masters in Business Administration at Western and I will be graduating in Fall 2023. I graduated…
Sealey Raymond
By Frances Badgett When considering colleges to attend, Montana native Sealey Raymond ('23) knew a few things: she wanted to attend college in…
Michou Yenokida
By Frances Badgett Michou Yenokida began teaching older adults enrolled in lifelong learning courses in southern California in 2007. A self-…
Scott and Kate Missall
By Frances Badgett Attorney Scott Missall (’75) majored in philosophy and political science at Western. Not only did he enjoy his time at Western,…
Dario Ré
As with so many accomplished musicians, Dario Ré found the inspiration for his music both on campus and out in the greater Bellingham community.…
Black Lives Matter event in Bellingham
Yara Clark, '22 Since the beginning of 2020 our world has seen a series of changes that have introduced unprecedented challenge along with new…
David Cummins
On WWU Give Day, your gift helps students like David Cummins.  A biochemistry major, David grew up in a chaotic household. He never thought college…
Jade Phillips
By Frances Badgett The WWU Give Day, support your favorite club, the backbone of the Western experience. Health and Human Services major Jade…
Juliana Covarrubias
By Frances Badgett Your gift this WWU Give Day will support students like Juliana Covarrubias. When Juliana came to Western, she loved the…
Nat Jo
by Frances Badgett Richland-born Nate Jo attended Hanford High School after years of homeschooling, and immediately ran for a leadership position in…
Karlee Deatherage
Karlee Deatherage ('13) is passionate about protecting the environment and planning for a more sustainable world. She majored in planning and…
Kristen Deptula
Kristen Deptula (’06) is the co-owner of Canalside Inn (https://thecanalsideinn.com), a dog-friendly inn located in Rehoboth Beach, DE. Kristen didn’…
Alumni Spotlight: Jordyn Berg
Jordyn Berg (’16) turned a successful undergraduate experience into a career. She majored in English and creative writing and minored in writing…
Megan Alle
by Frances Badgett When Pasadena-born business major Megan Alle (’21) attended the Double Major: Death Cab for Cutie and ODESZA concert at Civic…
Jeff and Dina
by Frances Badgett Seattle attorney Jeff Frank has worked in commercial, construction, and real estate litigation for more than 30 years. He is…
Woman holding a giant cardboard box of red plums
by Frances Badgett Tucked at the foot of Sehome Arboretum amid the buzz of honeybees and the cluck of chickens lies the Outback Farm: five acres of…
Megan and Brian Lau
Alaska native Megan Lau’s path from Western to winning the 4 Under 40 Award from the American Marketing Association this year is a fascinating one.…
Elise Batten
by Frances Badgett Two years ago, Boise native Elise Batten (industrial design, 2024) was looking for a college that reflected her values and would…
Paul Merriman
Paul Merriman sold his investment advisory firm and retired in 2012, but he is still a go-to source for advice about investing, regardless of whether…
Joseph Liston selfie with his dog
Joseph Liston ’95 majored in East Asian Studies and Mandarin Chinese at Western. He currently works for an information security company managing and…
Sean Jones
In our ALUMNI SPOTLIGHT SERIES meet Sean Jones ’00 who majored in general studies and focused his studies in sociology and English. Jones manages a…
Ali LeRoy
Ali LeRoy ('10) was a journalism major with a public relations focus. She is now the senior marketing and communications manager for Lifelong. …
David Katsandres standing on a beach on a cloudy day
Meet alumnus David Katsandres ’18! Katsandres was a computer science major at Western. “I loved my time in the computer science department at…
Gabrielle Kazuko
Meet alumna Gabrielle Kazuko ’10! Gabrielle studied news-editorial journalism and dance. At Western, her fierce journalism professor Carolyn Nielsen…
Kim O'Neill
Dear WWU Community, Following a nationwide search, I am pleased to announce that Kim O’Neill will join Western Washington University as our new Vice…
Zoe Evans-Agnew
By Frances Badgett Zoe Evans-Agnew (’21), Outstanding Graduate in Honors and behavioral neuroscience major, came to Western for the diversity of…