Contact: ExtendedEd@wwu.edu or call (360) 650-3308.

BELLINGHAM – Registrations for Western Washington University’s Summer Choral Arts Institute are being accepted through Monday, July 9; ideal for music educators, choral directors, voice conductors and students, the Institute will take place July 16-21 on WWU’s campus.

The Choral Arts Institute, presented by Western’s College of Fine and Performing Arts and the Bellingham Festival of Music, is a six-day intense study of vocal and conducting techniques using Mozart’s Mass in C Minor.

The Choral Arts Institute is instructed by Vance George, the chorus director emeritus of the San Francisco Symphony, and Michael Palmer, artistic director of the Bellingham Festival of Music.

During afternoon sessions, participants will be immersed in the score study, analysis, and conducting of specific sections of Mozart’s Mass in C Minor. Each afternoon will begin with a presentation by the voice faculty on how to work with each individual voice type using excerpts from the Mass as examples.

In the evenings, Institute participants will join the singers in the Festival chorus under the baton of Vance George to rehearse the work.

The week will culminate with a performance of the work with the Festival Chorus and Orchestra under direction of Michael Palmer.

Additional Institute staff includes Argentinean-Canadian mezzo-soprano, Fabiana Katz, and Dinah Helgeson, emeritus Fine and Performing Arts chair for ISB School in Bangkok, Thailand.

Participants can earn three graduate credits or 30 clock hours. Formal admission to Western is not required.

Registrations are being accepted online at www.wwu.edu/choralinstitute.  For registration questions, e-mail ExtendedEd@wwu.edu or call (360) 650-3308. 

Contact: Paul Cocke, University Communications, (360) 650-3350

BELLINGHAM – Steven Hollenhorst will assume the deanship of Huxley College of the Environment at Western Washington University effective Sept. 1, Provost Catherine Riordan announced today.

Steven Hollenhorst will assume the deanship of Huxley College of the Environment at Western Washington University effective Sept. 1. Hollenhorst comes to Western from the University of Idaho.

“From an exceptionally strong pool of candidates, we have identified a national leader in the field of environmental research and policy to assume the deanship of the Huxley College.  Western is committed to our legacy of leadership on environmental issues, and Dr. Hollenhorst is well positioned to advance that into the future," Riordan said. "His career exemplifies the interdisciplinary and entrepreneurial approaches we were seeking, as well a truly outstanding of record of long-term community and agency partnerships that will be key to Huxley’s and Western’s success in the future."

Hollenhorst, now professor and associate dean for the College of Natural Resources at the University of Idaho, was selected following a national search. He will succeed longtime and widely appreciated –both locally and nationally – Huxley Dean Brad Smith, who will retire from Western in 2013.

“The opportunity to work with the faculty, students, staff at Huxley, one of the world’s first colleges of the environment, is an honor and privilege," Hollenhorst said. "I commit to do everything I can to nurture and advance Huxley’s vision to be a global leader in environmental learning, science and community engagement."

Hollenhorst has more than 25 years of experience in developing, implementing and enhancing innovative academic programs. At the University of Idaho, he also served as founding director of the university’s award-winning Building Sustainable Communities Initiative and is director of the universities Park Studies Unit, which is a branch of the National Park Service Social Science Program.  He also previously served as that university’s department head for its Department of Conservation Sciences.

Prior to his service at the University of Idaho, he was a professor and program coordinator in the Division of Forestry at Western Virginia University.  His career includes nationally and internationally recognized scholarship. He is the author or co-author of numerous scholarly publications, including refereed articles, peer-reviewed agency research reports, book chapters and research reports. He received his bachelor’s and master’s degrees from the University of Oregon and his doctorate from Ohio State University.

In making this announcement, Riordan acknowledged the work of the search committee, chaired by Andy Bunn, professor of Environmental Sciences at Western and newly appointed Director of the Institute for Energy Studies, as well as the many campus and community members who played active roles in making this search a success. 

The dean of Huxley College is responsible for providing academic and administrative leadership to an engaged community of faculty and staff members in two academic departments, four off-campus program sites and four related institutes. The dean reports directly to the provost and serves on the university’s Council of Deans.

WWU's Huxley College of the Environment is one of the oldest environmental colleges in the nation and a recognized national leader in producing the next generation of environmental stewards. The College's academic programs reflect a broad view of the physical, biological, social and cultural world. This innovative and interdisciplinary approach makes Huxley unique. The College has earned international recognition for the quality of its programs.

Contact: Mary Doherty, Western Washington University Alumni Association, (360) 650-6363; mary.doherty@wwu.edu

BELLINGHAM – Western Washington University’s Third Annual Back2Bellingham reunion weekend May 18–20 was the most successful to-date, drawing nearly 7,000 people to campus and exceeding university expectations with sold-out shows and events Thursday through Sunday.

Crowds packed Red Square (above) the Wilson Library (below) and venues across campus for Back2Bellingham activities May 18-20; more than 7,000 visitors made it to campus for the reunion weekend. (photos courtesy WWU Alumni Association)

“All the major hotels were sold out for the entire weekend,” said Cheryl Collins, visitor services manager for Whatcom County Tourism.About 81 percent of Back2Bellingham registrants traveled from nine different states, British Columbia and the District of Columbia to attend the weekend’s festivities.

“We were just delighted to have such a diverse group of alumni, current and future students, parents, faculty and staff, as well as neighbors from the community join us for the biggest Back2Bellingham yet. This gathering to celebrate the distinctive excellence and community that is Western is becoming one of the year’s highlights,” said Western President Bruce Shepard.

Sponsored by Western’s Alumni Association, Back2Bellingham 2012 brought together all seven WWU colleges, 17 departments and 21 organizations on campus to coordinate more than 100 events for current and prospective students, parents, alumni, community members and faculty and staff.

“For our 103,000 alumni, their experience at Western and Bellingham are synonymous,” said Deborah DeWees, executive director of Western’s Alumni Association. “Our alumni told us they wanted a reunion that includes both the university and the community. Back2Bellingham became the vision for providing that scratch and sniff experience to share with their families what it was like as a Western student living in Bellingham.”

Bellingham-based businesses are vital to the Western experience, and many partnered with WWU for events and offered specials through the weekend.

“We love being a part of Back2Bellingham,” said Katie Swanson, owner of Katie’s Cupcakes, a Red Square Carnival vendor. “The exposure was great for everyone visiting campus and we had a great weekend at our shop in Fairhaven.”

With help from a Whatcom County Tourism grant and the pro-bono work of alumni-owned JayRay marketing firm in Tacoma, the Alumni Association ramped up marketing efforts with billboards and bus signs throughout Whatcom County and down the I-5 corridor to reach the greater Seattle audience of 3.7 million. Social media engagement and increased awareness were also factors that contributed to the event’s success.

This year’s B2B highlights were the BBQ lunch on Old Main Lawn with live music by the PrimeTime band and an ‘80s flash mob, the Red Square Carnival with bouncy houses, Party in the Library with Boundary Bay, Science in Red Square with demonstrations of compression bombs, Classes Without Quizzes, Junior Viking Blast Pass, kids athletic camps, the Downtown Bellingham Bash with Spaceband, various campus tours and boat excursions on the water.

 “We are thrilled that so many families came from the Bellingham community to explore our nationally recognized university as a part of the Back2Bellingham Weekend,” said Chris Roselli, Western’s Alumni Association assistant director. “Thanks to the partnerships with various businesses in our community, we were able to put on an incredible weekend filled with reunions, entertainment, education, and wholesome fun for the whole family. We’re really excited for some of the things we have up our sleeve for next year’s B2B.”

Next year’s Back2Bellingham Alumni and Family Reunion will take place May 17-19, 2013.

View and download Back2Bellingham photos here; please give photo credit to Zeck Koa, WWU Alumni Association.

Contact: Garrett Wiebusch at wieb6@msn.com.

BELLINGHAM – Western Washington University’s Baja SAE (Society of Automotive Engineers) Viking 49 team placed 10th overall out of a field of 66 university teams at the Baja SAE national competition in Portland, Ore., earlier this month.

ABOVE AND BELOW: Western's Viking 49 goes through its paces at the Baja SAE Nationals in Portlane, Ore., earlier this month.

The Baja SAE competition challenges engineering students to design and build an off-road vehicle that will survive the severe punishment of rough terrain. The competition provides a challenging project that involves the planning and manufacturing tasks found when introducing a new product to the consumer industrial market; teams compete against one another to have their design accepted for manufacture by a fictitious firm. Students must function as a team to not only design, build, test, promote, and race a vehicle within the limits of the rules, but also to generate financial support for their project and manage their educational priorities.

The competition, which was won by the Universite Laval of Quebec, Canada, puts the vehicles and drivers through a series of tests such as a rock crawl, hill climb, endurance race, and an acceleration test. The scores for each vehicle through all the tests are added to find an overall winner.

Garrett Wiebusch (Puyallup), a junior majoring in Plastics Engineering Technology-Vehicle Engineering Technology, is Western’s Baja SAE team captain. He said the hundreds of hours the team spent working on Viking 49 were well worth it after placing so highly at nationals, ahead of such well-known schools such as the University of Michigan, UCLA, Cal Poly, Michigan State and Auburn.

“Managing this student team is basically the same as managing a professional racing team; we are solely responsible for every part of the car from finding sponsors to manufacturing to design,” said Wiebush. “The skills and experiences I've gained will greatly increase my chances for finding a job; pretty much everyone that has been heavily involving in the team has a job lined up for them before they even graduate.”

Western’s Baja SAE team members are Garrett Wiebusch, Derek Seabrook (Battle Ground), Sam Dale (Everett), Patrick McLean (Whidbey Island), Blaine Peterson (Kent), Chris Holland (Bellingham), Sarah Carroll (Snohomish) and Derek Stout (Federal Way).

For more information on the competition, contact Garrett Weibush at wieb6@msn.com.

Contact: Sandra Ratcliff Daffron, EdD, Wooding College of Education, Continuing and College Education Program Director, at sandra.daffron@wwu.edu or (360) 650-2977.

BELLINGHAM – Western Washington University’s Woodring College of Education will offer its Master of Education in Continuing and College Education degree program via an online-only format beginning fall 2012.

The Master of Education in Continuing and College Education, Western’s first online master’s degree, will prepare graduate students and educational professionals to teach, train and administer educational programs for adults in varied professional settings such as colleges and universities, businesses, social services, non-profits, government, and the community. 

The new format, Continuing and College Education – Distance Learning (CCE-DL), will open the door to graduate students nationwide as courses will be delivered completely online, with no face-to-face or on-campus meetings required.  The CCE-DL program begins Sept. 26.  Applications will be accepted from June 1 to Aug. 1, 2012.

The 52-credit graduate program combines eight, four-credit required core courses and five, four-credit elective courses. CCE-DL is non-cohort based and will feature open enrollment each academic quarter.  Students will be offered two courses every quarter, including five pre-selected electives representing a wide range of adult education curriculum.  CCE-DL students can earn their Master of Education in as little as two years (seven quarters). 

CCE-DL courses are managed by the Blackboard Course Management System.  The courses typically use video/audio taped lectures, website links, PowerPoint presentations, discussion group, live chats and printed materials.  Students learn the latest technology tools to make the distance education classes as exciting and interactive as possible.

In addition to being Western’s first online master’s degree, CCE is the first master’s program at Western to offer two delivery methods.  Woodring’s Continuing and College Education will also continue to offer its CCE-Hybrid master’s program option, a combination of online, live chat and face-to-face meetings, on-campus in Bellingham.

 For more information, visit http://www.wce.wwu.edu/Depts/CCE/, or contact CCE Program Director Sandra Ratcliff Daffron at sandra.daffron@wwu.edu or (360) 650-2977.

Western Washington University’s Woodring College of Education is recognized throughout Washington, and beyond, as a leader in the development and implementation of programs that prepare outstanding teachers, from early childhood to adult education; educational administration leaders; human services professionals; and rehabilitation counselors. For more information please see Woodring College.

Contact: Brian Sibley, (360) 650-2273, brian.sibley@wwu.edu

BELLINGHAM – A $1 million gift from Western Washington University alumnus Scott Harrington and his family has helped begin the process of building a modern new multipurpose athletic field at WWU. This project will create a fully lighted and fenced artificial turf play field that is sized for regulation soccer and will serve as the new home of Western’s NCAA Division II men’s and women’s soccer teams. It also will be an important resource for Western recreation programs and intramurals.

“This field project is significant of course for Western, we’ve had a shortage of on-campus field space for some time, and our soccer teams have been playing off-campus for years,” said Lynda Goodrich, director of WWU Athletics. “It will also be a resource for the community. There are currently only two other all-weather turf fields in Bellingham – Orca Field and Civic Stadium – that are regulation-sized for soccer. We’re thrilled that we’ll be able to host other major sporting events at this first-class facility.”

The two Fairhaven fields on south campus near the tennis courts and softball field will be graded to one level, large, dividable turf field. The project will include a scoreboard, team benches and scorer’s tables, storage, spectator seating, restrooms and team facilities/locker rooms. In addition, the field will include an extension to enable concurrent and multi-recreational uses such as lacrosse and rugby. The extent of the seating and team facilities will depend on cost estimates as the design process proceeds, as well as the success of additional fundraising efforts.

“Western has played a significant role in my family’s lives over the years,” said Harrington, who graduated in 1998 from Western’s accounting program and played on the men’s NCAA Division II soccer team. “I’m thrilled that we are helping Western build a great new home for its soccer teams. Giving back in this way is truly an honor.”

On April 13, the WWU Board of Trustees unanimously approved a motion by Trustee Ralph Munro to name the field in honor of Scott’s father, the late Robert Harrington, in recognition of the family’s gift. The field will be formally known as Robert S. Harrington Field.

“The Harrington family has a long philanthropic tradition,” said Stephanie Bowers, WWU vice president of University Advancement. “At WWU alone, they have loyally supported the University’s mission for nearly two decades as consistent and significant donors. WWU has benefitted from Scott’s insightful and dedicated participation as a member of the Accounting Department’s advisory board, and as a volunteer and advocate supporting the soccer program. This gift will permanently enhance the university’s intercollegiate and intramural athletic programs.”

In addition to Scott, the Harrington family consists of Scott’s brother Mark and their mother Dolores. The family gives through its family foundation, established by Scott and Mark’s father Robert, in honor of his parents Mark and Blanche Harrington. The scope of their philanthropy is much broader than their generous gifts to Western. A few examples include:

• The Harrington Family endowment at Seattle Children’s Hospital, which funds craniofacial surgeries for children,
• Harrington House in Bellevue, a transitional housing facility for pregnant and parenting women (operated by Catholic Community Services),
• The Robert and Dolores Harrington Endowed Chair at Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, which funds cardiology research, and
• The Harrington Endowment at University of Pennsylvania, which funds cancer research.

 “The contributions of the Harrington family along with the visionary leadership of the Associated Students have combined to move this project forward,” said Bowers. “Data indicates that approximately two-thirds of WWU’s student body actively participates in club, intramural or NCAA division II sports. With such strong and growing participation rates, there is an evident need to both expand field space on campus and develop fields that serve multiple purposes.”

Western’s Recreation Center Advisory Committee (RCAC) is a group of 10 individuals – six students and four staff – who serve in an advisory capacity to the University in terms of recreation policies and programs, recommendations for facility improvement, and advice on fiscal budgets, fees and use of facilities.

WWU’s Master Plan includes commitments for correcting the long-standing problem of insufficient field space. Two fields were lost from construction of new academic facilities on the south quad, and one more was reduced from soccer regulation size to a smaller field when the Chemistry building was built. State capital funding requests for a new field (in both the 2011-2013 and 2013-2015 biennial budgets) have not been prioritized high enough to receive state funding support.

Low market interest rates afforded the Wade King Student Recreation Center an opportunity to refund outstanding bonds – under the direction and advisement of the RCAC – to achieve annual savings and additional dollars to fund a large portion of the multipurpose field project without an increase to the Student Recreation Fee.

The estimated $4.6 million total cost of Harrington Field will be paid for by a hybrid funding model, involving private sources (including the leadership donation from the Harrington family), and funding from the Student Recreation Center bond refinancing. The remainder of the budget will come from a general WWU budget line currently used for off-campus field rental and field maintenance, an expense made unnecessary by the construction of Harrington Field.

Bellingham-based Zervas Group Architects was selected for the design phase. Construction bids will be solicited in early 2013. Western students will serve on a committee to work with the architects on design beginning this month. Groundbreaking is expected for May 2013, and the project’s completion is scheduled for November 2013.

Contacts: Seiko Purdue, Western Washington University associate professor of Art, at (360) 650-4832 or Seiko.Purdue@wwu.edu; and Patrick McCormick, Western Washington University professor of Art, at (360) 650-3580 or Patrick.McCormick@wwu.edu 

"Dropper," by Drew Miller; image courtesy of the artist

BELLINGHAM – The Western Washington University Department of Art will present its 2012 Senior Student Art Show in the Western Gallery from May 29 through June 9; the exhibition is free and open to the public.

Honoring the work of graduating Bachelor of Art (BA) and Bachelor of Fine Art (BFA) Studio Art students, the juried exhibition showcases an exciting variety of work in photography, sculpture, painting, drawing, fibers, and mixed media. Ed Bereal and Barbara Sternberger will serve as exhibition jurors. 

A founding member of a radical street theater in Los Angeles in 1960, Ed Bereal’s assemblages, sculpture, and painting continue to address identity politics and racial stereotypes.  In the recent “Pacific Standard Time” show, a celebration of California art across the state, Bereal was acknowledged as a very important artist in the history of California Art from the sixties through the eighties.

Since 1999, Sternberger has had five on-person shows as the prestigious Elizabeth Leach Gallery in Portland, Ore.  In 2010, she was acclaimed as one of the most important female artists in the Northwest in the Whatcom Museum’s exhibition “Show of Hands: Women Artists 1880-2010.”  During the process of painting, Sternberger intuitively merges physical experience with mental agility so that the “resulting iconography is a thumbprint of [her] psyche.”

In addition to the exhibition, community members are invited to attend an opening reception from 3 p.m. to 5 p.m. on Tuesday, May 29 in the Western Gallery.  Special announcements will be presented during the reception, including student scholarships, the exhibition prizes, and the 2012 Outstanding Senior award.

Exhibition hours are 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday through Friday, except Wednesdays when the gallery is open until 8 p.m., and noon to 4 p.m. on Saturdays.  For more event details please visit http://westerngallery.wwu.edu/.     

Contact:  Christopher Bianco, Western Washington University associate professor of Music, (360) 650-3404 or Christopher.Bianco@wwu.edu

BELLINGHAM – Western Washington University’s Department of Music presents “Band Pops!,” an evening of classic pops music for band, at 8 p.m. on Wednesday, May 30, in the Performing Arts Center Concert Hall. 

The performance is free and open to the public.

The evening will feature performances by the Whatcom Wind Ensemble, WWU Symphonic Band, WWU Wind Symphony, and WWU Band Alumni, culminating in a mass band finale patriotic salute. 

“Audience members will hear pieces such as Instant Concert, video-game music from Halo and Civilization, the William Tell Overture, Star Wars, Harry Potter and more,” said conductor and WWU Associate Professor of Music Christopher Bianco.  “It is going to be a huge night!”

For more information call WWU’s Department of Music at (360) 650-3130 or visit http://www.wwu.edu/music.

Contact: Cher Carnell, College of Fine and Performing Arts, at Cher.Carnell@wwu.edu or (360) 650-3893.

BELLINGHAM - Western Washington University’s Western Arts Preparatory Academy will begin its dance, theatre and violin schedules for summer session on June 26.

The academy, presented by Western’s College of Fine and Performing arts, offers a variety of youth programs that focus on providing youth with life-enhancing skills and broadening their perspectives in a safe, friendly and fun atmosphere. Students develop social and educational experience that transfers to other areas of life, including confidence, awareness, discipline, communication and organizational skills.

Summer classes include:

• Dance – For children entering grades K-2, a week-long exploration of creative dance, drumming, musicality, and hip hop is available July 16-20.  A study of classical ballet is available for intermediate/advanced dancers, ages 14-21, from July 9-13.
• Theatre – Summer Youth Theatre Institute is open to youth grades 1-12 beginning June 25. Elementary school participants will bring the stories of Dr. Seuss alive on the stage. Older youth will explore favorite scenes, monologues and songs from movies, plays and musicals while getting one-on-one, focused training in acting, characterization, designing, movement and more.
• Violin – Youth age 4-7 are encouraged to experience the rewarding process of learning to play in instrument.  This violin program utilizes the Suzuki method to involve the parent, instructor, and student in the learning process. Individual and group lessons are included, beginning June 26.

WAPA summer classes are held on Western’s campus. Classes fill quickly and prompt registration is encouraged. For more information, visit www.wwu/wapa, email youth@wwu.edu, or call (360) 650-3308.

Contact: Susan Bakse, WWU Alumni Association, (360) 650-3353

BELLINGHAM – Western Washington University presented its alumni awards to individuals and a family at its 2012 Alumni Awards Ceremony on Thursday, May 17.

The award winners span a wide range of accomplished alumni, including leaders in business, education, public health, performing arts, the environment, and human services.

“We are very proud of these exceptional alumni award winners. They are representative of a spirit of excellence so often found among our alumni – outstanding achievement and the determination to make a difference in their communities, professions and our world,” said Western President Bruce Shepard.

Biographies of award recipients and more information are available at the Window Magazine website. The recipients are listed below:

• Lifetime Achievement Award: Dennis Murphy
• Larry “Go Vikings!” Taylor Alumni Service Award: David Mann
• Young Alumnus of the Year: Scott Davison
  
  Distinguished Alumni:
• College of Sciences and Technology: Peter Hallson
• Huxley College: Kevin Raymond
• College of Business and Economics: Chase Franklin
• College of Fine and Performing Arts: Annette Devick
• College of Humanities and Social Sciences: Laurel Nesholm
• Fairhaven College of Interdisciplinary Studies: Frank James
• Woodring College of Education: Joseph Zavaglia
• Western Legacy Family of the Year: The Larson Family

For more information on the 2012 WWU alumni award winners visit the Western Alumni Association Awards web page or contact Susan Bakse at (360) 650-3353.