Retirement celebration for Carol Berry set for June 1

Carol Berry is retiring after 23 years at Western Washington University.

On Friday, June 1, the Office of Sustainability will hold a farewell event for Carol. The retirement party will take place at 10 a.m. in the Old Main Solarium, OM 590, and will give people who have worked with Carol a chance to wish her well in her retirement.

During her 23 years at Western, Carol has worked in a variety of positions in different departments, including working as a parking information specialist for Public Safety, Sustainable Transportation Manager, and Campus Conservation Program Manager. During her time at Western Carol created and managed two long-standing programs, Sustainable Transportation and Sustainable Office Certification. Sustainable Transportation program efforts have resulted in less than 11 percent of students commuting in single occupant vehicles annually. The Sustainable Office Certification Program has enrolled 25 percent of Western offices in actions that affect people and planet positively.

“I could not have done my job without the support and participation of operations staff and everyone on campus.  I hope you can all be there to have a donut and coffee on June 1, and help make it a zero-waste event. No leftovers!” Berry said.

In retirement, Carol plans to spend time weaving, researching and promoting the regional fibershed, and learning to bake better pies and pastries, all lifelong passions. Carol is an active member of the Whatcom Weavers Guild, and invites all to visit the Wool Show at the Northwest Washington Fair, in August. 

During Carol’s retirement farewell on Friday June 1, attendees will be able to add notes to a memory book containing photos of Carol’s time at Western.

If you have photos of Carol that you would like to provide for the book, or are not able to attend and would still like to include memories for the book, please items to Melinda.Assink@wwu.edu or call 360-650-3547.