2019 was an exciting year at Eastern Washington University. The football team made a trip to the FCS National Championship, the EWU Foundation received its biggest private donation ever, and the university started offering a number of exciting new programs. Sadly, we also lost some beloved colleagues.
InsideEWU compiled a summary of the most impactful stories of 2019. We invite you to take a few minutes to reflect on the past year at Eastern Washington University.
Pence Union Building Reopens
From Jan. 2, 2019: Eastern Washington University’s newly remodeled Pence Union Building (PUB), the inclusive centerpiece of student interaction for years to come, is now open to students, faculty and the public! [Read More]
Governor Declares “EAG” Day!
From Jan. 3, 2019: Washington Governor Jay Inslee has signed a proclamation declaring Saturday, Jan. 5, as Eastern Washington University “EAG” Day in recognition of the Eagles playing in the NCAA Division I Football Championship in Frisco, Texas.
Eastern will take on the North Dakota State University Bison in a clash of Football Championship Subdivision (FCS) teams. The proclamation highlights Eastern’s various accomplishments over the last year. [Read More]
EWU Mourns the Loss of Current and Former Colleagues
From March 12, 2019: Remembering Charles Mutschler. He was an Eastern person through and through. He graduated from Eastern, he worked at Eastern, he lived its history and enjoyed every minute of it.
Perhaps no one knew more, or cared more, about the university’s legacy that Charles Mutschler, who passed away Sunday evening. [Read More]
From July 3, 2019: Longtime EWU employee Kevin Hills passed away at his home June 19.
His wife Kelli is a member of the University Advancement team, and their son Kyal works in Dining Services. [Read More]
From Sept. 9, 2019: Henry-York “Hank” Steiner, a revered professor of English at EWU, passed away on Sept. 6, 2019. He was 87.
Steiner dedicated his life to teaching. Long after he reached the age when most people trade in the daily grind of working for the relaxation of retirement, Steiner continued to challenge and enrich his students. By the time he finally stepped away from the classroom in June, he had spent 61 years as a professor, 50 of which were here at Eastern. [Read More]
We remembers others in the 2019 In Memoriam section on InsideEWU.
EWU Introduces New Online MBA
From May 6, 2019: Recognizing the needs of the modern learner, Eastern Washington University is pleased to announce a 100 percent online MBA program, offering career-boosting academic excellence delivered in a flexible online format ideal for working professionals. [Read More]
Student Proof of Immunization Requirement
From May. 13, 2019: To help protect the EWU community from a potential measles, mumps or rubella outbreak, all students will be required to show verification of their MMR immunity. The Eastern Washington University Board of Trustees passed the new public health requirement this year, which aligns with other public universities across the state.
“Having a vaccination protects the entire community,” says Tricia Hughes, senior director of wellness and recreation programs at Eastern. [Read More]
A Hidden Gem on Campus Cultivates Healthy Food Options
From Aug. 27, 2019: Tucked away behind the Red Barn, well off the beaten path of hurried student footsteps, is a sort-of-secret organic garden, one producing row after row of fresh vegetables and tasty fruit.
If you have never made your way to the far southwest corner of EWU’s Cheney campus, you’ve probably never seen it. EWU Sustainability Coordinator Erik Budsberg thinks that’s a shame. Do yourself a favor, he urges: Pick a nice sunny afternoon and stroll over to the EWU Community Garden and have a look at what he and his volunteers have been up to. [Read More]
Gearing Up for Welcome Week!
From Sept. 17, 2019: Classes start soon on the Cheney campus and EWU has scheduled a week of welcome events to get students, faculty and staff geared up for the beginning of another great year. [Read More]
Football Stadium Renovation Project
From Sept. 6, 2019: The Eastern Washington Board of Trustees (BOT) unanimously approved a $25 million private fundraising strategy to renovate the existing football stadium after long-awaited pre-design plans were unveiled Friday, Sept. 6, on the EWU campus. [Read More]
From Sept. 19, 2019: Eastern Washington University’s vision to transform Roos Field, iconic home to Eagles Football, into a stadium facility that matches the strength, passion and pride of Eagle Nation is a big step closer to reality.
Just two weeks after unveiling renovation plans, EWU is excited to announce a $5 million gift from a prominent local business owner—the largest individual private gift ever made to Eastern. [Read More]
EWU and Cheney Partner for New Homecoming Tradition
From Oct. 8, 2019: When Eastern Washington University celebrates homecoming—the whole town of Cheney celebrates homecoming. To show their Eagle Pride, the Cheney Merchants Association is hosting something new for homecoming this year: Eagle Eats Week.
The idea is similar to Spokane’s annual Restaurant Week—but with added Eagle flare. [Read More]
Donors Deliver Gift of Beautiful Music
From Nov. 19, 2019: When an Eastern Washington University alumnus is a maker of fine, long-lived musical instruments, you can imagine that any gift he might make would be an especially melodious one.
Lynn Nelson ’69 is a luthier, a maker of stringed instruments such as guitars or violins. During the president’s annual Thanksgiving Dessert Reception this year, Lynn and his wife Gail presented the university with a gift as unique as it was generous—a string quartet’s worth of instruments: two violins, a viola and a cello, each exclusively for use by Eastern’s music department. [Read More]
