Spring 2019

It all started with a few musicians deciding to return to the town where they got their start and perform together for the first time.
The percentage of WWU undergraduates who borrow to pay for college has declined for three years in a row
Alumna novelist Amy Hatvany points out where ‘yes is yes’ falls short in the conversation about consent and sex.
The group includes a pair of WWU graduate students
While sexual health programs in college have traditionally focused on STD and pregnancy prevention, the emphasis on consent is relatively new.
John and Mary Polikowsky spent long, happy careers teaching art and English. Now, more WWU students who dream of a life as a teacher will get their chance, too.
The Ridge is going to get a new look
A collection of items and stories from WWU and alumni
Western’s urban planning students have Ferndale on their minds these days.
WWU research associate and NOAA Fisheries affiliate Jennifer Tennessen is studying the hunting behaviors of endangered orcas of the Salish Sea.
A conversation with L.K. Langley, the first director of LGBTQ+ Western.
As the once-famous Bellingham author arises from obscurity, her champions say she’s more relevant than ever.
The estuary has important value for fish, wildlife, and local human residents
The grant funds recruiting and retaining academically talented, low-income students from diverse backgrounds
Western is among the first universities in the nation to provide composting bins to students living in residence halls.
Universities play an important role in increasing cultural competency

Class Notes

Patricia Diane “Sissy” Meiers - 1980

Obituary
Patricia Diane “Sissy” Meiers, 86, a retired elementary school teacher, on Jan. 10, 2018. 

Joseph Jacobson McClenahan - 2010

Obituary
Joseph Jacobson McClenahan, 31, a geophysicist and software engineer, May 5, 2018, in Seattle. 

Courtney Schneider - 2008

Class Note
Courtney Schneider, '08, B.S., community health, was inducted into the WWU Athletic Hall of Fame in 2019 for volleyball. Libero Schneider averaged a school-best 7.0 digs per game during her four-year career at WWU, crushing the NCAA II national record by nearly one dig per game. She finished third nationally among NCAA II career dig leaders with a GNAC and school record of 2,695, and was named Western’s Co-Female Athlete of the Decade. In addition to coaching, she now serves as an  administrator and youth director for Liberty Towers Church and Community Impact Center in Sacramento, California.