The thriving institution now called Eastern Washington University has gone through numerous evolutionary stages since its first days as the Benjamin P. Cheney Academy, which opened on April 3, 1882. Along with changes in names and faces, Eastern's academic offerings have changed to include not only teacher preparation, but preparation for new careers which didn't even exist a few decades agoÆ let alone when the school was founded.

Throughout history, courses offered by universities were traditionally determined by an established educational norm. If you wanted to be a well-rounded person, you would be expected to study those specific courses.

But from the beginning, Eastern operated a bit differently.

When it first opened as an Academy (the private equivalent of a public school) the curriculum for its 100 students was not set in stone. James Dow, third principal of the Academy, said, "We taught what the pupils wanted, provided there were enough in any branch for a class, and in some branches we had classes as small as one or two." Clearly, the benefits of a small student-to-faculty ratio were established from the start!

When Washington became a state in 1889, it was mandated that "Normal" or state-supported schools for teachers, be located around the state. Cheneyites actively promoted the idea of converting the Academy to one of these normal schools, and their wish was granted in 1890. About 16 students enrolled on day one of classes. That number grew to 50 by year's end.

The mission of the institution now became one of dedication to teaching as a profession, which was clearly expressed in its 1893 catalog: "Teaching is the highest science, the finest art, and the noblest profession."

From the beginning, Cheney Normal School was innovative in its attempts to offer an education to a whole region, not simply to Cheney and Spokane residents. Extension services were offered by Cheney Normal School as early as 1917, with a variety of education courses offered in counties including Walla Walla, Asotin, Douglas, Lincoln and Pend Oreille. Enrollment in the university's first extension courses were 235; by 1958, more than 1860 students were enrolled in such courses.

In 1937, the school's mission was more formally represented by its new name – Eastern Washington College of Education – which was authorized by then Governor Clarence Martin - a Cheney Normal School alumnus.

The Past Half Century

World War II halted temporarily the start of new academic programs. But Eastern's student body and the number of courses offered grew rapidly in the decades following the war.

It was no longer enough to provide teaching degrees when the Inland Northwest was growing and employers were looking for educated employees with a variety of skills. Eastern reacted to that demand by creating not just programs that were historically offered at universities around the country - but by offering courses that reflected regional interests. More than most universities, Eastern's academic programs have responded to changing regional needs and economic influences.

As an example, after recognizing the impact of the new medium of television in the late 1950s, faculty within the department of Speech and Drama reorganized in 1961 as the department of Drama, Speech and Radio-Television. (In 1965, RTV became a stand-alone department, and - most recently - changed its name to the Department of Electronic Media, Theatre and Film.)

Again responding to national trends, the presence of psychologists in a myriad of professional settings justified the creation of a Department of Psychology in 1963. Eight years later, after trends among psychology professionals became clear, Eastern in 1971 split its Psychology Department in two – creating separate departments for psychology and applied psychology. Most recently – again in response to trends within the profession – the Department of Applied Psychology has been reorganized into the Department of Counseling, Educational and Developmental Psychology.

As yet another example, in 1974, recognizing the dramatic impact that computers would have in the workplace and on the future world economy, faculty within the Department of Mathematics, added a Computer Science program. That program has steadily added and modified courses as the computer industry continues to evolve and grow in importance.

Many departments have been created in response to the need and demand for trained professionals in specific fields.

The Department of Criminal Justice, for example, was approved as a major in 1976. Added to fill a perceived need in the Pacific Northwest and elsewhere, it immediately became a very popular program for students wishing to become involved in law enforcement, criminal justice investigation, and community-based corrections, among other fields.

In similar fashion, the potential for Spokane to become a major regional health center was envisioned by members of Eastern's faculty and administration as early as the late 1960s. In response, a Dental Hygiene Program was established in 1970. It continues to be one of the most popular majors at Eastern, and graduates quickly find employment in this burgeoning field.

Eastern's Physical Therapy Program (begun in 1985 as a BS degree and reconfigured as an MS degree in 1995) is another created in response to trends in that profession indicating that demand for professional physical therapists would grow by leaps and bounds. Sixteen years later, the program continues to have a waiting list and students are always in high demand following graduation. Recent approval by the state Legislature for Eastern to seek permission to begin a doctoral program in physical therapy in 2002 will allow students to graduate with higher levels of expertise and experience as they enter the profession.

Also, just one year ago - in recognition of the different roles played by physical therapists and occupational therapists, an Occupational Therapy Program was started and has already become a popular program of study.

Rapidly growing fields such as biotechnology, computer science and social and behavioral sciences are being addressed by programs and facilities at Eastern to answer the current or future demand for highly educated professionals.

Often, it is not so much a demonstrated demand as a desired end that creates an academic program. In the mid-'70s, for example, Spokane was home to a very small regional writing community, but writers in that community envisioned the potential for the Inland Northwest to be a home for a large and creative group of writers. Faculty in the undergraduate

English program– among them writer John Keeble, responded to the challenge by starting the Master of Fine Arts in Creative Writing program in 1977. From the beginning, writing teachers such as Keeble determined there should be a hands-on element to the new program, and that approach has not altered.

This hands-on approach is one key reason why the program was recently accepted into the Western Regional Graduate Program of the Western Interstate Commission for Higher Education. It's also why it was recently designated a Center of Excellence at Eastern. And, most importantly, it's why MFA graduates have been published by presses such as Yale University, Copper Canyon, Simon and Schuster and Putnam.

In the case of other recognized programs at Eastern–æsuch as music– the value of offering this subject was recognized from the earliest days of the Academy. But it was the initial quality of instruction and the early decision to become involved in community musical groups and events which led the program to grow dramatically. Today, not only does Eastern's Music Department continue to provide students for professional performing groups such as the Spokane Symphony Orchestra, but it has developed a reputation as a Center of Excellence for the way in which it prepares its students for careers in a wide array of musical professions - from writing to performing to directing and teaching.

As successful academic programs have developed, there has concurrently been recognized a need to provide opportunities for the cream of the crop– those students who wish to go beyond the expected. Eastern's Honors Program is allowing just this opportunity for a hundred students each year, and is recognized as a Center of Excellence at Eastern for its ability to assist motivated students who want to make a difference in their own and others' lives.

Some Highlights of Eastern's Future

Eastern has long been involved in the economic life of the region it serves; future regional trends also will involve EWU in a big way.

For example, the Inland Northwest is poised to become a regional and national leader in technology, health care and research. Eastern Washington University helped build the foundation for the region's success in these areas, and it will now play an equally important role in the future.

Through its new School of Computing and Engineering Sciences, Eastern will develop, fund and offer new programs and curriculum responsive to students and employers. The new school will offer existing and new accredited programs in engineering technology, computer science, computer information systems and physics, all of which will help our students learn the ins and outs of working proficiently with computer hardware and software.

The Inland Northwest's strong health care field is an area which Eastern has helped to nurture. The Heart Institute of Spokane and a new cancer research center complement ongoing clinical research trials. And both facilities will be supported by the new Health Sciences Center, jointly operated by Eastern Washington University and Washington State University.

Eastern's new environmental science program will prepare students for environmental careers and graduate school through a curriculum which emphasizes lab and fieldwork.

Eastern's long tradition of partnering with regional businesses, governments and civic organizations will continue as the university uses its academic expertise to address economic, scientific, cultural and civic challenges in the years to come.

Conclusion

Throughout the years, Eastern has been committed to providing well-rounded educations to prepare students for career success. Despite name changes and new academic offerings, Eastern has remained true to its role in teacher preparation while expanding to include preparation for careers in many fields which have only just been created but will figure prominently in the future economy of our region and the nation.

In a recent survey of 21st century colleges and universities, Eastern was included as one of the best schools for the "real world." This designation shows that Eastern has stayed true to its mission of preparing students for rewarding careers after graduation.

With the continued support of the Eastern community, the university will continue to offer high-quality academic experiences to students and will be represented by successful alumni in 21st century jobs in the Inland Northwest and around the world.