EASTERN NEWSROOM

Computer Science & Engineering Day in Olympia

2016 Supplemental Session

February 25, 2016
Photo: Students collaborating in computer lab

On Tuesday we welcomed President Cullinan, EWU Board Chair Murphy, two alums, two faculty members, and five students to Olympia. The purpose of the day was to brag about our excellent computer science and engineering programs with key legislators.

Over the course of the day, we engaged 16 legislators and had opportunities to share who our students are, where they came from, and the exciting job prospects that lie ahead of them. Our alums from Boeing and Microsoft shared how their EWU journey led them to where they are today. We are so thankful that our alums continue to find ways to give back to EWU.

Here are some great facts about our programs that were shared with legislators:

  • Over 80% of our College of Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics students are first generation
  • We produce over 65 CS graduates each year
  • EWU has produced 25 spin-off companies
  • Employers of EWU grads have shared that our students have a seamless transition to industry, mainly due to our hands-on approach to learning (i.e. lots of labs!)
  • In an international rocketry competition, EWU students finished 3rd behind only MIT and the Brazilian Aeronautical Institute