Giving Tuesday

Eagles Show Gratitude

Thank you to the EWU faculty, staff, alumni, and supporters for another successful GivingTuesday!

This year, we received 64 donations, totaling $34,681.75. Among these contributions, donors showed significant support for the EWU Hockey Club and made gifts to the Archery Club through the new EagFunder crowdfunding site. Across the country, individuals like you contributed a remarkable total of $4 billion to causes they care about most.

In addition to the generosity of EWU employees and friends, we received major gifts this week amounting to $427,000! One of these gifts will fund 10 four-year scholarships annually for the next 10 years for students who start and complete their degrees at EWU. The other gift will support applied learning scholarships in partnership with Comma, a Spokane-based nonprofit journalism lab aimed at promoting community-centered journalism across Eastern Washington and North Idaho.

Remember that even though GivingTuesday has passed, there are still many ways to support EWU. During the month of December, visit eagfunder.ewu.edu and check out our new Holiday Gift Catalog, where you can honor a loved one’s commitment to EWU by making a gift to their favorite program.

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Employee Giving

For nearly 20 years, a longtime EWU staff member has supported the university through her dedicated work in Academic Affairs.

Above and beyond her many contributions as an employee, Leslie Swannack regularly makes gifts that support the university and its students.

Over the years, Swannack has supported the Eagle Athletic Fund, Stadium Renovation Fund, Eagle On, Eagle Strong, the Eastern and University scholarship funds, and numerous other funds that provided scholarships and support to help students overcome obstacles, explore interests, and build a path to life-changing careers.

After watching countless students follow their curiosity, step into new challenges, and discover passions that shape their lives,  she recently decided it was time to take an academic journey herself.

“I’ve always wanted to learn Japanese,” Swannack says. “I just never had the time.”

That changed when her son moved to Japan. “I wanted to be able to connect in his new home and better understand the culture he is now surrounded by,” she says. So, Swannack enrolled in Japanese classes at Eastern, becoming a student once again.

What began as a personal goal quickly turned into something deeply rewarding. “The faculty are fantastic,” she says.

“There’s daily speaking practice and real interaction, not just with my classmates, but with native speakers who often visit class. I’m learning so much!”

The experience has reminded Swannack of what makes EWU such a special place to learn: small class sizes, dedicated professors, and an environment that encourages curiosity at every stage of life.

Though Swannack has long worked behind the scenes to support academic programs, being in the classroom has given her a new perspective.

“It’s shown me just how much work faculty do that I never saw before,” she explains. “They’re intentional about every lesson, every activity. The learning is so hands-on and so personalized for every student.”

This insight has deepened Swannack’s appreciation for her Eastern colleagues and for the university that has been her home for nearly two decades.

“Eastern gives us so much,” she says. “If you study here or work here, you should support EWU. We’re all part of the same mission—to make learning possible.”