Hello, Eastern Eagles!

The EWU Alumni Association is proud to carry forward one of our most meaningful traditions – the Alumni Legacy Scholarship.

Created to celebrate the lasting bond between Eastern and our alumni families, this scholarship supports children and grandchildren of EWU graduates as they create their own Eastern Eagle stories.

Thanks to the generosity of alumni and friends – and through revenue-generating programs like the Eagle Flights Wine Club, Alumni Adventures, and EWU License Plates – we now award scholarships to 23 legacy students a year.

These scholarships help our students offset the cost of their education and focus on what matters most: learning, growing – and developing skills for success.

Each recipient carries forward a piece of our shared history, building on the experiences of the generations that came before them. Your support ensures the Eagle legacy remains strong for years to come.

Visit our EWU Alumni Legacy Scholarship fund page to learn how you can help.

Thanks for your support – and Go Eags!

Kelsey

Kelsey Hatch-Brecek | Director of Alumni Relations
Eastern Washington University

Building the Future

Naming Gift Supports Students While Honoring a Legacy of Service

Dave Millet, founding director of EWU’s award-winning Veterans Resource Center, was preparing to retire when he received the surprise of a lifetime. A generous alumni couple made a major gift to support veteran and military-connected students, while ensuring Millet is forever remembered for his outstanding work.

Meet Dave

Eagle Impact

Generous Supporter Steps Up For Students

During a time of uncertainty for federal funding, the Krumble Foundation is building upon its commitment to Eastern students by offering five years of funding for the College Assistance Migrant Program (CAMP) to ensure these first-generation students have the tools to succeed.

Learn More

Lost for Decades, Veteran’s Ring Finds Its Way Home!

William P. Wall, a standout Eastern Washington State College linebacker, ROTC member and budding high school teacher, didn’t come home from Vietnam. His recently recovered ring brought to light a story of love, loss and a rich tapestry of Eastern-inspired relationships.

Read the Story

Create Your Legacy

August was Make-a-Will Month! It’s not too late to create your legacy by using this free online will-making tool designed for our EWU community. If your plans include the EWU Foundation, please let us know.

Explore Ways to Give

Hello Eagles,

From the kickoff at the Spokane Catalyst on April 2 until the final donation came in at midnight on April 3, Giving Joy Day was a spirited celebration of Eagle generosity.

The announcement of our first gift, given by beloved History Professor Bill Youngs to establish the Youngs Endowment for National Parks Studies, jump started 1,882 minutes of giving.

Your generosity helped establish an Occupational Therapy Fund, provide support for our student-athletes through the Eagle Athletic Fund, ensure students have access to affordable, hands-on learning through the University Scholarship Fund – and far more.

Moreover, several donors revealed plans to provide long-term future support for EWU through their estates. These planned gifts, generous sales of appreciated stock, and birthday gifts ranging from $14.30 to $1,430 totaled a whopping $910,554 – well surpassing our $550,000 goal!

Thank you for supporting EWU and sharing your joy with deserving students!

Linda Safford | Senior Director of Annual Giving
EWU University Advancement

Building the Future

EWU Receives National Kudos for Student Outcomes

Eastern received a major shout-out as the only university in the region to earn the “Higher Access, Higher Earnings” designation as an “Opportunity College and University” in the newest Carnegie Foundation rankings. In a nutshell, that means Eastern changes lives.

Learn More

Eagle Impact

EWU Graduates its First Cohort of Nurses!

This group of nurses is ready to serve. Not only were they the first to complete Eastern’s new Bachelor of Science in Nursing Program — all 40 students who began the program graduated together at EWU’s semester commencement.

Read Their Story

Professionals Become ‘Professors for a Day’

Students enjoyed learning from a dozen talented alumni and friends of the university who taught a class for a day, sharing details about their professions and providing insider tips for future job seekers.

Get Their Advice

Meet the Future

As part of Eastern’s Build Our Future Campaign, we are raising $7M in funds to renovate the football stadium – which was built nearly 60 years ago. The updates will create a more welcoming experience for students, alumni, and other Eastern Eagles’ fans. Visit the Stadium Renovation Fund website to learn how you can help – and GO EAGS!

Explore Ways to Give

Jessica Avalos

Jessica Avalos grew up in the agricultural community of Grandview, Washington as one of 11 children in the family. Her parents were strict about education – something they did not have the opportunity to complete themselves. Ultimately, this first-generation college student and her siblings were told, “Your happiness is what matters most.”

Jessica has found that happiness in preparing for a career in healthcare. When she was in middle school, she wanted to become a surgeon, but instead moved to Spokane after high school to live with family and pursue pre-med at EWU. She joined the first cohort in the new School of Nursing in the fall of 2023.

Diversity was also a draw for Jessica. “Eastern made it easy to get to know people,” she says. And while her first semester was hard, she is grateful for her professors and Department Chair Donna Bachand, who have listened and responded to student needs.

Bachand supported Jessica and fellow student Brooklyn Parkey in establishing the Eagle Nursing Student Association, to assist future nursing students as they prepare for careers in the Spokane region.

Jessica received the Proud Eagle Nursing Scholarship, which allowed her to move from part-time employment as a barista to working as a nursing technician while she finishes her degree.

“I really needed it,” she says appreciatively. “The Spokane housing market is so expensive, but this scholarship helped me to remain in stable housing while I changed jobs to work in my field.”

Established by alumni donors Kathy and Ken Privratsky, the Proud Eagle Nursing Scholarship Fund honors the heroic sacrifices of doctors and nurses during the COVID-19 pandemic, while helping students in their home community to earn nursing degrees and inspire others.

Jessica hopes to someday meet the Privratskys and thank them in person. “They sound like such amazing and generous people,” she says. “I can’t believe they would do this for me, but I am so happy that they did.”

Brooklyn Parkey

“I love being an Eagle!”

When Brooklyn Parkey was seven years old, her mom went back to school to become a nurse – all while raising four children at home.

“I admire her so much,” Brooklyn says. “I never thought about how hard that was!”

Brooklyn graduated from high school in Spokane and enrolled at EWU. When she learned that Eastern would open the School of Nursing in the fall of 2023, she was excited that she did not have to transfer schools, and could remain an Eagle.

Upon learning that she had been awarded the Proud Eagle Nursing scholarship, Brooklyn recalls being excited: “With a scholarship, I can work less and focus more on my studies,” she says.

Established by alumni donors Kathy and Ken Privratsky, the Proud Eagle Nursing Scholarship Fund honors the heroic sacrifices of doctors and nurses during the COVID-19 pandemic, while helping students in their home community to earn nursing degrees and inspire others.

When Brooklyn graduates, she plans to stay in Spokane and follow in her mother’s footsteps, helping to meet the health-care needs of families in our region. And like her older siblings, who are also Eastern alumni, Brooklyn’s sister plans to enroll in the School of Nursing having been inspired by her mom and sister in a family of proud Eagles!

Dear Friends,

Today is GivingTuesday, a global generosity movement that unleashes the power of people and organizations to transform their communities.

As fundraisers for EWU, we are honored every day to engage with people like you who understand the value of doing acts of service for others. You know this university provides amazing value to students of all backgrounds and that, even so, earning a college degree is expensive and our students face a myriad of challenges.

Your scholarship support gives students the extra wind they need under their wings to graduate! So, THANK YOU for giving to EWU!

In this issue of Eagles Give, you will learn about different – and sometimes unique – ways that EWU supporters are unleashing the transformative power of an Eastern education.

For instance, anonymous donors lit up Roos Field with a fireworks’ display at the 100th Homecoming Football game. They believe shared celebration buoys the college experience for students and knits our alumni together as an intergenerational Eagle Nation that keeps our university – and regional community – strong.

If you have a special giving idea of your own, please reach out and let us know. Your EWU philanthropy team is here to help you make your own transformational gift.

Happy Holidays – and Go Eags!

Laura Thayer | AVP for Philanthropy
Lthayer3@ewu.edu | 509.359.6901

Visit ewu.edu/give to learn some of the many ways you can give – and help us reach our GivingTuesday goal of raising $100,000!

Eagle Strong: Community Makes the Difference

We may be biased, but we think that helping students at Eastern Washington University earn a brighter future is one of the best GivingTuesday causes around.

In honor of GivingTuesday, we are asking you to make a gift to support hardworking students like Hailey Arland and Alex Moomaw – students who will go on to make an impact as professionals and community members. Our students are your neighbors, coworkers and friends.

Read the Full Article

Eagle Impact: Gift Lights up the Tower

You heard it right! Our friendly yet somewhat predatory Eagle on Eastern’s iconic water tower recently got lit. Visible from the ground, and from passing aircraft overhead, this illuminating gift enhances Eagle spirit for students, alumni and the larger community.

Read the Full Article

EWU Near-Peer Mentorship Gets a Boost

Eastern Washington University recently received a $100,000 grant to send Aspire student mentors into Spokane-area high schools to help improve postsecondary enrollment rates. Bring on the Eagles!

Read the Full Article

Longtime Eagle Gives Back

Lance Kissler, who earned two degrees from Eastern and rose to the rank of associate vice president of University Relations as an employee, recently made a major gift to ensure that the Eagle Pride Center continues to provide a safe space for students to thrive.

Read the Full Article

Eagle Endnotes

Eagle Store | Holiday Sale
Help Students | Make a Year-End Gift to Eastern
STCU Sponsorship | Makes Future Teacher Send-Off Possible
Nursing Program is Home | SIERR Opening Celebrates Support

Hello Eagles,

I am ecstatic to shout from the top of Dressler Hall (just kidding – I’m scared of heights) that we are nearing our 100th homecoming week celebration, Oct. 16-22!

Our 100th homecoming week is a remarkable milestone that calls for a momentous gathering of generations of Eagles – Eagles who roamed the same halls of our beloved institution and kept the traditions we celebrate today alive.

The centennial homecoming is an opportunity to reflect on the growth and progress EWU has achieved, from its humble beginnings to the amazing institution it stands as today.

As we reach out to share the news of this historic celebration, we continue to support our friends, family members and fellow Eagles impacted by wildfires. In doing so, we honor our own legacy of community – and grit.

Back in 1891, and then again in 1912, fires devastated the Cheney campus, gutting buildings and destroying classrooms and precious student records. Both times, devastation gave way to hope as dedicated groups of people came together to rebuild the university.

When I find myself reminiscing about the countless memories, friendships, and transformative experiences that EWU provided for me – I feel gratitude for the people who stood fast amid tragedy to rebuild Eastern and create a legacy for generations to come.

As we celebrate this once-in-a-lifetime 100^th Homecoming Anniversary, I encourage everyone to participate. Here are a few ways to get involved:

• Attend the 100th Anniversary Week Festivities 
• Spread the Word
• Share Your Alumni Stories
• Engage with Students
• Contribute to the Legacy

I look forward to reuniting with all the Eagles who join us on campus in October and contributing to the continued success of EWU during this historic homecoming celebration. Together, we can ensure that the legacy of our alma mater shines brightly for future generations. 

Go Eags! 

Kelsey Hatch-Brecek | Director of Alumni Relations

Eagle Strong Camp Gets Kids Excited About STEM

Barbie dolls went bungee jumping and microbes were everywhere! Thanks to a grant from the EWU Board of Trustees and seven professors who volunteered their time and talents, the university’s first-ever Girls+ STEM camp was a smashing success.

Read the Full Story

Eagle Impact – MultiCare Touts EWU Dental Hygiene

After providing a generous grant in support of equipment and other needs for EWU’s nonprofit Dental Hygiene Clinic, MultiCare created a video and newsletter story about the clinic’s impact in the greater Spokane community.

Read the Full Story

Scholarship Helps Hardworking Single Dad

Kevin Uyekawa, entering his senior year in mechanical engineering, does a lot of juggling between school, work and raising a 5-year-old son. Thanks to a scholarship from the EWU Retirees Association, Uyekawa can stress less about covering tuition and expenses and focus more on being a dad and finishing his degree.

Read the Full Article

Baseball Club’s Gift a Hit With EWU Mariachi

Members of Mariachi Las Águilas (The Eagles) performed at Avista Stadium for Hispanic Heritage Night and were then invited onto the field to accept a scholarship donation from the Spokane Indians baseball club.

Read the Full Story

Eagle Endnotes
EWU Eagle Grants Provides $37,000 | Supporting Student Success
EWU 100th Homecoming Anniversary | Calendar of Events
Go Eags! | Football Schedule is Available

Eastern Washington women’s basketball power forward Bella Hays is preparing to get on the court for the 2023-24 season.

Since she was a kid, Hays wanted to play basketball and it was a driving factor in her effort, both athletically and academically, to go to college.

“My ultimate goal was to play basketball in college, but also getting my education paid for too. I didn’t want to have to worry about paying for it while playing.”

Majoring in Exercise Science, Hays’ scholarship gives her the opportunity to pursue her goals after college.

“It’s amazing to have my scholarship. It will get me through my undergrad degree. I’ll have grad school to go through after that so not having to worry about debt in my undergrad years is huge.”

Hays arrived in Cheney for the 2022-23 season, after Eastern offered her a scholarship late in the recruiting period. The Eagles were the only program to offer the Wasilla, Alaska native a full ride.

“Eastern was my only option, partially because I started my process really late,” Hays explained. “Being from Alaska, I wasn’t able to travel during COVID. I didn’t commit until January of my senior year [2022]. It was really important to get the offer to come here.”

Hays grew up in Wasilla, Alaska, playing at Wasilla High School. She is the oldest of four siblings, including a twin brother who is also starting his college journey.

With one sibling in college and two others in the wing, Hays says her scholarship is a valuable benefit. 

“The scholarship is a great opportunity for me because I have three other siblings, two of which are in college right now and one is going to be in college soon. My parents, not having to worry about my college tuition, allows them to focus on my siblings’ situations. It also helps me focus on basketball and my academics.”

Hays uses her scholarship as motivation, both academically and athletically, to ease the financial burden on her family. As the oldest, she sees the value in maintaining this as she goes through college.

“My twin brother’s process was a little different. He started later and also plays sports, but his situation, of earning a scholarship, was more half-and half-with sports and academics. My younger sister doesn’t play sports so she will have to pay for school on her own. It’s been eye opening for me to see how lucky I am, playing basketball and not having to worry about paying for school.”

At Wasilla High, Hays averaged 13.4 points per game and 8.4 rebounds per game. She was a three-time first-team All-State selection, while earning All-Conference honors all four years at Wasilla. Hays also earned letters in basketball, volleyball and track and field.

The redshirt-freshman will look to make her debut for Eastern this season after being sidelined with an injury last season.

On the coaching staffs influence

“Our staff pushes academics at home and when we’re on the road. We always have scheduled study times. They make sure tutors are available to us. They push us to stay up-to-date on academics so we can stay up-to-date on the court.”

Your gift on Giving Tuesday to the College of Art, Humanities and Social Sciences (CAHSS) can support one of 53 different scholarship and student activities funds. Your generosity will provide assistance with tuition, books, and educational expenses, or you can support conferences, internships and travel to provide students with professional experiences that are essential to their success in the workforce upon graduation.

Nicole Smith and Megan Beine, senior Gender, Women’s & Sexuality Studies (GWSS) students at EWU, were among a select group who participated in a trip to Washington D.C. to meet with the FUTURES Without Violence cohort and program organizers. FUTURES works to end violence against women and children around the world.

Both students are passionate about their career paths.

“I believe that education and accessibility to resources is vital when thinking about these issues, particularly when addressing how best to prevent sexual assault and dating violence,” Beine says.

You can read their story here.

Your gifts to CAHSS on Giving Tuesday will help prepare today’s Eagles to become problem solvers, advocates, artists, global thinkers and communicators of tomorrow.

In summer 2021, Michael Simmons, a 26-year-old electrical engineering major from Spokane, interned at a firm where he was involved with projects that, if realized to their full potential, could benefit millions of people living in water-stressed communities.

Simmons says the experience at Ultropia, a Seattle-based nonprofit founded by Eastern alumni, would not have been possible without support from the Krumble Foundation, which provided a stipend that helped him make ends meet during his internship.

“The stipend allowed me to work for a good cause,” a grateful Simmons said. “It gave me experience that I would have otherwise never had.”

He is not alone. Since its inception two years ago, the Krumble Foundation internship stipend has helped 34 students like Simmons participate in unpaid internships for nonprofits and government organizations — opportunities that align with their career interests but don’t provide income to support their living expenses.

The internship support from Krumble Foundation was vital to his participation in what turned out to be a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. His research into how a specialized form of transducer — a device that converts energy from one form to another —  might be useful in reducing water usage in washing machines and was included in Ultropia’s presentation for a unique combination washer/dryer unit at the $100,000 MIT Climate and Energy pitch contest, last spring.

That unique concept earned the Eagle entrepreneurs on Team Ultropia, Amy Jean Swanson, Cody Birkland and Lloyd V. Dees, first place in the prestigious MIT competition, and they walked away with some helpful seed money.

“You don’t necessarily think of sound waves for cleaning your clothes or atomizing water or that sort of thing. So, it was a very interesting and different angle,” Simmons said.

In addition, Simmons helped to design and develop a small-scale prototype of an energy-efficient water atomization unit capable of purifying a gallon of water a minute that was portable enough to be used in places without a significant electrical grid.

After graduating from Eastern this winter, Simmons plans to pursue engineering work in electronics that includes semiconductors and designing boards for hardware.

Being involved in projects from the research to development phase was an amazing experience that will definitely help with his career, said Simmons, who added, “Without the [stipend] support I would have had a very different intern experience.”

Jenny Brunner was dealing with declining health and an undiagnosed heart condition when an email arrived announcing that she was being awarded a Bright Promise Scholarship.

“I just thought it was the coolest thing. I was so excited,” recalls Jenny, a 20-year-old from Spokane Valley who arrived at Eastern Washington University with two years of Running Start credits under her belt.

The half-tuition scholarship arrived just in time to help Jenny finish her senior year and graduate with the class of 2022.

“My health was getting worse. Before I was even diagnosed, I was at the point where I was too unhealthy to work anymore,” she says.

“Between the academic scholarship I got from Eastern and the Bright Promise Scholarship, that covered everything. I didn’t have to work at all, which was really amazing.”

Since its launch in 2008, the Bright Promise Program has helped more than 300 EWU and Community Colleges of Spokane students earn their degrees. Spearheaded by Associated Industries and its CEO, Eastern alumnus Jim DeWalt, in partnership with Seattle-based Advanced Professional Insurance and Benefit Solutions and its president, Keith VanderZanden, the fund provides half-tuition scholarships to students earning degrees in education, health sciences, business, technology and manufacturing.

When the scholarship arrived, Jenny was in the midst of a medical crisis that resulted in a dozen visits to the emergency room, some 50 doctor and specialist visits, multiple scans and five weeks of wearing a heart monitor 24-7.

Finally, Jenny was diagnosed with supra ventricular tachycardia and postural orthostatic tachycardia. She underwent a first heart surgery in April – and didn’t miss a beat in earning her Bachelor of Arts degree in finance and marketing in June. Just days after donning a cap and gown, she underwent a second heart surgery. Throughout the entire ordeal, Jenny missed just one class.

With plans to become a wealth advisor and establish her own practice, Jenny appreciates the scholarship support that helped her realize her goal of a debt-free degree.

“It was definitely empowering,” Jenny says, adding, “It was a bright thing at a bad time.”