Eagle Excellence: April 2026

Eastern Washington University’s faculty, staff and students continue to improve quality of life for individuals and communities – with an impact stretching far beyond the Inland Northwest. Eagle Excellence recognizes these accomplishments, highlighting work that supports the university’s transformational mission and makes a difference along the way.

Here are a few of the April kudos:

Heidi Hillman, PhD, an associate professor of psychology, published “Finding Calm in Nature: Parent Perspectives on Outdoor Experiences” in the spring 2026 issue of Autism Spectrum News. While outdoor activities like trail hikes and nature walks offer mental health perks, she writes, these experiences are sometimes elusive for teens on the autism spectrum due to sensory overload and safety concerns. Hillman interviewed 11 parents to identify strategies for creating inclusive, low-stress outdoor experiences. Her work aims to help families and park rangers better understand how to provide autistic youth with more inclusive experiences in nature.

Jenna McDonald, director of the Eastern Washington Area Health Education Center housed at EWU, was recently featured in The Spokesman-Review. McDonald’s program hosts outreach events, including mock clinics, across 14 counties to engage K-12 students in health sciences. Funded by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, the program works to strengthen the healthcare workforce in rural and underserved areas.

Paul Lindholdt, a professor of English at EWU, published an article titled “Smuggler Lawrence Kelly on the Salish Sea” in the history journal Commonplace. The article, which chronicles a prominent late 19th-century runner of opium and Chinese immigrants, is a chapter in Lindholdt’s upcoming book regarding rogues and renegades in Washington state.

Sue Magyar, of the Interdisciplinary Studies Program, and Kayleen Islam-Zwart, of the School of Psychology, were recently honored at the Community College Baccalaureate Association National Conference in Long Beach. They received a Gold Medallion for their “Promising Practice” titled, “Consortium streamlines pathways for apprentices to college and university programs.”

Jennifer Walters recently retired as an administrator for the EWU Police Department, concluding an Eagle family connection spanning 60 years. Walters is the granddaughter of Emerson Shuck, who served as Eastern’s president from 1967 to 1976, and she grew up visiting Eastern’s Cheney campus.

Thank you to everyone who took the time to submit items for the Eagle Excellence monthly column! You can help us celebrate our collective wins by submitting your own news and accomplishments or sharing kudos for a colleague, team or department at this link.