‘Swoop In’ Fundraiser Inspires EWU Math Chair to Honor Family, Colleagues

‘Swoop In’ Fundraiser Inspires EWU Math Chair to Honor Family, Colleagues

Carlos Castillo-Garsow, professor and chair of mathematics, enthusiastically embraced Eastern Washington University’s recent “Swoop In and Make it Yours” fundraiser.

Swoop In, offered for the first time this year as part of Eastern’s annual Giving Joy Day, provided opportunities for faculty and staff to make gifts to temporarily name campus features ranging from water fountains to entire buildings. The temporary signs, located throughout campus, will remain on display through mid-June.

For Castillo-Garsow, who made generous gifts to name three buildings and contributed to naming two more, the signs are a great way to honor family members and colleagues who’ve made a positive impact.

“I got kind of addicted to pushing the button,” Castillo-Garsow jokes. “It’s like, ‘OK, who else can I recognize with a sign?’”

All told, EWU employees and members of various boards pitched in to name more than 50 locations and campus markers, raising more than $14,000 for the Student Emergency Fund. The fund provides limited, one-time financial assistance to students facing immediate, essential expenses due to temporary emergencies.

Castillo–Garsow says the signs bearing his family name prompted numerous questions from students. “It’s been kind of a fun discussion, talking about ‘what is this and why is it happening?’”

Castillo-Garsow made his first gift to name Tawanka Hall as “Debra A. Castillo Hall” in honor of his mother, Debra, who died unexpectedly last fall.

Castillo was an award-winning professor of comparative literature and Hispanic studies at Cornell University for 40 years. She authored and co-authored more than 20 books and some 150 scholarly articles. She also served as president of the International Latin American Studies Association.

“When ‘Swoop In’ came out, it just kind of made sense for a number of reasons,” Castillo-Garsow explains. “My mom was first in her family to finish college, and that seemed like kind of a natural tie to Eastern.”

He adds that his mother, who at times hosted – and cooked for – dozens of students on the Thanksgiving-day holiday, was also a tireless advocate for student needs and community engagement.

“In terms of the values that Eastern has, and also in terms of the donation going to the Student Emergency Fund, it just made sense that this is a good way that I can honor my mom,” Castillo-Garsow says.

But he didn’t just stop at honoring his mom. He also “swooped in” to name Kingston Hall “Carlos Castillo-Chavez Hall” in honor of his father, a renowned mathematician and scholar who specialized in the use of mathematics to advance the biological sciences. The elder Castillo-Chavez, now retired, served in faculty positions at Cornell University, where he founded the Mathematical and Theoretical Biology Institute, and later at Arizona State University. He also served on President Barack Obama’s committee for the National Medal of Science.

Initially wanting to name a building after a famous mathematician, Castillo-Garsow finally reached the conclusion, “Let’s just name something after my dad.”

When told about the honor, his father was thrilled. “He was so happy about the sign that he was inspired to make a donation to his own alma mater, which is University of Wisconsin–Stevens Point, another kind of small regional institution,” Castillo-Garsow says.

After honoring his parents, Castillo-Garsow next decided to recognize his wife, Alicia Hegie, a neuropsychologist who assesses and establishes treatment plans for patients with brain and spinal cord injuries. He named Martin Hall as “Providence St. Luke’s Rehab Hall” to celebrate the life-changing work that health care professionals at the center perform – and to honor the university’s partnership with St. Luke’s. The naming was appreciated by the team at St. Luke’s and a story was featured in the center’s recent newsletter.

Castillo-Garsow then joined two collaborative naming efforts. The Math Education Committee named Williamson Hall in honor of retiree Keith Adolphson, a longtime math professor and department chair who now volunteers as president of the EWU Retirees Association. Finally, a joint effort named Hargreaves Hall as “FoX Hall” to honor the EWU Faculty Organization.

“Once you start recognizing other people and thinking about all the great things they do, it’s just kind of really easy to go, ‘Oh well, I will just hit the button one more time,’” Castillo-Garsow says.