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Life Imitates Art for Petite Coug

January 11, 2019 hrupp

After watching the movie The Devil Wears Prada, Kim Santos knew she wanted to leave her homeland, Guam, for a career in New York City. Judging by what this WSU senior has accomplished so far, it’s easy to believe she will achieve that goal and every other one she sets.

Describing Guam as a “mini Hawai’i” with a laid-back, relaxed lifestyle, Kim grew up on a ranch subsistence farming with her family. However, like many aspiring artists, she looked at the stars and imagined far more for herself than staying in Guam. “What I wanted,” Kim said, “was bigger than the island.”

When Kim’s mother … » More …

She’s Got Game: Destined for School of Design

June 6, 2018 hrupp

When Sarah Rosenthal was old enough to use a computer, she got hooked on playing the SIMS, a life simulation video game where the player creates characters and builds houses for them. In the game, Sarah built homes with wood, stone, drywall, and landscaped yards. She developed eccentric but functional houses with patios and pools, massive balconies, and secret passageways. She preferred building the homes to creating the characters, and some nights, stayed up so late playing, she fell asleep on her keyboard.

By the time Sarah was enrolled in college, she started to realize her computer science and fine arts classes weren’t keeping … » More …

Finding Forestry: CAHNRS Student Loves Plants, and Pullman

June 5, 2018 hrupp

In high school, Alec Solemslie was asked to research careers in the natural resources field for an assignment. On a whim, he chose forestry, and didn’t think too much beyond finishing the project. Years later, when he started researching universities, he happened upon a press release that mentioned Washington State University would be reinstating its forestry program. Alec thought back to his high school project.

He dug up information on WSU’s preexisting forestry program as well as programs at other universities and realized there were far more facets to forestry than he could have imagined. In addition, although he’d initially thought of attending a larger … » More …

Meet Loan Lam

June 29, 2017 Trevor Durham

“Your daughter has Leukemia.”

Loan Lam’s parents were stunned. It was July 1999 and Loan was a few days away from celebrating her 9th birthday. The formal diagnosis: childhood acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL), the most common type of cancer in children. With ALL, the bone marrow makes too many immature lymphocytes (a type of white blood cell).

Advancements in modern medicine saved her life. According to the National Cancer Institute, from 2005-2011, the five-year relative survival rates for ALL: 91.2 percent for children and adolescents younger than 15 years, and 92.9 percent for children younger than 5 years.

However, beating ALL requires rigorous treatments. “Pediatric … » More …

Meet Spencer Anderson

March 31, 2017 Trevor Durham

College Bound, With an Interception

Washington State University senior Spencer Anderson had always planned to attend college, perhaps even graduate school. “Both my parents graduated from college,” he said, “so secondary education was expected of me.” At WSU, Spencer majors in communication and broadcast journalism, and minors in sports management.

WSU senior Spencer Anderson Spencer was born and raised in the Tri-Cities in Washington. He confessed he “wasn’t the most creative or imaginative kid growing up.” By the time he reached middle school, he’d set his sights on a career … » More …

Meet Celia Balderas

March 14, 2017 Trevor Durham

Celia Balderas
Senior, majoring in Comparative Ethnic Studies at WSU Pullman, and recipient of the Lou and Ruth Allen Pass It On scholarship, which encourages recipients to practice the Pass It On Principle: you get most for yourself when you learn to share what you receive with others.

Celia is from Pasco, Washington. She graduated from Chiawana High School and Columbia Basin College where she was a Running Start student. She is the second-oldest of seven children and will be the first in her family to attend and graduate from a university.

Activities: … » More …

Meet Navaraj (Raj) Lamichhane

March 14, 2017 Trevor Durham

Navaraj (Raj) Lamichhane
Junior, Business Administration, WSU Vancouver
International Student from Nepal
Recipient of the Stanton E. and Lana Y. Schmid Multicultural Opportunity Scholarship, which carries out WSU’s land-grant mission of accessible higher education while recognizing the commitment of former Vice President for University Affairs, Stan Schmid.

Activities: Secretary, Associated Students of Washington State University Vancouver (ASWSUV) Senate; President, International Students’ Association at WSU Vancouver (promotes multicultural exchange of perspectives between International and American students); volunteer for campus clubs helping students with their educational needs.

What do you like best about WSU?

“I … » More …

Meet Kayla Davis

March 7, 2017 Trevor Durham

Photo of Kayla Davis Washington State University education major Kayla Davis probably never imagined homeschooling her younger siblings and working at Chuck E. Cheese for five years would help lead her toward a career in education. And yet, Kayla said the leadership, organizational, and communication skills she gained from both experiences carried over easily into her dream.

Despite being born and raised in Longview, Washington, she calls herself a “Kelso kid” having attended school in nearby Kelso. Kayla always knew she would attend college. Her mother earned a bachelor’s degree … » More …

Heather Rogers: Quality Vet Care Leads to WSU

March 1, 2017 Trevor Durham

In November 2012, Heather Rogers and her parents noticed an abandoned cat hanging around outside their house in Spokane, Washington. Every day, they put food out for the cat, and then on New Year’s Eve, when she followed Heather’s parents to the front door, the family took “Scarlet” in for good. Right away, the family noticed the cat sneezed all the time, so they took her to the vet. Upon further examination, they learned Scarlet had a hole in the top of her soft palate from being shot, and the bullet was still lodged in her head.

The injury Scarlet endured had also caused her … » More …

Meet Chance Mair

November 18, 2016 Trevor Durham

Chance Mair at Zeppoz bowling alley

Washington State University math major Chance Mair started bowling at age five. And he must have been pretty good because four years later he entered a tournament, his first, as an alternate, and ended up winning the entire thing! Some people might chalk the victory up to luck, others might call it “chance,” but the fact is he loves and excels at bowling—and much more.

Chance hails from Marysville, Washington, and is a first-generation college student. He … » More …