PULLMAN, Wash.—Paul Pitre, who has guided Washington State University North Puget Sound at Everett as dean since 2014, was named chancellor of the Everett campus, effective Sept. 1.
“Paul has demonstrated outstanding leadership skills as dean,” said WSU President Kirk Schulz in announcing Pitre’s promotion. “Enrollment is growing, and we are building thriving relationships with our partners in education and industry in the north Puget Sound region.”
WSU North Puget Sound at Everett has experienced rapid growth under Pitre’s leadership, from one cohort of 23 mechanical engineering students in 2012 to nearly 200 students in five programs today. Pitre also manages the Everett University Center on behalf of the seven, higher education consortium partners, which includes each public university from the state of Washington.
All undergraduate programs provided at the Everett University Center are transfer-programs, meaning students fulfill their first two years at any community college before finishing their degree by enrolling with a four-year university in Everett for their junior and senior years. This innovative model makes getting a four-year degree more affordable and available to place-bound students. There are currently nearly 600 students at the Everett University Center.
Pitre continues to oversee the construction of a state-of-the-art, four-story WSU building that is being built across the street from the Center’s current location at Everett Community College. On track to open in the fall of 2017, the building will be the new home for all programs offered through WSU North Puget Sound at Everett and the Everett University Center.
Expanding access to degrees in STEM fields
WSU North Puget Sound at Everett is charged with expanding access to high-quality baccalaureate and graduate degree offerings, with a focus on science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) programs. WSU currently offers undergraduate programs in mechanical engineering, electrical engineering, software engineering, hospitality business management and integrated strategic communication. Data Analytics and organic agriculture systems programs will start soon.
“We’re working hard to provide students with local access to industry-aligned, four-year degree programs in the north Puget Sound region,” Pitre said. “Employers in this region are importing the skilled workforce they need, particularly in STEM fields. We’re here to provide students with access to the education, knowledge and skills they’ll need so those employers can find that talent in our community, giving both the opportunity to succeed in a local economy that operates on a global scale. We are developing the north Puget Sound region’s future leadership and I am excited about the opportunities that future will bring.”
About 33 percent of WSU North Puget Sound at Everett students are the first in their family to attend college, 10 percent are veterans, and 27 percent are ethnic minorities. Some 46 percent of students are 25 years or older.
Spurring economic growth
North Puget Sound community leaders are also looking for growth in research from WSU, and opportunities for that research to seed a series of new companies in the region. The first initiative is the Joint Center for Deployment and Research of Earth-Abundant Materials (JCDREAM), a research collaborative between WSU, the University of Washington and the Pacific Northwest National Laboratory to accelerate the development of next generation clean energy and transportation technologies, replacing reliance on precious metals with Earth-abundant materials. The legislature established JCDREAM in 2015.
WSU North Puget Sound at Everett will also be home to third- and fourth-year medical students from the Elson S. Floyd College of Medicine as soon as 2019, just like the Vancouver, Tri-Cities and Spokane campuses. Those medical students will get their classroom training in Spokane before getting their clinical training locally with partners like Providence Regional Medical Center and The Everett Clinic.
Understanding the region’s needs
“The Everett operation is in the very capable hands of my good friend and colleague Paul Pitre,” said Bob Drewel, who served as interim chancellor in Everett in 2014-2015 while Pitre was dean. “Paul played a key role establishing WSU’s presence in Everett several years ago. He has proven himself to be a trusted and effective leader who understands the region’s needs and can work with partners in education and industry.”
Pitre earned a doctorate in educational policy and leadership at the University of Maryland, College Park. He completed a master’s degree in higher education administration at New York University and an undergraduate degree in communication at Western Washington University.
He taught for six years at WSU and three years at Auburn University in Alabama before being appointed in 2011 as special assistant to lead program development at the then University Center of North Puget Sound. He was named dean of WSU North Puget Sound at Everett in January 2014.
Media contact:
Randy Bolerjack, Communications and Public Relations, WSU North Puget Sound at Everett
(Reposted from The Daily Evergreen)
Welcome to the 2016-17 school year, I am looking forward to a great first year as WSU president – and want this school year to be the best one for each and every one of you.
Noel and I arrived in Pullman on June 1, along with Cayenne (Welsh Corgi), two cats (Amber and Onyx), and a pick-up truck. Over the past few months we have enjoyed dining out in the Pullman-Moscow area and participating in some of the fun outdoor activities in the Palouse.
What advice would I offer as we start the semester? There are 5 things I would suggest to help ensure you have a great year:
First – go to class. It is important that you attend class on a regular basis – not just when assignments are due or you have tests.
Second – ask your instructor for help. We have exceptional faculty at WSU who want to help you learn. If you don’t understand something, please ask them for help.
Third – be involved on campus. In order for you to have the most fulfilling WSU experience, be involved in one of the more than 300 student organizations.
Fourth – all things in moderation. If you elect to drink alcohol while here at WSU, learn to be responsible and stop before becoming intoxicated.
Fifth – cheer on the Cougs. We have 15 different varsity teams who all need your support. Put on some crimson and cheer our WSU student-athletes to victory.
I hope you all have a great year. Please feel free to reach out to me at any time during the school year via email at kirk.schulz@wsu.edu or on Twitter @wsu_cougar_pres if I can be of assistance. If you see me walking around campus, shopping at Walmart, or eating out – please come over and introduce yourself. Have a great year.
Go Cougs!
-WSU President Kirk Schulz
The transformative power of WSU is sometimes tough to encapsulate, but it lies at the heart of WSU’s land grant mission.
Money Magazine captured some of WSU’s transformative value in its list of “Best Colleges” earlier this month. WSU ranked No. 4 on Money’s list of “The 50 Colleges that Add the Most Value,” and is the highest ranked public institution on the list.
Overall, WSU ranked No. 37 on Money’s “Best Colleges” list, among roughly 2,000 four-year U.S. colleges and universities. To compile its rankings, the magazine used 24 factors in the categories of educational quality, affordability and alumni success. For the “Colleges that Add the Most Value” list, consideration included graduation rates and feedback from alumni surveys.
“What’s impressive is when a college helps students do far better than would be expected from their academic and economic backgrounds (something we measure with what we call a comparative-value grade),” the introduction to the list reads. “For this list, we ranked colleges based on comparative value grades for graduation rates, earnings, and student loan repayment, eliminating schools with any negative grades or a graduate rate below 50%.”
The rankings reflect WSU’s Strategic Plan goals of providing a truly transformative experience for our students. Numerous departments, programs and groups lead the way to add value to the WSU experience through academic and co-curricular opportunities.
“We have a set of programs that engage students as partners, to serve other students,” says J. Manuel Acevedo, who heads our Office of Multicultural Student Services. “As we engage those students, we operate in a direction that is really professional training. We work with 120-140 students every year and those students are challenged to grow and really be professionals in training.”
The award-winning Team Mentoring Program is making a difference for students in STEM fields.
“Those that engage in the Team Mentoring Program are staying in school at much higher rates,” Acevedo says. “Many are doing undergraduate research. The mentors help mentees identify research projects, and get into labs. They’re providing a truly transformative experience.”
The North Puget Sound at Everett campus is growing at a rapid pace as students discover the vast opportunities available, both while they’re in school and post-graduation.
“WSU North Puget Sound at Everett is student and community-centered,” Chancellor Paul Pitre says. “Our programs are aligned to the economic demands of the state and region, meaning our graduates are well-positioned to find employment and excel in high-paying careers.”
WSU continues to climb in several national rankings reflecting the student experience. Diverse Magazine ranked WSU No. 26 for graduating minority students. U.S. News & World Reportconsistently names WSU’s Writing Program one of the Top 20 in the nation, and MSN considers Pullman a “Top 10 College Town.”
The scope of the categories and criteria for these rankings show that WSU’s dedication to the transformative student experience pays dividends for our students inside and outside the classroom. As faculty, staff and the University community align to set students up for rewarding careers after graduation, our alumni are reaping the value of the WSU experience.
“I am appreciative of the dedication and skill of our faculty and staff,” says Provost Dan Bernardo. “Like our students, our faculty and staff choose to be here at WSU, and they do so largely because they care about the whole package of research excellence and instructional excellence. In short, they are here for our students, and it shows.”
The new WSU Everett stairway from GR Plume in Ferndale is complete and will be installed in our new building soon. Read more about it in this short story from the Bellingham Herald. The stairway weighs 12,000 pounds (six tons)!
“We’re a small employer in Whatcom County but our labor built this,” said Robin Plume, owner of the architectural millwork company.
The new building will open fall semester 2017 and will include labs and general classrooms for undergraduate students. The campus now offers software engineering and data analytics in addition to previously available programs for mechanical engineering, electrical engineering, hospitality business management and integrated strategic communication.
Just a few photos of our 'flying staircase' in the new building on North Broadway. pic.twitter.com/0W5ABnopcR
— WSU NPS at Everett (@WSUNPSEverett) September 15, 2016
RICHLAND, Wash. – Kirk Schulz, president and professor of chemical engineering at Kansas State University, was unanimously selected today by the Washington State University Board of Regents as the university’s 11th president. One of three previously unidentified finalists for the post, Schulz confirmed his willingness to accept the presidency during a phone call with Regent Michael Worthy, chair of the presidential search committee.
“When we did the opportunities and challenges document laying out the characteristics Cougs said they wanted in a president, well (Schulz) has them all – leadership, commitment to academic quality, administrative skills to complete the strong trajectory WSU is on,” Worthy said after the phone call with Schulz. “He was very excited to accept our offer. It was clear he really wants to lead our university.”
Following Worthy’s report of their conversation, Regent’s Chair Ryan Durkan was given authorization by the board to negotiate the terms of Schulz’s employment with WSU, which must still be approved by the regents in an open meeting prior to becoming effective.
Once the hiring process is completed, Schulz will succeed former WSU President Elson S. Floyd, who served as WSU president for eight years and died last June following a months-long battle with cancer.
“President Schulz’s colleagues consistently praise his integrity, passion for the job, and belief in the transformative power of higher education,” Durkan said. “Those qualities, combined with his deep connection to students and commitment to the land-grant mission, make President Schulz the ideal choice to lead Washington State University into the future.”
WSU officials indicated planning is underway to fly Schulz to Washington state early next week for a series of “whistlestop” meetings in which the new president would be introduced to students, faculty staff and news media at each of WSU’s campuses. Details of those plans will be announced as they become available.
Schulz was selected as the 13th president of Kansas State University in February 2009 by the Kansas Board of Regents. He has been credited with spearheading visionary campus-wide goal-setting intended to move K-State forward to become recognized as a Top 50 public research university by 2025. During his tenure, Kansas State University moved up from the “very high research activity” classification in 2010 to the “highest research activity” in 2015 in rankings by the Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching. Schulz also holds the Kansas State University Leadership Professorship. In addition, he is the chair of the NCAA board of governors, the association’s highest-ranking decision-making body. As chair, he helps oversee issues across the association.
Under Schulz’s leadership, Kansas State University was selected a Friend of the Flint Hills by the Flint Hills Discovery Center Foundation in spring 2014. The award recognizes the university’s contributions to the Konza Prairie, one of the last remaining tallgrass prairies in North America. In 2015, he was recognized for his service and patriotism by the Topeka Military Order of World Wars.
Before his appointment as president, Schulz served as vice president for research and economic development, dean of engineering, and director of the Swalm School of Chemical Engineering at Mississippi State University. He has also served on the faculty at Michigan Technological University and the University of North Dakota.
Schulz is active in several professional societies including the American Institute for Chemical Engineers and the American Society for Engineering Education. In recognition of achievements in the field of Chemical Engineering, he was selected as a fellow in both the American Society of Engineering Education and the American Association for the Advancement of Science.
He is active in the Boy Scouts of America and recently served as president of the Coronado Council. In 2013, he was recognized with the Distinguished Eagle Scout Award from the National Eagle Scout Association.
Contact:
Robert Strenge, WSU News, 509-335-3583, rstrenge@wsu.edu
EVERETT, Wash. – For 13 months, Engineering Club students at Washington State University Everett have spent countless hours designing, building, testing and rebuilding a Mars rover meant to be able to work alongside human explorers on the surface of the Red Planet.
This week, representatives of the University Rover Challenge announced in a video that the WSU team is one of 30 advancing to the semifinal round of the competition, which will take place June 2-4 at the Mars Society’s Mars Desert Research Station in southern Utah.
“I still remember when we did our first design of the chassis on a blank piece of paper in February 2015,” said Blaine Liukko, 24, a mechanical engineering senior from Lynnwood.
In December 2015, a record 63 teams from 12 countries embarked on a mission to design and build the world’s best Mars rover. The 30 semifinalists represent seven countries, including the United States, Bangladesh, Canada, Egypt, India, Poland and South Korea.
The 20-member WSU Everett club is in its second year of existence – a newborn in comparison to some of the teams in the competition, and much smaller.
“When I revealed the news to the team that we were accepted into the competition from the pool of more than 60 other teams, they were ecstatic,” said Liukko, who is president of the club. “Now we are counting down the days until June 2.”
Preparing for Utah
According to the University Rover Challenge website, on the first day teams will race for the fastest time in a “short course” event that tests rover maneuverability and dexterity and team scientific knowledge.
The top 15 teams will advance to the Ares Finals and compete in a variety of tasks for the top spot. The remaining teams will advance to the Phobos Finals competition.
The WSU Everett team is working hard to prepare.
“Our chassis and arm are mostly complete,” Liukko said. “The first chassis was made of aluminum, which was about 30 pounds heavier than the new carbon fiber one.
“We plan on testing at our five-acre test track in Arlington within the next couple of weeks, simulating the competition as closely as possible,” he said. “That testing will tell us a lot about how we will be able to perform, while giving us plenty of time to make revisions before the competition, if needed.
“Being able to apply what we have learned to a real-life project and see our designs come to reality gives us experience that few engineering students obtain through their education,” he said. “We hope to show off our engineering skills and make all generations of Cougars proud.”
An investment by the community
Designing and building the Mars rover was expensive and requires some very specific materials. But local industries and the Cougar Nation have been generous.
“It was great to get support from companies like Boeing and Janicki Industries, particularly because some of our team members can and will work there after graduating,” said Liukko.
Boeing and Janicki both donated carbon fiber. Everett Steel, Metal Supermarkets and Protocase provided aluminum, brass and stainless steel. To power the rover, Pacific Power Batteries donated a 4.5 pound lithium iron phosphate battery. And Dassault Systemes gave the team software licenses so students could design the rover.
The team also received start-up contributions from the WSU Foundation, Voiland College of Engineering and Architecture and the Bruce and Barbara Wollstein Endowment in Engineering.
The long road to Mars
Before they can compete, the students need to get to Utah, which will require more funding – about $4,000 for additional parts, travel and lodging, Liukko estimated. The club is accepting donations through the WSU Foundation at https://secure.wsu.edu/give/default.aspx?fund=6499.
During the critical design review process a panel of judges reviewed technical reports and video submissions from each of the teams. Watch the WSU Everett Engineering Club submission at https://vimeo.com/157810811.
“The team has put hundreds of hours into the design, testing and manufacturing of this rover, and the fact that we know now that we will compete against 29 other universities from seven different countries is a tremendous honor,” Liukko said.
For more information, contact Engineering Club advisor Xiaopeng Bi at xiaopeng.bi@wsu.edu.
EVERETT, Wash. – March 3, 2016 – Washington State University is ranked among the top 25 universities for students looking to study science and engineering, according to MONEY Magazine.
WSU ranked 13th on the magazine’s list because of its accessibility as well as the success of its graduates. See more at http://time.com/money/4203233/great-science-colleges-for-good-students/.
“WSU is known for producing quality graduates who are ready for the workforce,’’ said Candis Claiborn, formerly dean of WSU’s Voiland College of Engineering and Architecture. “Our graduates play an essential role in meeting industry demand and in growing our economy in a wide range of fields.’’
With support from the Washington State Legislature, the Voiland College of Engineering and Architecture has increased its enrollment by 65 percent in the past five years, to more than 4500 undergraduates.
“We are proud to offer place-bound, adult learners an option to complete their Bachelor of Science degree in electrical, mechanical and software engineering in North Puget Sound in conjunction with WSU’s nationally-recognized programs,” said WSU North Puget Sound at Everett engineering academic coordinator Pam Loughlin.
To meet the growing demand for engineers, WSU will launch several new engineering programs in fall 2016, including a software engineering degree program at WSU North Puget Sound at Everett, an electrical engineering degree program at Olympic College in Bremerton, and a construction engineering degree program at its Pullman campus.
MONEY based its rankings on data obtained by Payscale.com and the U.S. Department of Education. WSU made MONEY’s because the university accepts 82 percent of its applicants and has a good graduation rate. And, recent WSU alumni who majored in science, technology, engineering, or math (STEM) earn, on average, more than $50,000 a year.
EVERETT, Wash. – March 2, 2016 – Washington State University Regent Mike Worthy, who is chair of the WSU Presidential Search Advisory Committee, announced today that former WSU North Puget Sound at Everett interim chancellor Bob Drewel will co-chair WSU presidential transition efforts with Lura Powell, vice chair of the Board of Regents.
“I am pleased to let you know that the search to select the next President of Washington State University is progressing well,” Worthy said in a message to the University community. “As a result, we have started the planning process for the transition of leadership that will take place in the coming months.”
Drewel, who lives in Arlington, now serves as senior advisor to President Bernardo. He is a former Snohomish County Executive, president of Everett Community College and executive director of the Puget Sound Regional Council.
The co-chairs will work closely with WSU interim president Dan Bernardo to address the details of the transition, and they will call upon other members of the University community to help support the effort. Bernardo will then prepare to transition back to his role as provost.
“I am excited to work with Regent Powell and interim president Bernardo to gather input from the University community that ensures the continued momentum of key WSU initiatives,” Drewel said. “I’d also like to share Cougar Nation’s deep appreciation to Dan Bernardo for his incredible leadership and the visionary work he has done serving our state as interim president of Washington State University.”
Commenting on the search process itself, Worthy said, “As previously reported, our pool of about 200 candidates recently was narrowed to eight outstanding individuals. They include current university presidents and provosts as well as an individual from the private sector. The interview process is ongoing. The identities of these individuals will remain confidential so as not to jeopardize their leadership of their current organizations.”
“Based on the search committee’s progress, we are on track to name our next president in April, if not before. And we are certain our new leader will continue to guide the institution’s trajectory toward ever-greater excellence.”
EVERETT, Wash. – In late January, WSU North Puget Sound at Everett students sent members of their student government to meet with state legislators in Olympia as part of Coug Day at the Capitol. Throughout the day they discussed a broad array of topics important to students throughout the Washington State University system, with representation from student government bodies and students at each of the other campuses.
“Coug Day at the Capitol is the best opportunity for students to really be heard within the state government. Many times, students underestimate how much influence we can have within our government, but by sharing our stories we can enact real change,” said Wendy Hughes, who serves as the director of legislative affairs for the Associated Students of Washington State University Everett.
To students in Everett, it was critical that they say thank you to legislators for supporting the funding of WSU North Puget Sound at Everett and the new, state-of-the-art facility in Everett that will be ready for students in the fall of 2017.
“Legislators are excited about the opportunities WSU North Puget Sound at Everett presents in agriculture and engineering that will grow in the coming years. Being involved with Coug Day at the Capitol has not only grown my knowledge of my community and school, but has increased awareness with those community leaders that can make a significant difference,” Hughes said.
In total, 110 WSU students took part in some 65 meeting with legislators and staff. The event is organized each year by the Associated Students of Washington State University (ASWSU) to support student involvement in higher education issues and the ASWSU legislative agenda. The ASWSU agenda includes college affordability, open-source textbooks and transparency in university spending.
EVERETT, Wash. – Making college loans more affordable is a priority, U.S. Sen. Maria Cantwell, D-Wash., told students who shared concerns about college affordability and loan debt during her visit last week to Washington State University North Puget Sound.
“We will definitely try streamlining the federal loan process to make it easier and more affordable,” she said. “Nobody paints the picture better that you students on how challenging this is. We need to learn from you.”
Other recent legislative visitors to the campus include U.S. Sen. Patty Murray, D-Wash., who spoke with students about campus sexual assault legislation and the new medical college, and Rep. Rick Larsen, D-2nd District (including Everett), who learned about career opportunities for engineers in the region and about WSU research into rare earth elements and their sustainable use in clean technology innovations, which will be based in Everett.
Financial aid available
With Cantwell, WSU and Everett Community College students also shared concerns about textbook costs and challenges specific to veterans that can be addressed at the federal level.
To help make a four-year degree more affordable for place-bound students, WSU North Puget Sound at Everett offers degree-completion programs in locally high-demand fields, like engineering. Students can take the first two years of courses at a community college and finish a bachelor’s degree at WSU in Everett.
WSU also offers scholarship opportunities through financial aid programs like Cougar Commitment and the WSU Alumni Association, in addition to federal and state sources.
Engineering, clean tech meets local demand
Larsen participated in an Everett Community College-led tour of the Advanced Manufacturing Training & Education Center, which included a conversation with WSU Voiland College of Engineering and Architecture senior Blaine Liukko. He recently was featured in a KING 5 News story about WSU programs for students seeking degrees attractive to aerospace and advanced manufacturing recruiters.
Larsen learned about WSU rare earth and clean technology research and visited the construction site for WSU’s in Everett.
Work is beginning on the third of four stories that will include classrooms, laboratories and offices for student services. Construction of the state-of-the-art, 95,000-square-foot building is on schedule to be completed in summer 2017, with classes beginning that fall.
Sex assault, medical college discussed
Murray’s office is championing sexual assault prevention to increase student safety on campuses in the state and throughout the country.
“This is an important topic for WSU on every campus – whether Everett, Spokane, Pullman, Tri-Cities or Vancouver,” said Paul Pitre, WSU North Puget Sound at Everett dean.
Murray’s staff also discussed the future of the Elson S. Floyd College of Medicine which will see third- and fourth-year medical students in Everett, Spokane, Tri-Cities and Vancouver. The college recently achieved “candidate status” in the accreditation process.