Thank you for a terrific year!
Thank you for adding another successful face-to-face semester to the legacy of Washington State University Everett! Your dedication and outstanding achievements are remarkable, and I am inspired by your unwavering commitment to excellence.
Despite the challenges of the past years, we continue to deliver high-quality academic programming, experiences, and opportunities to students in the North Puget Sound region. Resuming an on-campus experience this year reignited the deep sense of community and care that is core to who we are as a campus. It has been uplifting to experience the energy of students, faculty, and staff in the halls of our building once again.
Your selfless efforts and extraordinary contributions help our campus thrive. Your generosity at this year’s Cougs Give day broke records with more than $13,000 raised from 89 gifts. Student experiential learning opportunities are making history, too. This year, our campus launched CATTs (Cougars & Tigers Together) in partnership with Clemson University and The Boeing Company. Last fall, Clemson students spent a week at our campus visiting aerospace companies and learning why Everett is the aerospace capital of the world. This month, our WSUE students traveled to South Carolina to join their Clemson counterparts in presenting final class projects to leaders from both universities and Boeing.
The WSU Everett Engineering Club Rocket Team has reached new heights in competition and their accomplishments have earned them membership in the National Association of Rocketry. True to our mission as preeminent STEM educators, we continue to spark interest in engineering careers through the well-attended Girls Explore STEM program in partnership with Snohomish STEM and Economic Alliance Snohomish County.
We continue with our important work relative to diversity, equity, inclusion, and access. DEI is a fundamental value that impacts and benefits every individual and every aspect of campus life. It is the transformative change needed to create a more equitable culture of belonging and sharing higher education. As a public, urban, diverse campus, WSU Everett has a particular responsibility in this area. Moving into the new academic year, I will pursue a stronger discussion around DEI. From timely, relevant, and meaningful messages to educational programming, social media, and campus-wide events, the conversation around DEI will become an integral part of campus conversation and daily life.
As we look ahead to the summer and fall semesters, we will build on our successes from this past academic year to inspire continued growth. It is essential we remain focused on how we work as a community and champion our community to build leaders, empower student success, create opportunity, and drive progress and change through research and innovation.
Congratulations to the graduating class of 2022, and to all who have taught and supported them. Have a safe and healthy summer!
Go Cougs!
Dr. Paul Pitre, Chancellor
WSU Everett & Everett University Center