When Washington State University Pullman senior Maryum Ajaz graduated from high school, she struggled with self-doubt and lacked direction. It was her uncle, Muhammad Tariq, that reminded her about the power of education, and the doors it could unlock for her future. His words opened her eyes to the possibilities that laid ahead, and the role WSU could play in helping her realize her dreams.

“His certainty about my potential, and his insistence that Pullman could be the place where I discover my future, inspired me to take a leap of faith,” Ajaz said. “I can confidently say that his faith in me was a turning point, and I am thankful to have found my new family at WSU.”

In recognition of Tariq’s influence on Ajaz’s educational journey, he was honored as the Fall 2024 Chosen Coug during a celebratory lunch on Saturday, Sept. 21, at the Elson S. Floyd Cultural Center.

His certainty about my potential, and his insistence that Pullman could be the place where I discover my future, inspired me to take a leap of faith.Maryum Ajaz, senior
WSU Pullman

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Ajaz said her uncle has always been there for her. In her native language, Urdu, she refers to him as “Tariq Chachoo,” which means uncle. It embodies the close bond they share and the respect she has for him. After high school, Ajaz was reluctant to go to college and her uncle was one of the few people that encouraged her to leave her comfort zone and give WSU a try. His nickname for her is “champion of everything,” and while Ajaz did not take it seriously at first, she eventually started to believe in it.

“Despite our family living close to the University of Washington, he has fully embraced the Cougar spirit,” Ajaz said. “He swapped his purple jerseys for crimson and gray, which is a gesture that symbolizes his commitment not just to me, but to the entire WSU community. He is a true Coug!”

‘A story of selfless commitment’

Jeanne Weiler, coordinator of Presidential Initiatives in the Office of the President, has served on the Chosen Coug selection committee for several years and said it is always a highlight of her year. She described Tariq’s nomination as a descriptive story of selfless commitment.

“He is a special, selfless person who is satisfied when others succeed,” Weiler said. “The entire selection committee agreed that truly is a rare trait.”

Lauren Graziano, WSU corporate engagement coordinator, said there were 50 impactful nominations for the award, and as soon as she began reading about Tariq, she knew he should be this fall’s Chosen Coug.

“The story Maryum shared about her uncle illustrated the profound impact of commitment, mentorship, and the power of believing in someone who hasn’t yet found that belief in themselves,” said Graziano. “He not only embodies what it means to be a Coug, he played a pivotal role in Maryum’s journey to becoming a Coug and she embodies those same qualities herself.”

The Chosen Coug Award, managed by Student Affairs, recognizes individuals from across the university system who have made a substantial impact on a student’s experience at WSU.

The Washington State University Press will continue to share the history, culture and creativity of the Pacific Northwest with readers, writing its next chapter under the stewardship of WSU Libraries.

Since its establishment in 1928, WSU Press has been an invaluable resource for the publication of works ranging from academic papers to works of poetry and personal stories. By Editor-in-chief Linda Bathgate’s count, the total works published in the press’ 96-year history total more than 260.

“The continued operation of the WSU Press maintains a significant part of the university’s land grant mission by disseminating research and knowledge to the communities we serve,” Bathgate said.

Preserving the press is about more than publishing books, she contends. It’s about maintaining and furthering relationships with alumni, donors, community members, and historians invested in the region, among others.

For much of its existence, the WSU Press operated as part of University Marketing and Communications. However, budget cuts within the department put the future of the WSU Press into question earlier this year.

Amid the uncertainty, options for preserving the press were explored. Pairing it with the libraries seemed well suited, as other universities like Oregon State and the University of Maryland have academic presses as part of their libraries.

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The WSU Press is about more than giving regional authors an outlet to publish their work. It’s a way for us to bring forward underrepresented voices and overlooked histories, serving as an important form of outreach and education across the region we serve.Provost Chris Riley-Tillman
Washington State University

Trevor Bond, interim dean of libraries, hadn’t planned to lead his first one-on-one with new Provost Chris Riley-Tillman with discussions about the press. However, Riley-Tillman brought it up, and the pair agreed to look at ways to continue its mission amid a collection of WSU Press published works in the provost’s office.

“The WSU Press is about more than giving regional authors an outlet to publish their work,” Riley-Tillman said. “It’s a way for us to bring forward underrepresented voices and overlooked histories, serving as an important form of outreach and education across the region we serve.”

The WSU Press has published several books chronicling the histories of Native and Indigenous groups that have called the Palouse home for countless generations. It’s preparing to bring to press a new book by Roberta “Robbie” Paul — a Nez Perce member who previously served as director of WSU’s Native American Health Sciences program in Spokane — about her family’s experiences with boarding schools.

In addition to launching two new imprints in recent years, Basalt Books and Pines Press, WSU Press’ works achieved critical and commercial success. Montana Modernists, which tells the story of a postwar Western art movement, won the 2023 Joan Paterson Kerr Award from the Western History Association. Author Steve Orsini’s tale of seafaring adventure Nightmare on the Scottie, stood among works by David Sedaris and Mary Roach on the Pacific Northwest Booksellers Association’s bestsellers list last year.

Within the next three years, Bond and Bathgate will be working to find ways to reduce costs associated with the press while finding new opportunities for funding.

With access to a development officer, Bathgate and Bond see opportunities to capitalize on the outpouring of support that arose when the WSU Press’ future was in doubt. The pair are also looking forward to hosting author speaking engagements and book sales in events to increase awareness of the press and its projects in the years to come.

More information about the WSU Press and its catalog is available online.

In celebration of the Washington State University College of Veterinary Medicine’s 125th anniversary, the entire community is invited to visit the Pullman campus for cake, an update from Dean Dori Borjesson, a variety of lawn games, and a showing of the award-winning international film War Tails on Friday, Oct. 4.

Free vanilla, chocolate and gluten-free cake options will be available to anyone in the community from 3–5 p.m. — or until the cake is gone — at the college’s Cake on the Lawn event. The event will take place on the Bustad Lawn in front of WSU’s Bustad Hall, directly across Grimes Way from WSU’s Lighty Student Services Building.

Games and activities will include a digital photobooth, trivia, cornhole, ladder ball and other traditional lawn games. Prizes will be awarded to game winners and Butch T. Cougar is expected to make an appearance.

Following the Cake on the Lawn event the college will host a free screening of the international documentary War Tails from 5–6:30 p.m. in the Compton Student Union (CUB) Auditorium. 

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The film, in line with the college’s Rabies Free Africa program mission to eliminate rabies by 2030, investigates the harsh reality faced by more than 1 million homeless pets in Ukraine and the team working to rescue them. As the dedicated veterinarians and volunteers assemble, their mission becomes saving animals and people from rising rabies cases in the war-torn region.

“Rabies is a preventable disease that takes the lives of tens of thousands each year,” said Dean Dori Borjesson. “Vaccinating dogs is not just a local responsibility but a global imperative. By ensuring widespread canine rabies vaccination in Ukraine, Africa and beyond, we can save both animal and human lives and move closer to eradicating this deadly disease on a global scale.”

Dan Fine, producer of the documentary and WSU alumnus, will introduce the film and a Q&A with College of Veterinary Medicine Dean Dori Borjesson, the film’s main subject Khrystyna Drahomaretska, Adam Parascandola from Humane Society International, and Mark Dyce, WSU alumnus and refugee pet volunteer, will follow.

View the War Tails trailer on YouTube. For more information, email Anna Wheatley at awheatley@wsu.edu.

Yesterday, the Department of History hosted a Blanket Witnessing Ceremony to recognize Washington State University’s relationship with the local Native people and to honor the history of the Pacific Northwest. The ceremony was organized by Ryan Booth, assistant professor, Department of History.

Representatives from the Schitsu’umsh (Coeur d’Alene) Tribe were present to witness and commemorate the moment through participation and speaking in their Indigenous language about the importance of these ceremonial blankets, which are often given in tribal communities as tributes of friendship and to mark important moments and events for the recipient to remember.

“WSU is land-grant institution — it’s on Native land, and therefore, WSU has a special obligation to Native people. I thought the ceremony was particularly important for us to do — to have this moment, to mark and remember and celebrate this relationship, and to build upon this relationship in the future. This blanket represents the long perspective of the relationship that exists between WSU and Northwest tribes,” said Booth.

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The ceremony began with a prayer by Reverend Peter Byrne, SJ and followed with a traditional smudge ceremony conducted by CeCe Curtis-Cook. The smudge ceremony involved the burning of sacred plants treated as “medicine” to cleanse the space and provide a blessing. Guests were also welcome to receive a blessing by smudging.

I thought the ceremony was particularly important for us to do — to have this moment, to mark and remember and celebrate this relationship, and to build upon this relationship in the future.Ryan Booth, assistant professor
WSU Department of History

Tribal Elder, Cindy LaDeaux, shared what she teaches to be the value of blankets. “They mean so much. And that meaning is different for different cultures,” said LaDeaux. There is a story behind each one that serves as a reminder, as a lesson, and as a means to connect to one’s history.  

The Native designed blanket was presented as a symbolic act of the university’s connection to the Native peoples of the area and to serve as a daily reminder of this reverent relationship. The artist of the blanket is Gail White Eagle (Muckleshoot and Chehalis), and she designed it to honor the elk in a traditional Coast Salish design. Booth intentionally selected the blanket from Snoqualmie Tribe-owned, Eighth Generation, as the business offers 100% Native designed products.

Booth conceived of yesterday’s event following a visit to another university that displayed Native art around the campus. As an Upper Skagit, this artistic representation made him feel welcome on the campus.

“My sincerest hope is that we can create that same sort of feeling at WSU for all students and especially for our Native students,” said Booth.

The blanket currently adorns a wall within the history department’s main office as a daily visual reminder of the local Native American history and experience. “It has Indigenized the space and brought life to this building,” said Booth.

Jana Doppa, Washington State University’s Huie-Rogers Endowed Chair Associate Professor of Computer Science and Berry Distinguished Professor in Engineering, will speak on “Artificial Intelligence (AI) to Accelerate Engineering Design and Scientific Discovery” at the upcoming Anjan Bose lecture.

The event is set for Monday, Oct. 7, at 3:10 p.m. in ETRL 101 on the Pullman campus. A reception will follow in ETRL 119.

Doppa, this year’s Anjan Bose Outstanding Researcher award recipient, will present research on AI-driven adaptive experimental design algorithms to solve challenges in sustainability. Some examples of applications could include design of high-performance and energy-efficient hardware to overcome Moore’s law; discovery of high-performing, nanoporous materials for absorbing carbon dioxide from air and storing hydrogen gas for fuel; accelerated design of effective and safe drugs/vaccines at low cost; and cost-effective geologic carbon sequestration to mitigate global warming and climate change.

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Doppa conducts research in artificial intelligence, where he is developing core AI techniques and applying them to emerging application domains including in hardware design, nanoporous materials design, drug discovery, 3D printing, cybersecurity, and agriculture. 

He and his collaborators have received five Best Paper Awards from top-tier venues including the AAAI conference, ACM Transactions on Design Automation of Electronic Systems, ACM/IEEE Embedded Systems Week Conference, ACM/IEEE International Symposium on Low Power Electronic Design. and ACM/IEEE Embedded Systems Week Conference. He is a recipient of an NSF CAREER Award and a Google Faculty Research Award. At WSU, he has received the WSU Faculty Mid-Career Award, the Voiland College of Engineering and Architecture’s Outstanding Junior Faculty in Research Award and the Reid-Miller Teaching Excellence Award.

The Anjan Bose Outstanding Researcher Award was created by the Voiland College of Engineering and Architecture Executive Leadership Board along with friends and alumni to honor Anjan Bose for his service to the college as dean. To acknowledge Bose’s support of faculty scholarship and to honor his internationally renowned reputation for research, the award annually recognizes and rewards the top faculty researcher in the college.

The mariachi music pouring out of Kimbrough Hall rehearsal rooms isn’t a recording. It’s one of Washington State University’s newest musical groups, Mariachi Leones del Monte⁠ — loosely translated by its members as Cougar Mariachi⁠ — practicing on Wednesday evenings.

Many people are familiar with the distinct sound of mariachi: a unique blend of trumpets, violins, and various guitars. Historians believe mariachi originated in Mexico in the eighteenth century. When migrants traveled from Mexico to the United States in the early 1900s to work in the fields, they brought mariachi music.

Today, mariachi music is a staple in agricultural towns throughout central Washington, including Wenatchee, where WSU seniors Natalie Valdez and Daniela Alpire went to high school together. They say it is nearly impossible to attend a birthday party, a wedding, or a graduation without being entertained by a mariachi band. Valdez and Alpire played guitar together in their high school’s mariachi band, where Alpire also sang.

“Practicing and performing mariachi was a big part of our lives,” Alpire says. “When Natalie and I came to WSU, we missed playing music together and the camaraderie associated with being in a mariachi band.”

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Alpire and Valdez formed Mariachi Leones del Monte in spring 2023 and interest in the band (also a registered student organization) is proliferating. Its 17 members are invited to perform at celebrations across campus and occasionally play at community events such as Pullman High School’s Multicultural Night.

What I love about the music is how it describes the love of the land, the people, and national pride in Mexico. To me, that’s what sets mariachi apart from other genres.Darryl Singleton, band advisor and violinist, and assistant professor of Black music, social justice, and jazz percussion
WSU School of Music

Through its partnerships with WSU’s College Assistance Migrant Program, the Chicanx Latinx Student Center, the Undocumented Student Center, and the student organization MEChA, the band has been able to purchase instruments and suits, called trajes, making it easier for students to join.

“These things are expensive to buy, and we can provide them at no cost to students,” Valdez says. “And we don’t turn anyone away who wants to play in the band, even if they are just learning to play an instrument.”

That even applied to the band’s advisor and violinist, Darryl Singleton. The assistant professor of Black music, social justice, and jazz percussion in WSU’s School of Music is very familiar with mariachi, having lived in Mexico for an extended time. Still, he did not know how to play the violin when he joined the band.

“My leadership style is to be an active leader, and the students know that whatever I ask them to do, I am willing to do it along with them,” Singleton says. “The band needed another violinist. I’m probably the worst violinist in the group, but it gives me a deeper connection with the students.”

Singleton says mariachi’s many different styles, including the fast-paced polkas, waltzes, and love songs, keep listeners on their toes and entertained.

“What I love about the music is how it describes the love of the land, the people, and national pride in Mexico,” Singleton says. “To me, that’s what sets mariachi apart from other genres.”

Alpire says the songs speak to the traditions and struggles Mexican people have experienced. Yet the band makes sure to leave their audiences feeling good and empowered.

“Being able to project a feeling of joy is one of the biggest aspects of mariachi,” Alpire says. “We try to bring a positive energy to our audiences and encourage them to clap, dance, and sing along if they want to.”

Senior Trina McConnell is one of the many students who have benefited from the Disabled Student Center on the Washington State University Pullman campus during its first year of operation. She said it is a valuable space where students are connecting with others, finding and sharing resources, and socializing in a place they feel safe.

That is exactly what the working group under the direction of the vice chancellor for Student Affairs envisioned in 2023 when it came together to explore the feasibility of establishing the center. The center opened its doors in the Washington Building that summer and will officially celebrate its first anniversary from 3–5 p.m. on Thursday, Oct. 17, exactly one year since holding its grand opening. The WSU community is invited to drop by the center in room 223, enjoy snacks, and visit with staff and students.

 “I think the biggest accomplishment for the center so far has been that students, whether they have a visible or invisible disability, feel it is a place on campus where they can be themselves,” said Roberto Morales, associate director of student services at the Access Center. “We look forward to hearing ideas from others about where the center can grow from here.”

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Forging partnerships across campus

The center is staffed by a part-time coordinator, an assistant student coordinator, and three Cougar Compass mentors. McConnell is serving as both the assistant student coordinator and a Compass Mentor. She said the space has been invaluable for providing a place where the mentors can meet with their mentees.

The center is also a place where students are engaging with faculty and staff. Morales said center staff have forged partnerships with departments such as the Academic Success and Career Center, Student Financial Aid, the Residence Life Social Justice Committee, and the Dean of Students Office care team, which have conducted workshops or held office hours in the center.

While there have been many successes, Morales and McConnell said more work lies ahead before the center realizes its full potential. Not only would staff like to see more students utilize the space but want allies to know they are welcome in the center too. McConnell said staff are still determining what kinds of programming students would like to see on a consistent basis and are continually working to gather student feedback. On her wish list for next year are more resources for outreach efforts, healthier snacks in the center, and front-desk staff.

McConnell said students may not be aware or fully appreciate that WSU is on the cutting edge when it comes to providing a center for disabled students, but she recognizes it is making a positive difference in her life.

“Some days I come into the center feeling rotten and socially anxious,” McConnell said. “After I’ve had a chance to interact with the students and staff there, I always leave in a much better mood.”

PULLMAN, Wash. — The 80-foot Cosmic Crisp® hot air balloon and its junior remote-controlled sibling are slated to fly over Washington State University’s Pullman campus Tuesday, Oct. 22, as part of a two-day celebration of healthy eating and activity.

The Cosmic Crisp® Day visits are planned in partnership with the women’s tennis team, the WSU Athletics Performance Nutrition program, and the College of Agricultural, Human, and Natural Resource Sciences (CAHNRS).

“This event celebrates one of the most popular apples in the world, created right here at WSU,” said Lindsay Brown, associate athletics director for performance nutrition. “We’re excited to showcase our student-athletes and share fan-favorite apples along with recipes and samples that we hope inspire others to fuel their day with good nutrition and healthy activity.”

Events begin at 9 a.m. Monday, Oct. 21, at Hollingbery Fieldhouse, with a pickleball expo and apple sampling featuring the women’s tennis team as well as Tyson McGuffin, former ranked tennis player turned professional pickleball star and Cosmic Crisp® ambassador.

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The Cosmic Crisp® hot air balloon visit follows on Tuesday, beginning with a sunrise apple and coffee gathering, 6:30–7:30 a.m. at Mooberry Track. Originally planned for Monday, the balloon visit was moved to Tuesday, with takeoff planned for 7–7:30 a.m.

The balloon will return to Mooberry Track for a public sampling of apples and healthy recipes with the WSU Athletics Performance Nutrition program from 10–11:30 a.m. Tuesday. Also Tuesday morning, a one-story-tall remote-controlled balloon will hover tethered at Terrell Mall, while a Cosmic Crisp® balloon-shaped inflatable display will help draw visitors to the Cougar Pride statue on Stadium Way.

The balloon visit was originally planned for Monday; inclement weather forecast for that day has delayed the flight and outdoor activities to Tuesday.

“The Cosmic Crisp® hot air balloon brings the inspiration to dream big and creates meaningful connections for thousands of people at festivals each year,” said Kathryn Grandy, chief marketing officer for PVM, the marketing company for the apple variety. “We’re thrilled to bring that same excitement to the Pullman campus.”

The visit is part of an ongoing, industry-organized marketing effort for Cosmic Crisp®. Hauled by van, the craft follows balloon festivals around the country that coincide with favorable weather.

Now the number-seven bestselling apple in the U.S., Cosmic Crisp® is a juicy cross of Honeycrisp and Enterprise that was first bred at WSU’s Wenatchee Tree Fruit Research and Extension Center.

WSU owns the patent on the apple as well as the Cosmic Crisp® trademark. Part of the sale of each box supports scientific discovery at the university. WSU scientists continue to study best practices for the apple’s horticulture, harvest, and storage.

“What started as an idea at WSU has grown to become one of the best-selling apples in the U.S.,” Grandy said. “At the core of this brand is a tremendous amount of Cougar pride.”

Learn more about the Cosmic Crisp® apple at cosmiccrisp.com.

Washington State University’s largest in-house employee development event, Elevating Cougs, will be held Oct. 22–23. The virtual conference, organized by HRS’ Learning and Organizational Development and Modernization, offers WSU staff a unique opportunity to expand their personal, professional, and Workday skills in sessions primarily developed and led by their peers. Elevating Cougs is free to attend for all WSU employees.

The inaugural Elevating Cougs conference last year welcomed nearly 800 WSU staff and faculty attendees and 92 speakers representing WSU as well as other universities and organizations.

Sessions from the 2023 event are still available for viewing in Percipio.

The 2024 conference’s session catalog offers WSU employees the opportunity to tailor their conference agenda to their desired learning goals, with many sessions the result of feedback and suggestions received following the 2023 event. Attendees may choose from over 50 sessions across three distinct learning tracks, encompassing subjects such as personal and professional development, leadership, teamwork and culture, Workday skills and resources, and more.

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In addition to sessions within the Leading as a Coug, Developing as a Coug, and Workday Success Stories tracks, this year’s event also features several cross-track presentations, highlighting how WSU employees, systems, and ideas are connected. These sessions include:

• A.I. in the Cougar Workplace: A Panel Discussion for WSU Employees
  This panel discussion brings together WSU experts and leaders to discuss AI in the university workplace and answer questions about how WSU staff can effectively and ethically leverage AI in their jobs.
• Onboarding New Employees: Finding Essential Resources
  Starting a new job can be overwhelming for both new hires and managers. In this session, learn where to find essential resources and how to effectively guide new employee through their first day, first week, and first 30 days.
• WSU Org Structure
  This session provides an overview of supervisory organization (sup org) structure at WSU, and dives into how sup orgs and Workday security roles inform routing processes.

Over 500 WSU employees have already registered for Elevating Cougs 2024. Registration is currently open and will remain available throughout the conference for those who may choose to attend last-minute. Employees who plan on attending but have not yet registered are encouraged to do so at their earliest convenience, to allow more time to review the conference schedule, bookmark sessions they’re interested in, and explore the Zoom Events platform. Registered attendees may also review these “Know Before You Go” guidelines ahead of the event to learn more about what to expect from the conference experience.

Staff and faculty interested in attending this year’s conference can learn more about the event, explore the session schedule, and register now at the Elevating Cougs 2024 web page. Reach out to the conference organizers at hrstraining@wsu.edu for any questions about the event.

The Muslim Student Association has partnered with Washington State University to establish a scholarship to support refugee students.

Tahsina Yeasmin (Sarah), president of MSA and a pre-med double major in biology and neuroscience, along with student leaders and WSU leadership worked together over the summer to seek funding for a refugee scholarship.

The student group initially discussed the idea of WSU divesting from businesses connected to military arms used in Gaza. But in a meeting with Mike Connell, vice president for advancement and CEO of WSU Foundation, the group learned that the way WSU Foundation investments are structured, divestment was impractical in principle for their focus, and the discussion pivoted to creating a scholarship.

Kimberly Holapa, senior associate vice chancellor with Student Affairs, said, “It became really evident that our students wanted to focus on the humanitarian aspect as opposed to the political.”

The scholarship will be donor-funded and linked on the WSU Foundation webpage. It will also be highlighted during conversations with donors. The scholarship will support prospective students who are refugees from their home countries. The scholarship will not be limited to one country or group but will focus on prospective students who otherwise wouldn’t have a chance at academia. The hope is to garner enough donations to support at least one refugee student for a full-ride 4-year undergraduate degree, which would require approximately $57,000.

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The new scholarship fund is also intended to support and expand WSU’s mission of inclusion and remove the financial barrier to obtaining higher education.

In the past two years, WSU International Programs has helped resettle four families that were refugees from Afghanistan. This scholarship will continue the efforts to make the Pullman campus even more accepting of refugees. Most refugee students who attend WSU typically come in as resident undergrads after seeking refuge in the US as high schoolers, or earlier. WSU has many resources for students fleeing foreign conflict such as the Undocumented Student Center, First Generation Center, Intensive American Language Center, Office of Multicultural Student Services, and the International Center.

Yeasmin said she was encouraged by WSU’s responsiveness and willingness to cooperate and create the scholarship. She said she hopes the funding grows and can afford to cover multiple refugee students’ pursuit of affordable education.

“Student leaders often underestimate the power they have. ‘What can I do, I’m just president of yadda-yadda club,’” she said. “You have a position the university values. The universities are also diverse because of these clubs.”

One scholarship can’t end the issues that lead to displacement, but it can make a huge difference in one student’s life.

“If you want change you have to work for it,” she said.