VANCOUVER, Wash. — Almost three-quarters of Washington State University Vancouver’s employees chose to donate money to campus programs and projects this year during a campuswide fund-raiser, the highest participation rate in WSU Vancouver’s history and the highest rate this year among any of WSU’s campuses.
Each year, WSU faculty and staff are given the option to donate to campus programs and areas that are of interest to them during the annual Faculty Staff Campaign. This year 72 percent of faculty and staff participated, raising more than $20,000 for WSU Vancouver.
“I’m very pleased by the rate at which WSU Vancouver employees continually give back to our campus,” said Hal Dengerink, campus executive officer and dean. “To me, this signifies a caring attitude toward the success of our students, employees, departments and programs.”
Faculty and staff participation has increased steadily over the years. In 2001, faculty and staff participation was at 70 percent, jumping from 56 percent in 2000. WSU Vancouver employees support various funds including student scholarships, a student emergency fund and art galleries, and they donate noncash items such as books for the WSU Vancouver library. Highly supported areas this year include the Lori Irving Memorial Fund, the Maxine McReynolds Kirmaier Memorial Endowed Scholarship Fund and the Diversity Fund. Others chose to pool money for a department-funded student scholarship or office equipment.
The Lori Irving Memorial fund was established after the untimely death of associate professor of psychology, Lori M. Irving in April 2001. The fund will be used to create a sculpture on campus by local artists, Women Who Weld.
The Maxine McReynolds Kirmaier Memorial Endowed Scholarship was created this year by academic coordinator and instructor for human development Jackie McReynolds, in memory of her mother. The scholarship is aimed to retain human development students that, without monetary assistance, might otherwise drop out of the program.
The Diversity Fund supports lectures, grants and activities geared toward increasing diversity activities and awareness on campus.
For more information, contact Jennifer Crooks, development coordinator, at (360) 546-9604 or crooks@vancouver.wsu.edu.
