CWU News

Central Washington to Join Varsity Cup

Fri, 05 Apr 2013 13:16:48

The Varsity Cup announced today that Central Washington University (CWU) has been selected to participate in the 2013 Varsity Cup National Collegiate Rugby Championship. CWU boasts an 8-0 regular season record in 2012-13 and a #7 national ranking in RUGBYMag.com's all-division rankings.

CWU comes into the Varsity Cup after the forced departure of the University of Utah following a recent administrative suspension of the Utah rugby program.

Miss East Cascades crowned Saturday

Thu, 04 Apr 2013 15:18:29

Lacey Goble of Kittitas County was crowned Miss East Cascades during a Saturday pageant at the Performing Arts Center of Wenatchee. Goble received a $1,500 scholarship from the Miss East Cascades organization and a $500 scholarship waiver from Central Washington University. Contestant Carolyn Hunter of Kittitas County was the first-place winner and received a $500 scholarship.

Read the entire Wenatchee World article here. Photo courtesy of Michael’s Photography, LLC.

Note: Goble and Hunter are both seniors at CWU. Goble, from Montesano, is majoring in elementary education. Hunter, from Sedro-Woolley, is majoring in both law and justice, and sociology. Hunter was also the first-place winner in last year's pageant.

CWU program adds to region’s opera bonanza

Thu, 04 Apr 2013 12:56:31

"We are in the midst of an opera boom here in Central Washington.

"Between the upstart Yakima Valley Opera Company and last year's fully staged production of "The Marriage of Figaro," by the Yakima Symphony Orchestra and the University of Denver opera program, there’s already been more local opera than ever before. Now Central Washington University’s award-winning opera program is getting into the mix with its production of "Die Fledermaus" this weekend alongside the CWU Chamber Orchestra."

CWU Wine Program's "International Woman of Wine" Leaves for France

Thu, 04 Apr 2013 07:35:35

Amy Mumma, Central Washington University's Director of the Institute of Wine, Beverages and Gastronomy, is leaving CWU to pursue wine industry opportunities in France. She will base her activities in Aix-en-Provence, a region that has been producing wine, notably rosé, for more than 2,600 years. Mumma will be leaving at the end of May.

“Although I’m leaving Central, I hope to continue to be a resource to my graduates and the Washington wine industry,” said Mumma, whose extensive contacts in the world of wine have helped further her students’ careers. “I would also like to thank the many people at CWU who have made this program a success.”

“Amy Mumma’s achievements for CWU and for the region have been truly incredible. She has been a tremendous member of our community and will be sorely missed,” said Marilyn Levine, CWU Provost. “I know I speak for the campus when I wish her well during the exciting years ahead and am quite certain that she will continue to contribute to the appreciation and development of the wine industry.”

Mumma developed the World Wine Program at CWU in 2003, which offers academic programs including Global Wine Studies, the only four-year degree in international business in the United States. The program also includes the Wine Trade Professional Certificate, a Professional Sommelier Certificate and a Wine Trade and Tourism minor. In addition, the World Wine program offers training for wine industry members and consumer courses.

Mumma, who holds an MBA in Wine from the University of Bordeaux Business School, the Advanced Certificate of Wine and Spirits from the Wine and Spirit Education Trust in London, and a Diploma of Tasting from the Université de Bourgogne in Dijon, France was awarded the prestigious title, Professional Wine Woman 2005-2006, the top award of the International Wine Women Awards in Paris. In 2008, she was named Western Innovator by the Capital Press and she was recognized in the Congressional Record by Congressman Doc Hastings for her contributions to the wine industry.

Mumma has been involved in the Washington and international wine industry in many roles including education, internships, study abroad programs, judging, presenting and writing about wine. In 2011 and 2012, she was chosen as the chief judge at the International Beverage Exposition and Competition (IBEC) in Shenzhen China, one of the largest beverage conventions in the world.

Media Contact: Valerie Chapman-Stockwell, CWU Public Affairs, 509-963-1518, valeriec@cwu.edu

April 4, 2013

CWU's Big Brass Turns Up the Volume at Regional Conference

Mon, 01 Apr 2013 14:52:01

Central Washington University music students performed well at the International Tuba and Euphonium Association's Northwest Regional Conference at Washington State University in March. The CWU group, led by Curtis Peacock, professor of music-tuba, was the only school to have winners in more than one competition.

Beserat Tafesse, from Redmond, won the Artist Division Euphonium Solo Competition against advanced musicians from the University of Oregon and Vancouver, BC. He was awarded $200 and a $100 gift certificate for music.

CWU's LRAD Brass Tuba-Euphonium Quartet also won the Quartet competition, competing against musicians from University of Puget Sound and University of Oregon. The quartet was awarded $500. The players were Tafesse, Kendra Nye, Monroe; Danny Craig, Roy; and Nick Delmedico, Bothell.

Peacock was featured in the faculty recital. He performed the “Adagio” from his Concerto for Tuba. He also released a new classical recording at the conference, Plog: Three Miniatures - Peacock: Concerto. This recording was made with Larry Gookin, CWU professor of music and director of bands; Dean Snavely, graduate student in band/jazz; and the CWU Wind Ensemble. It can be found online only at iTunes, CDbaby, and Spotify.

NOTE: The euphonium is a tenor-voiced brass instrument that looks similar to a baritone. The name comes from the Greek word, euphonos, meaning “good sound.”

Media Contact: Valerie Chapman-Stockwell, CWU Public Affairs, 509-963-1518, valeriec@cwu.edu

April 1, 2013

Museum of Culture and Environment Hosts "A Better Night with Better Day" Evening Benefit

Mon, 01 Apr 2013 10:16:11

Join Central Washington University's Museum of Culture and Environment (MCE) on April 4 for an evening of music, dancing, drinks, and food to enhance funding for national exhibits. The event features music by A Better Day, a silent auction, and a chance to view new exhibits.

"The fundraiser will help support a range of programs at the Museum, including our outreach to local school groups and our planned exhibitions on the Taylor Bridge Fire, the history of snowshoes, and the I-90 Snoqualmie wildlife passage project," said Mark Auslander, director of MCE and CWU professor of anthropology

“A Better Night with Better Day” will be held at the MCE, 6:30 p.m., April 4, Dean Hall Lobby. Tickets are $15 in advance, $20 at the door. Tickets may be purchased online at www.cwu.edu/theatre/tickets, by phone at 509-963-1429, or in person at the Welcome Center on University Way or at the Wildcat Shop Customer Service desk in the SURC.

For more information, go to www.cwu.edu/museum/better-night.

Media Contact: Valerie Chapman-Stockwell, CWU Public Affairs, 509-963-1518, valeriec@cwu.edu

CWU Opera Ensemble to Perform Die Fledermaus at the Capitol Theater in Yakima

Mon, 01 Apr 2013 09:23:10

Central Washington University's award-winning Opera Ensemble and Chamber Orchestra will perform Johann Strauss's flamboyant masterpiece, Die Fledermaus (in English), at the Capitol Theater in Yakima, on April 6 at 7:00 p.m., and April 7 at 2:00 p.m. The Capitol Theatre, located at 19 S. 3rd St, is a 1920s Pantages-style structure that was restored in 1978 after a devastating fire, and is listed on the US National Register of Historic Places.

Die Fledermaus (The Bat) is set in 1850s Vienna, and features some of Strauss’s most recognizable characters and music. It is a rollicking comedy of errors, with mistaken identities, schemes of payback, and social faux pas, all played against the lush backdrop of Strauss’s brilliant score.

Tickets are available online at capitoltheatre.org, or at the Capital Theatre Box Office, 509-853-2787. Tickets may also be purchased at Tickets West at 800-325-7328. Tickets are $24 for general admission, $12 for students with ID.

Opera is an integral part of the training for Central’s vocal and orchestral students, and no fewer than 100 CWU graduate and undergraduate students will participate in bringing this magnificent work to life—on the stage, in the orchestra pit, and in the wings.

Gayla Blaisdell, professor of music—voice, will direct, and Torrance Blaisdell, also a voice instructor at CWU, will produce Die Fledermaus. Nikolas Caoile, professor, music—orchestral studies, will conduct the CWU Chamber Orchestra. Chantell Ray, CWU alumna and adjunct faculty member, is the choreographer for the opera’s dance scenes.

Media Contact: Valerie Chapman-Stockwell, CWU Public Affairs, 509-963-1518, valeriec@cwu.edu

CTE Presents The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes Radio Theatre

Mon, 01 Apr 2013 08:56:56

Central Washington University's Central Theatre Ensemble brings back thrilling days of yesteryear with a dynamic live radio program, The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes. Enjoy an evening of music, merriment and mystery, as Sherlock Holmes tangles with Professor Moriarty in a dastardly plot featuring deception, skullduggery, and of course, deduction. Sherlock Holmes features the talents of CWU theatre arts students, including Payden Ackerman, a theatre arts master’s student, as Sherlock Holmes, and Josh Nelson, CWU professor of world languages-Japanese, as Professor Moriarty.

The audience will revel in the creativity and ingenuity of a bygone era featuring Big Bands, Bing Crosby, Humphrey Bogart, and Bambi.

In addition, pre-show and intermission entertainment will include rousing renditions of timeless tunes such as “Five Foot Two, Eyes of Blue,” “Makin’ Whoopee!,” and “Someone to Watch Over Me.”

The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes will be performed April 4, 5, 6 at 7:30 p.m., and April 7 at 2 p.m. in the Milo Smith Tower Theatre. Tickets are $10 for general admission, $8 for seniors and students, and $7 for CWU students with ID.

Tickets may be purchased online at www.cwu.edu/theatre/tickets, by phone at 509-963-1429, or in person at the Welcome Center on University Way or at the Wildcat Shop Customer Service desk in the SURC.

All parking is free in CWU lots after 4:30 p.m. and on weekends, except in specially marked spaces (loading zones) and lots designated for residence halls.

Media Contact: Valerie Chapman-Stockwell, CWU Public Affairs, 509-963-1518, valeriec@cwu.edu

April 1, 2013

CWU Athletic Director Finalists Coming to Ellensburg

Thu, 28 Mar 2013 16:16:38

ELLENSBURG, Wash. (March 28, 2013) — The finalists for the position of Central Washington University athletic director have been selected and will participate in Ellensburg community forums, which are open to the public, during the next three weeks. Each forum will be held from 4:30 to 5:30 p.m. A complete resume for each candidate is available here.

Gail Farmer, search committee chair, said, “From a large and diverse pool of candidates, our search committee has selected an excellent set of finalists, all of whom have outstanding experience in intercollegiate athletics. We're excited to bring these highly qualified candidates to campus.”

The five finalists are:

• Dennis Francois, associate director of athletics for external affairs at Drake University in Des Moines, Iowa since 2008. Between 2005 and 2008, he was the director of athletics and recreational sports at Southern Oregon University, in Ashland, and executive director of the university’s Raider Club. Francois’s community forum will be held Wednesday, April 3, in the Hal Holmes Center, Kittitas Room.

• Gary Hyatt, associate athletic director for compliance and academics at CWU since 2009. He was Central’s assistant athletic director for compliance and academics from 2007 to 2009. Between 2000 and 2007, Hyatt was the director of football operations at Southern Methodist University in Dallas, Texas. Hyatt’s community forum is scheduled for Monday, April 8, in the Hal Holmes Center, Teanaway Room.

• Tracee Passeggi, associate athletic director and senior woman administrator at Cal Poly Pomona since 2008. Between 2005 and 2008, she held the same positions at San Francisco State University. Passeggi was also assistant athletic director compliance and varsity sports at Yale University, New Haven, Connecticut, from 2003 to 2005. Passeggi’s community forum will be held Wednesday, April 10, in the Hal Holmes Center, Kittitas Room.

• Greg Waggoner, athletic director/director for development at Western State Colorado University, in Gunnison, Colorado since 2004. Waggoner has served as the university’s athletic director since 1994, and also was its head wrestling coach from 1985 to 1997. In addition, he is a professor of exercise and sport science. Waggoner’s community forum will be held Thursday, April 11, in the Hal Holmes Center, Ellensburg Room.

• Barbara Dearing, associate athletic director for business and financial operations and senior woman administrator at Portland State University since 2008. Between 2004 and 2007, she held the same posts at Longwood University, Farmville, Virginia. She was also head softball coach and physical education instructor at Presbyterian College, Clinton, South Carolina. Dearing’s community forum is scheduled for Monday, April 15, in the City of Ellensburg, Chamber Room.

The person selected, who is expected to start on July 1, will follow Jack Bishop, who is retiring after serving as CWU’s athletic director since 2000.

Media contact: Robert Lowery, CWU Public Affairs, 509-963-1487, loweryr@cwu.edu

CWU to Award $10,000 in Scholarships at the 15th Annual Mariachi Northwest Festival

Thu, 28 Mar 2013 10:03:50

Central Washington University will award $10,000 in music and academic scholarships this weekend at the 15th Annual Mariachi Northwest Festival in Wenatchee. Several two-year scholarships will be available to first-year students in the amounts up to $2,500 per year. CWU Dean of the College of the Arts and Humanities, Marji Morgan, will personally award the scholarships.

“It is an honor to represent Central Washington University at the Mariachi Northwest Festival,” said Morgan. “I am particularly pleased to be able to award scholarships to outstanding students interested in pursuing music studies at Central.”

Scholarship winners will be chosen by the Northwest Festival Organization, and must be entering first-year students who will enroll at CWU for fall quarter 2013.

CWU has also pledged $5,000 to sponsor the festival, which helps with the costs of bringing professional musicians and artists to instruct workshops, and emphasize the importance of higher education to youth and their parents.

The Mariachi Festival benefit concert is the culmination of three days of intensive instruction in mariachi music for students. The festival highlights higher education opportunities while celebrating the musical talents of local students and the professional music instructors from Mariachi Voz de Mexico and international recording artist Beatriz Adriana.

There will be two concerts in the Wenatchee High School Auditorium, on Saturday, March 30. First will be a matinee concert at 2:00 p.m. featuring Mariachi Voz de Mexico, two large Harp Mariachi Ensembles, and Mariachi Huenachi. Tickets will be $15 per person at the door.

The Professional Gala Concert will begin at 7:00 p.m., featuring Beatriz Adriana. On-site tickets will be $30 per person. Pre-sale tickets are $25 per person and are available online at www.mariachinorthwestfestival.com. The can also be purchased in person at Ariana’s Bakery, 818 S. Wenatchee Ave., or the Wenatchee Valley Museum, 127 S. Mission Street, Wenatchee; Latino Marketplace, 730 Grant Road, East Wenatchee; and La Milpa Restaurant in Brewster.

Students from all walks of life thrive at CWU because of programs specially designed to support first-year students such as College Assistance to Migrants Program (CAMP), TRiO, Student Support Services (SSS), and more. Small class size and individual attention from professors also enhance students’ potential for academic success. About 25 percent of CWU students identify themselves as people of color, with more than 10 percent identifying as Hispanic. CWU awards degrees to a greater percentage of Hispanic students than any other state institution in Washington.

Media Contact: Valerie Chapman-Stockwell, CWU Public Affairs, 509-963-1518, valeriec@cwu.edu