CWU To Award Honorary Degrees

April 1, 2005

Contact: Robert Lowery (509-963-1487/fax 509-963-2301/e-mail: loweryr@cwu.edu)

ELLENSBURG, Wash. - Central Washington University will award two honorary degrees during CWU's upcoming commencement ceremonies.

Based on recommendations from faculty and president, and approved by the university's board of trustees, the recipients are Dr. Gretta Merwin, Ellensburg School District superintendent, who will be honored at Central's 114th graduation ceremony June 11 in Ellensburg, and former Rep. Jennifer Dunn, who will be recognized at CWU's westside graduation ceremony June 12 at Benaroya Hall in Seattle.

"We are pleased to be able to honor these two women for their outstanding leadership and accomplishments in the areas of education and government service," CWU President Jerilyn S. McIntyre says.

On Merwin's watch, a $28 million bond was passed, allowing for construction of the new Ellensburg High School.

Merwin, who has served as Ellensburg schools superintendent since 1996, has announced plans to retire in May. That will cap a distinguished 43-year education career that began as a public school teacher, media specialist, administrative assistant, assistant principal and principal at elementary, junior high and high schools in Salem, Ore.

Before coming to Ellensburg, Merwin was superintendent of the San Juan Island School District, adjunct education professor at Linfield College, consultant to the Oregon School Boards Association, masters of arts in teaching program supervisor at Willamette University, graduate teaching fellow in the University of Oregon (UO) division of educational policy and management, and superintendent of Oregon's Stayton Union High School and Stayton Elementary districts.

She has served as president of the Washington Association of School Administrators and United Way of Kittitas County, as a board member for the Clymer Museum, Rotary and Kittitas County Health Department, and on the outreach committee for Kittitas Valley Community Hospital.

Merwin earned her Ph.D. in educational administration, in 1993, and a master's degree in curriculum and instruction, in 1978, from UO; school librarian certification, in 1970, from Seattle Pacific University; and a bachelor's degree in secondary and elementary education, in 1962, from Pacific Lutheran University (PLU).

Dunn served as a Republican member of the U.S. House of Representatives from 1993 to 2005, representing Washington's 8th Congressional District, which includes parts of King and Pierce counties.

She served on the House Ways and Means Committee, Joint Economic Committee, Committee on Public Works and Transportation, Committee on Science, Space and Technology, and Committee on House Administration. Dunn was the first freshman House member to hold a seat on the Joint Committee on the Organization of Congress and she was the first woman appointed to the Republican Committee on Committees. In 1998 Dunn also became the first woman ever to run for the position of House Majority Leader. Two years later, she served on the George W. Bush presidential election exploratory committee.

Before being elected to Congress, Dunn served as chair of the Washington state Republican Party from 1981 to 1992. Her accomplishments there led to her involvement with the Republican National Committee, where she was elected vice chair of the Western Region and served as national chair of state party chairmen and chairwomen from 1988 to 1991.

In addition, she was a two-time delegate to the United Nations Commission on the Status of Women, in both 1984 and 1990.

A graduate of Bellevue High School, Dunn holds a bachelor's degree in English literature from Stanford University.

More than 1,200 students, and a crowd of more than 7,000, are expected to participate in CWU's Ellensburg graduation ceremonies, scheduled for 10 a.m. at Tomlinson Stadium.

Meanwhile, more than 200 graduates from CWU-Lynnwood, CWU-SeaTac and CWU-Pierce County, along with friends and family members, will participate in the university's westside commencement.