aerial view of Western's campus at night, with golden lights surrounded by dark trees

Western Washington University Names 2011 Outstanding Graduates

Contact: Office of University Communications, (360) 650-3350

BELLINGHAM – Western Washington University honored its Outstanding Graduates for the 2010-2011 academic year at spring Commencement Saturday, June 11.

Faculty members from each academic department select one graduate to honor as the Outstanding Graduate of the year. Selection is a high honor based on grades, research and writing, service to the campus and community, and promise for the future.

This year’s Outstanding Graduates include:

ANACORTES

Liddle

Chemistry Outstanding Graduate Jennifer Liddle, daughter of Doug and Bev Liddle of Anacortes, earned a Bachelor of Science degree, magna cum laude, in Biochemistry. Liddle was homeschooled and attended Skagit Valley Community College while working full time. Liddle, a former piano teacher, for a decade has been an assistant youth choir director for her church in Anacortes, where she also is the pianist for the adult choir. At Western, Liddle has been a lab teaching assistant in both the Chemistry and Biology departments. She has also volunteered in other teaching capacities, including the Science Olympiad Program at Mount Baker Middle School, where she assisted seventh- and eighth-grade students with research techniques and experimental design, and with Skagit Literacy in Mount Vernon, designing and teaching a curriculum for adult English language learners. Liddle plans to attend the University of Colorado-Boulder in the fall to earn her doctorate in biochemistry. The oldest of 10 children, Liddle says she’s always been drawn to teaching roles, but didn’t know she loved the sciences until taking classes and working in an undergraduate research lab at Western. After earning her doctorate, Liddle hopes to become a professor at a research university that offers students high-quality experiences in both teaching and research. She also wants to help improve the public’s understanding of science.

BELLINGHAM

Crow

Chris Crow, the Outstanding Graduate in both Management and Liberal Studies, earned a Bachelor of Arts degree, magna cum laude, with a double major in International Business and History of Culture. He was also a student speaker at Commencement. Crow, the son of Mike and Katie Crow, currently of Beijing, graduated from Trinidad High School in Trinidad, Colo., and attended Trinidad State Junior College. He helped reshape Western’s Sigma Iota Epsilon, an honorary fraternity for management students, into the Viking Inter-Club Initiative, a student consulting group. He also helped launch Occam’s Razor, a new student-operated scholarly journal. Outside of Western, Crow served on the board of the Whatcom Peace and Justice Center. He also traveled to Denmark in 2009 to attend the UN Climate Change Conference as a journalist for Investigate West, a nonprofit journalism organization. After graduation, Crow will move to the Indonesian island of Saparua to work as an English teacher and in community development on a Fulbright fellowship. He hopes to make a career in international diplomacy.

BELLEVUE

Rose

Journalism Outstanding Graduate Carey Rose earned a Bachelor of Arts degree, cum laude, in Visual Journalism. At Western, Rose was on the President’s List for outstanding grades, was twice named Photographer of the Year by the Western Front and won a Special Leadership award from the student-run newspaper. As a staff member of the quarterly student-run Klipsun magazine, Rose was a story editor and designer and received an Outstanding Contributor award for his writing and photography. Rose is the son of Robert Rose and the grandson of the late Kenneth Rose, both photographers in Bellevue. He will intern at Seattle Met magazine for summer 2011.

Quarre

History Outstanding Graduate Jacqueline Quarre earned a Bachelor of Arts degree, magna cum laude, with a double major in History and Environmental Policy. She served as a teaching assistant in U.S. History and Environmental Policy courses and presented her senior thesis, “Civic Involvement in Washington State Gray Wolf Management,” at Western’s Scholars Week. Quarre is a graduate of Newport High School and is the daughter of Richard and Constance Quarre. She received a Harold and Lyla Lant Scholarship, a History Department Scholarship and a Presidential Scholarship. This August, Quarre will attend the University of Oregon School of Law where she plans to focus on environmental and natural resource law and pursue a career as an environmental lawyer.

Smith

Outstanding Graduate in Recreation Rose Smith earned a Bachelor of Arts, cum laude, with a major in Outdoor Recreation and a minor in French. The daughter of Annelies Smith and Douglas Smith of Bellevue, Smith is a graduate of Bellevue High School. Smith worked as a trip leader and equipment shop coordinator for the Outdoor Center and was also a field instructor of the Aspen Achievement Academy, leading at-risk youth on eight-day wilderness backpacking trips. She also worked in outdoor education programs for students from elementary school to college-age. Smith is a trained Wilderness First Responder and has extensive backcountry skills. This summer, she will lead outdoor adventure trips for teenage girls in Montana and Washington. Then she plans to move to Utah to work as a wilderness therapy field instructor, taking at-risk youth on backpacking trips as they pursue treatment with a counselor.

BLAINE

Gumley

Special Education Outstanding Graduate Chelsea Gumley earned a Bachelor of Arts in Education degree, magna cum laude, in Special Education with a minor in Elementary Education. A graduate of Blaine High School, Gumley is the daughter of Kimm and Mark Gumley of Blaine. At Western, Gumley was president of Western’s chapter of the Council for Exceptional Children, was selected to present her work at Scholar’s Week two years in a row and was a member of the collegiate honor society Phi Kappa Phi. A volunteer for the Special Olympics, Gumley also interned at Carl Cozier Elementary School in Bellingham and at Cascadia Elementary School in Ferndale. Gumley plans to teach special education at the elementary level in Washington state or British Columbia.



BOTHELL

Briscoe

University Honors Program Outstanding Graduate Leeann Briscoe earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in Psychology and a minor in Spanish. Briscoe is a graduate of Bothell High School and the daughter of Daryl and Terry Briscoe. After graduating, Briscoe plans to serve with an AmeriCorps program in the Federal Way Public School district while applying for graduate school to earn her master’s degree in school counseling.
Wagner

Theatre Arts Outstanding Graduate Joseph Wagner earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in Theatre Arts-Lighting Design. Wagner is a graduate of Bothell High School and has worked on 12 theatre productions at , including seven as a lighting designer. Wagner has also designed a show at the Bellingham Theatre Guild as part of an internship. After graduating, Wagner plans to work on the tech crew at the new Snohomish School District Performing Arts Center before applying to graduate school for the fall of 2012 to continue his studies in lighting design.

BREWSTER

dzóܱ

American Cultural Studies Outstanding Graduate Laura Mónica dzóܱ García earned a Bachelor of Arts degree with a double major in American Cultural Studies and Spanish and a minor in Women Studies. dzóܱ is a graduate of Brewster High School and the daughter of Florencia García and Eduardo dzóܱ. dzóܱ was an active member of the Ethnic Student Center, the Student Coalition for Immigrant Rights, MEChA, the Latino Education Achievement Project and the Washington DREAM Act Coalition. She also helped develop a new minor, Raza Latina Studies, at Western and presented it at the National Association for Ethnic Studies conference in 2008. She helped facilitate the Migrant Youth Leadership Conference and started her own mentoring project at Emerson Alternative High School in Mount Vernon. After graduating, dzóܱ will attend Loyola University Chicago as a graduate student in their Higher Education Masters Program. She will also serve as a graduate assistant at Loyola’s Department of Student Diversity & Multicultural Affairs.

CAMANO ISLAND and FERNDALE

Remaklus

Elementary Education Outstanding Graduate Ursula Remaklus graduated in March and earned a Bachelor of Arts in Education, cum laude, with a major in Elementary Education and an early childhood education endorsement. Remaklus, the daughter of Bob and Amy Schroepfer of Camano Island and the wife of Justin Remaklus, was homeschooled and attended Skagit Valley College. Now a Ferndale resident, Remaklus interned in the Western Child Development Center and in a first-grade classroom at Blaine Primary School. She also serves as a board member and stage manager for Lyric Light Opera of the Northwest. Since graduating in March, Remaklus has been a substitute teacher in elementary and pre-schools and is considering starting a preschool in Whatcom County.

EATONVILLE

Jackson

Communication Outstanding Graduate Josephine Jackson earned a Bachelor of Arts degree, cum laude, in Communication with a Spanish minor in March. Jackson is a graduate of Eatonville High School and the daughter of John Jackson and the late Catherine Jackson of Eatonville. In 2011, she was a Presidential Scholar for the College of Humanities and Social Sciences and a member of the Phi Kappa Phi Academic Honor Society. She was nominated twice to represent the Department of Communication for Scholars Week in 2009 and 2010 and was named to the President’s List for Outstanding Academic Scholarship in 2008. In 2010, Jackson was a member of a four-person team representing Western at the World Universities Peace Invitational Debate in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. Her paper on intercultural communication was accepted to the 2011 Northwest Communication Association annual conference. Jackson now plans to earn a master's degree at the International Relations School at the University of St. Andrews in Scotland. She aspires to work for the U.S. Foreign Service.

EVERETT

Clark

Economics Outstanding Graduate Eli Clark earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in Economics and a Bachelor of Science in Mathematics, magna cum laude. A graduate of Everett High School and Everett Community College, Clark is the son of John and Heather Clark. At Western, he was the event coordinator for the Economics Association. He plans to study Economics in graduate school.

FEDERAL WAY

Summerfield

Accounting Outstanding Graduate Brooke Summerfield earned a Bachelor of Arts degree, magna cum laude, in Accounting with minors in Spanish and Business Administration. Summerfield is a graduate of Todd Beamer High School and Highline Community College and the daughter of David and Maria Summerfield. Summerfield was the 2011 Presidential Scholar for Western’s College of Business and Economics, the reporting secretary for Beta Alpha Psi and a student leader at INN University Ministries. She volunteered as an income tax preparation assistant, with Western’s Accounting Tutorial Center, and in Sehome High School Spanish classes. Summerfield’s other achievements include earning the Clothier and Head Scholarship and being part of the winning team at KPMG’s Case Competition. After graduating, she will intern at Deloitte Tax LLP and begin the Masters of Accounting program at the University of Washington in the fall.

FERNDALE

Mesikepp

Mathematics Outstanding Graduate Tim Mesikepp earned a Bachelor of Science degree, magna cum laude, in Mathematics. Mesikepp is a graduate of Ferndale High School and the son of Urve Lisa Mesikepp and the late Peter Mesikepp. He worked as a tutor in the Math Center from 2009 to 2011 and was awarded a Math Memorial scholarship, a Whatcom Educational Credit Union scholarship and a Mathematics Department tuition waiver and for 2010-2011 school year. After graduation, Mesikepp will stay at Western to earn his master’s degree in Mathematics and work as a teaching assistant in the department.

FULLERTON, Calif.

Wilson

Financial and Marketing Outstanding Graduate Jason Wilson earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in Marketing. Wilson is a graduate of Tartan Senior High School in Oakdale, Minn., the son of Kent and Lynn Wilson and the husband of Emily Wilson. Wilson completed six internships while attending Western, including a marketing internship at the BIG Idea Lab in Bellingham, where he helped several startup technology companies launch their business. He was also president and founder of the Chapter of Collegiate DECA during his senior year. Meanwhile, he worked more than 50 hours a week, including the night shift at a group home for developmentally disabled adults, to support his family while attending college. After graduating, Wilson plans to travel and start work with an advertising agency in Seattle.

GRANITE FALLS

Baker

English Outstanding Student Rebecca Baker earned a Bachelor of Arts degree, cum laude, in English Literature and a minor in TESOL. Baker is a graduate of Granite Falls High School and Yakima Valley Community College and the daughter of Dianne Baker. After graduating, Baker plans to move to Queretaro, Mexico to teach English. She had previously lived in Mexico as part of a TESOL study-abroad last summer. Upon returning from Queretaro, Baker plans to earn a doctorate in new media, queer studies, gender studies, postmodernism or world literature. After earning her master’s degree, Baker would like to continue traveling and teaching English in several countries or serve in the Peace Corps before becoming a university professor of English literature.

KENT

Schmalz

Computer Science Outstanding Graduate Scott Schmalz earned a Bachelor of Science degree, magna cum laude, in Computer Science with a minor in Mathematics. Schmalz is a graduate of Kentridge High School and is the son of John Schmalz of Virginia Beach, Va., and Alison Harrison of Kent. In 2011, Schmalz also received his Web Programmer Certification. His scholarships and honors include the Microsoft Award for Excellence in Computer Security Coursework, the Outstanding Service and Distinguished Scholar awards from the Computer Science Department, and the Kaiser-Borsari Educational Foundation Scholarship. As a Liberty Mutual Summer Scholar, Schmalz served as an intern at Liberty Mutual Group. At Western, he worked as a Computer Science mentor, teacher’s assistant, a web developer for the Communications Department and as a technical consultant at the ATUS Help Desk. After graduating in March, Schmalz moved to Portsmouth, N.H. to begin his career with Liberty Mutual in their technical development program.

KOTLIK, ALASKA

Akaran

Kinesiology and Physical Education Outstanding Graduate Nicole Akaran earned a Bachelor of Arts degree, cum laude, in Physical Education and Health. Akaran is a graduate of Mt. Edgecumbe High School in Sitka, Alaska, and the daughter of Michael Akaran of Kotlik, Alaska and Susan Evans of Tucson, Ariz. President and founder of ’s Physical Education Majors Club, Akaran was a practicum teacher at the elementary, middle and high school levels and an instructor for sports such as pickleball, volleyball and girls basketball. She served as assistant girls’ basketball coach at Sehome and Kotlik high schools and helped officiate events such as Junior Ski to Sea and Special Olympics. After graduating, Akaran will move to Centralia to attend Saint Martin’s University, earn her master’s degree in guidance and counseling, and find a job as a physical educator and health teacher.

LANGLEY

Community Health Outstanding Graduate Amelia Cave will complete a Bachelor of Science degree this summer with a major in Community Health and a minor in Spanish. The daughter of John and Jaryl Cave of Langley, she is a graduate of South Whidbey High School. At Western, Cave helped create a social marketing campaign to promote WesternWellness, an online health information source, and helped develop a focus group study exploring the occurrence of cyber bullying on Western’s campus. She also worked as a peer health educator in the Alcohol and Other Drug Risk Reduction Group with Western’s Prevention and Wellness Services. As a research assistant with the Critical Junctures Institute in Bellingham, Cave helped build a community health assessment. She is also a volunteer assistant nutrition educator for the Food $ense program of the Washington State University Cooperative Extension and volunteers at the Bellingham Food Bank. She plans to work as a health educator and is considering attending graduate school to study global or public health.

LONGVIEW

Berger

Political Science Outstanding Graduate David Berger earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in Political Science, magna cum laude, with a minor in Environmental Policy. Berger is a graduate of Mark Morris High School and is the son of Michael and Barbara Berger of Longview. Berger was on the President’s List every quarter and earned a 4.0 GPA. He was also named to the National Society of Collegiate Scholars, the Phi Kappa Phi Honor Society and Pi Sigma Alpha, the National Political Science Honor Society. He was president of a student political association supporting a candidate to Whatcom County Council and served as a teaching assistant in the Political Science department. Berger will attend the Seattle University School of Law which awarded him a Trustee Law Scholarship.

East Asian Studies Outstanding Graduate Matthew Earnest earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in East Asian Studies with minors in Chinese and Linguistics. Earnest is a graduate of R.A. Long High School and Lower Columbia College and is the son of David Earnest and Melinda Earnest of Longview. Though he struggled at first to learn the Chinese language, Earnest earned the Outstanding Chinese Minor Award. After graduating, Earnest plans to apply for the Air Force Officers Training Program, teach English in China or Taiwan, or join the Peace Corps.

MERCER ISLAND

Barnow

Psychology Outstanding Graduate Zoe Barnow earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in Psychology. Barnow is a graduate of Mercer Island High School and the daughter of Felice Barnow and Rick Posmantur. Barnow works for the Womencare Shelter as part of the advocate relief staff, answering the 24-hour emergency hotline and working one-on-one and in groups with clients to discuss housing options and goal-setting. The recipient of the Presidential Scholarship and the Adams Woodring Scholarship, Barnow co-authored a study of “relationship satisfaction” that was published by the Journal of Family Psychology in 2011. She also presented the study at the 2010 Association for Psychological Science Conference in Boston. After graduating, Barnow, who is a caregiver for adults with developmental disabilities at Evergreen Supported Living, will continue to live and work in Bellingham then attend graduate school in the San Francisco area to earn a doctorate in psychology. She plans to pursue a career as a therapist.

MOUNT VERNON

Holmstrom

Decision Sciences Outstanding Graduate Natalie Holmstrom earned a Bachelor of Arts degree, magna cum laude, in Operations Management. The daughter of Mike and Sandy Holmstrom of Mount Vernon, she is a graduate of Mount Vernon High School and Skagit Valley College. Holmstrom interned at The Boeing Co. during the summer of 2010 and was selected to attend the College of Business and Economics Leadership Luncheon in 2011. She is also a recipient of the Karen Freeman Seattle Business Forum Scholarship and a member of Beta Gamma Sigma, the international honor society for business students. In July, she will begin a fulltime position with Boeing.

NORTH BEND

Geology Outstanding Graduate Joseph Mangano earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Geology with a concentration in Environmental Geology. Mangano is a graduate of Mount Si High School and the son of Vince and Nancy Mangano. Mangano spent a summer volunteering for the Washington State Department of Natural Resources helping with field work and co-authoring a geologic map of the Snoqualmie area. He spent another summer on a National Association of Geologic Teachers/U.S. Geological Survey Cooperative Summer Internship in Portland, Ore., assisting on sediment-transport projects along the state’s coastal rivers. He also spent a quarter studying in New Zealand on a geology field course. After graduating in March, Mangano returned to Portland to continue working for the U.S. Geological Survey and plans to attend graduate school to study fluvial geomorphology.

OLYMPIA

Williams

Anthropology Outstanding Graduate Alexandra Williams earned a Bachelor of Arts degree, magna cum laude, with a double major: Anthropology with an Archeology concentration, and Spanish. A graduate of North Thurston High School, Williams is the daughter of Wes Williams and Karen Williams-Porec of Olympia. While at Western, Williams was enrolled in the Honors Program, managed an archeological lab, helped to identify and catalogue artifacts from prehistoric and historic collections and coordinated a presentation about archeology to fifth-graders who were visiting Western for its Compass 2 Campus mentoring program. She also volunteered on a grave repatriation project. This fall, she’ll attend the University of Montana to enroll in their Cultural Heritage master’s program.

PORT ANGELES

Music Outstanding Graduate Kyle Purnell earned a Bachelor of Music with concentrations in Violin Performance, Viola Performance and Music Composition. The son of Jon Purnell and Sherrie Rogers of Port Angeles, he is a graduate of Port Angeles High School. He was the principal violist in the University Symphony Orchestra and a member of the Scholarship String Quartet. He received many music scholarships including a composition award and the Scholarship String Quartet award. Purnell plans to take a year off of school to practice and continue composing music before applying for graduate school.

SOAP LAKE


Sociology Outstanding Graduate Adrienne Ramm earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in Sociology, magna cum laude, with a minor in Business Administration in December 2010. Ramm is a graduate of Soap Lake High School and the daughter of Gerry Ramm and Teresa Bessett of Soap Lake. She earned a 4.0 GPA at Western and was a member of the Honor Society of Phi Kappa Phi and the Alpha Kappa Delta Sociology Honor Society. Ramm received the Ingeborg Paulus Sociology Scholarship, Demography Scholarship and the Sociology Department Scholarship. Ramm was also part of the student-led study, “What makes a community healthy? Qualitative interviews about health and public policy with county-level elected officials.” She helped design and conduct the interviews, analyze the data and present the group’s findings at the Pacific Sociological Association’s Annual Meeting. Ramm is now an AmeriCorps VISTA volunteer for the International Rescue Committee in Seattle, where she works on community outreach, resource development, special events management and volunteer coordination.

SNOHOMISH

Adams

Communication Sciences and Disorders Outstanding Graduate Chelsea Adams earned a Bachelor of Arts degree, magna cum laude, with a double major in Communication Sciences and Disorders and English Literature. Adams is a graduate of Snohomish High School and is the daughter of Jay and Sheri Adams and Marcie Faaborg of Snohomish. Adams is president of the local chapter of the National Students of Speech Language and Hearing Association and planned a benefit auction for the Communication Sciences and Disorders department, raising more than $14,000 for client fees at the Speech-Language and Hearing Clinic on ’s campus. For three years, Adams was a recipient of the Western Alumni scholarship. She also spent summers volunteering at Camp Korey, an outdoor camp for children with severe medical disabilities. After graduating, Adams will continue at Western to earn her master’s degree in Speech-Language Pathology.

SPOKANE

Bader

Physics and Astronomy Outstanding Graduate Amanda Norell Bader earned a Bachelor of Science degree, cum laude, with a double major in Physics and Chemistry. A graduate of Ferris High School in Spokane, Bader is the daughter of Diane Norell and Craig Bader. Bader received the College of Sciences and Technology’s Women in Science Award, the Chemistry Department’s Ruth Watt Women in Science Scholarship and the college’s Leadership Award. Bader was also president of the Chemistry Club for three years, coordinating several outreach activities on campus and with area elementary school students. In August, she will begin a doctoral program in chemistry at the University of Colorado, Boulder, where she will research the fundamental properties of promising materials for improving technology.

WALLA WALLA

Cains

Environmental Science Outstanding Graduate Mariana Cains earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Environmental Science with an emphasis in Toxicology as well as a minor in Chemistry. She is a graduate of Walla Walla High School. Cains received the Distinguished Scholar Award from Western’s Huxley College of the Environment and was named the Institute of Environmental Toxicology’s Outstanding Student. She was also a member of Western’s national-champion women’s rowing team. Her plans now include pursing a doctoral degree in Environmental Toxicology and studying stormwater toxicity and pesticide chemical mixtures.

WENATCHEE

Biology Outstanding Graduate Logan Volkmann earned a Bachelor of Science degree, magna cum laude, in Biology and a Bachelor of Arts degree in English in March. Volkmann is a graduate of Wenatchee High School and the son of Roger and Susan Volkmann of Wenatchee. Since 2006, Volkmann has earned several scholarships such as a President’s Scholarship, Declan Barron Memorial Scholarship and a Biology Faculty Fellowship. In 2011, Volkmann presented a poster at the West Coast Biological Sciences Undergraduate Research Conference at Pacific Lutheran University. Volkmann will study behavioral ecology in graduate school at Simon Fraser University in Burnaby, B.C., where he will study red foxes in and around the Cascades.

WOODINVILLE

Human Services Outstanding Graduate Jennifer Hagedorn earned a Bachelor of Arts degree, cum laude, in Human Services and a minor in Sociology. The daughter of Tom and Linda Hagedorn of Woodinville, she’s a graduate of Woodinville High School. Hagedorn interned at several organizations including the Department of Corrections, Whatcom Alliance for Healthcare Access and PeaceHealth St. Joseph Medical Center’s Adult Day Health program. She was also a Woodring College of Education Peer Mentor, and co-president of the Students for Social Change, which was Western’s Associated Students Service Club of the Year. She also worked closely with Human Services professors on a scholarly article that will be published soon. This summer, she will be a unit director for a YMCA summer day camp. Then she’ll travel to Ghana for eight months as a public health intern for the Ghanaian government.