Leaving a Legacy 2024
LEAVING
A LEGACY
Table of Contents
A new creative space for sound in Fairhaven
Alumni, friends of Western, and members of the Fairhaven College community gathered June 13 to celebrate the opening of the Salish Sea Studio.
The much-anticipated, state-of-the-art audio studio has been years in the making and was made possible by the generosity of Roy Hanson, ’75, B.A., Fairhaven interdisciplinary concentration.
The studio is now available for students to record and engineer music and engage in cultural audio projects such as capturing Indigenous languages and oral histories.
Former owner of Hanson Research Group, Hanson was moved to make this gift out of his love of music and his love of Fairhaven College. In addition to his career in pharmaceutical research, Hanson is a guitarist, playing rock blues, traditional folk, and Irish folk music.
“Part of what you can do in a music studio, and recording, is have impact on the world and try and make this a better place,” Hanson says. “That's really what I'm all about."
Hanson is a long-time supporter of Fairhaven College of Interdisciplinary Studies and has served on the Fairhaven College advisory board.
“I really wanted to put Fairhaven on the map,” he says. “It’s an outstanding college.”
Roy Hanson is a scientist and musician whose donation funded a new audio recording studio at Fairhaven College.
Home Free: Partnership gives students free seats at games
Free student tickets to athletics events have livened up the home-court atmosphere in Carver Gym this year.
The Foundation for WWU & Alumni, WECU, and WWU Athletics combined resources to enable all Western students to attend regular season sporting events for free.
The impact was noticeable, based on the lively crowds in the student section, says Assistant Director of Athletics, Athletic Communications Jeff Evans. “The WECU Student Section was the place to be during the year,” Evans says.
Getting students free tickets was one of the first action items of new Athletic Director Jim Sterk, ’80, who is working closely with campus administration to bring more energy and activity to the center of campus.
“Our games and matches are a part of the many great WWU activities our students can enjoy while showing school spirit,” Sterk says. “We are excited to partner with WECU and The Foundation for WWU & Alumni to offer this opportunity to our student body. It helped create a great homecourt atmosphere in Carver Gym and at all our home events.”
In addition to tickets, students also enjoyed activities courtesy of The Foundation, including free hotdogs, tailgate parties, root beer floats and pizza at basketball games and donuts at volleyball games. Free food and free tickets went out to at least 300 students for each of those events.
Visit wwuvikings.com for athletic schedules, standings, news and more.
And to learn about more ways to support WWU Athletics, reach out to Brock Veltri at 360-650-2406 or at veltrib@wwu.edu.