This collection features interviews with former Central Washington University (CWU) students, faculty members, and Board of Trustees members. These interviews were conducted by the Central Washington University Retirement Association (CWURA), which was founded in 1990 “to facilitate the mission and goals of the University and provide for continuing professional, educational and social activities of retired University personnel.” Interviewing began in 1995 and continues into the present. Each CWURA interviewee answered questions about personal background, education and experiences at CWU.
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Ron Sims Interview
Ron Sims
Ron Sims attended Central Washington State College, 1966-1971. He speaks about protests against racial and gender discrimination at Central during the 1960s. Sims went on to serve on the Washington Health Benefit Exchange Board, the Board of Regents of Washington State University, the Puget Sound Leadership Council, and the Board of Directors of the Washington Health Alliance. For twelve years, he acted as Executive for King County in Washington state. From 2009 to 2011, he also served as Deputy Secretary for the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development.
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Duane Skeen Video Interview
Duane Skeen
Duane Skeen discusses personal history, his various assignments at CWU, designing buildings for computer use, general planning of building construction, involvement with students, development of university parking lots, CWU presidents, challenges in building administration, and family at CWU.
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Duane Skeen Video Interview
Duane Skeen
Duane Skeen talks about his early life growing up in Pasco and early work for Square D and Boeing. He discusses his higher education at Central and teaching public school before coming to the University to work as Senior Space Analyst. He later became administrative assistant to Dr. Herrington. He discusses the growth during his time working at Central Washington University.
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Andrea Celine Sledge Video Interview
Andrea Celine Sledge
Andrea Celine Sledge talks about her life before coming to Central Washington University, including her background in reform education after her education at Stanford in Elementary Education and Psychology. She discusses growing ethnic diversity at CWU and other issues in her time at Central Washington University.
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Staci Sleigh-Layman Video Interview
Staci Sleigh-Layman
Staci Sleigh Layman talks about growing up in Washington and then coming to work for Central when her husband took a job here to Ellensburg to pursue her bachelor's degree and then finding full time work at the University. She talks about changes in departments and different jobs over the years. She also discusses changes in society and culture over the years.
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Helen Smith Video Interview
Helen Smith
Helen Smith discusses personal history, being a faculty wife in the 1950s, teaching English, part time teaching, university budget, and acting in a CWU play after retirement.
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Milo Smith interview
Milo Smith
Milo Smith served as a faculty member in the theatre arts department at Central Washington University, 1956-1990.
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Milo Smith Video Interview
Milo Smith
Milo Smith discusses personal history, coming to Central in 1956, teaching aims, censorship of school plays, sabbatical leave, outstanding administrators, and change from division to department. Also discusses growing up in an orphanage, having several different last names, serving in the military, meeting his wife, teaching theatre, student quality, and theatre performances
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Milo and Helen Smith interview
Milo Smith and Helen Smith
Milo and Helen Smith taught at Central Washington University from the 1950s to the 1990s.
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Louise Lancaster Video Interview
Louise Snell
Louise Snell discusses personal history, coming to CWU in 1965, becoming the supervisor of foods, training dining services student employees, presidential dinners, managers, meal cards, special meals, outstanding students, and relatives at CWU.
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Louise Snell interview
Louise Snell
Louise Snell worked in Food Services at Central Washington University, 1965-1986.
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David Soltz Video Interview
David Soltz
David Soltz talks about his time as provost at Central Washington University from 2001 until 2007. He also discusses his earlier background as a faculty biologist and moving into administration. He discusses the Chimpanzee Communication Institute and Roger Fouts. David recalls Jerilyn McIntyre and her tenure as president of CWU and discusses the fact that the faculty of Central Washington University became unionized during her tenure.
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Hugh Spall Video Interview
Hugh Spall
Hugh Spall talks about his early life and attending the University of Montana in the 1960's. Hugh discusses his experiences earning advanced degrees. He also discusses coming to central and working as Professor of Business Administration.
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Gloria Spatafore interview
Gloria Spatafore
Gloria Spatafore worked in Veterans Affairs at Central Washington University during the 1970s and 1980s.
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Sarah Spurgeon interview
Sarah Spurgeon
Sarah Spurgeon (1903-1985) came to Ellensburg from Iowa in 1939 and joined the art department at the college the same year. She took a hiatus from her work at Central Washington College of Education during World War II when she went to work for Boeing as an artist. Following the war, she returned to Ellensburg and continued as a professor until her retirement in 1971.
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Jerry Stacy Video Interview
Jerry Stacy
Jerry Stacy talks about his early life and time teaching at Central including town and gown issues, working with grant,s and other issues during his time as Dean.
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Libby Street Interview
Libby Street
Libby Street served in the psychology and University Advancement departments at Central Washington University between 1979 and 2012.
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Warren Street Interview
Warren Street
Warren Street taught in the psychology department at Central Washington University, 1967-2012.
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John Swiney Video Interview
John Swiney
} John Swiney talks about his life before coming to central. He also discusses his work here as an administrator in enrollment management.
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Ruth Sydow interview
Ruth Sydow
Ruth Sydow worked at the library at Central Washington State College, 1956-1965.
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Ruth Sydow Video Interview
Ruth Sydow
Ruth Sydow discusses personal history, coming to CWU in 1956, sexism on campus, outstanding faculty members, impressions on the library moving into Boullion Hall, campus life, and attitude towards change in university president.
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Ann Thompson Video Interview Part 1
Ann Thompson
Ann Thompson discusses various photos she showed in the interview and family at CWU.
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Philip Tolin Video Interview
Philip Tolin
Philip Tolin discusses personal history, getting hired at CWU, first impressions of CWU, changes in students, political problems on campus, major required courses, switching from Psychology to Law and Justice, town/gown relationships, and final thoughts on CWU.
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Rosco Tolman Video Interview
Roscoe Tolman
Rosco Tolman discusses personal history, arriving at Central as an Assistant Professor of Spanish in March of 1970, employment history, influential faculty, student life, changes in the Foreign Language department, town/gown relations, changes in students, and final thoughts about his time at CWU.
