Retirement Association Interviews

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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Dean Nicholson interview

Dean Nicholson

Dean Nicholson coached in the athletics department at Central Washington University, 1964-1990.
Dean Nicholson interview

Dean Nicholson

Dean Nicholson coached in the athletics department at Central Washington University, 1964-1990.
James Nylander interview

James Nylander

James Nylander taught in the athletics department at Central Washington University, 1957-1994.
Jim Nylander Video Interview

Jim Nylander

Jim Nylander discusses personal background, problems with the CWU athletic department, P.E. evaluation, student quality, outstanding faculty, student/faculty relations, and committees he served in.
Elwyn O'Dell interview

Elwyn O'Dell

Elwyn O'Dell (1913-1993) taught in the political science department at Central Washington College of Education (predecessor to Central Washington University) from the 1940s to 1970s.
Dolores Osborn interview

Dolores Osborn

Dolores Osborn taught in the business education department at Central Washington University, 1965-1998.
Dale Otto interview

Dale Otto

Dale Otto taught in the education department at Central Washington University, 1971-1998.
Dale Otto Video Interview

Dale Otto

Dale Otto discusses personal history, coming to Central in 1971, off campus work, administration, conflicts at CWU, the salary schedule, faculty code, academic freedom, student preparation, personal contributions, and teaching philosophy.
Robert Panerio interview

Robert Panerio

Robert Panerio taught in the music department at Central Washington University, 1963-1991.
Jim Pappas Video Interview

Jim Pappas

Jim Pappas talks about his early life and school growing up near Chicago and attending University of Chicago and Loyola University. He was a Chicago public school teacher before taking a job at Chicago University before he came to work at Central. He also discusses having several different positions while at Central and the growth and changes in education and teaching online classes.
Tom Parry interview

Tom Parry

Tom Parry taught in the physical education department at Central Washington University, 1966-1986.
Tom Parry Video Interview

Tom Parry

Tom Parry discusses his degrees, academic classes he taught, recruiting football players, coaching duties, athlete eligibility, humorous events, faculty/administration problems, pressure to win games, faculty organization, awards, and personal contributions.
John Pearson Video Interview

John Pearson

John Pearson discusses personal history, getting hired at CWU in Recreational Studies as an Assistant Professor, problems at CWU, town/gown relationships, personal contributions, serving on committees, and family at CWU.
Robert Perkins Video Interview

Robert Perkns

Robert Perkins talks about his time as a faculty member at Central Washington University where he taught Computer Science, Education, Family and Consumer Science, and later Recreation. He also talks about his love of hiking and mountaineering and his trips all over the world to pursue that passion.
Lucille Fulton Peters interview

Lucille Fulton Peters

Lucille Fulton Peters was a student at Washington State Normal School (later Central Washington University), 1926-1929.
Djordje Popovic interview

Djordje Popovic

Djordje Popovic speaks about his involvement with the Diversity Center while a student at Central Washington University, where he graduated in 2002.
Joseph Powell Video Interiew

Joseph Powell

Joseph Powell talks abut his early life and time working at CWU.
Jack Purcell Video Interview

Jack purcell

Jack Purcell discusses being a music teacher in Idaho, being the director of institutional research, being the director of office cooperative education, influential colleagues, Senate, the salary schedule, faculty code, academic freedom, curriculum development, academic changes, building naming, campus emergencies, and racial discrimination.
Jean Putnam interview

Jean Putnam

Jean Putnam taught in the physical education program at Central Washington University, 1967-1992.
Daniel Ramsdell interview

Daniel Ramsdell

Daniel Ramsdell taught in the history department at Central Washington University, 1969-1996.
Daniel Ramsdell Video Interview

Daniel Ramsdell

Daniel Ramsdell discusses personal history, problems at CWU, humorous events on campus, outstanding administration and faculty, building naming policies, and the CWU curriculum.
Naomi Edward Randall interview

Naomi Edward Randall

Naomi Edward Randall attended Washington State Normal School (predecessor to Central Washington University) from 1932 to 1934.
Reino Randall interview

Reino Randall

Reino Randall was a student at Washington State Normal School, 1929-1934, and a faculty member in the art department, 1938-1976.
Reino Randall Video Interview

Reino Randall

Reino Randall discusses personal history, his teaching career, teaching art at Central, salary and salary schedule, teaching course load, humorous events on campus, outstanding students and faculty members, problems at CWU, academic freedom, student/faculty/town relationships, and awards.
Dennis Read interview

Dennis Read

Dennis Read worked in the Physical Plant and Custodian Department at Central Washington University, 1974-1992.