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Jordan Frost honored with inaugural First‑Generation Alumni Excellence Award

Jordan Frost.
Frost

Former student body president and student regent and current Washington educator Jordan Frost received Washington State University’s inaugural First-Generation Alumni Excellence Award, presented by the Office of Academic Engagement (OAE).

First-generation students are those whose parents did not graduate from college with a bachelor’s degree. Frost earned two degrees at WSU: a B.A. in history in 2018, and a Master in Teaching in 2019. While an undergraduate in Pullman, he was elected and served as head of the Associated Students of WSU; as a graduate student, he was selected to serve on the university’s Board of Regents.

In November, Frost was a guest speaker on the topic of “Personal and Institutional Barriers for Academic Achievement” when OAE hosted several events for students, faculty, and staff that were geared toward enlightening people about first-generation students. The programming was offered in association with the National First-Generation Celebration Day, sponsored by the Council for Opportunity in Education and the Center for First-generation Student Success organizations.

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WSU Insider

WSU Vancouver partners with Re‑Imagined Radio to present a holiday tradition

“A Radio Christmas Carol,” a community holiday tradition presented by Re‑Imagined Radio, will return this Christmas Eve via radio rather than as a public performance. Listen to “A Radio Christmas Carol” from 4 to 6 p.m. Dec. 24 for free on KXRW (99.9 FM), KXRY (107.1/91.1 FM) or AM 1310. Online streaming is available through XRAY.FM and KXRW.FM.

John Barber.
Barber

Re‑Imagined Radio is produced by John Barber, faculty member in the Creative Media and Digital Culture program at Washington State University Vancouver. This marks the eighth year for Re‑Imagined Radio’s performance of the popular holiday classic.

“We think ‘A Radio Christmas Carol’ is a community tradition now, and we’re pleased to share it with everyone despite the need to stay socially distanced from one another,” said Barber.

Re‑Imagined Radio is partnering with Metropolitan Performing Arts for vocal performance and KXRW, Vancouver’s independent community radio station, for broadcasting. In addition to the story, the performance will include music and caroling.

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WSU Insider

In difficult times, Clark County Historical Museum is still preserving history

Clark County Historical Museum (CCHM) will wrap up a year of innovation, growth, and success in 2020 with the addition of two new sites to the Clark County Heritage Registry.

As the lockdown continued into the summer, CCHM focused on strengthening operations and collections. The museum launched a new website and online store with assistance from the students from the WSU Vancouver Digital Technology and Culture program.

The Collections team continued to bolster its acquisition and curation systems to ensure the long-term stewardship of items held in its care. Operationally, the museum looked into cost-savings opportunities in its systems and new or expanded development opportunities for the organization; work that will begin rolling out in 2021.

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Clark County Today

Have Tasmanian Devils Turned a Corner in Fight Against Cancer?

The spread of a deadly disease that was pushing Tasmanian devils towards extinction appears to be slowing, researchers say.

They found that the transmissible cancer called Tasmanian devil facial tumor disease is switching from an emerging disease to an endemic one.

Andrew Storfer.
Storfer

“It is cautiously optimistic good news,” said research team leader Andrew Storfer, a biologist at Washington State University.

“I think we’re going to see continued survival of devils at lower numbers and densities than original population sizes, but extinction seems really unlikely even though it was predicted a decade ago,” Storfer said in a school news release.

The findings could help improve understanding of how other emerging diseases evolve in animals and humans, according to the researchers.

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U.S. News

WSU Insider

The Guardian 

National Science Foundation

SESRC celebrates 50 years of social science research

The Social and Economic Sciences Research Center (SESRC) is celebrating 50 years of conducting social science research for Washington State University and others in need of information on people’s opinions and behaviors.

Don Dillman.“Many local residents and people throughout the state were reported as being upset at what students and faculty were doing,” said Don Dillman, deputy director for research and development at the SESRC.

In the midst of this unrest, James F. Short, Jr., founding director of SESRC, and Melvin Defleur, chair of sociology, proposed to President Terrell that they could create a telephone survey laboratory to learn what students and others in the community were thinking. The president agreed. Dillman was asked to form the Public Opinion Laboratory, install phones, hire interviewers, and provide results.

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WSU Insider