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Race, class, and William Julius Wilson’s world of opportunity

By Eric Sorensen

In the middle of the last century, a Tennessee preacher-turned-sociologist, Tolbert H. Kennedy, found a relatively untapped pool of doctoral students among the nation’s black college graduates. Between 1944 and 1965, when Washington State University barely had a few dozen black students, he and fellow ex-preacher Wallis Beasley helped produce more black doctors of sociology than all but two schools, the University of Chicago and Ohio State.

Among them was a young man who went from the hardscrabble coal country of western Pennsylvania to graduate first in his class at Wilberforce, the oldest black college in the country, and get a master’s degree at Bowling Green University. Casting about to study for his doctorate, he fielded fellowship offers from nearly half a dozen universities.

Kennedy, then the head of the Division of Social Sciences, told the student over the phone what it was like at WSU and made it clear that he took pride in having so many outstanding black graduate students. He followed up with letters and calls offering to answer any questions.

“I was so impressed with that attention that I decided to go there,” recalls William Julius Wilson, sitting in one of three offices he keeps at Harvard University. “You have to understand, I didn’t get that kind of attention at the other universities.”  Continue story →

New way to save Africa’s beleaguered soils

By Eric Sorensen, WSU science writer

A Washington State University researcher and two WSU graduates make a case in the journal Nature for a new type of agriculture that could restore the beleaguered soils of Africa and help the continent feed itself in the coming decades.

Their system, which they call “perenniation,” mixes food crops with trees and perennial plants, which live for two years or more.

Thousands of farmers are already trying variations of perenniation, which reduces the need for artificial inputs while improving soil and in some cases dramatically increasing yields. One woman quadrupled her corn crop, letting her raise pigs and goats and sell surplus grain for essentials and her grandchildren’s school fees.

WSU soil scientist John Reganold wrote the article with Jerry Glover (’97 B.S. soil science, ’98 B.A. philosophy, ’01 Ph.D. soil science) of the USAID Bureau for Food Security and Cindy Cox (’00 M.S. plant pathology/phytopathology) of the International Food Policy Research Institute. The article, “Plant perennials to save Africa’s soils,” appears in the Sept. 20 issue of Nature. Continue story →

Pioneering anti-cancer chemist to receive highest honor

George R. Pettit
George R. "Bob" Pettit

By Eric Sorensen, WSU science writer

George R. Pettit, an organic chemist who pioneered the search for anti-cancer compounds in marine organisms as well as insects and plants, has been awarded Washington State University’s highest alumni honor, the Regents’ Distinguished Alumnus Award.

The 1952 graduate (B.S., chemistry) will be will be honored at 1:30 p.m. Thursday, Sept. 20, in the Compton Union Building (CUB) Auditorium at WSU Pullman, where he will deliver a free, public address, “From the Indian Ocean to Global Clinics: Discovering new paths to improve cancer treatment.”

“Those who know of Bob Pettit consider him a pioneer, innovator, and simply a giant in the field of cancer drug discovery,” says Cliff Berkman, a WSU organic chemist who also works on anti-cancer agents. “More than anyone, Bob successfully translated his early fascination with nature’s creations to a professional career devoted to discovering and developing new drugs to battle nature’s most grievous diseases.”  Continue story →

Alum accepts VP position at Langston

Raphael Moffett
Raphael Moffett

Raphael Moffett, the director of campus and community involvement at Trinity University and a Washington State University alumnus, recently accepted a position as the vice president for student affairs at Langston University. He will assume the position Wednesday, Aug. 29.

Moffett, a native of Lacey, graduated from WSU in 2002 with a degree in English education. He earned his master’s and doctorate degrees in educational leadership from Clark Atlanta University.

Prior to working at Trinity University, Moffett worked in residential life at Clark Atlanta University, as an adviser of African-American Student Affairs at Georgia State University, and as director of student life at Morehouse College.

After working in higher education for more than 10 years, Moffett still looks back on his time at WSU fondly and credits some of his success to the University. He told WSU News in an email, “I grew exponentially as a result of my WSU experience, ultimately learning how to be a responsible individual and productive citizen.”

Read more about Moffett and his new position in NewsOK.

Apostle retires, Yeomans named Puyallup superintendent

Tony Apostle

After 37 years in public education, Washington State University alumnus Tony Apostle retired as superintendent of the Puyallup School District. Apostle joined the district in 1990 and was appointed superintendent in 2004. During his time at WSU, Apostle earned his master’s degree in educational administration in 1979 and his D.Ed. in elementary and secondary education in 1989.

More on Apostle’s retirement from the Puyallup School District.

Timothy Yeomans
Timothy Yeomans

The new Puyallup superintendent is another WSU alumnus: Timothy Yeomans. At WSU Yeomans earned his bachelor’s in education, health and physical education in 1986 and his master’s in history, ancient and modern Europe. Yeomans served as the superintendent of Meridian School District in Bellingham before moving to the Puyallup School District.

Read the full article on Yeomans in the Tacoma News Tribune.

[Revised 2/22/2013]