Western Washington University
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Western Washington University (WWU or Western) is a public university in Bellingham, Washington, United States. The northernmost university in the contiguous United States, WWU was founded in 1893 as the state-funded New Whatcom Normal School, succeeding a private school of teaching for women founded in 1886. The university adopted its present name in 1977.
WWU offers bachelor's and master's degrees and a few doctorates. Template:As of, there were 14,747 students, 13,801 of whom were undergraduate students, and 664 full-time faculty.<ref name="CollegeNav">Template:Cite web</ref> Its athletic teams are known as the Vikings, and compete in Division II of the National Collegiate Athletic Association.
The main campus is on 215 acres in Bellingham.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref> WWU also operates a marine center in Anacortes<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> and academic locations in Everett<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> and the Olympic and Kitsap Peninsulas.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> WWU is accredited by the Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities.
History
In 1886, WWU was established as the Northwest Normal School, a teachers' school predominantly for women although men also enrolled, by Phoebe Judson in Lynden, Washington.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> The school later moved to Bellingham (then "New Whatcom").<ref>Template:Cite book</ref> Governor John McGraw signed legislation establishing the New Whatcom Normal School on February 24, 1893. In 1895, construction began on a permanent school building, now known as Old Main, the current administration building. Designed by prominent Seattle architects Warren Skillings and James Corner, it was completed by early 1897 but could not open to students until funds were secured to install heating, lighting, and do general grounds maintenance, which were not included in the original contract.<ref name="whatcom">Template:Cite news</ref> The first official class entered in 1899, composed of 88 students.
The institution that is now Western Washington University underwent several name changes. The name changed to State Normal School at Whatcom in 1901 to reflect New Whatcom's name change; in 1904 to Washington State Normal School at Bellingham, when the townships of Whatcom and Fairhaven joined; and in 1937 to Western Washington College of Education, when it became a four-year college. In 1961 it became Western Washington State College and in 1977 the school gained university status and adopted its present name.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
The 1960s was a period of especially rapid growth for Western, as its enrollment increased from 3,000 students to over 10,000 during the decade. In 1967, the Fairhaven College of Interdisciplinary Studies was founded, with non-traditional education methods that served as a model for Evergreen State College in Olympia, Washington. In 1969, the College of the Environment, the nation's first dedicated environmental science college, was founded, continuing Western's trend toward "cluster" colleges. That same year, on a spring afternoon, students gained headlines by blocking Interstate 5 to protest the Vietnam War. Also in 1969, the College of Ethnic Studies was established. After being met with significant resistance, it was dismantled in 1978.<ref>Template:Cite journal</ref>
Since this period, the College of Arts and Sciences was founded (1973) and divided into the College of Humanities & Social Sciences and the College of Science & Engineering (2003); the College of Fine and Performing Arts was formed from several art departments (1975); and the College of Business and Economics was established (1976).
Today, WWU has a student body of over 16,000 students. The university is Washington's third largest, after Washington State University and the University of Washington.
Main campus
WWU's main campus is in Bellingham, a city of about 95,000 people, overlooking Bellingham Bay and many of the San Juan Islands. It is Template:Convert north of Seattle, Template:Convert south of Vancouver, British Columbia, and an hour's drive from Template:Convert Mount Baker. The university is close to Interstate 5.
The Bellingham campus is Template:Convert, including the Template:Convert Sehome Hill Arboretum, operated jointly with the City of Bellingham. Campus facilities include an electronic music studio, an air pollution lab, a motor vehicle research lab, a marine research lab, a wind tunnel, and two electron microscopes. Automobile Magazine has called Western "very possibly the best school in the country for total car design".<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
Western also has off-campus facilities at Shannon Point Marine Center in Anacortes, Washington; Lakewood, a Template:Convert student-university facility at nearby Lake Whatcom; and Whatcom County property used for environmental and aquatic analyses.
Public sculpture collection
WWU's collection of outdoor and indoor public sculptures is a major presence on campus. Founded in 1960<ref name="Western_Gallery_about">Template:Cite web</ref> and funded by the Washington State Arts Commission, the National Endowment for the Arts, and private donations, it includes 36 works<ref>About the WWU Outdoor Sculpture Collection Template:Webarchive.
The WWU campus map has a list of sculptures.</ref> by James FitzGerald, Isamu Noguchi, Robert Morris, Mark di Suvero, Anthony Caro, Nancy Holt, Beverly Pepper, Richard Serra, Donald Judd, Bruce Nauman, and others.
Academics
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Academic organization
Western offers multiple bachelor's degrees, as well as the degrees of Master of Arts, Master of Science, Master of Education, Master in Teaching, Master of Business Administration, Master of Professional Accounting, Master of Fine Arts, Master of Music, Clinical Doctorate in Audiology, and Doctor of Education.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> The university is composed of the following colleges:
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Accreditations and approvals
The university is accredited by the Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities. Specific programs or academic units are accredited or approved by specialized organization:
- Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
- American Chemical Society<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
- American Speech and Hearing Association
- Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
- Computing Sciences Accreditation Board
- Council for Accreditation of Counseling and Related Educational Programs<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
- National Association of Schools of Music<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
- National Council for Accreditation of Teacher Education<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
- National Recreation and Park Association
- Planning Accreditation Board<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
Rankings
In the 2025 U.S. News Best Colleges rankings, Western is ranked 18th in Regional Universities West and 9th of the region's public schools. After the Bothell and Tacoma campuses of the University of Washington, Western is ranked third among this category's universities in the Pacific Northwest. The university is also ranked 13th in the region's Best Colleges for Veterans.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Washington Monthly ranked Western number 52 nationally in their 2024 college guide.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
In 2024, the Peace Corps ranked Western the top all-time producer of Peace Corps volunteers among medium colleges and universities.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Western is also a Fulbright Program Top Producing Institution,<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> and is ranked third among master's universities for the number of research doctorate recipients among its baccalaureate graduates.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
Western was ranked 155th among 328 participating institutions in the Sierra Club's 2021 Cool Schools ranking of sustainable colleges and universities.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Additionally, from 2020 through 2022, the university was recognized by the Great Colleges to Work For program, published by ModernThink and The Chronicle of Higher Education.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Western remains a member of the FirstGen Forward Network.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
Notable degree programs
- According to the Philosophical Gourmet Report, Western has one of the nation's best philosophy departments among colleges and universities that offer only a B.A. in the discipline. Western was among only seven public universities so honored.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
- The Center for Canadian American Studies at Western Washington University is one of only two U.S. Department of Education–designated National Resource Centers for the study of Canada in the United States.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
Athletics
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WWU is an official member of NCAA Division II,<ref name=NCAA_division2>Template:Cite web</ref> having joined in September 1998. In 2011–12, approximately 350 students are participating in 15 varsity sports at Western, six for men and nine for women. In 2010–11, WWU placed seventh among 310 NCAA Division II schools in the Sports Director's Cup national all-sports standings, the second-highest finish in school history. The Vikings were sixth in 2009–10 and tenth in 2008–09. WWU has had eight straight Top 50 finishes and been among the Top 100 in each of its first 13 seasons as an NCAA II member.
In 2010–11, Western won its third straight and seventh overall Great Northwest Athletic Conference All-Sports championship, taking league titles in volleyball, men's golf and women's golf, and the regular-season crown in women's basketball. The Vikings, who won the Northwest Collegiate Rowing Conference championship, placed second in men's and women's cross country, men's and women's outdoor track, men's indoor track and softball.
The Vikings have won an NAIA national championship in softball (1998), two National Collegiate Rowing Championships in women's rowing (1984, 1996),<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> and NCAA Division II national championships in women's rowing (2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2017, 2024),<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> men's basketball (2012)<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> and women's soccer (2016).<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> WWU athletes have also won individual national championships in track and field.<ref>Facts about Western Athletics http://www.wwuvikings.com/ot/about-viking-athletics.html Template:Webarchive</ref>
Varsity sports
The Vikings field varsity teams for men and women in cross country, soccer, golf, basketball, and track & field. Women's teams compete in volleyball, softball, and rowing. Between 1903 and 2008 WWU fielded a football team but folded it in hopes of saving money to keep other WWU teams competitive.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>
Students
In the 2024–25 academic year, 14,651 students were enrolled, of whom 86% were in-state Washington residents.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
Many WWU students participate in organized student government. The Associated Students of Western Washington University (ASWWU) is "an organization designed and run by Western students, the Associated Students (AS) seeks to ensure a fulfilling college and academic experience for all university students through the many services, facilities and programs it offers."<ref name="as">Template:Cite web</ref> ASWWU has five main areas of focus: clubs, activities, programs, facilities & services, and governance.
ASWWU aims to provide "funding, space and services" to students "uniting around common interests".<ref name="as"/> Its staff assist student development of clubs and provide advising, "continuity, referral and record keeping" throughout the process. There are more than 200 student clubs in the following categories: Arts and Music, Cultural, Political, Special Interest, Gaming, Social Issues, Departmental, Limited Membership, Service, Religious, and Recreational.<ref name="as"/>
Students who wish to set up a table in Red Square to promote their club must sign up for a space through the university. A blue board on the west side of Red Square has general university policy on freedom of speech and guidelines for using chalk on the bricks.
Media
Multiple news outlets are associated with WWU.
Official publications
WWU's Office of University Communications operates several publications, including:
- WWU News,<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Western Washington University's main news site.
- Western Today,<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> a campus newsletter published several times a week.
- Window,<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> a twice-annual publication distributed to WWU alumni, donors, faculty and staff.
A livestream of Red Square is filmed from atop Bond Hall.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
Student publications
Student-run publications at WWU include:
- The Front (formerly The Western Front)<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> is Western's official student newspaper covering city-wide and greater county-wide news. It operates independently of the university itself, though articles are written, edited, and published by students of the university.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> The Front was awarded as the "Best All-Around Non-Daily Student Newspaper" by the Society of Professional Journalists' Region 10 in 2017.<ref>Template:Cite press release</ref> The newspaper's first edition as the Western Front was published on October 10, 1967.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
- Klipsun Magazine is a quarterly student magazine.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Each issue of the magazine has a specific theme, and the periodical as a whole is intended to be an example of multimedia journalism.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
- Occam's Razor, as well as Jeopardy, are formatted as academic journals, and aim to publish academic research done by Western undergraduates.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
- The Planet is published as part of the university's environmental studies program.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> The magazine promotes environmental awareness.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
- Window: The Magazine of Western Washington University (often referred to as Window Magazine),<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> a magazine published two to three times a year by the university.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> It won multiple silver and bronze Council for Advancement and Support of Education Circle of Excellence awards in 2019.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
The Student Publications Office of the university publishes the Front, Klipsun, Occam's Razor, and the Planet, as well as Jeopardy.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> The Associated Students of Western Washington University also operates media services, including Wavelength, a weekly online and printed alternative news source.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
The KUGS radio station accepts albums from students to air. KUGS also has a large library of vinyl records that can be listened to in the studio.
Police
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The Western Washington University Police Department (abbreviated WWUPD) are a university police force at the university. The police chief of the department is Katryne "Katy" Potts,<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> who was sworn into the position in January 2023.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> The department also has a staff of "Green Coats" under their public safety branch, who offer "safety escorts on campus, event security staffing and building access services for current students."<ref>Template:Cite Instagram</ref>
People
Notable faculty
- James Bertolino, English
- Jeff Carroll, psychology
- Catherine T. Montgomery, education
- Suzanne Paola, English
- Richard Purtill, philosophy (emeritus)
- Ada Swineford, geology<ref>Template:Cite journal</ref>
- Edward Vajda, languages
- Christopher Wise, English
- Grace Wang, environmental studies
- Jane Wong, English
- Annie Dillard, former Writer in Residence<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
Notable alumni
- Robert Angel, creator of Pictionary<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>
- Richard Barlow, intelligence analyst<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
- Tori Black, adult film actress
- Carrie Brownstein, musician and actress<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>
- Ryan Couture (2004), professional mixed martial artist<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
- Sarah Crouch, long-distance runner<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
- William Dietrich, author and journalist
- Ben Dragavon, professional soccer coach
- Mike Duncan (2002),<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> podcaster and author
- Dan Erickson, creator of Severance
- Brian Fairbrother, high school soccer coach
- Michael Farris, lawyer<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
- Darril Fosty (1992), author and documentarian
- Ben Gibbard (1998), musician<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
- John Michael Greer, author and druid<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
- Julie Larson-Green, former CXO of Office Experience Organization at Microsoft
- Brian Holsinger, college basketball coach<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
- Daulton Hommes, professional basketball player
- Peter Kalivas, neuroscientist, author, and academic
- Kelli Linville, politician<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
- TJ Martin, film director<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
- Agnes Martin, abstract painter
- Douglas Massey (1974), sociologist
- Ralph Munro, Secretary of State of Washington
- Harrison Mills and Clayton Knight (2012), musicians<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
- Heidi Grant Murphy, operatic soprano
- Sarah Myhre, climate scientist
- Ijeoma Oluo, author and writer
- Matt Overton, professional football player
- Elizabeth Peratrovich, civil rights activist<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
- Heather Purser, LGBT rights activist and Native American advocate<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>
- Bob Robertson, college sports broadcaster<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
- Zoa Sherburne, author<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>
- Larry Springer, politician<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
- Erin Wall, operatic soprano<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>
- Hiro Yamamoto, musician
See also
Notes
References
External links
- Pages with broken file links
- Western Washington University
- Universities and colleges established in 1893
- Universities and colleges in Bellingham, Washington
- Universities and colleges accredited by the Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities
- Public universities and colleges in Washington (state)
- 1893 establishments in Washington (state)