Building What's Next, Together
The Central Washington University Futures Campaign
By Michele Graaff
Since 1891, Central Washington University has stood in the vibrant Kittitas Valley below the Cascade Mountains as a beacon of learning and a compass for what is possible. From its beginnings as a teaching school in Ellensburg to its role today as one of Washington’s most accessible public universities with regional centers across the state, CWU remains grounded in the belief that education creates pathways for students of all backgrounds, for every kind of future they can imagine.
Across Washington, the university’s impact can be seen everywhere. CWU graduates are the teachers in rural classrooms where children need champions. They’re the paramedics and EMTs responding when emergencies strike, and the counselors and mental health professionals meeting a growing need. They’re launching businesses, guiding nonprofits, filling essential engineering and skilled trades roles, and leading change to solve the challenges our communities face.
For many college students, the path is anything but straightforward. Some are the first in their families to see college as a real possibility. Others return to school while raising children or working full time, balancing responsibility with ambition. They come from every corner of the state, driven by something more: not just a degree, but a future built on stability, opportunity, and a sense of hope.
For senior Courtney Schroeder, that future is already underway. A single parent of two young children, she returned to CWU while continuing to work full time as a business development manager at Dairy West. There, she partners with local foodservice companies to increase the visibility and use of regional dairy products. As an Interdisciplinary Studies-Social Science major with minors in Business Analytics and Project Management, Schroeder is strengthening the very skills she uses every day in her job. Balancing work, school, and parenting has been a challenge, but she credits supportive faculty, as well as critical funding relief, for her ability to manage it all.
“Receiving a Ruth Harrington Endowed Scholarship allowed me to focus more fully on my education while continuing to provide for my children. It has not only invested in my future, but also in theirs.”
For Schroeder and many students like her, CWU has met them where they are, equipping them to build their own futures.
"Life is hard enough to be saddled with student loan debt for life and helping jump start a student into a career without a financial worry allows them to pursue their dreams.”
Mark “Remy” Remington (’84)
For Washington. For the Future.
Now, the university stands ready to broaden its impact even further. Washington State is growing—and so is its need. Across an increasingly complex landscape of business, skilled trades, healthcare, education, and more, the demand for talented, well-prepared workers has never been greater. Communities everywhere are relying on future-ready graduates.
At the same time, public funding for higher education continues to face pressure. Tuition alone no longer fills the gap. For students, taking on loan debt can shape their choices long after graduation. Many work multiple jobs while carrying full course loads. The barriers to success can seem daunting.
The Central Washington University Futures Campaign is the university’s answer. This comprehensive, multiyear fundraising and engagement initiative is built to expand access, deepen learning, and strengthen the programs Washington needs most.
With an ambitious goal of raising $75 million to support student success and to engage 25,000 alumni and community members, this campaign marks a defining chapter—not just for CWU, but for a state counting on the next generation of skilled, passionate, purpose-driven graduates. Among those helping to guide that effort are Ralph Conner (’88) and Lisa Conquergood (’91), both CWU alumni, donors, and co-chairs of the campaign’s leadership committee.
“This is about more than raising money,” Conner said. “It’s about the future—of the university, of students, and of the communities they’ll go on to serve.”
CWU is uniquely positioned to respond, grounded by its educational legacy and energized by the collective Wildcat network.
“I think it’s overdue,” Conquergood shared. “Central is such a unique and special place. It’s time to make it even more accessible and more impactful to more students.”
At a time when public funding alone cannot meet growing needs, philanthropy plays an essential role—but the Futures Campaign is about more than financial support. It is about awareness, connection, and engagement.
“There are incredible things happening at Central that people simply don’t know about,” Conner said. “This campaign helps tell that story.”
Building Futures
The Futures Campaign is built around three pillars—Opportunity, Experience, and Impact—each one reflecting something CWU has always believed: that students who are supported, engaged, and connected go on to change their communities. Together, these pillars reflect what’s possible when we invest in people.
Opportunity: Opening Doors
CWU serves students from across Washington, from every background. Nearly half are first-generation college students. More than 40% identify as students of color. Most students rely on financial aid, scholarships, and state and federal grants to make a college education achievable. The Opportunity pillar focuses on removing barriers through scholarships, basic needs support, and access-focused initiatives.
Three key scholarship programs, all launched or expanded as part of the Futures Campaign, anchor this work: Wildcat Promise, which helps close the gap between financial aid and the true cost of attendance; the Crimson Scholarship, which supports high-achieving students who may not qualify for Pell Grants but still face financial strain; and Retention Scholarships, which provide emergency aid to help students stay enrolled when unexpected challenges arise.
When alumni Kelly (’96) and Kevin (’96) Bengston began looking for ways to support CWU, they gravitated toward the unique challenges of being a first-generation student, each having been one themselves. The Bengstons became the first donors to establish an endowment to support the Wildcat Promise Scholarship, and since then others have created additional endowments.
“One student in particular who inspired us was never able to finish her education, and that dramatically impacted the course of her life,” Kelly explained. “We had personally watched a number of students not be able to close the gap in their funding and wanted to find a way to help overcome that.”
Increasing opportunity extends to the athletics field, as well. Former CWU baseball player and Distinguished Alumni Awardee Jeff McShane (’85) established the Heart and Hustle Scholarship to support student-athletes who exhibit standout behaviors, both in athletics and academics. “I always get brought back to that cold, windy dugout in Ellensburg and our coach telling us to ‘keep the faith’ and to keep working…and the profound effect that experience had on my journey,” McShane said.
Beyond scholarships, the campaign invests in the basic infrastructure of student success: the Wildcat Pantry, which addresses food insecurity on campus; affordable course materials initiatives that reduce the hidden costs of higher education; and wraparound services that support students holistically while they pursue their degrees.
"Scholarships have been a huge help throughout my time as a student. They have given me the freedom to focus on my studying and allowed me to prioritize my education.”
David Ruiz, Business Administration Major
Experience: Learning That Lasts
The Experience pillar is built on the understanding that transformative education happens when students engage with hands-on learning guided by experts and professionals in their fields. Ask any CWU graduate what changed them, and the classroom is often just the beginning. Then came an internship that created an unexpected connection, a research project that turned curiosity into conviction, or a mentor who saw potential.
The Futures Campaign amplifies experiential learning in three ways: by building student career readiness through internships and practical learning; by strengthening alumni and industry engagement through professional connections; and by investing in the student experience with programs that foster belonging and leadership.
A pilot project supported by alumnus Ray Conner (’79) and the Conner Family Foundation demonstrates how targeted investment can expand meaningful, real-world learning. This new initiative provided scholarships for CWU student teachers to complete placements in Wahluke School District in Mattawa, a rural, high-need community in Central Washington. By helping offset transportation and living costs, the program made it possible for students to step into experiences they might not otherwise afford. Candidates felt more confident to take positions in rural regions, strengthened by smaller classes and stronger relationships with students and families.
Projects like the Rural Incentive Scholarship connect students and community partners in critical workforce areas. At the same time, Central students build the skills, relationships, and confidence to lead.
Experiential learning is also strengthened through investments in campus spaces that foster connection and collaboration. One example is a multimillion-dollar commitment from CWU alumni Rob (’69) and Valerie (’69) Moehring. Their gift led to the renaming of the Rob and Valerie Moehring Event Center, a gathering place for forums, workshops, and leadership development that brings students, faculty, and staff together.
“We give credit to CWU for setting the foundation for our success,” Rob said. “The university provided the perfect environment for personal growth, with inspiring professors who became mentors and helped shape our future. We’re excited to give back and support the next generation of leaders at Central.”
"During my many years of involvement with CWU, I have seen students thrive and grow from the opportunities given to them at Central. It is amazing to think that giving back has played a small part in helping them succeed."
Janet Backus (’72), CWU Foundation Board Chair
Impact: Strengthening Communities
CWU has long understood that an education shapes more than the student—it extends outward, creating a lasting change in our communities. The Impact pillar builds on that foundation, investing in the programs and fields Washington needs most.
The Futures Campaign prepares the state’s workforce, with investments in health sciences, STEM, and rural and community-based careers. From delivering mental health services and emergency medical response, to fueling innovation, to becoming the educators and professionals who choose to stay and serve locally, CWU graduates are helping meet critical needs across Washington.
That work has already begun to take shape. An initial investment from Comprehensive Healthcare (CHC) has supported the relaunch of CWU’s mental health counseling graduate program and on-campus clinic. The gift allows the program to fill critical faculty and staffing roles and offset operational costs. Recently, CHC extended its partnership with CWU, providing additional funding to support the appointment of a new faculty member—moving the program one step closer to national accreditation with the Council for Accreditation of Counseling and Related Educational Programs (CACREP).
“We’re confident in this partnership that develops a pipeline to significantly impact the workforce shortage we’ve seen over the years in community behavioral healthcare,” Comprehensive Healthcare CEO Jodi Daly said when the gift was announced.
At the same time, the campaign envisions investment in the initiatives that help students connect and grow into professionals ready to make a difference—from career-readiness programs to campus spaces that support affinity and learning, such as a First-Generation Student Success Center. These are the kinds of efforts CWU hopes to fund through the campaign, ensuring students are not only prepared for the workforce, but supported throughout their journey.
One example is CWU’s Center for Financial Planning and Well-Being, which—through a multiyear grant from the Charles Schwab Foundation—is expanding financial literacy programs, peer coaching, and career pathways across the state. By equipping students and communities with essential financial skills, the program creates lasting change on economic well-being.
CWU Assistant Professor of Personal Financial Planning Dr. Steele Campbell emphasized the impact of the grant and the ongoing partnership with Charles Schwab Foundation. “Central is paving the way for financial literacy in Washington,” he said, “and the beauty of financial literacy is it has the power to have generational impact.”
"The CWU construction management program is a vital source of talent for our industry. A new endowed professorship will help grow this program and we, along with many other industry leaders, are proud to be part of making this happen”
Martin O’Leary (’89), Founder, JTM Construction, and Mike Yellam (’10), Vice President of Development, Wright Runstad & Company
Building What’s Next, Together
Often, a future begins with a single spark—a scholarship that opens the door to enrollment, a mentor who models new thinking, a career-connected experience that makes knowledge become real. The Futures Campaign is about creating more of those sparks, more pathways, and more Washingtonians ready to create change.
That’s a sentiment Jeff Hensler (’98), chair of the CWU Board of Trustees, knows well.
“This campaign is exactly what CWU needs right now,” he said. “During my years on the Foundation Board, I saw firsthand what thoughtful philanthropy can accomplish—opening doors for students, strengthening programs, and creating opportunities that might not otherwise exist. The Futures Campaign gives all of us the chance to be part of that work and help shape an even stronger future for students and the communities we serve.”
Central Washington University has always been about what is possible when the right resources are in place. The Futures Campaign is a promise for the next generation. Every gift to the Futures Campaign, regardless of size or focus, matters. Every connection—as a donor, an alum, or a community partner—matters to the Wildcat community.
At its heart, the campaign asks a larger question: What can we build together, for students and for Washington communities? Because from here, what comes next belongs to all of us.
"We are incredibly grateful to the more than 9,000 donors who have already helped build the momentum behind the Futures Campaign. Every gift represents someone who believes in the power of a CWU education and the potential of our students. In the years ahead, we look forward to welcoming even more alumni, friends, and partners into this effort and expanding what’s possible for our students and the state of Washington.”
Paul Elstone, Vice President, University Advancement