Fall 2021 Issue
Table of contents
Alumni Spotlight
Julie Hanke, ’97, B.S. in liberal arts
How did you become a VanCoug?
I began my college journey as what was referred to back in the day as a “displaced homemaker.” I married soon after high school and had three daughters by the time I was 25. My husband and I decided I would be a “stay at home” mom. We moved to Vancouver from the Midwest in 1990, and at age 33 I decided to start my college journey at Clark College.
Admittedly, I was not a great high school student, and I was scared to death! That first quarter at Clark was tough, and I actually used some of my daughter’s books to help me understand the college text. I felt very supported by my professors and other “nontraditional” students. I also spent time in study groups and the tutoring lab. I made so many lifelong friends. Many of my friends planned to go to WSU Vancouver, which at the time was on the Clark campus. We were in the same classroom in Bauer Hall for every class.
What are you doing now?
I began my college journey as what was referred to back in the day as a “displaced homemaker.” I married soon after high school and had three daughters by the time I was 25. My husband and I decided I would be a “stay at home” mom. We moved to Vancouver from the Midwest in 1990, and at age 33 I decided to start my college journey at Clark College.
Admittedly, I was not a great high school student, and I was scared to death! That first quarter at Clark was tough, and I actually used some of my daughter’s books to help me understand the college text. I felt very supported by my professors and other “nontraditional” students. I also spent time in study groups and the tutoring lab. I made so many lifelong friends. Many of my friends planned to go to WSU Vancouver, which at the time was on the Clark campus. We were in the same classroom in Bauer Hall for every class.
Where is the strangest place you've met another Coug?
When we were planning to meet some friends who are WSU alumni in Rome, they said, “We will meet you at the Trevi Fountain and will wear our WSU hats.”
Tell us about something you enjoyed about the WSU Vancouver campus and/or your program.
I liked everything about my program as a student. Because of the smaller class sizes, I felt that we had a closer relationship with each other and the professors. I felt extremely supported.
How has WSU Vancouver changed since you were a student?
The campus has changed so much—the size and the enrollment, the increase in majors and master’s programs. It is now a four-year university!
How do you support WSU Vancouver as an alum?
I am fortunate in being allowed to host student interns, and I have done so each semester almost every year. I believe that interning gives a real-life, hands-on experience to someone who is looking in the field I work in. I am also a huge Cougar football fan. Go Cougs!
How Coug are you?
When I was a student I ran The Bookie, which was a cabinet housed in the same office as then- Dean Hal Dengerink. I had the privilege of getting to know him and what a special man he was. Graduation was held in the gym at Clark College. I remember how proud I was of myself, how proud my family was, and then many of us had the biggest party to celebrate. Carrying on the tradition is my grandson Evans Ekaru Kaame, vice president of the Associated Students of WSU Vancouver. And because I am a Cougar, I buy Cougar gear for gifts for my family.
What advice do you have for current students or future Cougs?
Do not give up! It is hard work, but if I can do it, you can do it. Getting a college degree is one of the best decisions I ever made in my life.
Cougar Business Alliance
Cascade Air FBO & Flight Training
Jessica Statham, ’21, B.A. in business administration
“Our family has owned Cascade Air FBO & Flight Training since February 2021,” Jessica Statham said. “We opened our doors to the public in April, so we’re quite new.”
A spring 2021 graduate of WSU Vancouver, she had always wanted to own her own business. “My late grandfather, Jim Statham, started an engineering company with almost nothing other than an idea and drive to make it happen, and that same business has grown to a successful company that is currently managed by my father, David Statham. Watching the progression and growth of the business has been inspiring.”
Cascade Air is located at the Southwest Washington Regional Airport and provides flight instruction, aircraft rental, fuel distribution, airport services and aircraft maintenance. David Statham, Jessica Statham and her husband Hudson Frost are all pilots with a passion for aviation who jumped on the opportunity to start the business. The company’s mission is to promote professionalism and safety in the aviation community while introducing the industry to a new generation of pilots. The company plans to expand its offerings to corporate traffic, as well as continuing community outreach in the local area. The company also plans to get involved in local career days and partner with educational institutions.
Jessica Statham is the only Coug in the company. “Before my generation, only a handful of people in the family received college degrees,” she said.
Jessica Statham says a lesson that she will always remember from her time at WSU is the idea that one’s reputation in the business world is extremely important in determining one’s success. “Aviation is an industry with a small community, and everyone involved does their best to provide consistent and quality service to everyone who walks through the door,” she said.
Jessica Statham says her favorite thing about WSU Vancouver is how willing everyone is to help out. Professors often offer their personal time to give advice on a student’s or former student’s business venture. Because Vancouver is a small campus, a student is likely to have the same other students in classes. For many, those familiar faces make the classroom setting more enjoyable, she said.
The Statham family moved from northern California to Battle Ground, Wash., about 11 years ago. Currently, Jessica Statham and Frost live in South Ridgefield about five minutes from the campus.
They consider WSU Vancouver a wonderful community asset. They say they appreciate the well-kept grounds and trails where the whole community is welcome.
Many customers who walk into Cascade Air and ask about Jessica Statham’s background are happy to discover that they share the experience of being WSU alumni. “This sense of kinship between people who share a common alma mater has proven to be a valuable opportunity for networking and building relationships with customers,” Jessica Statham said.
One of her favorite memories is of “watching one of our very first customers fly an aircraft solo for the first time. This was also the instructor’s first student who he had endorsed to solo, so it was a big day of firsts! Seeing your employees, as well as your customers, succeed is such a rewarding experience of managing a business.” The company celebrated the solo with a fresh batch of cookies and the classic tradition of cutting the shirttail of the student who soloed and then hanging it on the wall.
Ultimate Upgrade
Hitting the Cougar Disc Golf Course on campus is a chance to get outside and get active. It’s also the perfect physical distancing activity. And now it’s even better—WSU Vancouver has revamped the course. Spearheaded by OSI Recreation, the 9-hole course has more than 1,500 feet of fairway and is open to the public.
Here’s what you need to know before you visit the course:
- Anyone can play the course, but all guests must abide by parking enforcement on campus. Red Lot 4 is closest to the start of the course. Be sure to review parking options before heading to campus.
- WSU Vancouver students, staff, faculty and alumni with a WSU CougarCard can borrow discs free from the Recreation Office by calling 360-546-9532 upon arrival
A portion of the course revamp was funded by a generous donation from Kevin Alvarez, a WSU Vancouver staff member and alumnus, through the annual Faculty and Staff Giving Campaign.
Welcome Back, VanCougs
More than 60 volunteers came to WSU Vancouver to greet students returning to classes for the first day of fall semester—Aug. 23. After a year and a half of online instruction during the pandemic, VanCougs were welcomed back to an in-person experience, with people waving Cougar flags, celebratory honking and cheering, and tons of Cougar spirit. Welcome back to campus, VanCougs!
Calling all WSU Vancouver Graduates of the Last Decade
Graduates of the Last Decade (2011 – 2021), or GOLDs, are invited to join Chancellor Mel Netzhammer and Dave Takush, 2 Towns Cider head cidermaker and co-owner, for a virtual social and cocktail demonstration.
Netzhammer will provide a campus update, and Takush will share insight on the Cosmic Crisp apple and 2 Towns Cider before guiding guests through making a seasonal cocktail with the Cosmic Crisp cider. Connect with fellow VanCoug alumni during networking breakout sessions.
Registration is $25 per person and includes a special event box filled with cocktail ingredients, a keepsake Cougar glass and delectable appetizers, including Cougar Gold cheese. Advance registration is required. Space is limited—register today!
WSU Vancouver Recognizes Notable Alumna Karissa Lowe
Meet Karissa Lowe, cultural ambassador and volunteer extraordinaire.
Karissa Lowe might be called a super volunteer. After earning both a bachelor’s degree (english, ’01) and a master’s degree (education, ’03) at WSU Vancouver, she was an elected member of the Cowlitz Tribal Council for 15 years, until 2020. During that same period, she served on several Cowlitz Tribal boards, the Grantmakers of Oregon and Southwest Washington program committee, the WSU Pullman Native American Advisory Board, the WSU Vancouver Diversity Taskforce and others. She still serves on the Cowlitz Indian Tribe Education Committee and its Gaming Authority Board, and she recently joined the boards of the Confluence Project, the Mount St. Helens Institute and the Community Foundation for Southwest Washington.”
Read the NW Crimson & Gray story.
Leave your mark on campus!
Commemorate your time at WSU Vancouver with a Legacy Square!
Send Us Your News
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