CWU Observer

Bryn Waite, CWU alumni and former CWU soccer player, was found unresponsive off the shore of La Jolla Shores Beach in San Diego, Calif on Wednesday, July 22, 2026. Lifeguards brought her body to shore and declared the 26 year old dead at 9:34 A.M., per the San Diego County Medical Examiner’s Office. According to the Office, “Emergency personnel responded to reports of an unresponsive individual floating in the water.

June 5, 2026 The Native American community recently experienced the death of CWU Professor Emeritus Don Woodcock, whom Program Coordinator Ash Perron referred to as a “grandfather figure” for herself and Arviso Alvord (Diné). Don Woodcock’s legacy still lives on “Dr. Don Woodcock, he found his way into our offices and to our hearts,” NASU Advisor Vi Alvord said.

CWU Sustainability secured a $10,000 grant for their department at the Washington State Recycling Conference (WSRC) held in early May. The conference brought together industry leaders across the state to discuss the future of sustainable waste management in Washington. CWU was an outlier from the other 15 presenters invited to the event, being the first college to attend as a presenter, represented by Sustainability Coordinator Jordan Spradlin.

The National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences (NATAS) hosted its 63rd annual Northwest regional Emmy Awards this past weekend, and among the many winners of the student awards were a group of CWU students who had their hands in both film production and PULSE magazine, a quarterly student life magazine published at the university.

“It’s been a long five years,” Associated Students of Central Washington University (ASCWU) President Hondo Acosta-Vega said reflecting on his time as president. “All I can say is just, thank you for putting your trust in me, and for your support, and I hope that moving forward, I can keep making everybody proud.” Acosta-Vega has been a CWU student for five years, a journey he said he could never have dreamed of.

With dancing experience purely from viewing Dance Moms and Shake It Up as a child, I took it upon myself to prepare for CWU Dance tryouts, to give you all an insight into a world I’ve never been a part of. Spoiler alert: my toe is now twice as large, purple, and my pride is shot.

You’re probably thinking, “What makes this guy qualified to give advice and who cares what he’s got to say?” And yeah, I get it. I wouldn’t exactly call myself wise either, but just hear me out. I’ve been a CWU student for five years and now that I find myself on the way out, I figured a great way to sign off would be to share five things I’ve learned in the hope that maybe it’ll help someone else out. Who knows, maybe you’ll learn something?

Sea Lemon, a dream pop songwriter from Seattle, visited CWU to perform for SWEECY day on May 21. Performing to over 300 attendees, the lead singer, Natalie Lew, took center stage in front of Samuelson Hall leading to cheers that could be heard across campus. Inspired by artists such as Enya, Caroline Palochek and Hatchie, Sea Lemon said she aimed for ethereal sounds using synthesizers, low bass and slow tempo.

The Eastern Conference Champions, the New York Knicks, are appearing in the National Basketball Association (NBA) Finals for the first time since 1999, looking to win their third championship since 1973. The Knicks are led by three-time NBA all-star Point Guard Jalen Brunson and Center Mitchell Robinson with Head Coach Mike Brown.

The Wildcat Pantry’s end-of-year celebration was originally meant to be held on the lawn just outside of Northside Commons at 3 p.m. on Friday, May 29. The Ellensburg wind had other plans. The night before the event, a wind advisory was posted for Kittitas Valley, warning of “Northwest winds 25 to 35 mph with gusts up to 50 mph,” according to the National Weather Service. The day of, the winds kicked in, and the event had to be moved during setup, despite efforts to keep things on track.