Unity Breakfast brings UW Tacoma celebrated the legacy of one of the world’s greatest civil-rights leaders at the second-annual Martin Luther King Day Unity Breakfast in January. Carl Mack, executive director of the National Society of Black Engineers and a popular former leader in the Puget Sound African-American community, delivered the keynote address. Tacoma gospel singer Crystal Aikin, the winner of BET’s nationally televised “Sunday Best” gospel-music competition, provided entertainment. Bryan Neal, a UW Tacoma sophomore and vice president of the Black Student Union, said he enjoyed celebrating Dr. King’s legacy with the Tacoma community. “I believe Dr. King created what we have today – not just for African-Americans, but for everybody,” he said. “He helped bring us all together. My generation didn’t live through it, so it’s nice to come together to learn about what it was like and talk about how we can keep progressing.” Mack, the former president of the Seattle chapter of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People, has been executive director of the National Society of Black Engineers since 2005. He is a noted historian, author and speaker whose work has been featured around the country and is considered one of the most effective leaders in the history of the Seattle NAACP. Aikin rose to fame this fall on “Sunday Best,” an “American Idol”-style music competition for gospel singers. A Fife native who works as an emergency room nurse at St. Joseph Medical Center, Aikin was selected from among thousands of contestants to perform on the show and took the majority of more than 1.5 million votes from viewers. Coco Bob’s opens in Mattress Factory After years of planning, the parents of a UW Tacoma alumnus have opened a new coffee shop and deli in UW Tacoma’s Mattress Factory building. Students, staff and faculty can enjoy coffee, lunch and snacks at Coco Bob’s, which opened in January in the student lounge. Run by Bob and Sharon Feller, the shop offers coffee, sandwiches, salads, cookies, soft drinks and more.
The idea was born when Bob Feller was downsized from his job at a bakery equipment manufacturer in 2003, just two weeks before his son, Brian, graduated from UW Tacoma with a degree in Business Administration. The couple decided to capitalize on their foodservice experience—Sharon has a background as a waitress and cook—and set up a new business on the college campus. It took four years to work out the arrangements and get the business established, but the shop quickly became popular with students, staff and faculty. “Every day, we see four or five people who have never been here before,” Bob Feller said. “So far, it’s going really well.” The couple makes espresso and sandwiches to order and bakes fresh cookies every morning. They’re hoping to add hot sandwiches and pizza to the offerings soon. “We really want to know what our customers want so we can begin to make improvements,” Sharon Feller said. “Right now, we’re just having a really good time.” Milgards help UW Tacoma establish James A. Milgard and the Gary E. Milgard Family Foundation have made a $2 million donation to the University of Washington Tacoma to establish the campus’ first endowed deanship. Dr. Shahrokh M. Saudagaran has been named the Gary E. and James A. Milgard Endowed Dean at the University of Washington Tacoma. He has served as Milgard Chair in Business and dean of the Milgard School of Business since 2004.
While it’s the first endowed deanship for UW Tacoma, it is the third to be established at the University of Washington. It was created this fall by adding an additional $2 million—$1 million from James Milgard and, at the request of the late Carol Milgard, $1 million from the Gary E. Milgard Family Foundation—to an existing endowed chair. In 2003, the Milgard brothers gave UW Tacoma $15 million, which included $2 million to endow a chair. James Milgard has pledged a total of $5 million to UW Tacoma this year. With this support, he is now recognized as one of the University of Washington’s most influential individual donors, known as Presidential Laureates. The Milgards’ financial support ensures that the Milgard School of Business will have the resources necessary for strong leadership and continued success. The school is well positioned to attract and retain talented faculty and students who benefit from a leading-edge curriculum. Its graduates are sought after for the knowledge and leadership they contribute to their communities. “I’m very pleased with the success of the Milgard School of Business, its graduates’ contributions to our community and how well Dean Saudagaran is doing there,” James Milgard said. “The endowed deanship advances UWT and the Milgard School of Business’ contribution to the community,” said Chancellor Patricia Spakes. “Since 1994, the School of Business has graduated 1,600 students who are shaping the environment in which they operate. They are leaders who better global business in a socially responsible manner.” Saudagaran specializes in international accounting and financial reporting in emerging markets. He brings to the position stellar credentials in both the academic and business realms. Saudagaran is a prolific scholar and speaker on topics related to international accounting. His business experience spans the globe, as he has worked with organizations in Asia, Europe and the United States. Saudagaran is an active participant in national and international accounting organizations, and serves on the editorial boards of several international accounting journals.
UW Tacoma's Social Work Program celebrates 10th anniversary The Museum of Glass provided an elegant setting for the UW Tacoma Social Work Program's 10th anniversary celebration May 3. Columbia University social work educator and historian Barbara Simon spoke and guests participated in a silent auction featuring glass art from the Hilltop Artists in Residence Program. Proceeds from the event benefitted student scholarships. The Social Work Program has been collecting stories from alumni, students, staff, faculty and the public about how the program has impacted the lives of area residents and the community at large. Submit your story and read others! Technology speeds crisis alerts UW Tacoma is using text-messaging technology to keep students, faculty and staff informed in the event of an emergency. Individuals who sign up in advance can learn about on-campus emergencies and inclement weather delays through the system, which instantaneously sends text messages to participants’ cellular phones and posts notices on the UW Tacoma Web page. The service is part of UW Alert, a new service developed in part based on what was learned from reviewing incidents of violence on university campuses across the nation over the past year. UW Alert may be used to warn of a full range of possible emergencies, which could involve dangerous individuals, natural disasters, chemical spills or gas leaks. In case of major storms, the system will be used to notify the campus community if operations are delayed or suspended. South Sound residents gather As energy prices rise, resources become scarce and global climate change threatens, people talk of sustainability as a solution to the environmental crisis. But for the average consumer, it’s not easy to figure out just what sustainability is—and how to achieve it.
Local colleges and universities responded to the need for information about sustainability by organizing the South Sound Sustainability Expo in February on the UW Tacoma campus. Local businesses, agencies and environmental organizations gathered to offer practical tips on how to be more sustainable and help South Sound residents make connections with local sustainability resources. Speakers at the expo discussed organic farming, public transportation, urban habitat, community-based energy solutions and more. In addition, consumers were able to meet with representatives from more than 50 local and state agencies, businesses, colleges and organizations offering sustainable products and services. Sponsoring colleges were UW Tacoma, Bates Technical College, Clover Park Technical College, The Evergreen State College – Tacoma Campus, Pacific Lutheran University, Pierce College, Tacoma Community College and the University of Puget Sound. Gala celebration: UW Tacoma will celebrate the opening of William W. Philip Hall with a gala on Saturday, Nov. 1, at 6 p.m.
When completed, the hall will be UW Tacoma’s first large-scale gathering space. An architect’s rendering, at left, shows the completed building facing onto Pacific Avenue. Thanks to a gift from James A. Milgard, the building is named for long-time UWT supporter William W. Philip. In addition to inaugurating Philip Hall, the gala will also celebrate the end of Campaign UW: Creating Futures. Ticket information for the black-tie-optional event will be available in the next issue of Terrain and online. For more information, call the Office of Advancement at (253) 692-5753.
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