Eastern Washington University (EWU, EWU) Introduction and Academics

Introduction

Originally established as Benjamin P. Cheney Academy in 1882, the school underwent several name changes such as State Normal School in 1889, and Eastern Washington College of Education in 1937. After World War II, the institute added several graduate and undergraduate degree programs. In 1977, the Washington State Legislature finally renamed it as Eastern Washington University. Also referred to as EWU, Eastern Washington University is a regional, comprehensive public University located in small town of Cheney, Washington, United Sates. The main campus spans 300 acres of beautifully landscaped area. It also offers off-campus programs statewide in Seattle, Kent, Shoreline, Bellevue, Tacoma, Everett, Yakima, Spokane, and Vancouver.

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Information Summary

Ranks 17th in Washington and 972nd overall. See the entire top 2,000 colleges and universities list
Overall Score (about)	80.5
Total Cost On-Campus Attendance	$23,011
Admission Success rate	N/A
ACT / SAT 75%ile scores	23 / 1080
Student Ratio Students-to-Faculty	24 : 1
Retention (full-time / part-time)	74% / 63%
Enrollment Total (all students)	12,633

Academics

Eastern offers high-class education to undergraduate students in more than 100 areas of study, at a reasonable cost. The outstanding academic programs, faculty and campus facilities are a part of the diverse community. EWU offers 10 master’s degrees, over 5 graduate certificates, more than 50 graduate programs of study and an applied doctorate program of physical therapy.

Eastern Washington University is accredited by the Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities, the postsecondary institutional accrediting agency for a seven state region of the country. With the accreditation by the Northwest Commission, Eastern Washington University is qualified for access to federal funding for research, teaching, and student financial aid. EWU is also approved by the U.S. Attorney General for non-quota immigrant students; and the American Association of University Women. The academic excellence of Eastern’s graduate and undergraduate programs is recognized by its numerous accreditations.

Schools and Colleges:

Eastern Washington University presents a wide variety of academic programs for the students through its diverse academic units. The University is composed of the following schools and colleges: College of Arts, Letters & Education; College of Business & Public Administration; College of Science, Health & Engineering; and College of Social & Behavioral Sciences and Social Work.

Eastern is also home to several research institutes and centers. Women’s’ Studies Center aims to empower women to get justice and dignity through education, scholarship, and social change. Eisenhower Center/International Field Study is a program tailored for students who seek education abroad. English Language Institute (ELI) is committed to assist international students to integrate into the mainstream of EWU’s higher education.

Center for Farm Health & Safety conducts research and demonstration programs concerning health and safety of farm based population groups. Fisheries Research Center carries out a wide gamut of fisheries grants in the Columbia River Basin.

EWU Online:

Eastern Washington University offers a wide variety of credit courses to help you advance your degree and meet the general education core requirements (GECRs). You just need to have basic computer skills to be able to complete an online degree. EWU offers several online degree programs such as Children’s Studies Program; Dental Hygiene; Health Leadership Option; GIS Certificate; Minor Programs; and School Psychology Certification Program. With the help of technical support at EWU, you can find technical assistance such as Blackboard, electronic document, audio and video support.

Most Popular Fields of Study

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Admissions

Each year, Eastern Washington University enrolls more than 10,000 students. The outstanding academic programs, well-qualified faculty members, and facilities at Eastern attract both domestic and international students to the beautiful campus. Students seeking admission must take either Scholastic Aptitude Test (SAT) or the American College Test (ACT). The test scores should be sent to EWU along with the complete online application form. The application deadline for the Freshman students are:

First week of March (Summer and Fall)
Mid of October (Winter quarter)
Mid for February (Spring quarter)

International students (whose native language is not English) must take one of the following tests: Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL); Advanced Placement International English Language (APIEL); or International English Language Testing System (IELTS).

Financial Aid

Eastern Washington University offers financial aid to needy and deserving students through various mediums. Students seeking financial aid must complete the online Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) form before the mid of February. The types of financial aid offered by EWU are:

Scholarships
Grants
Loans
Tuition Waivers and Discounts
Federal and State Work-Study

Scholarships offered at EWU include University Honors Program and Scholarship; Presidential Scholarship; Dean’s Scholarship; EWU Special Honors Scholarship – National Merit Finalists or Semi-Finalists; Eastern Advantage Scholarship; EWU First Scholars; Departmental Scholarships; US Army ROTC Scholarships; and Athletic Scholarships.

Loans are the form of financial aid that need to be repaid by the students. Some of the loans offered at EWU include Federal Perkins Loan; Federal Direct Loan; Direct Parent PLUS Loan; and Direct Graduate PLUS Loan.

Federal and State grants include Federal Pell Grant; Federal Supplemental Education Opportunity Grant (FSEOG); Federal Challenge Grant; EWU Grant; and Washington State Need Grant (SNG). Another form of financial aid includes tuition waivers that forego a fraction of your tuition fees for the state-supported courses.

Student Financial Aid Details

Ranks 4232nd for the average student loan amount.
Secrets to getting the best scholarships and financial aid in Washington.

Students

Eastern Washington University presents a diverse mix of students from almost every state and more than 20 countries across the world. College life at Eastern isn’t just about academics but about enjoying the time of your life, building strong friendships and creating memories. The campus is home to more than 100 active student clubs and organizations, Big Sky Conference athletics and a Greek system. Students can join a club of interest or create a new one.

The student government is known as the Associated Students of Eastern Washington University. They work to encourage student involvement in activities and improve the quality of student life of EWU. It acts like the voice of student opinion, both formally and informally. The office of student activities organizes several events and activities such as Eagle entertainment, homecoming, and family weekend.

Greek life has a strong presence on the Eastern campus. There are several fraternities and sororities governed by National Pan-Hellenic Council (NPHC); Inter-Fraternity Council (IFC); and Panhellenic Council. Some of the Greek clubs are Alpha Omicron Pi (NPC); Lambda Theta Alpha (NALFO); Sigma Lambda Gamma (NALFO); Sigma Phi Epsilon; Phi Delta Theta; Pi Lambda Phi; Sigma Nu; and Sigma Phi Epsilon.

Media and Publications:

The Campus Planner, published yearly by the Dean of Students, is a resource manual related to student life at Eastern Washington University. It contains information such as University addresses and telephone numbers, services, activities and programs available at the University. The Easterner, published weekly, covers campus news, issues in education, and student life. The Focus is a daily newsletter published and distributed during the academic school year by the Associated Students of Eastern Washington University. It contains information about campus activities and programs, opportunities (scholarships, internships, jobs), important announcements, housing, meetings and a popular ‘swap shop’ section.

Other University publications include ENews, an electronic newsletter for EWU alumni and friends; Eastern Magazine, a magazine for alumni and friends; DiscoverE Magazine, a research magazine; Square One, magazine for prospective students and parents.

Jazz 89.5 KEWU-FM is a non-commercial radio station serving Eastern and the surrounding Cheney and Spokane metropolitan areas.

Campus Facilities:

John F. Kennedy Library is the main University library located on the Cheney campus; and the Cooperative Academic Library Service (CALS) is located in Spokane. The libraries are well stocked with more than 700,000 volumes, over 5,000 print and various electronic journals. They also provide high-tech communications for global information resources.

Career Services at Eastern provide assistance to students and alumni in their desired job and career search needs. The services include full-time employment, internships, community service, career counseling, and much more. Check out the EagleAXIS, the online career management system that presents personalized career services to students and alumni.

Eastern Washington University’s breathtaking campus is just 17 miles from Spokane, Washington’s second largest city. Students are just 20 minutes away from the scenic lakes, stunning mountains and the Turnbull National Wildlife. These places of interest offer a range of activities such as fishing, hiking, biking, boating, wildlife watching and more.

Dining:

Eastern features excellent dining locations throughout the campus offering food and beverage services. Students can have full meals or grab a snack between classes at the various eateries such as the Eagle Espresso, Baldy’s, Swoops, and the Eagle Express Market located in Pence Union Building; Morris Street Market located near the Streeter Hall; The Roost, located in the EWU Recreation Center; Tawanka Beverage Bakery Bistro (BBB) and Main Street Dining located in Tawanka Hall; and Thirsty Minds Espresso located in JFK Library.

Housing:

Living on campus will enhance your college experience and boost your education at Eastern. Students will find a home away from home in the excellent housing facilities situated on and off campus. There are several well-equipped residence halls or apartments on the campus, which provide lots of dining choices and an amazing experience. The residence halls include Louise Anderson Hall, Brewster Hall, Dressler Hall, Dryden Hall, Morrison Hall, Pearce Hall, and Streeter Hall. Some of the facilities and services available in the residence halls are:

Wireless connectivity throughout the buildings
High speed Internet connection in each room
Laundry facilities and vending machines
Cable television in each room
Designated parking area
An academic environment
A well-resourced recreation and community center
Kitchenettes and modern kitchen facilities
Academic and social programming opportunities
Full-time professional live-in staff for maintenance

Student Enrollment Demographics

Student Graduation Demographics

Athletics

Eastern Washington University’s athletic department fields both men’s and women’s intercollegiate varsity athletic teams. The teams participate in several varsity sports such as basketball, cross country, football, tennis, golf, soccer, volleyball, and track and field. The teams are nicknamed as Eagles. Their mascot is Swoop, the Eagle. Red and white are the colors for Eagles. Eastern Washington University is affiliated with Division 1 of the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA). The teams participate in the Big Sky Conference at the NCAA Division I (I – FCS for football) level. The University also has a cheerleading squad.

Sports facilities at Eastern include Roos Field, Reese Court, Tennis Courts, Sports & Recreation Field, Jim Thorpe Fieldhouse, Strenght & Conditioning Center, and Athletic Training Room. Eastern also houses an excellent recreation Center boasting a NHL-size hockey rink, climbing wall, sports courts and the state-of-the-art fitness center. EWU is the first academic institute in the nation to own a synthetic red turf football field.

Intramural Sports:

Eastern’s Intramural Sports (I.M.) is one of the largest student activity programs on the campus. Intramural sports programs offer more than 20 leagues each quarter with a great agenda of special events. This is an excellent way for students, faculty members and staff to relieve stress and have fun on campus. EWU IMS program promotes better health, development of teamwork, leadership skills, sportsmanship and focus on diversity while being perceptive of the competitiveness spirit in student participants.

Students can participate in the several club sports offered by the Club Sports Federation (CSF), recognized by Associated Students of Eastern Washington University. Some of the club sports include aikido, airsoft, archery, baseball, boxing, cheerleading, climbing, fastpicth, golf, fencing, colleybal, tennis, fishing, ice hockey, judo and karate.

Alumni

Eastern Washington University boasts a long list of prominent alumni who have earned reputation in diverse fields. Some of the notable faculty and alumni are Ernie Afaganis, Canadian sportscaster; Jeff Ogden, former NFL Wide Receiver; Jess Walter, an eminent author; Scott West, United States Army general; Thomas Hampson, opera singer nominated for Grammy; Kurt Schulz, NFL player; Rodney Stuckey, NBA player; Raul Vijil, notable AFL player; Wayne Havrelly, TV News Anchor; and Edward Kienholz, eminent American installation artist.

Additional School Information

G.I. Jobs magazine (2010 edition) has declared Eastern as a Military Friendly School, an honor that ranks EWU in the top 15% of all colleges, universities and trade schools in United States.

The Princeton Review’s annual guidebook, The Best 300 Business Schools (2011 edition) ranks Eastern College of Business and Public Administration as one of the outstanding business schools in the country.

Bibliography

Eastern Washington University. 2011.

Miller, Frederic P. Vandome, Agnes F. McBrewster. Eastern Washington University. John. VDM Publishing House Ltd., 2010. Print.

Eastern Washington University