A Word of Advice

WSU Pullman Interim Chancellor and Global Campus Chancellor

Dave Cillay

Welcome to the Cougar family! Many people make WSU the place it is. You are now one of them. You have the opportunity to create positive change at WSU and to find people who will create it with you. Find gaps and bridge them. Build above and beyond. During your time here and after, use what you have learned at WSU to make everywhere you go a better place. Because you are a Coug. Because you can.

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Sophomore Speaker

Daniel Coifman

Hey Cougs! I would encourage people to invest diversely, not just in finances but in their social lives, experiences, and overall future lives. Join new clubs or try an intramural sport. Learn the names of people next to you in your classes. Try to meet more people on your dorm floor. Attend as many sporting events as you have time for. Ultimately, these next four years should help you on your path to doing what you want to do for the next forty, so try to find a way to invest in your time here. Go Cougs!

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Keynote Speaker

Francene Watson

Welcome, welcome, welcome new Cougs! I echo all the advice already shared on our 2024 Convocation page. Lovely. To those words of wisdom, inspiration, and encouragement I’ll add a couple things. First, know that even when it’s hard, there is always a place for you in our WSU family. Sometimes it requires a lot of courage to reach during challenging moments, but doing so is key. Faculty, staff, administrators, and peers are all here to support you at different levels, through all the phases of moving through a college degree, which is no different than life itself—full of tremendous opportunity and woven with challenges. Make a commitment to build those relationships that will grow into your support network. Meet your professors and instructors during office hours, for example. These are hours set aside for not only getting guidance with coursework, but they are also there to simply build connections that are also a part of your learning. It’s a chance to have those conversations that perhaps class time doesn’t quite allow for. Invest the time early and often and you will start to feel the difference. A second piece of advice is this. You will be sharing a lot of yourself over the next several years—intellectually, physically, and emotionally. This is all a part of the learning process and vital for growth—for thriving and flourishing. Make sure to also carve time to take exquisite care of yourself—intellectually, physically, and emotionally. Building that support network will help with that self-care—it’s important. When in doubt, slow down, take a deep breath, take a walk, and have a glass of water and know that everything will be okay. Go Cougs! 

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ASWSU President

Tania Henriques

Hi new Cougs! Welcome to the Cougar family and to your first year at Washington State University. This is your new home away from home! It’s so exciting to introduce a new class to our campus and to all of the wonderful people, student organizations, and resources WSU has to offer. Here at WSU we offer a multitude of resources to support you in every step of the way of your collegiate experience. Whether it’s through our tutoring centers, our 400+ student organizations, or our campus jobs, we are here to guide you all. I was once in the exact same position that you are all in now, where you’re beginning a new chapter in your lives. With that being said, I urge you all to take the time to explore everything WSU has to offer and use it to create a memorable experience, because trust me, these next four years fly by so quickly, so get out there, join an organization, meet new people, make new friends, create lasting relationships, and don’t forget to study hard. I’m so excited to meet you all, and as always, Go Cougs!

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Romando Nash

Welcome to the Cougar Family! I am excited for you to experience your new home and welcome you to the Coug Community. I encourage you to take advantage of all that WSU has to offer inside and outside of the classroom. From the great people to the student organizations to taking advantage of the many activities and events there is something for everyone at WSU. You’ll find a multitude of resources are in place to help you be successful and I hope you explore as much as you can. My advice for you is to meet new people, join an organization, make new friends, study hard, and know that it is okay to engage with the faculty and staff that you will encounter over your next four years. We are here to support you along your path and enhance your experience at WSU. Don’t hesitate to say hello to me as you see me walking around campus. I’m thrilled to have the opportunity to meet you. Go Cougs!