Washington State University is a land-grant research university in the state of Washington. Its primary campus is in Pullman, with other campuses in Spokane, the Tri-Cities, and Vancouver, as well as learning centers throughout the state. Pullman is located in eastern Washington state near the Idaho border and Moscow, Idaho.
WSU was founded in 1890 as the Washington Agricultural College and School of Science. Doors opened less than two years later, on January 13, 1892. The school became State College of Washington in 1905. In 1927, a chapter of Phi Beta Kappa was established, the first such chapter at a land-grant institution.
In 1959, the school's name was changed to Washington State University.
The Spokane campus was established in 1989, though WSU had been offering various programs in Spokane, including night school and pharmacy clerkships, since the 1920's. WSU Tri-Cities, located in Richland, was likewise founded in 1989, as was WSU Vancouver. WSU had been offering instruction in the field of education in Vancouver since 1983.
Distinguished undergraduate alumni include cartoonist Gary Larson, pioneering broadcaster Edward R. Murrow, author and film maker Sherman Alexie, and co-founder of Microsoft, Paul Allen.
Athletes, students, and alumni of WSU are known as Cougars and the University itself is known to many of its friends as Wazzu.
Washington State has rivalries with the University of Idaho, a school located only a few miles to the east in Moscow, Idaho, and the University of Washington. Every year, the winner of the Washington-Washington State football game wins the Apple Cup, a traveling trophy between the two schools.
WSU is a member of the PAC-10 athletic conference. |
