Hands-on Learning: Transforming Learning, Communities and Futures

Build Our Future
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About this Priority

Eastern Washington University is committed to shaping the future through hands-on learning that connects students to the real world. Our initiatives—focused on innovation, sustainability, and community empowerment—prepare students for successful careers while addressing regional and global challenges. Whether through industry partnerships at Catalyst, environmental work on the Prairie Restoration Project, or advocacy within the Lucy Covington Initiative, students gain practical skills that enhance their career readiness.

The Catalyst Building

Support the Continued Growth and Success of the Catalyst

The Catalyst building, a joint project of Avista Development and McKinstry, provides Eastern students with cutting-edge classrooms and labs that are ideal for immersive learning experiences that foster creative and technological innovation.

EWU Catalyst is home to more than 15 programs that connect students with local businesses and organizations, transforming the community. From Cybersecurity to the MFA program’s Get Lit! literary festival to Business, Health Sciences, Social Work, Design, and Urban & Regional Planning, EWU graduates who contribute to strong, economically vibrant communities.

We need your support to continue this success and grow these partnerships. By contributing to the Catalyst fund, you help ensure innovative, collaborative workforce development that produces top graduates. Let’s build a stronger future together.

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Prairie Restoration Project

Restoring Our Landscape: A Commitment to Sustainability and Education

Eastern’s Prairie Restoration Project is a one-of-a-kind initiative to restore 120 acres of campus land to its original Palouse Prairie state, creating a climate-resilient landscape that enhances biodiversity. This multi-year effort serves as a living laboratory for multidisciplinary research, offering hands-on learning opportunities in fields like biology, environmental science, and public health. Developed in cooperation with representatives from area Native communities, the project aims to boost regional biodiversity while creating an educational and recreational space that reconnects visitors to a long-lost landscape.

As the Prairie takes root, it will reduce EWU’s carbon footprint, support future campus landscaping, and promote long-term sustainability. Continued fundraising is essential to cover the costs of plants, trees, trail systems, and educational signage.

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Lucy Covington Initiative

Empowering Native American Students Through Education and Leadership

The Lucy Covington Initiative empowers Native American students through education and leadership development, providing scholarships that help with the recruitment, retention, and graduation of Eastern Washington University Native American students. By bridging classroom knowledge with real-world application, this initiative fosters the skills necessary for meaningful community collaborations, whether through projects with local tribal leaders or environmental stewardship.

Your support is vital to the initiative’s success. By contributing to our scholarship fund, you facilitate access to quality education and create opportunities for hands-on learning that honor students’ cultural heritage. Together, we can uphold Lucy Covington’s legacy and equip Native youth to lead with confidence, making lasting impacts in their communities and tribes.

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