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Central Washington University






Central Washington University

























SloganDocendo Discimus
(By teaching we learn)
Established 1891
School type Public
President Jerilyn S. McIntyre
Location Ellensburg, WA , USA
Enrollment 9296 undergraduate,
607 graduate
Gender Balance 53% women, 47% men
Most Popular Majors Accounting/Business,
Education, Music,
Law and Justice
Campus 350 acres (1.4 km²)
Sports teams Wildcats
Website www.cwu.edu




Central Washington University, or CWU, is an accredited four-year educational institution located in Ellensburg, Washington in the United States . The university originally opened in the late 19th century as a teacher's college, which is still one of the primary majors taken there. Central Washington University is located about 30 miles (50 km) north of Yakima, Washington on Interstate 82 , and 110 miles (180 km) east-southeast of Seattle, Washington on Interstate 90 .


HISTORY

Central Washington University originally opened up as Washington State Normal School in 1891 . It was later changed to Central Washington College of Education, Central Washington State College and finally to Central Washington University. It continues to be one of the fastest growing universities in the state of Washington. Dr. Jerilyn S. McIntyre is the current president.


RESEARCH

  • The university has been home to the Signing Chimpanzee Washoe since 1980 ; since 1993 at the university's Chimpanzee and Human Communication Institute. This continues to be only one of the two institutions of its kind in the world.


  • The Drama Teacher's Summer Institute , established in 1996, is specifically designed for teachers. More than 500 teachers, representing 28 states and four nations, have attended the Institute, learning new skills to take back to the classroom, making life-long friends and networking with other theatre artists and educators from across the nation and the world.



ATHLETICS

CWU students, alumni, and Varsity athletes are known as the " Wildcats " and their colors are Red and Black. CWU is part of NCAA Division II and is part of the Great Northwest Athletic Conference . The Wildcats Sports are as follows in seasonal order.

Men's: (Fall) Football, Cross Country,(Winter) Basketball, (Spring) Baseball, Track & Field.

Women's: (Fall) Soccer, Cross Country, Volleyball (Winter) Basketball, (Spring) Softball, Track & Field.

The University used to have a competitive wrestling team that won two NAIA championships, produced 10 national champions as well as 26 All-Americans. However, since it's move to Division II, it endured hardship. Although still a competitive force in the west, the school's athletic department opted to cut the program following the 2003-2004 season
citing a lack of regional competition and a lack of conference affiliation. Despite an outcry by students, alumni and fans, the university stuck with its decision despite being offered a wrestling only membership by the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference (which is the only Division II conference sponsoring wrestling), and the student body agreeing to increase the schools activity fees to help sponsor the sport, and an abundance of Regional competition at the Division I and NAIA level. Those that still compete on the wrestling team have to try out at the club level which competes in the less prestigious National College Wrestling Association in it's three team Northwest Conference.

Football garnered much attention as being one of the most successful teams in Washington will be moving to the North Central Conference for the 2006 season, after the Great Northwest Athletic Conference announced it would discontinue its participation in football following the 2005 season. The football team shares an intense rivalry with Western Washington University (who will also be joining the NCC in 2006) as the two predominated football powers in the Northwest Division II ranks. Recently they've been competing in a game called the Battle in Seattle taking place at Seattle's Qwest Field before the even more traditional Cascade Cup game, although because of conference scheduling the two games will be combined starting 2006 (it will be played Oct. 21st).

Former CWU Wildcats include:

NFL QB Jon Kitna , Seattle Seahawks and Cincinnati Bengals , Lead the team to an NAIA Div. II champoinship in 1995.


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