CAHNRS Connections August 2025
Newsletter brought to you by CAHNRS Student Success and Academic Programs.
Week of Welcome: Academic Kick-off
Hundreds of students visited Ensminger to start off the semester right!
Associate Dean of Student Success and Academic Programs, Nancy Deringer, and the incredible SSAP Team welcomed an enthusiastic group of new CAHNRS students. Faculty and staff were introduced to the student attendees, followed by a run-through of upcoming fun events that students can attend this semester. A student panel made up of Leadership Ambassadors were introduced, and they answered crowd questions as they tossed out free neon t-shirts spelling out “CAHNRS is totally rad” in the theme of the 80’s. 80’s music complemented the neon t-shirts, also sported by the volunteers.
Next came The Battle of the Beads, a fun game where a giant competition of rock-paper-scissors ensues in which each student plays another student one-on-one, and the loser hands over their beads. At the end of the game, the student with the most beads received a $20 gift card to Ferdinand’s Ice Cream Shoppe.
Popcorn and Ferdinand’s ice cream were served by the Ambassadors, a yummy treat provided by SSAP. Attendees also planted little terracotta pots with flower seeds as something to take home and care for throughout the semester. Ambassadors lead the filming of a Tiktok video for the WSU CAHNRS official Tiktok account.
At the end of the event, everything was cleared to make way for the students to come together and take a full group photo, marking the official start of an incredible semester in CAHNRS. The students’ smiling faces were the most exciting part, with their cheers filling Ensminger with joy and enthusiasm for the new semester!
CAHNRS Spirit
Highlighted Event Dates to Mark on Your Calendar
August 27, 2025
September 4, 2025
September 6, 2025
September 19, 2025
4:00 – 6:00pm at Moobery Track
September 20, 2025
1:30 – 4:30 Outside of Vogel Plant Sciences
October 6, 2025
October 6, 2025
Fall Festival – September 4th
Bringing students, staff, and administrators all together? What better way than through our annual Fall Festival! Booths, Ferdinand’s ice cream, hot dogs, bingo, raffles, crawling creatures, and other surprises await on September 4th at 4:00 – 6:00pm. Who knows, you might even catch incoming Dean Raj Khosla scooping out ice cream!
We are ecstatic for anyone who would like to volunteer to lend a helping hand with tables & chairs, booths, and set-up the morning of, helping replenish snacks and waters, or assisting with takedown the day after. If you’d like to be a part of making the dream happen, please reach out to cahnrs.majors@wsu.edu and let us know to keep you in the loop!
Aerospace Leader Gary Lai to Inspire WSU Students
Join us virtually as Gary Lai, chief architect of Blue Origin’s New Shepard and co-founder of Interlune, shares his journey in aerospace and insights on career opportunities. With over 25 years in space innovation—including flying aboard New Shepard himself—Lai will inspire students from all majors. The event includes his keynote and a networking reception. Smart casual attire suggested; Cougar Closet items are available to borrow.
Cosmic Crisp® Giveaway at WSU Move-In Weekend
The Out-of-this-World Apple
Did you know? The Cosmic Crisp®, famous for its crispy-sweet bite, also has a significantly delayed browning feature and is Non-GMO? It can sit sliced longer and stays a crisp golden yellow. You can often find them sitting out in the CAHNRS Dean’s Office and the Office of Student Success and Academic Programs because it’s our favorite snack. This amazing apple got its way into the lucky hands of students at Move-In Weekend this year, with Kate Evans, Co-developer of the Cosmic Crisp® and Ines Hanrahan, director for the Washington Tree Fruit Research Commission (WTFRC), handing them out by the thousands in their special cosmic boxes.
Students Grab a Sweet Treat!
As we welcome students back into town, traffic thickens and smiling faces and anticipation fill the campus streets. Move in can be a huge feat for students as they arrive, so it’s important they feel both welcomed and taken care of. This year, students could grab a quick bite courtesy of industry as a pick-me-up on their way. What a sweet treat during a very exciting and stressful week!
Sport Your Cosmic Crisp® Spirit in Style
Director of the Washington Tree Fruit Research Commission (WTFRC), Ines Hanrahan, is seen sporting a Cosmic Crisp® official t-shirt. Get yours at the Cosmic Crisp® Shop online, or browse water bottles, vests and other apparel, and even kitchenware. We can’t wait for the Sunflare™ to make its debut next!
The CAHNRS Top Scholars Program Kicks Off with Science & Research Fair on August 27th
The 2025 CAHNRS Top Scholars Program welcomes its newest cohort of first-year students to a year of research, mentorship, and professional growth. This initiative invites WSU Top Scholars who are CAHNRS majors to register and join the program. These students will connect with faculty, explore cutting-edge projects, and engage in enriching personal and community-building relationships that will shape their academic careers.
Science and Research Fair –
August 27, 5–7 pm in Ensminger Pavilion Highlights
- 5–6 pm: Researchers will meet CAHNRS Top Scholars and recruit them for paid research roles associated with the Ignite Undergraduate Research portion of the program, which pays up to $1,500 in hourly wages.
- Researchers will showcase their lab’s projects and facilities with a display table
- Have one-on-one conversations with eager students ready to join their research
- Forge interdisciplinary partnerships and strengthen our community
- 6–7 pm: Open to all CAHNRS students to explore research, internships, and job opportunities
Program Highlights for 2025-26 CAHNRS Top Scholars Program
- No GPA requirement to remain in the Top Scholars community
- Year-long calendar of workshops, professional development, networking events, and dinners to open and close out the year
- Optional Ignite Undergraduate Research track with paid positions
- Certificates of completion and scholarship opportunities for active participants
- Access to faculty mentors and industry contacts to guide internships and job searches
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