- Impact Report Introduction
- Letter from Dean Mason
- Facts and figures
- Preparing nurses. Statewide impact.
- Employee spotlights
- Community impact
- Healthy people + healthy pets
- Giving that changes lives
- A Lasting WIN & Smart Giving From Your IRA
- Partnerships that transform care
- WSU nursing students gain global health perspective in Zambia
- First-generation student spotlight: Called to care
- Alumni spotlights
- Building confidence through practice
- Empowered Coug nurses
- Lighting up the sky for National Nurses Week in 2026
Coug Nurses carry their education, experience, and commitment to care into communities across Washington and beyond. These stories show how family influence, mentorship, perseverance, and advanced education can shape nursing careers across generations.
Anne Mason Named Dean of WSU College of Nursing
Anne M. Mason, a two-time WSU College of Nursing graduate and longtime faculty and academic leader, has been named dean of the college. Her journey was shaped by a multigenerational nursing legacy, rural practice, psychiatric nursing, education, and a commitment to expanding access to care.
One Door at a Time: How Dean Anne Mason Found Her Path in Nursing
Anne Mason never planned to become interim dean of the Washington State University College of Nursing. What began with Running Start classes and a CNA program in Walla Walla evolved into a nursing career spanning clinical practice, advanced education, teaching, and leadership. Along the way, mentors, family influences, personal challenges, and a commitment to lifelong learning helped shape her path from ADN student to interim dean.
Nursing in the Family: Joshua and Veranica Alexeyenko
For Joshua and Veranica Alexeyenko, nursing school has been a shared journey shaped by family, service, and the example of Joshua’s father, Robert “Bob” Jackson. Their story shows how one person’s call to care can influence the next generation.
A Family Legacy in Nursing Comes Full Circle in Yakima
Audra Podruzny’s nursing journey connects her DNP education with the legacy of her mother, Corren “Cory” Slobig, an early graduate of WSU’s nurse practitioner program in Yakima. Together, their careers span generations of nursing education and service.
From Bedside to System-wide Impact: How One Master’s Grad Expanded Her Reach in Obstetric Care
After nearly 20 years in labor and delivery, Zibby Merritt loved bedside nursing but wanted to shape care on a broader scale. Earning her Master of Nursing from WSU gave her tools to think bigger, lead systemwide change, and mentor the next generation.
“The Art of Grit”: Meet Pita Lopez, the Firefighting Nurse Who Beat All Odds
Pita Lopez’s path to earning a BSN included personal challenges, perseverance, and recovery. After graduating from WSU, Lopez began the next chapter of his service as a commissioned officer in the U.S. Army.