Very exciting news for one of our campus partners, the Sustainability Pathways Program from WWU.
Western Washington University alumnus Lee Whittaker (’68) has made a transformational land donation to deepen Western’s presence in the Methow and Okanogan Valleys. The gift includes a home, two tiny houses, and over 170 acres of land near Mazama and in Loup Loup Canyon east of Twisp.
Whittaker’s contribution supports WWU’s Sustainability Pathways program, which brings students to the Methow Valley for hands-on work in sustainability, land stewardship, and community-based learning. The properties—dubbed River to Raven—will provide student housing, field sites, and new opportunities for environmental study and collaboration with local partners, including the Confederated Tribes of the Colville Reservation.
This remarkable gift will help build a long-term home for Western’s education and research efforts in the region, ensuring future generations can learn directly from the land and the Methow community.