100 days of discovery, learning, and impact
I recently marked my first 100 working days as the Cashup Davis Family Endowed Dean, and want to extend my sincere appreciation to our faculty, staff, students, alumni, and friends of the College of Agricultural, Human, and Natural Resource Sciences for their support and commitment to our mission. Today, I would like to reflect on just a few meaningful milestones from this early chapter in our shared journey.
During my first 100 days, I engaged in more than 50 trips, tours, and partner events across our state and nation. These included visits to Olympia and Washington, D.C.; the Association of Public and Land-Grant Universities (APLU) Annual Meeting in Philadelphia; and tours of WSU Research and Extension Centers in Puyallup and Prosser. I also visited current and future WSU research farms at Othello and Chewelah; participated in the state's "Big 5" Ag Summit; and met with key industry partners including the Tree Fruit Endowment Advisory Committee, Washington Grain Commission, Washington Association of Wheat Growers, Washington State Wine Commission, and many others. Each interaction underscored the strength, relevance, and reach of CAHNRS across Washington and beyond.
At the start of the academic year, we proudly welcomed 324 new students. Today, CAHNRS is home to about 2,100 undergraduates and 375 graduate students. Nearly half – about 49% – of our students come from western Washington, while about 30% hail from the east side of our state. Nearly 20% join us from out of state or from international backgrounds, and 37% are the first in their families (first-gen) to be college students. These students reflect the diversity, talent, and potential that define our college. A great reminder of the strengths of our system is WSU's recent recognition as the number one university in the nation for happiest students, based on real student ratings from the Princeton Review. Additionally, the School of Economic Sciences earned national distinction as one of the most popular online economics programs in the nation.
Retaining and supporting our students remains a central priority for CAHNRS. This spring, we are revitalizing our Student Outreach and Retention (SOAR) program to provide deeper, more meaningful and professional mentorship for students. At the same time, we are developing a new student-centered advising model – one grounded in a culture of care and designed to lower students-to-advisors ratios. These efforts reflect our commitment not only to recruiting outstanding students, but to ensuring their success from the day they arrive to the day they graduate.
Since September 1, we have strengthened our college community through addition of 15 new faculty members and 18 new staff members, each bringing talent and energy to our mission across teaching, research, and extension. In recognition of outstanding performance, 62 faculty members received merit-based salary increases through the WSU President's Excellence Fund - an important acknowledgment of the excellence that drives CAHNRS forward. Our faculty and staff continue to garner high-level prestigious recognitions at the state, national and international levels. Recent honors include a Fulbright U.S. Scholar award, the Walter J. Clore Award, a 2025 WSU Public Impact Award, two new endowed professorships, and multiple awards from the National Extension Association of Family and Consumer Sciences. These achievements reflect individual excellence and also the collective strength and impact of our college.
We continue to serve as a leading engine of research at WSU, accounting for nearly 37% of the university’s total extramural expenditures. Strong state, federal and industry partnerships are fueling a new generation of transformative projects across Washington. Among them is the $18 million Plant Growth Facility in Wenatchee, which begins construction in April this year and will significantly expand our capacity for controlled-environment research. We are also advancing plans for a statewide Program for Aquatic Excellence, designed to strengthen salmon health and support sustainable aquaculture. In addition, the launch of new $19 million Center for Health, Environment, Food and Farming marks an important milestone for Washington agriculture. Supported by the Washington Research Foundation, the Washington Grain Commission, and other key partners, this center will accelerate the development of new crop varieties for farmers and promote whole grain innovation and adoption statewide.
To showcase the creativity and impact of our community – and to spark cross-disciplinary conversations and collaborations, we also hosted the inaugural Apple Cup Harvest Market and the first-ever All-CAHNRS Meeting and Reception. These events highlight the breadth of our work and the shared purpose that unites our college.
WSU Extension continues to deliver meaningful, measurable impacts across the state and beyond. The Extension Energy Program supported the first solar panel installation by the Giving Grid, helping rural school districts access clean, affordable solar energy. Extension units also launched the new WSU Green School, empowering gardeners to protect our environment while creating beautiful spaces. And through key partnerships, we helped implement the Washington State Data Exchange for Public Safety, an online resource designed to improve transparency and public trust statewide.
Our efforts are being recognized and expanded through major new investments. Clallam Extension received a $1 million USDA grant to address food insecurity and support farmers on the northern Olympic Peninsula. We also celebrated the remarkable gift of the Casa Becca del Norté tree farm, lovingly cared for by owners Becky and Lynn Miner, which will now serve as an enduring space for forestry education, research, and workforce training.
Extension's presence in all 39 counties and in several Tribal nations makes it truly the "front porch" to WSU. The reach of Extension goes well beyond our three core program units — Youth and Families, Community and Economic Development, and Agriculture and Natural Resources — to embrace faculty and staff in most CAHNRS departments, specialized centers, and our research and Extension campuses. The impact of this work is profound. To share a few examples: the Extension Food Systems Program has provided $484,000 in direct support to Washington food and farm businesses. The interdisciplinary Center for Sustaining Agriculture and Natural Resources has advanced agricultural and energy initiatives that reduce 64,000 tons in emissions annually, equivalent to taking 14,000 cars off the road each year. Extension volunteers contribute over 300,000 hours in service to their communities annually; and 4-H Youth Development engages almost 36,000 youth each year, helping cultivate the next generation of leaders, innovators, and community stewards.
A particularly somber moment this past year was the closure of SNAP-Ed, the nutrition education program that for three decades, helped Washingtonians of all ages lead healthier lives. At its height, SNAP-Ed reached 1.4 million people annually and partnered with nearly 700 community partners across the state. Its legacy is profound, and its impact will continue to be felt in the communities it served.
As a new semester and the next hundred days move ahead, I'm excited by the momentum within our college. We will launch new initiatives, welcome new leaders into key roles, and prepare to celebrate the achievements of the Class of 2026.
I’d also like to welcome all team members of our community, partners, and stakeholders across the state to stay connected and informed about CAHNRS by subscribing to From the Ground Up, my biweekly dean’s blog. It is an ongoing space to share updates, highlight accomplishments, and reflect on the work that moves CAHNRS forward.
We navigate an era rich with opportunity, and our college is distinguished by extraordinary talent, dedication, and innovation. I am proud of what we are accomplishing – together.
As always, Go Cougs!
Sincerely,
Raj Khosla, Cashup Davis Family Endowed Dean
