Bellingham -- Ramiro Espinoza has been appointed student trustee at Western Washington University and will be the first-ever WWU graduate student to serve in that capacity.

Appointed by Gov. Chris Gregoire, Espinoza will serve on Western’s Board of Trustees until June 30, 2011.

David Brancaccio, a longtime national business journalist and host and senior editor of NOW on PBS, visited Western’s Vehicle Research Institute Wednesday to videotape a feature on Western’s Vehicle Research Institute (VRI) team that completed a dramatic run all the way to the last days of competition in the finals of the Progressive Automotive X Prize.

A handful of students from the Department of Engineering Technology in Western Washington University's College of Sciences and Technology helped man the pit crew for the UL-14 Sammamish Mortgage/WWU College of Sciences and Technology/GO NAVY hydroplane during this past weekend's Seafair event in Seattle.

The boat, driven by Paul Becker, took first place in the final of the Unlimited Lights class, narrowly beating Kayleigh Perkins, driver of the UL-72 Foster Care-Triad Racing Technologies hydroplane, at the finish line.

Western Washington University rower Audrey Coon is one of more than 100 student-athletes representing multiple sports in all three divisions selected as a nominee for the 20th annual NCAA Woman of the Year award.

The NCAA Woman of the Year award honors senior student-athletes for their collegiate achievements in service, leadership, athletics and academics.

Coon is one of 117 student-athletes identified from a record 452 nominees by their conferences and by independent institutions. Western is considered an independent in women's rowing.

At the end of every quarter, the Western Washington University Alumni Association celebrates the accomplishments of the next generation of Western graduates. Volunteers are needed for an hour or two to help congratulate these students and distribute caps, gowns, tickets, prizes and grad packs. A pizza lunch will be provided for volunteers (as will plenty of '70s and '80s music!).

The senior celebration event will take place from 10 a.m. to noon on Friday, Aug. 20, in Viking Union Room Multipurpose Room on campus.

More than a hundred well-wishers showed up to congratulate the Western Washington University X PRIZE Team during a recognition ceremony on campus Thursday, Aug. 5. Team members, recently returned from the finals of the Progressive Automotive X PRIZE competition at Michigan International Speedway, were at the event along with their car, Viking 45.

During the finals of the contest, Viking 45 achieved the equivalent of more than 110 miles per gallon with ultra-low emissions. WWU finished in the Top 10 of more than 130 cars that started the competition.

The Vehicle Research Institute (VRI) team from Western Washington University that just completed a dramatic run all the way to the last days of competition in the finals of the $10 Million Progressive Automotive X-Prize will arrive back in Bellingham this week in time for a celebration event at noon on Thursday, Aug. 5, at the PAC Plaza on the WWU campus.