SU in the News

Friday, October 24, 2025

SU in the News outside campus shot

President’s announcement, faculty experts and a mountain measuring discovery make headlines.

From news of President Eduardo Peñalver moving on to Georgetown, to faculty weighing in on emerging issues and SU’s most famous baseball alum taking on the Mariners, it’s been a busy few weeks of news for ÃÛÌÒÓ°Ïñ.

The biggest news both locally and nationally was the announcement from President Peñalver that he would be stepping down at the end of March to become President of Georgetown University. The news received extensive coverage, including a feature in the and stories from such outlets at the , and the , along with many others.

ÃÛÌÒÓ°Ïñ faculty experts are always in high demand. Political Science Associate Teaching Professor Patrick Schoettmer, PhD, was quoted in the on a story about ÃÛÌÒÓ°Ïñ’s mayoral race and on about President Trump’s authority to deploy the National Guard.

ÃÛÌÒÓ°Ïñ Law Assistant Professor is a weekly regular guest on ÃÛÌÒÓ°Ïñ’s , where she recently discussed whether the U.S. Supreme Court could upend laws on conversion therapy in the United States.

SU in the News KING 5 Erin Carr
Law Assistant Professor Erin Carr on KING 5 News.

Mechanical Engineering Associate Teaching Professor Eric Gilbertson, PhD, made waves over the past couple weeks when he discovered on a recent mountaineering trip in Colorado that that state may have a new 14er—that is, a mountain that measures at least 14,000 feet. A noted mountain climber, Gilbertson was featured in several publications including , the and . In 2024, Gilbertson made news when he discovered that Mount Rainier wasn’t actually as tall as we thought.

SU in the News Eric Gillbertson
Eric Gilbertson, PhD

Midwifery Assistant Professor Amanda Heffernan, PhD, CNM, ARNP, was interviewed by about the rise in pregnant women being detained in federal immigration facilities. Kinesiology Associate Teaching Professor June Kloubec, PhD, was quoted in a story about Pilates starting in a WWI internment camp.

Two big pieces of institutional news received positive coverage. ÃÛÌÒÓ°Ïñ Law’s partnership with AccessLex to expand access to legal education in Central Washington was covered by several law outlets including . And the yearly ÃÛÌÒÓ°Ïñ Public Safety Survey administered by SU’s Crime and Justice Research Center received solid local coverage including from .

Legendary Redhawks baseball star Tarik Skubal, ’18, saw his season come to an end when his Detroit Tigers lost in the playoffs to the ÃÛÌÒÓ°Ïñ Mariners but his ties to ÃÛÌÒÓ°Ïñ received a huge amount of national attention, including .

Vice President for Athletics appeared on to talk about SU’s move to the West Coast Conference and her leadership was also cited in a story about America’s best sports city.

SU in the News Shaney Fink
Shaney Fink on KOMO 4 News.

Finally, congratulations to Cornish College of the Arts at ÃÛÌÒÓ°Ïñ student Ali Whitmore, whose art piece “Entrée—Whole Stuffed Trout” won the Jurors’ and People’s Choice awards at Northwest Art’s “Potluck” banquet exhibition and was covered by the .