Getting to Know You: George Frasier
#WhereAreYouWednesday w/ George Frasier
Date: Jan. 26, 2022
Tell us a little about your background. Where you from or grow up? Did you go to WSU? What did you study at WSU?
1. Grew up in Renton Washington. Graduated from Renton High School in 1980
2. Graduated WSU in 1984 with a BS in Physical Education
What has been your favorite thing about WSU, as well as the College of Education?
Many people took an interest in my success as a student at WSU. The relationships I developed have been truly lifelong. The COE has been an amazing steward of that relational aspect of my experience at WSU. Our sense of community, as alumni, current students, staff and faculty is, in my view, truly exceptional.
What responsibility comes with being a land-grant university? Why is being a land-grant special?
In my view, what makes a land-grant college special is the responsibility to both create new knowledge and develop the systems and technology to apply it for the benefit of our society/economy.
When I was a student I had friends in Architecture programs at the U and WSU. The going joke was that while the UW Architect could design a beautiful space, no on was sure it could be constructed or safely occupied. It illustrated the knowledge for knowledge’s sake liberal arts basis for much of higher ed. The land grant ethos of application, in this example, yielded a beautiful building that an engineer could make safe and a builder could actually construct.
Knowledge and its application in service to our community is an important attribute of our land grant mission.
If you could improve one thing about WSU, what would it be?
Build around the concept that we are one WSU family. Despite much progress, there remains an our silo v. your silo sense to things.
What do you currently do? Tell us about your NOW life!
I am the Vice President for College Advancement at Green River College.
My team –
1. Increases access to an education, supports student success, develops the capacity of the College, and provides creative solutions to campus challenges.
2. Tells the story of the College internally and externally.
3. Works to develop the brand of the College with the goal being that GRC is top of mind for college going students, our business community, and service area cities.
What makes you an agent of change?
I believe in the following –
1. “We” are the only thing that has changed the world.
2. The playing field can and must be leveled to build equitable access to opportunity
3. All humans are capable.
I have the massive privilege of being able to work in the CTC space where embedding higher ed in our community for the betterment of the individual and our society is the mission.
What is something unique about you. Something interesting that someone may say makes you YOU!
I have the weird ability to listen intently to a group, pull out the main points of the conversation, and clarify the concepts presented. That has come in handy many times. I never forget faces (names on the other hand…) and will remember things about you. I have an elephants memory for those kinds of items.
One more thing – I have never once, ever, had anything to eat at Cougar Country. I am ashamed of this. Truly no idea why not.
Favorites:
Food: Mac and Cheese with hotdogs!
Restaurant in Pullman: Back in the day. Alex’s (Mexican food and the B-52’s) Never went wrong at Rico’s either. Sella’s too.
Book: Foundation Series by Isaac Asimov – Just re-read Foundation and Foundation and Empire.
Band: Anything 80’s punk and new wave. Furs, Joe Jackson, Elvis Costello, Clash, Motels, Stray Cats
Song: Planet Claire
Movie: Dazed and Confused
TV show: Ted Lasso
Favorite Coug Sport: Football
Hobby: Riding bicycles
Vacation spot (you’ve been to): Rome was magical
Dream vacation spot (somewhere you’d like to go): Skiing anywhere in Europe