Alumni, businesses and other generous donors across the country have been giving back to the EWU community on Giving Joy Day since 2012. Giving Joy Day is an annual event dedicated to raising money for scholarships at EWU.

At Desautel Hege, a public relations and advertising firm in Spokane, two EWU alumni are creating a scholarship for students pursuing a communications degree. Through EWU’s Giving Joy Day, Cheryl and Jim Desautel are giving joy back to the Eagle community.

“Jim and I want to give back to the school and give back to those who get Communication degrees,” Cheryl Desautel said.

There may be multiple scholarships, with backing from EWU students interning for the Desautels, who have a vision to help multiple students. The Desautels want to give back to students who are following a path similar to communications. Even if they do not work in the same field, they believe that it will help students later in life.

“Going into the industry, people who don’t have experience won’t be hired, and we want to give every opportunity to every student that wants to follow in this path at school and here at this firm,” Cheryl Desautel said.

EWU senior Riley Osborn is pursuing  journalism with an emphasis in public relations, and is excited for the scholarship opportunity.

“I think that it so incredible that alumni really do care about giving back to the community. The fact that these alumni want to support students pursuing an education in the same program says a lot about the positive experience that EWU gave them,” Osborn said.

Giving Joy Day took place on Nov. 27. The school’s goal for the day was to raise $275,000 in donations from all 50 states.