Alumni News
Electrical Engineering Graduate of 1934 Still Going Strong at 97
EUGENE LOUIS GOCHNAUER
Born November 17, 1910 in Colorado Springs, Colorado, Eugene Louis Gochnauer moved with his family to Portland, Oregon where he resided from 1912 to 1915. At the age of five, he moved to Washington State where his family initially resided with his grandparents in Adams county.
There, he began first grade in the one-room Billington school, riding to school each day double on a pony with his nine year old sister, three miles each way. After graduating from Othello High School in 1929, he attended Washington State College (now Washington State University) in Pullman, Washington. He graduated in 1934 with a Bachelor of Science degree in Electrical Engineering.
School of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science Honored Don Kopczynski with the Hower Award
The School of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science at Washington State University honored Don Kopczynski, with the inaugural Hower Award for Outstanding Volunteer Service at the annual EECS Graduation and Awards Banquet held April 17th in Pullman, WA.
Computer Science Pioneer Never Noticed She Was a Pioneer
Hazel Jacoby never noticed she was a pioneer. She was too busy enjoying computer science.
After studying math as an undergraduate, Jacoby came to Washington State University as a computer science graduate student in 1970, becoming one of the first women to graduate from the fledgling program.
Jacoby, who grew up on California’s Central Coast, was fortunate to have great math teachers at a young age. Teachers in eighth grade and her junior year in high school encouraged her interest in math and computer science. During her junior year, her high school teacher brought in a peg board, introducing the students to their first programming. Later, the teacher encouraged Jacoby to try out a junior college programming class, which she loved.