Western Washington University has received the largest planned gift in its history: a $10.5 million commitment from Peter and Judith Hallson that will create the university's first endowed deanship, fund student scholarships, and expand research capacity in the College of Science and Engineering. The announcement, made August 10, marks a milestone for an institution that has long relied on state funding and modest private philanthropy compared to larger research universities.

What the Gift Creates

The centerpiece of the Hallsons' gift is an $8 million endowment establishing the Peter and Judith Hallson Endowed Deanship in the College of Science and Engineering. This is the first permanently endowed dean position in Western's history. Endowed deanships provide a dedicated pool of investment income that the dean can deploy for a wide range of priorities without waiting for annual budget allocations. That flexibility can be decisive when a research opportunity, faculty recruitment, or student support initiative needs quick action.

The remaining $2.5 million supports several additional funds. These include the Hallson Endowed Research Fund in Biology, the Hallson Endowed Fund for Excellence in the College of the Environment, and the Hallson Endowed Scholarship for graduates of Blaine High School. The gift also includes a contribution to an endowed professorship supporting the Salish Sea Institute, a Western research center focused on the ecology and communities of the inland marine waters of Washington State and British Columbia.

WWU President Sabah Randhawa called the gift "remarkable generosity" that "creates the first endowed deanship at Western." He added that the investment would "strengthen the capacity of our College of Science and Engineering to educate future generations of students and advance research and innovation."

Who the Hallsons Are

Peter Hallson grew up in Blaine, Washington, a small city at the northern edge of Whatcom County just a few miles from the Canadian border. He earned his degree from Western in 1958, then served in the U.S. Marine Corps before building a decades-long career in the water treatment industry. He eventually retired as division president of Nalco Water, an Ecolab company, one of the largest water treatment firms in the world.

Despite his professional success far from Bellingham, Hallson remained connected to Western. After retiring, he returned to the university and joined the advisory board of what was then the College of Science and Technology. He has spent more than a decade on the College of Science and Engineering's Advancement Board, working alongside multiple deans and gaining a detailed understanding of the college's strengths and gaps.

"I made important friendships, and people would let me know when they needed something and I would help," Hallson said in a statement released by Western. "The important thing to me is that people are being helped."

He credits his upbringing in Blaine, and specifically lessons learned from his mother, with shaping his approach to giving. "Charity-wise I was given a lot and helped a lot and probably would not have been successful without the support of lots of people," he said. Judith Hallson is a non-degreed alumna of Western's College of Humanities and Social Sciences. The Hallsons have given hundreds of thousands of dollars to WWU over several decades before this milestone commitment.

Peter Hallson has previously been recognized with Western's Lifetime Achievement Award and the College of Science and Engineering Distinguished Alumni Award.

Why It Matters for Bellingham

Western Washington University is one of Bellingham's largest employers and a defining institution for the city's character and economy. The College of Science and Engineering serves thousands of students annually in fields ranging from chemistry and biology to computer science and engineering technology. An endowed deanship gives the college a resource that compounds over time: the principal is invested, and the income it generates flows to the college each year in perpetuity.

The Hallson Endowed Scholarship for Blaine High School graduates is a particularly local touch. Scholarships tied to specific high schools create a direct pipeline between a rural border community and a four-year university, which can meaningfully change access for students who might otherwise not consider Western an option. Blaine High School serves a mix of agricultural, fishing, and border-economy families in a community of roughly 6,000 people.

The Salish Sea Institute component of the gift also connects Western's research mission to one of the defining environmental concerns of the Pacific Northwest. The Salish Sea Institute studies the health of the interconnected waterways stretching from Puget Sound through the Strait of Georgia, a region whose ecological condition directly affects Whatcom County fisheries, tribal resources, and drinking water supplies.

What Comes Next

The gift is structured as a planned gift, meaning it will be fully realized through the Hallsons' estate. The funds will become available to Western over time, building the endowment that sustains the deanship and other named funds in perpetuity. WWU's development office works with donors to structure planned gifts in ways that maximize their impact while fitting the donor's financial and estate planning goals.

For students interested in the Hallson Endowed Scholarship for Blaine High School graduates or other financial aid opportunities at Western, the WWU Office of Admissions and Financial Aid can provide current information on eligibility and application timelines. The university expects to announce more details about the deanship search and scholarship application process as the gift moves toward full funding.