EWU logo

    • Apply
    • Academics
    • Athletics
    • Calendar
    • Community
    • About
    • InsideEWU
    • Canvas
  • Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar

EWU Admissions

Blogs for Future EWU Eagles

  • Blogs
  • About EWU
  • Contact Us

Archives for February 2016

Web Programmer by Day, Novelist by Night

02/22/2016 by Nick Thomas Leave a Comment

Burke Fitzpatrick on IT and Creativity

Burke Fitzpatrick has embraced the total dedication required to be a creative writer and work a full time day job as a web programmer. His nights are filled by furiously writing the next book in his series of “dark fantasy” novels called The Shedim Rebellion – building his world and the characters that inhabit it – and his weekends take up the business side of running Blade Books, the press he founded. He describes his books as a mix of “heroic fantasy and Dante’s Inferno.”

“It’s all creative,” says Fitzpatrick, “you are creating something out of nothing.”

Fantasy Author and EWU Programmer Burke Fitzpatrick
Fantasy Author and EWU Programmer Burke Fitzpatrick (photo Nick Thomas)

The trick to self-publishing is keeping the reader wanting more, and then actually delivering on that. Some writers are able to support themselves writing full time simply by churning out the content. “E-book publishing is mirroring the old pulp paperback business model,” he says. His fifth book in the series is in the works.

A lifelong reader, Fitzpatrick devours a wide range of subjects, from mythology to history. It helped that his mom was an English teacher and his dad an amateur historian. He grew up drawing and painting too, and earned his AA degree in graphic design in the mid 90s, surfing the wave of the dot com bubble.

Eventually he came to EWU and pursued a degree in Computer Science. He needed to be able to support his family, but desperately wanted to develop his creative writing, too. So he took as many literature courses as he could handle. Studying programming, calculus, along with ancient British Literature provided a stimulating, if challenging, counterpart to his STEM classes.

Throughout his undergrad experience he made the most of internship opportunities and work study at EWU, first as a graphic designer for Marketing and Communication, then as IT support, and then programming. Upon earning his degree, this experience led to a full time IT job at EWU, where he has been for 16 years.

Fitzpatrick loves learning, and that’s a good thing, with the tech industry changing rapidly with the move to the Cloud and mobile-based devices now making up half of all internet traffic. “In the IT world,” he says, “you are constantly learning new things.”

“A couple years ago I took JavaScript courses,” he says. He was impressed with the computer science department. “They are placing grads in good jobs right away.”

Wanting to further hone his literary chops, he then earned his Masters in Creative Writing over two and a half years of night classes at EWU’s highly regarded Creative Writing MFA Program.

When asked how coding and writing stories are related, he insists they are closely linked. “It’s all creative,” he says. “You are creating something out of nothing.”

 

 

Filed Under: Academics, College Fit, EWU Tagged With: burke fitzpatrick, creative writing, EWU, ewu computer programing, ewu computer science, ewu mfa, fantasay, IT, it career, shedim rebellion, STEM, writing

Olympia 2016: Advocating for More Outdoor Recreation

02/16/2016 by Nick Thomas Leave a Comment

EWU students recently headed to Olympia for all kinds of important issues like promoting EWU Computer Science and securing funding for the new science building. I traveled to Washington’s capitol to attend the Big Tent Coalition Rally for Outdoor Recreation and advocate for more funding for The John Wayne Pioneer Trail, a cross-state trail that connects to Cheney and EWU.

The big white tent set up in front of the Washington State Capital was packed with banners, gear and all manner of people wearing bright ski coats, sharp business suits, and denim jackets and cowboy hats. The overcast sky had just opened up a torrent, so loud I leaned in to hear Governor Inslee address this odd assortment of outdoor enthusiasts and politicians.

In spite of the weather, his message came through loud and clear: The importance of Outdoor Recreation to Washington State is undeniable. A new study, the first of its kind in Washington, has determined the total economic impact of outdoor recreation equals $22.5 billion annually, with $1.5 billion of tax revenue and supporting 200,000 jobs.

Besides the major economic impact, getting outside is good for our health.

Gov. Inslee called on young people to go outside, to seek adventure off the beaten path. “Going outside is the single biggest health benefit to our young people,” he said. He emphasized that young people are the future leaders and caretakers of the environment. He backed this up by restarting the state’s “No Child Left Inside” program, which funds various independent groups that help youth get out of the cities and into the wilderness.

At Washington State Capitol in Olympia last week (photo by Nick Thomas)
The Washington State Capitol in Olympia (Nick Thomas photo)

Next, legendary mountaineer Jim Whittaker took the stage. He was the first American to Summit Mt. Everest and is a co-founder of REI. In remarkable shape for 86, he bounded up to the stage and spoke eloquently about his experiences. He emphasized his belief that actively participating in preservation of our landscapes leads to a lifetime of profound experiences and lasting love and respect for the environment.

John Snyder also spoke. In December the Spokane City Councilman was appointed the state’s very first Adviser to the Governor on Outdoor Recreation. Snyder (pictured below) started the NW outdoor recreation magazine Out There Monthly. He is a fellow supporter of the John Wayne Pioneer Trail, the cross-state rail-trail.

jon snyder
EWU student Nick Thomas with Jon Snyder, 1st Adviser to the Governor on Outdoor Recreation

 

I came to Olympia to learn more about the legislative process by promoting the public’s and elected official’s awareness of The John Wayne Pioneer Trail. This former railroad is now a trail that takes hikers, horse riders and cyclists 253 miles across Washington State from North Bend clear to the Idaho border. It is the longest rails-to-trails conversion in the country, and one of only two cross-state trail systems.

The John Wayne Trail connects to EWU via the Columbia Plateau Trail (aka the Fish Lake Trail). The potential is there for students to enjoy a weekend ride on the trail, camping along the way, or a day ride on the paved Fish Lake Trail that connects to Spokane (an easy, off road 1.5 hour bike ride).

Last August I biked the trail from North Bend to Spokane over the course of five days. It was an adventure that I will never forget. I was challenged both physically and mentally, and was amazed by the beauty of our state, especially the remote high desert of eastern Washington.

While it’s tempting to stay inside and play computer games or binge watch Netflix, mixing in screen-time with regular exercise and interaction with nature will actually help you do better in college. You will likely experience better grades, cure writer’s block, and just feel happier.

Students who exercise even once a week earn a higher GPA than students who don’t exercise. Those who hike are happier and experience lower blood pressure and less depression.

A 2015 Stanford study shows that people who “engage with nature” have less negative thoughts than those who spend time walking around in urban areas.

 

Filed Under: EWU, Location, Student Life Tagged With: big tent coalition, ewu outdoor recreation, john wayne pioneer trail, john wayne trail, jon snyder, no child left inside, olympia legislation, outdoor recreation, student health

Primary Sidebar

Take Your Next Steps

  • Apply for Admission
  • Request information

Recent Posts

  • Creative works at the student symposium
  • Career Classes at EWU: How to Find Your Major
  • Killer Crime: Get Lit! hosts crime writing panel
  • Comic Creations: comic artists talk at Get Lit!
  • When to negotiate your salary (every time you get a job)
  • Facebook
  • Twitter

Archives

  • June 2018
  • May 2018
  • April 2018
  • March 2018
  • November 2017
  • October 2017
  • June 2016
  • May 2016
  • April 2016
  • March 2016
  • February 2016
  • January 2016
  • December 2015
  • November 2015
  • March 2015
  • July 2014
  • June 2014
  • May 2014
  • February 2014
  • November 2013
  • April 2013
  • February 2013
  • January 2013
  • September 2012
  • July 2012
  • May 2012
  • April 2012
  • March 2012
  • February 2012
  • January 2012
  • April 2011
  • December 2010
  • August 2010

Categories

  • Academics
  • Admissions
  • College Fit
  • Community
  • EWU
  • International
  • Location
  • STEM
  • Student Life
  • Tuition & Financial Aid
Eastern Washington University
509.359.6200 • Contact Information
EWU expands opportunities for personal transformation through excellence in learning.
  • About EWU
  • Accessibility
  • Campus Map
  • Visit EWU
  • Diversity
  • InsideEWU
  • EWU Libraries
  • Jobs
  • Campus Locations
  • Canvas
  • Leadership
  • EWU Foundation
  • Privacy Policy
  • Rules Docket

© 2021 Eastern Washington University