CWU history will be made Thursday, May 24 in the Barto Lawn when relics of the present are buried. The CWU Time Capsule, which has been three years in the making, will descend into the ground at 11 a.m.

The project began in 2015 when Katie DeVore, the VP of the Alumni Association, developed an interest in the history of Ellensburg and CWU. She got in contact with CWU alumnus Robert Ford and tried to convince him and the Alumni Association to fund the project.

With the help of ASCWU Vice President of Student Life and Facilities Jocelyn Matheny, Ford was convinced to gather the funding for two time capsules: one to be uncovered after 25 years and one after 50 years, on CWU’s 150th and 175th anniversaries.

“It’s a very exciting opportunity to allow students to be a part of history by submitting notes and letters to the time capsule to show what CWU is right now,” said Executive Director of Student Involvement Jeff Rosenberry.

The project has since been spearheaded by Matheny, DeVore, and the Alumni Association.

“It’s been so much fun when we have the meetings, its really pulled people from across campus. We’ve seen great collaboration,” Matheny said. “There hasn’t been a set right way or wrong way to do it, it’s just been what we wanted it to be.”

The time capsules will be full of things contributed by students, CWU organizations and Ellensburg officials. Mayor Bruce Tab, the Ellensburg Chamber of Commerce and the Ellensburg Rodeo Board have all contributed items to the capsules, as well as each of the different CWU departments, according to Ford.

Students have had the opportunity to buy paper for written notes for $5 and 8 inch by 10 inch envelopes that they can put almost anything they want into for $25, which they have been creative in their use of. DeVore said her envelope is filled with photographs of her with the Wildcat outside the SURC.

“A lot of RAs [resident assistants] have put their duty phone ringtone in, one person even said they wanted to contribute SURC chicken strips and fries,” DeVore said.

Luckily for the future excavators of the time capsules, chicken strips are amongst items that aren’t allowed in the time capsule. These rules have been put in place by the CWU Brooks Library, which also has the task of documenting everything that goes into the capsule.

The money made from selling notes and envelopes is going towards scholarships for future students.

“As an alumnus who has come back, I find it very valuable that the university is providing the opportunity to connect with future students,” Ford said.

Both Matheny and DeVore have said that they fully intend on being at the excavation ceremonies in 25 and 50 years.

“I hope that no matter where I am in life, I will be there,” DeVore said. “It’s been such an impactful part of my life and a big experience.”