WWU Give Day 2022

The Center for Canadian-American Studies: Expanding Knowledge of our Transboundary Relationship.

WE CARE about Canada and its relationship to the United States. It affects us all, especially here in this beautiful transboundary region. We at the the Center for Canadian-American Studies at Western Washington University feel that it is important to learn about our neighbors to the north in order to better understand ourselves. We have much in common and rely on each others' successes, and it is our responsibility to help nurture the transboundary, cross-cultural Canadian-American relationship through our work both on campus and beyond. As a borderlands university, our work with and about Canada is necessary and needs your help.

YOUR GENEROSITY MAKES A DIFFERENCE in our efforts to respond to the needs of our students, our community, and our rapidly-growing program as we continue to work in promoting place-based and transboundary learning about Canada. 

Your gift today can go directly to:

Our annual Canadian-American Studies Student Scholarship fund which helps students alleviate the financial burden of tuition, fees, and housing. We see Give Day as a way for the Western family to show our students how much we care about them as they are are highly motivated to learn about Canada. Please consider supporting their education and their dreams of making a difference. 

Our general Center for Canadian-American Studies fund, established to help our growing programmatic and community needs, such as research opportunities for students and faculty, new course development, transboundary fieldtrips, community learning opportunities, events, etc.

“Canadian-American Studies is an essential major because these studies allow us to learn of the important stories of the past that have taken place in Canada and the United States. This major also has allowed me to learn of the economic, societal, and cultural experiences of the peoples of the region of North America at large: this includes Native American Nations stories, Immigration stories and more. I am grateful to be able to study Canadian-American Studies at Western Washington University.” - Rica Tro, 2021 C/AM student scholarship recipient

Who We Are:

The Center for Canadian-American Studies at Western Washington University supports critical and interdisciplinary inquiry into the historical construction and modern constitution of Canada and its relationship with the United States. The Center places particular emphasis on the interaction of diverse identities and claims to belonging in northern North America.

Having recently celebrated our 50th anniversary, the Center is one of the most well-established Canadian Studies programs in the United States. Since 1988 we have served as a US Department of Education National Resource Center on Canada, in consortium with the Canadian Studies Center at the University of Washington. Recent years have seen a rapid increase in faculty, student demand, and partnerships with local community and government organizations that have fully enriched the experiences of our students and our position as a leading interdisciplinary program at Western Washington University, such as our recent collaboration with Whatcom READS 2022 featuring Michael Christie, author of the award-winning novel Greenwood.

What We Do:

Together with our partner programs in Canada House (Salish Sea Institute, Border Policy Research Institute), the Center for Canadian-American Studies offers two growing academic programs of study: Bachelor of Arts in Canadian-American Studies and Minor in Canadian-American Studies.  The Canadian-American Studies major and minor are designed to expand knowledge of Canada and understanding of the shared Canadian-American experience, including opportunities and challenges. Through these programs, students gain the tools necessary for engaging with key cultural, environmental and economic issues that face both Canada and the United States.

Our curriculum prepares students for positions in education, business, government, communications, and international organizations in the United States, Canada, and other areas of the world. It also provides an entry-point for opportunities in Canadian-American Studies and combines well with other majors and minors to add depth and international expertise. Examples include combining Canadian-American Studies with: environmental science and policy, international business, geography, anthropology, political science, marketing, communications, journalism, history, and foreign languages.

Opportunities for study in Canada and internships are also available. As well, the Center for Canadian-American Studies offers yearly student scholarship opportunities, community events, and curriculum development workshops for K12 educators.

For more information, see our website and our Facebook page.