The ESP: Student Caught Stories

EICStoryProjects
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Stories caught by Western Washington University students in collaboration with the Entreprenuer Innovator Changemaker's' Story Projects.

  1. May 19

    Madrona Wear

    This episode is in collaboration with WWU students: Ava Simcoe, Alex Schramm, Frank Stephenson and Carter Nelson From Bozeman, Montana West Persons shares his journey from a college dropout to the proud owner of Madrona Wear, a repair and consignment shop here in Bellingham, Washington. Growing up in Montana and moving to Bellingham for university, West noticed a major gap in the outdoor industry. Bellingham had tons of people excited to be outside and participate in activities like skiing, hiking and camping but no access to secondhand gear. The idea came to him working at an outdoor store here where he noticed the store was taking a loss and throwing away faulty, but fixable high-quality gear. Madrona was born from West's passion for giving quality gear a new life at a price that makes people want to get outside. Learn more at eicstoryprojects.org and from madronawear.com

    1 hr

  2. May 18

    Common Threads Farm

    This episode is in collaboration with WWU students: Joris Everts, Ella Perry, and Adam Kendrick Common Threads Farm is a non-profit in Whatcom County that connects kids to healthy food. Through multiple programs, they educate local kids on gardening and cooking skills while also providing free, healthy meals for kids experiencing food insecurity. Common Threads Farm primarily addresses the sustainability goals of Zero Hunger and Quality Education.  Common Threads Farm believes that food education is critical to building a healthier and happier future for kids. They have seen first hand how economic hardship and limited access to fresh food can affect kids' education and well-being. By teaching practical skills and knowledge around food, Common Threads Farm creates a direct and lasting positive impact on the kids involved.

    41 min

  3. May 18

    Bellingham Food Co-op

    This episode is in collaboration with WWU students: Kai Drotz, Jaden Walter, Brody Robinson, and Leyton IreyFor our SEIC Story Project, our team partnered with the Bellingham Food Co-op to learn more about how sustainability can be woven into a community-centered business model. Through our site visit and interview with Melissa, the Sustainability Director at the Co-op, we were able to explore how the organization  approaches environmental responsibility, affordability, community involvement, and sustainable food systems in the Bellingham community.

    1h 15m

  4. May 18

    Sustainable Connections

    This episode is in collaboration with WWU students: Genna Tobin, Emma Cline, Alex Hines, and Sky McCasland Sustainable Connections, a nonprofit that has been active in the Bellingham area for nearly a quarter of a century and strives to do exactly what their name suggests; connect the community through sustainability.  The nonprofit as a whole touches on nearly every aspect of the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals, but our team chose to focus on two of their specific programs, Think Local First and Towards Zero Waste.  Their Think Local First addresses the Sustainable Cities and Communities SDG, working to encourage the community to fund the local economy and produce sustainable job opportunities within Bellingham.  Our team sat down with Molly Bressers, the program manager of Think Local First to discuss her experiences and how she works within Sustainable Connections to promote local Bellingham businesses.

    1 hr

  5. May 18

    The Bellingham Makerspace

    This episode is in collaboration with WWU students: Kosta Biros, Tyler Johnson, Jarad Barth, and Melissa Ramirez The Bellingham Makerspace is a place that offers materials and machines for creating, designing and building almost anything you can imagine. We discovered this business while researching non-profit organizations within Bellingham who focus on some of the sustainability goals. We then set up an interview with Jason, the Founder of the Makerspace and took a tour of the shop. The first thing you notice when stepping into the makerspace is the small store with little trinkets and other items, all created and donated from people in the shop. This instantly showcases the abilities of those who come to the Makerspace to connect and learn, as well as shows all the opportunities for creative freedom offered at the Bellingham Makerspace.

    32 min

  6. May 18

    The Bike Hub

    This episode is in collaboration with WWU students: Berkley Mcclellan-Tedrow, Cody Smith, Emily Swan, and Grace Barrett In the heart of downtown Bellingham is a little community bike shop, the Bike Hub serves as a space for people to get their bikes tuned up and working whether they need to replace broken parts, want to fix it themselves, or have the Bike hub fix it for them. Initially started in 1997 as the pedal project by Kyle Morris to take old bikes and turn them into single speed bikes and share them with the community. Turned into Kyle creating the Community Bike hub in 2002 based on other community bike shops at the time.

    39 min
  7. Lydia Place

    May 18

    Lydia Place

    This episode is in collaboration with WWU students: Alyssa Fabie, Daniela Hernandez and Ixchel Kissman More than a temporary stop, at the heart of Bellingham, Lydia Place creates hope and belonging for many families in our community. On what seemed like a gloomy day, we experienced the warmth and joy that Lydia Place brings to the families who walk through its doors. Lydia Place was founded in 1989 by a group of women leaders, now referred to as the“founding mothers.” After witnessing women and children experiencing homelessness and the trauma tied to it, they recognized a need within the community and decided to act. Learn more at eicstoryprojects.org And visit Lydia Place at lydiaplace.org

    28 min

  8. 06/06/2025

    Crumbs and Conversations

    This episode is in collaboration with WWU student Mirella Morfin. In this podcast, we’re speaking with Lili, one of the co-founders of L&L Bakery, which she started with her mom. We’ll be diving into their story—how the bakery began, the challenges they’ve faced, and what it’s like running a family-owned business today.

    33 min
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Stories caught by Western Washington University students in collaboration with the Entreprenuer Innovator Changemaker's' Story Projects.

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