Glen L. Hower honored with dedicated space in Schweitzer Engineering Hall
Portion of new engineer building named after WSU electrical engineering professor
PULLMAN — Washington State University is honoring Glen L. Hower with a devoted space in the upcoming Schweitzer Engineering Hall.
A WSU Insider post announced Friday that Glen Hower Hall will be dedicated in the new engineering building. Hower, a longtime electrical engineering professor, died at age 90 in January.
The naming is supported by Edmund and Beatriz Schweitzer. The dedication recognizes Hower’s 43-year career at WSU and the significant role he played in the university’s engineering program.
The WSU alum completed his bachelor’s degree in 1956 and master’s degree in electrical engineering in 1961. He went on to earn his Ph.D. at Stanford as a Ford Foundation Fellow.
Hower established the Power Professorship program in 1973, which continues to support undergraduate power engineering education at WSU today. He also founded the annual Western Protective Relay Conference in 1974, an educational forum that discusses power system protection.
Hower served as department chairperson during his time at WSU. His leadership helped navigate merging electrical engineering and computer engineering programs in 1983. He was named associate director when the School of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science was established in 1990.
Hower taught nearly 4,500 students throughout his career. He received many honors as an educator, being named an ALCOA professor from 1972-75, outstanding professor in the college in 1988 and outstanding professor in electrical and computer engineering in 1988 and 1992. He was selected by the Golden Key Honor Society as academic adviser of the year in 1996. He also received WSU’s Alumni Achievement Award in 2000.
Schweitzer Engineering Hall is expected to open in the fall of 2026. The $80 million project was primarily funded by $40 million from the Washington Legislature, $20 million from Edmund and Beatriz Schweitzer and other private donations.
The facility located on the WSU Pullman campus will serve as a new student success building for the Voiland College of Engineering and Architecture.
Pearce can be reached at epearce@dnews.com.
