Mike Seely
Board Member
Few people have a deeper connection to Washington State University than Mike Seely. Mike made his way to the Pullman campus in the late 1970s to study electrical engineering. As it turns out, attending WSU was sort of a tradition in his family, as all three of his brothers and a sister are also Cougs. If that isn’t enough, three of his four children — Warren, Robin and Alayna — are also proud WSU alumni. Mike even earned a master’s degree in Business at WSU Vancouver.
Even though Mike studied engineering as an undergraduate, he has always had a passion for farming. In fact, Mike bought his farm when he was a junior at WSU. Today he works with a couple of his children to manage a spearmint and peppermint farm near Clatskanie, Oregon. Chances are you’ve tasted Seely-brand peppermint patties handmade on Mike’s farm. They are sold in thousands of stores across the United States and Canada.
Between the people he and his children have met at WSU and in the farming industry, Mike has developed a strong network of friends, something he is tapping into to help spread the word about the CougParents Board.
“I bring lots of energy to the table,” Seely said. “I also have the business acumen gained from operating our farm, how to manage cash flow, how to do marketing, and develop a vision for where we want to be in 5, 10, or 20 years.”
Mike said the potential for the CougParents program is unlimited. It can serve as an important advocate for students, support fundraising efforts to bolster student programs, and even help recruit new students to WSU. Regardless of what it does, Mike wants to be part of it.
“I’ve always been an advocate for WSU,” he said. “This is a way for me to give back to the university for everything that it has done for my family.”