A tireless worker for young people

Tricia McGinnis came to campus as a college freshman believing she would major in business.

"I naively registered for calculus without having any pre-calculus in high school," she said. "I remember that awful feeling in class of being lost, and I seriously questioned whether I was cut out for college. It was disheartening for me, wondering if I really belonged on campus."

Her doubt disappeared at Washington State University after a chance meeting with Associate Professor Ed Bannister, who ran one of the country's top advertising internship programs.

"He inspired me to explore my potential and gave me confidence to take risks and change majors," Tricia (McGinnis) Raikes said. "I left his office excited and clear about what I wanted to do."

Two and a half decades later, after a successful advertising career, Raikes ('78 Comm.), together with her husband, Jeff, co-founded the Seattle-based Raikes Foundation, which is committed to helping youth have the voice, choice, and power to shape the decisions that affect their lives.

"Those are the two most powerful levers for helping young people reach their full potential," Raikes said. "Access to a quality public education is a fundamental right, and there are a lot of barriers right now for many of our young people. Furthermore, it's hard to be productive and succeed in school without safe and stable housing."

For her contributions toward advancing education and laying the groundwork for long-term change, Raikes is the recipient of the 2025 Regents Distinguished Alumna Award, the highest honor WSU bestows upon alumni. She will be presented the award during a special reception Tuesday, Nov. 4, in Seattle.

"Tricia embodies so many of WSU's core values - improving the human condition, achieving a just society and enriching the region we call home," former WSU President Kirk Schulz wrote in his nomination letter. "Her commitment to educating herself about systemic challenges and her willingness to dedicate considerable resources and energy to helping solve them is an exceptional demonstration of the Cougar spirit."

Tricia's brother, Brian McGinnis ('77 Hosp. Busi. Mgmt.), is also a Coug, as are a number of her extended family members.

"I understand how lucky I was to have a quality education that was accessible," she said. "WSU gave me the opportunity to learn and grow, dream big, challenge myself and really think about what was possible."

After working in advertising in Seattle and New York City, Raikes joined Microsoft in 1981 to develop a creative services department. That was the same year Jeff joined Microsoft. He became president of the business division, then served as CEO of the Gates Foundation from 2008 to 2014.

She left Microsoft in 1987 as director of creative services to focus on family, business interests, and to start their own foundation. The Raikeses are part of the Seattle Mariners ownership group and have a farm in Nebraska for row crops, cattle, and online sales of American wagyu. They also own and operate Alderbrook Resort and Spa on Hood Canal.

They launched the Raikes Foundation in 2002 and have generously supported many organizations in Washington and across the country that work to improve the systems that serve young people.

"We're committed to returning the majority of our wealth back to society," Raikes said. "And we believe in putting our resources to work now. We're a giving-in-time philanthropy. It gives us and our team a greater sense of urgency and focus."

In 2017, the couple co-founded Giving Compass to educate, provide high-quality information, and connect prospective donors with nonprofit organizations across the country.

"Our hope is that we will be able to look back at redesigned systems and see improved, inclusive pathways for young people - particularly young people who have been the furthest from opportunity - so they can reach their full potential."

In her nomination letter for the Regents Distinguished Alumna Award, Victoria Miles ('93 Comm.), associate vice president of principal giving for the WSU Foundation, wrote: "Tricia approaches her philanthropy with humility, understanding that serving the underserved requires empathy, compassion, and team building. She tirelessly works toward a just and inclusive society where all young people have the support they need."

Raikes is humbled by the recognition.

"It's deeply meaningful to be honored by the university that helped shape who I am. I see this as a reflection of the many people who invested in me and opened doors along the way, and I'm so grateful.

"I think about the student I once was - curious, eager to learn and finding her place in the world - and I hope it reminds other students, especially women and first-generation students, that they already have what it takes to thrive and that it is their curiosity and drive that will take them farther than they can imagine."