Daryll DeWald to retire honoring a legacy of leadership and service in health sciences

After nearly 15 years of leadership at Washington State University, Spokane campus Chancellor and Executive Vice President Daryll DeWald announced he is taking research leave beginning today through the end of the calendar year and then retiring from WSU.

Since 2011, he has held several roles across the WSU system. He began as dean of the College of Sciences and served in that role from January 2011 through June of 2012. Then he was the inaugural dean of the College of Arts and Sciences, serving five and a half years in Pullman. In 2017, he moved to Spokane as chancellor, later becoming vice president and chancellor in 2019 and then executive vice president and chancellor in 2023. During his eight years in Spokane, he was instrumental in shaping WSU Health Sciences into a collaborative research and education institution. "Daryll DeWald's leadership has been instrumental in advancing WSU Health Sciences and strengthening our service to communities across Washington," said WSU President Elizabeth Cantwell. "We are deeply grateful for his vision and impact."

Daryll DeWald's leadership has been instrumental in advancing WSU Health Sciences and strengthening our service to communities across Washington. We are deeply grateful for his vision and impact.

DeWald supported the launch of the WSU Elson S. Floyd College of Medicine - he transitioned to Spokane and welcomed the inaugural class of medical students. He also worked with WSU leadership over several biennial budget rounds to secure proviso funding to support the College of Medicine and to strengthen nursing programs. He was prominent in the development of new medical residencies in family medicine in partnership with Pullman Regional Hospital, internal medicine with Providence Everett, and pediatrics with Providence Sacred Heart Children's Hospital in Spokane. DeWald was instrumental in the increase in the WSU Spokane research enterprise with the campus and three health sciences colleges generating research expenditures of $50 million in FY24. DeWald also collaborated with several leaders and expanded programming for the WSU Native Health Sciences and established the Center for Native American Health on the WSU Spokane campus.

He appointed deans to each of the Spokane-headquartered health sciences colleges and cultivated strong external partnerships that continue to expand student opportunities and clinical services. His work helped bring the Veterans Affairs clinic to campus, strengthened ties with Providence, MultiCare, CHAS, and other regional partners, and built opportunities for residencies in Spokane and rural communities across Washington.

Launching the College of Medicine and laying the groundwork for integrated health education and care delivery stand among his most enduring legacies. His leadership has not only shaped WSU Health Sciences but also helped position the university as a force for better health outcomes across the region.

Provost and Executive Vice President Chris Riley-Tillman will assume leadership for the Health Sciences enterprise and supervise the three academic colleges with support from DeWald during the transition.