V. Lane Rawlins Distinguished Lifetime Service Award
Honoring those who have dedicated their careers to advancing WSU
Recipients of this award have demonstrated great personal commitment to the university and community. Their excellent service in administration, teaching, research, extension, or a professional field has had a profound influence on the University’s direction and progress.

Hakan Gurocak
Director, Professional and Corporate Education (PACE), WSU Vancouver
Professor, Mechanical Engineering
School of Engineering and Computer Science
Hakan Gurocak built WSU Vancouver’s fledgling engineering program into a vibrant school for undergraduate and graduate students. In 1997 he started the campus’ first engineering lab, then obtained several grants from the National Science Foundation and other agencies to ultimately establish robotics and automation labs. The School of Engineering and Computer Science (ENCS) was born in 2004, with Gurocak as its founding director. Under his watch, the school secured multiple ABET (Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology) accreditations for its mechanical engineering, electrical engineering and computer science programs. Gurocak is now launching the Professional and Corporate Education (PACE) program for WSU Vancouver with courses for the regional workforce.
Gurocak balanced administrative duties with a strong research program. He secured grants to support graduate students, published papers, obtained patents, and wrote a textbook. He consistently earned high scores on teaching evaluations. The American Society for Engineering Education tapped him for leadership roles.
Previous recipients
2021 | Guy Hughes Palmer, Paul G. Allen School for Global Animal Health |
2020 | Rodney Croteau, Institute of Biological Chemistry |
2019 | Ron Mittelhammer, economic sciences |
2018 | Renee Celeste Hoeksel, nursing |
2017 | Nancy Magnuson, molecular biosciences |
2016 | Frances K. McSweeney, psychology |
2015 | Kenneth L. Casavant, agricultural economics |
2013 | Nicholas P. Lovrich, political science |
2012 | Thomas A. Brigham, psychology |
2011 | Muriel Oaks, distance and professional education |
Award criteria, application process, and video of previous recipients