The Story

Aaron Haskins Sr., recruited from Mount Tahoma High School in Tacoma, was a member of two NCAA tournament basketball teams, during his playing career at Washington State from 1979-1983.

After basketball ended, Haskins returned to WSU, where he worked seven years, helping to develop the university’s minority recruitment, improving WSU’s diversity, traveling to the Seattle and Tacoma-areas.

Aaron passed away in his sleep on October 25, 2009.

To honor his legacy of bringing the hope of education to youth who are historically underserved and minoritized, his firstborn, Latasha Mae (Haskins) has collaborated with the WSU Foundation to establish the Aaron Haskins Sr. Memorial Scholarship. This scholarship will be available to first-year students from Mount Tahoma High School.

Latasha shares, “becoming a mother at 19, discouraged me from completing college, but my father always said - Tasha, education brings options! My life has taken a similar path to my father’s, of advocacy and building bridges to a better life. My hope is through this scholarship, that his legacy to bring educational opportunity will live on and bless both his high school and college Alma Maters.”

The Washington State University Foundation ("WSU Foundation") is pleased to establish the "Aaron Haskins Memorial Scholarship" ("Fund"), in grateful acknowledgement of a gift with a total of $25,000.00 made by Mr. Haskins' friends, family, classmates and teammates. 

The WSU Foundation will establish a new account in the name of this fund. 

All contributions designated for this Fund will be credited to the account listed above, and will be administered as specified in this agreement. The donor may make additional contributions to this Fund, including testamentary commitments, at any time under the terms of this agreement.

WSU Affiliation

The distributions from this Fund shall be used to provide one or more scholarships annually to incoming first-year students from Mount Tahoma High School in Tacoma according to the following criteria:

- First preference will be given to students who are Pell Eligible (low-income.)

- Preference will be given to students from historically underserved and/or minoritized communities. - Preference will be given to student who are "first-generation" (first generation in their family unit to graduate from college.)

The Fund will be administered by the Provost and Executive Vice President of or his/her/their designee(s). The administrators of this Fund will monitor contributions to and disbursements from this Fund's expendable account and ensure that the Fund is utilized according to the intent of the donor.