Name: JD Academy Day Two
Start: 2026-07-11T08:30:00-07:00
End: 2026-07-11T16:00:00-07:00
Location: Heritage University

Building Momentum – Wings Spring 2026

For students like Sierra Rodriguez, Estefania Cervantes Montero, Milagros Camargo Patino, and Beatrice Becerra, choosing a university wasn’t just about earning a degree — it was about finding a place where someone would help them navigate the path to get there.

At Heritage University’s Tri-Cities location in Kennewick, they found exactly that. Rodriguez, a mother of four, balances family life, a part-time job as an assistant manager at a local shoe store, and a full course load as a business major with an accounting focus. She first heard about the campus in a radio advertisement while driving.

“I thought, ‘Huh! Is this telling me that I need to go back to school?’” Rodriguez said. “So, I checked out the website and saw pictures of students of different ethnicities. I liked that.”

The location — just 10 minutes from home and next door to her daughters’ school — helped make the decision easy.

“It’s for my girls and my husband,” she said. “I want to be a role model for my girls. “But really, it’s for me.”

Sophomore Estefania Cervantes Montero discovered Heritage after running into obstacles elsewhere. After moving to Washington from California, she struggled to secure in-state tuition at other universities. “Neither of the other schools could figure out how to help me get in-state tuition,” she said. “I’m the first in my family to go to college, and I didn’t know anything about how to do all this.”

Heritage admissions counselor Elizabeth Perez Gonzalez helped resolve the issue and connected her with department chairs to explore majors.

“At Heritage, I could talk with the professors in charge of the departments,” Cervantes Montero said. “That was amazing.”

For Milagros Camargo Patino, the support extended beyond academics during a difficult time. “I’ve gone to school with a lot of stress, especially when my mom’s health wasn’t good,” she said. “Liz and Nely (site director Nely Aquino Bautista) always checked on me and reminded me to take care of my health and take things slow. I’m extremely grateful for their advice.”

That encouragement helped her step into leadership roles.

“Here at Heritage Tri-Cities, I’ve made a lot of friends and grown as an individual,” she said. “I’ve joined the Student Ambassador Program and Student Government while maintaining good grades in my work-study position.”

After graduation, she hopes to become a school counselor.

Beatrice Becerra, a social work major, says college has helped her grow in confidence.

“Being in college has given me a lot of confidence,” she said. “I’m impressed by how much I’ve grown in my study habits and my ability to balance work, family, and school.”

She also hopes to become a school counselor after graduating.

Their experiences reflect a philosophy that has defined Heritage University for more than four decades: students come first.

That principle — captured in the message “Students, Heritage has your back” — now shapes the experience of a growing number of students at Heritage University Tri-Cities.

EXPANDING ACCESS IN A GROWING REGION

Heritage welcomed its first freshman cohort in the Tri-Cities in fall 2023, expanding beyond the earlier transfer model that allowed students to complete the final two years of a bachelor’s degree at Columbia Basin College.

Today, students can pursue four-year degrees in five fields—business, accounting, social work, education, and criminal justice. Students who want to major in other areas can complete their first two years in the Tri-Cities, then transfer to the Toppenish campus.

The expansion reflects both Heritage’s mission and the rapid growth of the Tri-Cities — Kennewick, Pasco, and Richland — one of the fastest-growing regions in Washington.

Many residents balance work and family responsibilities, and many Heritage students are the first in their families to attend college. Personalized guidance through admissions, financial aid, and academic planning can make the difference between enrolling and giving up.

“The decision to expand into the Tri-Cities really came down to two things,” said Saundra Hill, member of the university’s Board of Directors. “First, our mission. Heritage has always focused on serving students who may not see college as an option otherwise — many of them first-generation students who need more support navigating higher education. Tri-Cities has a significant population of first-generation college students, and while there are strong institutions serving the region, there is also a group of students who often face a ‘Heritage or no college’ choice. We know how to serve those students well.

“The second part is the opportunity to serve the community. The Tri-Cities is a growing metropolitan area with expanding industries and strong demand for skilled workers. There are high-paying careers here in fields like healthcare, education, and technology, and employers need a well-prepared workforce. By being in the Tri- Cities, Heritage can help prepare local students for those careers while strengthening the region’s workforce and economy.”

Heritage’s Tri-Cities site — located in the former Tri-City Herald building in Kennewick — offers classrooms, offices, study spaces, and gathering areas designed to create a close-knit academic setting.

SUPPORT THAT BEGINS BEFORE ENROLLMENT

“The potential for growth in the Tri-Cities is significant,” Hill said. “Just in Kennewick, Pasco, and Richland, there are eight large high schools graduating roughly 5,000 students every year, and that doesn’t even include the surrounding smaller districts. Many of those students go on to CBC or WSU Tri-Cities, but there are still many who aren’t being fully served,” said Hill.

To reach these potential students, admissions staff maintain a presence at 16 regional high schools and community events throughout the Tri-Cities area.

“We’re pretty data-driven,” said Rebecca Garza, executive director of admissions for both Heritage locations. “We look at where students tend to come from and focus our resources there, but we reach out to other areas as well. It’s critical that we’re out where people are.”

The university also hosts family-focused events such as Financial Literacy Nights, Counselor Day, and Future Eagle Day to help students and families navigate the college process.

“We want the whole family to feel comfortable asking questions and being part of the decision,” Garza said. “It’s a beautiful thing when the whole family is excited to come to Heritage.”

With applications and interest rising, Garza expects enrollment at Heritage University, Tri- Cities to continue growing.

“We walk the journey with them,” she said. “And when they cross the stage at commencement, we’re just as excited for them as if they’re our own family.”

As more students step through the doors in Kennewick, Heritage’s presence in the Tri-Cities is becoming more than an expansion — it is a promise kept. For students balancing work, family, and first-generation dreams, the university offers not just degrees, but direction. And as those graduates enter classrooms, businesses, hospitals, and community organizations across the region, the impact extends far beyond campus — strengthening families, meeting workforce needs, and adding to the economic stability of the region.

The Plight of the Yakamas’ Sacred Fruit – Wings Spring 2026

Elaine Harvey has gathered huckleberries her whole life. But a few years ago, her experience with them began to change. They seemed smaller and less plentiful.

Then one day, Harvey, a member of the Kamíłpa Band of the Yakama Nation, was washing her just- picked berries when she spied a tiny flesh-colored larvae amid the fruit. She didn’t know it at the time, but what she saw was a spotted wing drosophila, a fruit fly native to Southeast Asia, first seen in California in 2008. Harvey, who holds a Ph.D. in Natural Resources and Conservation, knew the worm might be the cause of the change in huckleberries she and others had been observing.

For years, Harvey worked to get government agencies to study the troubling situation — to no avail.

Then, in 2024, a connection she had to Heritage University led to action, ultimately resulting in the creation of a research project undertaken last summer by Heritage environmental science majors — all Yakama.

What the students documented in 10 weeks of research may ultimately signal the end of the spotted wing drosophila’s presence in the traditional huckleberry fields of the Yakama people.

FROM WORRY TO ACTION

The change in the huckleberry is troubling to many Yakama people. It’s a sacred ‘first food,’ a huge part of native life and cultural identity.

The “spotted wing,” as project participants would come to refer to it, lays its eggs inside berries as they ripen. The larvae feed on the fruit, causing berries to soften and rot. Like all invasive species, they quickly infiltrate their host plants, ultimately destroying ecosystems.

Harvey knew what the huckleberry might be up against, and in early 2024, a chance meeting with Jessica Black, Ph.D., director of Heritage’s Center for Indigenous Health, Culture & the Environment, revived conversations they’d had about steps that might be taken to protect the important fruit.

Harvey had worked for Yakama Nation Fisheries and Wildlife for several years, and Heritage had a longstanding relationship with the tribe, and both women were ready to ask the tribe for its attention and support.

“At that moment at the Center, we had everything in place — funding, the ability to help with leadership for the project, equipment, and relationships. The timing was right to try to get something done.”

After months of meetings, the Tribal Council passed a resolution in support of the research on Yakama land and assigned Cyrus Dick, invasive species coordinator with Yakama Nation Wildlife, as the lead research scientist and mentor for the Heritage students.

The work on behalf of the Yakama people would be led by the Yakama Nation and executed by Heritage students of the Yakama tribe.

THE DAILY WORK OF RESEARCH

By June 2025, it was time for the student researchers to come on board. Ilene Goudy, Kyal Shoulderblade, James Williams, and Virginia Yelechchin, along with another student — Corey Edgar from Northwest Indian College — joined the team. Each brought their own experience and personal reasons for wanting to take part.

“When I started picking huckleberries with my mom, I could barely walk,” said Williams. “Hearing about this work last year really struck a nerve back to my childhood. I had to jump at the opportunity.”

“I just had this deep feeling that I wanted to be part of this project,” said Goudy. “I want to learn how to advocate for first foods, whether it’s a fish or water or huckleberries or roots.”

As the students prepared to begin their work, Dick created maps, established collection methods, taught the students species identification methodology, and showed them how to use the spatial data collection app “Survey123.”

They created the bait — a mixture of yeast, sugar, and water. The students filled plastic sacks that would act as traps, then made their first of many three-hour drives to the closed area of the Yakama reservation.

Each week, they set 30 to 40 traps — almost 400 over the course of the summer. At least once a week, they checked each trap for the spotted wing.

Upon their return to the Yakama Nation Wildlife office, students examined the contents of each sack, then moved whatever insect may have climbed inside to under a microscope for more accurate observation.

“The first two weeks, we didn’t find a single one,” said Williams. “Then the third week, we started seeing the results we were looking for.”

When they finally found one, Dick made sure the significance was noted.

“Cyrus said, ‘That’s never happened before — you are all part of history now,’” Williams said. “That was exciting.”

By summer’s end, 17 fruit flies had been found, for the first official documentation of the spotted wing drosophila on the Yakama Nation reservation and in the Gifford National Forest — identified by students.

INTEREST FROM POTENTIAL PARTNERS

Word on the findings has spread since then. “The National Forest Service, as well as other tribes, are very interested in what’s happening,” Black said. “I think there’s going to be a concerted effort over the next few years to get on top of this. “It could very well lead to a much larger effort in the Pacific Northwest.”

The Yakama Nation scientists and the Heritage students will present their research methods and findings to the Yakama Nation Tribal Council in the spring.

To everyone’s delight, the work will continue this summer. Black is working with Yakama Nation Wildlife scientists on research objectives, with Heritage providing two additional student research stipends for 2026.

NO HERBICIDES OR PESTICIDES

Since huckleberries are culturally sensitive, the tribe won’t use herbicides or insecticides to kill the spotted wing. “We have to find solutions outside of the ‘norm,’” Dick said. “One of those is ‘biocontrol,’ which means methods that utilize living organisms to reduce pest populations.”

Eradication methods might include fungi parasitoids, which are parasitic fungi that infect and kill their host, in this case the spotted wing. Another possibility is nematode bacteria viruses, which would be natural predators of the Drosophila.

Prescribed burns — where planned, intentionally lit fires are managed by experts under specific, safe weather conditions — could also be used. It’s a management effort that’s been used by indigenous peoples to manage huckleberry fields for thousands of years.

THE WORK CONTINUES

“The students dedicated a lot of work toward this project,” Dick said. “It’s important to them but also to our tribal members that we continue what they’ve done and not let it disappear. Infestations with invasive pests grow fast, so we need to keep going.”

“What we’re telling the elders is that there’s room for us to help you, to take a load off your plate,” said Shoulderblade. “The salmon, the deer, the plants all gave their lives to nourish us. I think doing research for us, by us, as Yakamas is super important.”

Dick said the work will continue to build on the pilot study conducted last summer as researchers explore additional collection and monitoring methods.

Dick would also like to see outreach to tribal members expand.

“We’ve sent emails and posted flyers at multiple sites with photos of the spotted wing and a note to ‘visit this website for more information or to report a sighting.’”

“The huckleberry becoming less plentiful is a day none of us want to see,” Dick said. “And we don’t want the students’ data to go idle or be forgotten.”

“Our role is to help train the next generation of natural resource managers and stewards,” said Black. “With strong partners like the Yakama Nation, that’s what we’ll continue to do.”

Huckleberries: A Crossroad of Culture and Commerce

Aside from their cultural importance, huckleberries are also a sought-after agroforestry commodity. The small, intensely flavored fruit is in high demand for everything from pies and ice cream to syrups and jellies. In active seasons, more than 1,000 commercial harvesting permits are issued on Washington public lands, with buyers paying pickers $25–$30 per gallon. At specialty markets, prices can reach $40 per pound — reflecting both scarcity and the labor required to gather them by hand.

Huckleberries are one of several crops that fall under the agroforestry label, alongside wild mushrooms such as shiitakes and morels, floral greens, and medicinal plants. Harvested from forest ecosystems rather than cultivated fields, these non-timber forest products contribute tens of millions of dollars annually across the Pacific Northwest, with huckleberries representing a meaningful share.

That economic dimension underscores the importance of the Heritage University students’ research on multiple levels. Their documentation of spotted wing drosophila on Yakama lands is not only about protecting a sacred first food — it also safeguards a forest-based economic resource supporting harvesters, small businesses, and regional specialty markets.

The work has been supported by funding through several federal grants, including a USDA grant administered through Ecotrust.

“We are really pleased to support this important work for this key regional species, the huckleberry,” said Kara Briggs, vice president of Ecotrust’s Tribal Lands and Waters Stewardship program.

The investment reflects what the students’ findings make clear: preserving huckleberries strengthens cultural sovereignty, ecological stewardship, and Washington’s broader agroforestry economy.

Heritage University announces Fall 2025 President’s List and Spring 2025 President’s List

Heritage University announces Fall 2025 President’s List and Spring 2025 President’s List

Toppenish, Wash. – The following are students who earned a place on the Heritage University President’s List for the fall 2025 semester and the spring 2025 semester. To qualify for the President’s List, students must be full-time, matriculated undergraduates who have earned semester grade point averages of 3.5 or better.

Fall 2025 Semester

Dayanara Abundiz, Yakima	Xavier Acevedo, Wapato	Uriel Acevedo, Yakima
Miriam Adamson, Richland	Citlali Aguilar, Toppenish	Nora Aguilar Cortes, Othello
Sheray Aguilar-ALvarez, Kennewick	Breana Aguirre-Enriquez, Zillah	Manuel Alcala, Yakima
Hailey Alvarado, Sunnyside	Charlie Alvarez, Moxee	Liliana Alvarez, Wapato
Juan Alvarez, Zillah	Griselda Alvarez Cuevas, Yakima	Selene Alvarez Estrada, Zillah
Bianey Alvarez-Ortega, Wapato	Maria Alzate, Wapato	Angela Anaya, Yakima
Alondra Anaya Martinez, Yakima	Alberto Andrade, Pasco	Bryanna Anguiano, Wapato
Brian Anguiano, Wapato	Aide Anzures, Richland	Ashley Arguello, Richland
Manuel Arias Silva, Pasco	Felisha Armas, Zillah	Jaime Armenta, Kennewick
Maria Armenta, Grandview	Evangelina Arroyo, Kennewick	Jocelyn Arroyo Mendez, Zillah
Cesiah Arroyo Mendoza, Pasco	Rosie Arteaga Cortez, Grandview	Wendy Avalos, Yakima
Miguel Ayala Vaca, Cowiche	Kimberly Baer, Kennewick	Melissa Banda Caso, Sunnyside
Lorena Barajas, Yakima	Sabrina Barrera, Pasco	Brian Barrera Franco, Yakima
Mia Bautista, Wapato	Beatrice Becerra, Kennewick	Elisabet Becerra-Sanchez, Yakima
Serenity Benoit, Yakima	Andrea Bernath, Moxee	Elizabeth Bernier, Yakima
Elsie Blackwolf, Wapato	George Boise, Wapato	Lourdes Bolanos, Pasco
Levi Bollinger, Zillah	Emily Breaux, Kennewick	Omar Buenrostro, Yakima
Nevella Bustos, Yakima	Milagros Camargo Patino, Kennewick	Jasmin Camarillo, Yakima
Samaya Campos-Cruz, Wapato	Yolanda Campusano, Zillah	Megan Cantu, Wishram
Emily Cantu, Prosser	Mira Cardozo, Yakima	Yoselin Carrillo, Connell
Jose Carrillo Castillo, Sunnyside	Alejandra Casillas Perez, Sunnyside	Jennifer Castaneda, Grandview
Andrea Castaneda, Toppenish	Jacklyn Castellanos, Toppenish	Maricela Castillo, kennewick
Jessica Castro, Moxee	Thania Cervantes, Outlook	Estefania Cervantes Montero, Kennewick
Priscila Cervantes Roman, Granger	Erik Chino Bustamante, Toppenish	Erin Cloud Pimms, Harrah
Alyssa Cloy, Pasco	Candace Coombes, Wapato	Jazmin Corona, Grandview
Lilyanna Cortes, Moxee	Josefina Cortez Gonzalez, Wapato	Sergio Covarrubias Garcia, Yakima
Steven Cox, Kennewick	Kadence Crockett, Kennewick	Sandra Cruz, Yakima
Natalee Cuevas, Sunnyside	Yasmin Cuevas-Ramos, Yakima	Josie Curtis, Wapato
Ashlee De La Mora, Sunnyside	Mariana Delgado, Toppenish	Maria Delgado, Yakima
Hailye Delvo, Zillah	Victoria DeVleming, Richland	Janessa Diaz, Moxee
Michelle Diaz-Chavez, Toppenish	Alexis Dorame, Zillah	Elijah Elisondo, Toppenish
Isabella Escamilla, Selah	Marvella Esiquio, Yakima	Brianna Espinoza, Toppenish
Natally Espinoza-Caraveo, Prosser	Niko Evangelista, Wapato	Marcos Felan Contreras, Zillah
Stephanie Figueroa, Outlook	Audrey Fisher, Yakima	Elisabet Flores Giron, Wapato
Daira Francisco, Zillah	Naydin Franco, Granger	Marilyn Fuentes, Sunnyside
David Fuller, Richland	Jennyfer Gabino-Medina, Yakima	Dezmarie Ganuelas, Wapato
Annaie Garcia, Prosser	Juanita Garcia, Outlook	Nayeli Garcia, Wapato
Mercedes Garcia, Grandview	Estefany Garcia, Granger	Jessica Garcia, Othello
Mariana Garcia, Sunnyside	Diana Garcia Magana, Kennewick	Victor Garcia-Pinon, Yakima
Michelle Garibaldo, Toppenish	Stephany Garibay, Toppenish	Freddie Garza, Yakima
Ciara Gatlin, Toppenish	Phabian George, Toppenish	Shantel Gil, Yakima
Jaylin Golob, Granger	Odalis Gonzalez, Grandview	Jesse Gonzalez, Sunnyside
Monica Gonzalez, Toppenish	Mariela Gonzalez, Richland	Cecilia Gonzalez Gallardo, Zillah
Adriana Gonzalez Moreno, Pasco	Daniela Gordillo, Yakima	Reggan Grade, Richland
Kiara Griffin, Wapato	Nikki Grooters, Selah	Vanessa Guel, Wapato
Jennifer Guerrero, Toppenish	Paloma Guerrero, Moxee	Mireya Gutierrez, Sunnyside
Yasmine Gutierrez, Sunnyside	Karen Gutierrez Alvarez, Yakima	Britney Guzman, Mesa
Evelin Guzman Palacios, Yakima	Elizabeth Hannigan, White Swan	Devani Hannigan, Wapato
Denise Haro, Zillah	Mikayla Harris, Zillah	Cristina Hernandez Guzman, Yakima
Lizeth Hernandez-Villegas, Yakima	Aland Herrera, Toppenish	Carolina Herrera, Yakima
Citlalli Herrera, Moxee	Jesse Hidalgo, Grandview	Jesus Higareda-Arcineiga, Pasco
Jasmine Higgs, Kennewick	Erika Honeycutt, Pasco	Israel Hunter, Yakima
Grabiela Ibanez, Harrah	Ivonne Ibarra Godines, Othello	Emily Islas, Sunnyside
Genelle James, Toppenish	Sophia Jimenez, Toppenish	Fernando Jimenez, Sunnyside
Ariana Jimenez, Sunnyside	Brenda Jimenez, Toppenish	Camila Juarez, Sunnyside
Anahi Lamas, Selah	Jennifer Lemus, Toppenish	Cristian Lemus, Toppenish
Kassidy Lewis, West Richland	LaCrissa Lewis-Strong, Wapato	Marlen Linares Torres, Pasco
Merlan Linares Torres, Pasco	Vanessa Llamas Gutierrez, Yakima	Elizabeth Lopez, Moxee
Elvis Lopez, Harrah	Marisol Lopez, Wapato	Yazmin Lopez Baranda, Yakima
Yaquelin Lopez Barragan, Pasco	Yazmin Lopez Barragan, Pasco	Jazmin Lopez Rodriguez, Yakima
Robert Luna, Toppenish	Salma Lustre, Toppenish	Brenda Madrigal, Pasco
Lenize Madrigal, Tieton	Esperanza Madrigal, White Swan	Marisol Madrigal, Pasco
Alijah Magana, Granger	Tiffany Maldonado Paez, Walla Walla	Natalie Malzahn, Granger
Mario Maradiaga Maciel, Yakima	Angeles Marin, Toppenish	Clarissa Marines, Kennewick
Adileny Mariscal, Toppenish	Randy Marmolejo Sandoval, Union Gap	Bryan Marquez, Kennewick
Lance Martin, Union Gap	Melody Martin Rogers, Yakima	Itzel Martinez, Yakima
Jacqueline Martinez, Sunnyside	Antonia Martinez, Pasco	Reynalda Martinez, Granger
Lizbeth Martinez Chavez, Toppenish	Isamar Martinez Flores, Prosser	Adriana Martinez-Chavez, Toppenish
Jennifer Mastrolia, Richland	Sara Matson, Naches	Maira Lillian Medellin Valencia, Yakima
Alexis Mejia, Pasco	Heidi Mendez-Bravo, Yakima	Juliana Mendoza, Pasco
Nallely Mendoza, Pasco	Dalia Mendoza Garcia, Granger	Nerida Mendoza Hernandez, Pasco
Esmeralda Mendoza-Arias, Zillah	Cheyenne Merritt, Selah	Briceyda Meza, Mesa
Andrea Miranda, Granger	Mario Montesinos, Grandview	Marcos Montiel-Ramos, Grandview
Luseivi Montoya-Garcia, Sunnyside	Yoreli Morales-Valencia, Outlook	Marissa Morfin, Zillah
Ariana Morfin Mejia, Connell	Gisselle Munguia, Pasco	Zaira Najera Davalos, Sunnyside
Lynette Navarrete-Ochoa, Granger	Yahir Navarro, Kennewick	David Nidiffer, Yakima
Mayte Nieves-Quintero, Wapato	Melani Nunez, Toppenish	Jaquelin Nunez Quesada, Mabton
Isabell Nunez-Montiel, Yakima	Rosa Ochoa-Martinez, Sunnyside	Monse Olivares-Merlin, Pasco
Lisa Olney, White Swan	Mariana Onate, Toppenish	Gloria Oni, Kennewick
Leyvi Ortiz Medina, Yakima	Samantha Osegueda, Moxee	Karen Pacheco, Sunnyside
Jacqueline Padilla, Yakima	Elizabeth Padilla, Toppenish	Jaquelin Partida- Grimaldo, Buena
Cristo Patino Vaca, Tieton	Cristal Perez, Yakima	Sophia Perez, Zillah
Felix Perez Herrera, Pasco	Ashton Peterson, Richland	Mayra Platon, Mattawa
John Plygonan, Yakima	Jerome Pratt, Wapato	Jodie Pruneda, White swan
Yoselin Quintero, Sunnyside	Camila Quintero, Moxee	Lucero Ramirez, Pasco
Reyli Ramirez, Toppenish	Jennifer Ramos-Regis, Zillah	Gisel Regis, Toppenish
Dalton Remus, Kennewick	Ahtziry Renteria Ochoa, Tieton	Angel Reyna, Mabton
Selene Reyna Cuevas, Buena	Makenzie Ribail, Moxee	Christina Richardson, West Richland
Andrew Rios, Yakima	Nancy Rivera, Wapato	Gizelle Rivera, Yakima
Esmeralda Rivera, Eltopia	Esmeralda Rivera, Grandview	Maria Robles, Sunnyside
Ashley Rodriguez, Grandview	Guadalupe Rodriguez, Zillah	Alejandra Rodriguez, Kennewick
Alondra Rodriguez-Escalera, Yakima	Nallely Rojas Alvarez, Yakima	Jorge A Rosales, Yakima
Karina Rosales, Kennewick	Kassandra Roy, Yakima	Kaitlynn Ruiz, Grandview
Natalia Ruiz, Moxee	Alexander Ruiz Curiel, Grandview	Triston Ryan, White Swan
Patricia Saavedra, Sunnyside	Emina Sahovic, Pasco	Diana Salas Gonzalez, Toppenish
Nathan Salazar, Toppenish	Janie Saldana-Ibarra, Kennewick	Aaliyah Salgado, Mabton
Fernando Sanchez, Richland	Andrea Sanchez, Granger	Andrea Sanchez, Prosser
Jasmine Sanchez Magana, Paso	Yissel Sanchez Mejia, Prosser	Maritza Sanchez Sanchez, Toppenish
Yoselyn Sanchez-Perez, Union Gap	Jaime Saucedo, Sunnyside	Perla Sepulveda Garcia, Wapato
Hernan Serra-Velasquez, Richland	Serena Shipley, Yakima	Savannah Shippentower, Toppenish
Yaribey Silva, Toppenish	Jazmin Silva, Sunnyside	Teresa Silva, Grandview
Danielle Silva Gonzales, West Richland	Treace Smith, Yakima	Kristal Solorzano, Pasco
Gilberto Solorzano, Zillah	Ava Starr, Zillah	Khrysalyn Stewart, Yakima
Gemmalyn Stoothoff, Sunnyside	Jillian Swan, Wapato	Reagan Swinth, Tacoma
Briseyda Tabares Joaquin, Yakima	Jari Tavira, Grandview	Nicholas Tegen, Yakima
Mark Tennancour, Kennewick	Alene Thalheimer, Kennewick	Amanda Toloy, Wapato
Alexis Valdez, Sunnyside	Martin Valdez Santacruz, Yakima	Juan Valencia, Zillah
Karen Valladares Coronel, Wapato	Ednac Valladares-Hernandez, Toppenish	Elizabeth Vanreenen, Richland
Jose de Jesus Vasquez Mojica, Selah	Veronica Vazquez, Yakima	Jesus Adrian Vazquez Rosas, Sunnyside
Maria Vijarro, Toppenish	Jason Vilcapoma, Grandview	Anahi Villa, Granger
Aaliyah Villa, Granger	Marissa Villalobos, Sunnyside	Rosa Villegas, Sunnyside
Yahaira Walle-Lopez, Yakima	Brooklyn Washburn, West Richland	Jessica Wesley, Toppenish
Carolina Wheeler, Toppenish	KayLynn Whitford, Wapato	Sydney Willard, Kennewick
John Williams, Kennewick	Keri Willsey, Yakima	Brittani Yohn, Yakima
Monserrat Zagal Garcia, Grandview	Yeraldy Zamudio Guzman, Wapato	Keyla Zapien, Toppenish
Betzabeth Zaragoza, Wapato	Ashley Zarco-Macias, Wapato	Cassandra Zenil Rodriguez, Yakima
Stephanie Zorroza, Prosser

Spring 2025 Semester

Dayana Abundiz, Yakima	Dayanara Abundiz, Yakima	Xavier Acevedo, Wapato
Alicia Aguilar, Pasco	Citlali Aguilar, Toppenish	Viviana Aguilar, Grandview
Nora Aguilar Cortes, Othello	Leonel Alcaide Olmedo, Wapato	Manuel Alcala, Yakima
Hailey Alvarado, Sunnyside	Jesus Alvarez, Toppenish	Charlie Alvarez, Moxee
Liliana Alvarez, Wapato	Bianey Alvarez-Ortega, Wapato	Maria Alzate, Wapato
Angela Anaya, Yakima	Alondra Anaya Martinez, Yakima	Alberto Andrade, Pasco
Levi Ang Agaton, Granger	Bryanna Anguiano, Wapato	Evelin Antunez, Granger
Aide Anzures, Richland	Mayra Arias Farias, Kennewick	Felisha Armas, Zillah
Yesenia Arredondo, Kennewick	Jocelyn Arroyo Mendez, Zillah	Cesiah Arroyo Mendoza, Pasco
Sarai Arroyo Mendoza, Pasco	Adriana Asi, Benton City	Miguel Ayala, Sunnyside
Miguel Ayala Vaca, Cowiche	Berenice Barragan, Kennewick	Karla Barragan, Yakima
Brian Barrera Franco, Yakima	Mia Bautista, Wapato	Elisabet Becerra-Sanchez, Yakima
Nancy Benavides, Yakima	Karen Benitez, Moxee	Serenity Benoit, Yakima
Katarina Berk, Sunnyside	Maria Bravo Cisneros, Granger	Emily Breaux, Kennewick
Paola Brito Roman, Granger	Morgan Brown, Yakima	Siu-Nutt Brown, Zillah
Andrea Bueno, Yakima	Christopher Bueno, Kennewick	Gloria Bustamante, Granger
Monika Bustamante, Granger	Johnathan Campos, Yakima	Yolanda Campusano, Zillah
Michaela Canella, Pasco	Emily Cantu, Prosser	Megan Cantu, Wishram
Talia Carden, Wapato	Stephanie Carmona-Silva, Wapato	Andrea Castaneda, Toppenish
Maricela Castillo, kennewick	Jocelyn Castro, Yakima	Natalia Castro, Toppenish
Haidel Castro, Yakima	Estefania Cervantes Montero, Kennewick	Priscila Cervantes Roman, Granger
Chelsy Cervantes Valdovinos, Yakima	Mckhenna Chance, Yakima	Stephanie Charlton, Yakima
Angelica Cisneros, Yakima	Alyssa Cloy, Pasco	Kayecee Colley, Sunnyside
Jazmin Corona, Grandview	Josefina Cortez Gonzalez, Wapato	Sergio Covarrubias Garcia, Yakima
Steven Cox, Kennewick	Kadence Crockett, Kennewick	Alejandro Cruz, Parker
Enrique Cruz Torres, Grandview	Carina Cuevas, Grandview	Lucia Cuevas Ramos, Yakima
Yasmin Cuevas-Ramos, Yakima	Josie Curtis, Wapato	Cassandra Davis, Kennewick
Ashlee De La Mora, Sunnyside	Lillian Dean, Harrah	Gregoria Dejesus, Granger
Hailye Delvo, Zillah	Janessa Diaz, Moxee	Elijah Elisondo, Toppenish
Daniella Equihua, Granger	Isabella Escamilla, Selah	Marvella Esiquio, Yakima
Gissel Espinoza, Granger	Sierra Esqueda, Buena	Daniel Esqueda, Sunnyside
MacKenzie Evans, Sunnyside	McKenna Fisk, Toppenish	Bryan Flanary, Pasco
Irma Flores, Prosser	Miguel Flores Baca, Yakima	Elisabet Flores Giron, Wapato
ArisBaydi Flores-Vega, Yakima	Naydin Franco, Granger	Marilyn Fuentes, Sunnyside
Miguel Gabriel Cruz, Wapato	Blanca Garcia, Zillah	Mariana Garcia, Sunnyside
Annaie Garcia, Prosser	Alondra Garcia, Pasco	Mercedes Garcia, Grandview
Anayeli Garcia Gomez, Selah	Victor Garcia-Pinon, Yakima	Michelle Garibaldo, Toppenish
Freddie Garza, Yakima	Yazmine Garza, Wapato	Jazlen Garza, Toppenish
Gabriell Garza, Mabton	Ciara Gatlin, Toppenish	Shantel Gil, Yakima
Graham Gilmore, Yakima	Alexis Goeken, Union Gap	Hannah Goff, Kennewick
Jaylin Golob, Granger	Anna Gomez, Yakima	Juan Gomez, Toppenish
Jocelyn Gonzaga Perez, Grandview	Odalis Gonzalez, Grandview	Monica Gonzalez, Toppenish
Grisdelia Gonzalez, Sunnyside	Jesse Gonzalez, Sunnyside	Cecilia Gonzalez Gallardo, Zillah
Adriana Gonzalez Moreno, Pasco	Heidy Gonzalez Ramirez, Sunnyside	Daniela Gordillo, Yakima
Nikki Grooters, Selah	Vanessa Guel, Wapato	Paloma Guerrero, Moxee
Rachel Guerrero, Outlook	Jennifer Guerrero, Toppenish	Katrina Guillen, Prosser
Heaven Gutierrez, Zillah	Mireya Gutierrez, Sunnyside	Yasmine Gutierrez, Sunnyside
Karen Gutierrez Alvarez, Yakima	Adriana Guzman, Kennewick	Britney Guzman, Mesa
Kylie Habkirk, Seattle	Mikayla Harris, Zillah	Vieira Henn, Yakima
Alonso Hernandez Guzman, Yakima	Lizeth Hernandez-Villegas, Yakima	Carolina Herrera, Yakima
Aland Herrera, Toppenish	Yareli Herrera, Mabton	Jesus Higareda-Arcineiga, Pasco
Jasmine Higgs, Kennewick	Elizabeth Hines, Richland	Lauren Hudson, White swan
Ivonne Ibarra Godines, Othello	Erica Jim, Wapato	Brenda Jimenez, Toppenish
Fernando Jimenez, Sunnyside	Vicki Keophilavanh, Pasco	Gavin Kessler, Yakima
Cecelia Kuneki, Toppenish	Crystal Kuneki, Toppenish	Cristian Lemus, Toppenish
Jennifer Lemus, Toppenish	Devra Lewis, Harrah	Kassidy Lewis, West Richland
Starr Link, Richland	Vanessa Llamas Gutierrez, Yakima	Yazmin Lopez Barragan, Pasco
Yaquelin Lopez Barragan, Pasco	Jazmin Lopez Rodriguez, Yakima	Yurema Lorenzana Mejia, Yakima
Georgina Luna, Pasco	Robert Luna, Toppenish	Raeshell Lutes, West Richland
Lenize Madrigal, Tieton	Esperanza Madrigal, White Swan	Brenda Madrigal, Pasco
Nayeli Madrigal, Outlook	Michael Magana, Pasco	Natalie Malzahn, Granger
Mario Maradiaga Maciel, Yakima	Miranda Maravilla-Maravilla, Toppenish	Angeles Marin, Toppenish
Bryan Marquez, Kennewick	Ryen Martin, Toppenish	Jasmine Martinez, Toppenish
Jacqueline Martinez, Sunnyside	Antonia Martinez, Pasco	Ruby Martinez, Pasco
Gabriela Ariely Martinez, Wapato	Adriana Martinez-Chavez, Toppenish	Jennifer Mastrolia, Richland
Sara Matson, Naches	Izabella McCoy, Toppenish	Maira Lillian Medellin Valencia, Yakima
Jocelyn Mejia, Toppenish	Alexis Mejia, Pasco	Jacqulynn Mendoza, Kennewick
Jennifer Mendoza, Pasco	Emily Mendoza, Granger	Julie Mendoza, Pasco
Erick Mendoza Guzman, Pasco	Nerida Mendoza Hernandez, Pasco	Esmeralda Mendoza-Arias, Zillah
Ashley Mendoza-Hernandez, Yakima	Cheyenne Merritt, Selah	Ana Meza, Mesa
Briceyda Meza, Mesa	Judi Montes, Granger	Marcos Montiel-Ramos, Grandview
Vanessa Moran-Tapia, Sunnyside	Adriana Morfin, Toppenish	Jelilah Morones, Yakima
Zaira Najera Davalos, Sunnyside	Bethany Navarro, Toppensh	Kennedy Noyes, Richland
Julissa Nunez Silva, Granger	Isabell Nunez-Montiel, Yakima	Angela Ocampo, Buena
Rosa Ochoa-Martinez, Sunnyside	Lisa Olney, White Swan	Maria Olvera, Pasco
Gloria Oni, Kennewick	Samantha Osegueda, Moxee	Jacqueline Padilla, Yakima
Abigail Padilla, Grandview	Elizabeth Padilla, Toppenish	Veronica Palomares, Yakima
Veronica Palomares-Lechuga, Wapato	Juan Paredes Morales, Pasco	Dolores Partida, Outlook
Jaquelin Partida- Grimaldo, Buena	Ashlan Payne, Grandview	Sara Pech Gutierrez, Zillah
Tiffany Pence, Richland	Korina Perez, Yakima	Cristal Perez, Yakima
Evan Pierce, Renton	John Plygonan, Yakima	Yanilett Posos, Moxee
Jodie Pruneda, White swan	Yoselin Quintero, Sunnyside	Nayelly Quintero, Sunnyside
Lucero Ramirez, Pasco	Andrea Ramirez Moreno, Pasco	Judith Ramos, Grandview
Elaine Ramos, Sunnyside	Jennifer Ramos-Regis, Zillah	Gisel Regis, Toppenish
Dalton Remus, Kennewick	Angel Reyna, Mabton	Selene Reyna Cuevas, Buena
Gizelle Rivera, Yakima	Nancy Rivera, Wapato	Jacqueline Rivera Romero, Kennewick
Mikayla Rodriguez, Richland	Lyzette Rodriguez Guzman, Kennewick	Alondra Rodriguez-Escalera, Yakima
Nallely Rojas Alvarez, Yakima	Sandra Roque-Rojas, MOXEE	Jorge A Rosales, Yakima
Lyliana Ruiz, Toppenish	Melody Ruiz Larios, Union Gap	Patricia Saavedra, Sunnyside
Nathan Salazar, Toppenish	Ciria Sanabia, Pasco	Fernando Sanchez, Richland
Andrea Sanchez, Prosser	Andrea Sanchez, Granger	Angie Sanchez, Zillah
Jasmine Sanchez Magana, Paso	Maria Sanchez Perez, Wapato	Maritza Sanchez Sanchez, Toppenish
Cristina Santiago-Valle, Sunnyside	Jaime Saucedo, Sunnyside	Perla Sepulveda Garcia, Wapato
Abraham Serrano, Yakima	Eloy Serrano, Yakima	Kyal Shoulderblade, Toppenish
Mu Mu Si, Kennewick	Yaribey Silva, Toppenish	Teresa Silva, Grandview
Brian Solano, Wapato	Kristal Solorzano, Pasco	Gilberto Solorzano, Zillah
Sayyepum Ahtootwy Speedis, Toppenish	Khrysalyn Stewart, Yakima	Melannie Suarez Diaz, Ephrata
Jillian Swan, Wapato	Maggie Sweowat, Yakima	Jari Tavira, Grandview
Nicholas Tegen, Yakima	Mark Tennancour, Kennewick	Rachelle Thompson, Prosser
Amanda Toloy, Wapato	Salma Torres, Tieton	Alexis Valdez, Sunnyside
Dayana Valdez Herrera, Toppenish	Martin Valdez Santacruz, Yakima	Catarina Valdez-Copeland, Yakima
Yaereen Valdovinos, Yakima	Alyssa Valencia, Seattle	Karen Valladares Coronel, Wapato
Ednac Valladares-Hernandez, Toppenish	Elizabeth Vanreenen, Richland	Diana Vargas, Yakima
Eduardo Vargas Sanchez, Outlook	Jose de Jesus Vasquez Mojica, Selah	Christian Verduzco, Sunnyside
Maria Vijarro, Toppenish	April Villa, Othello	Marissa Villalobos, Sunnyside
Ku Wah, Pasco	Brooklyn Washburn, West Richland	Carolina Wheeler, Toppenish
Belgica Whitaker, Ewa Beach	Levi Williams, Kennewick	Dominic Williams, White Swan
Keri Willsey, Yakima	Sarai Yanez, Yakima	Jayme Yazzie, Toppenish
Brittani Yohn, Yakima	Monserrat Zagal Garcia, Grandview	Keyla Zapien, Toppenish
Ashley Zarco-Macias, Wapato	Cassandra Zenil Rodriguez, Yakima	Salma Zuazo, Moxee

Heritage University to host Career Fair

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Heritage University to host Career Fair on March 26, 2026

Toppenish, Wash. – Yakima Valley job seekers will be able to connect with employers during the Heritage University Career Fair on Thursday, March 26, 2026. The Career Fair will be held in Smith Family Hall located inside the Arts and Science Center from 1:00 p.m. to 3:00 p.m. The event is free and open to the public.

The Career Fair is a collaboration between WorkSource Yakima and Heritage University. Representatives from 25 companies will be available to share career opportunities their firms have to offer. They will be recruiting for entry level and professional positions. The event will also help employers learn more about opportunities to host interns and work with academic programs at Heritage.

Organizations attending the Career Fair include:

Astria Health-Sunnyside	Catholic Charities	Church and Page Law Firm	Community Health of Central Washington	Comprehensive Healthcare
Davita	EPIC	Fort Simcoe Job Corps	Generational Care	Grandview School District
Heartlinks Hospice	Inspire Development Centers	Kittitas Valley Hospital	MultiCare Yakima Memorial	Navarro-ATL Hanford Lab Management
PNWU	RN for Nuclear Care Partners	The Terraces at Summitview	Tree Top	US Army
US Navy	Washington State Patrol	Yakama Nation	Yakima County	Yakima Valley Farm Workers Clinic

The total number of participating employers may increase as the date of the Career Fair approaches. Attendees can also learn about resources offered by other institutions, including the Central Washington Disability Resources, Life Options, the Washington State Department of Revenue – WFTC Division, the Washington State Department of Social and Health Services, OIC of Washington, and more. Heritage University students attending the fair can also learn about the HU Adelante STEM program, the HU MIT Program, the HU Sage Program, and more.

For more information, please contact Jennifer Renteria-Lopez, HU Student Life Director at (509) 834-9549 or Renteria-Lopez_J@heritage.edu, or Davidson Mance at (509) 969-6084 or Mance_D@heritage.edu.

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Heritage University Promotes Crystal Sampson to Vice President of Operations and Chief of Staff

Crystal Sampson

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Heritage University Promotes Crystal Sampson to Vice President of Operations and Chief of Staff

Toppenish, Wash. — Heritage University announced the promotion of Crystal Sampson to Vice President of Operations and Chief of Staff to the President, a milestone appointment that reflects both her leadership and the university’s commitment to representation and community-centered governance. With this promotion, Sampson becomes the first enrolled member of the Yakama Nation to hold the title of Vice President at Heritage University.

Crystal Sampson is the daughter of Atwai Melvin Roger Sampson, a nationally respected leader in Native American affairs who served for 18 years as Chairman of the Yakama Nation Tribal Council. He played an instrumental role in the founding of Heritage University and demonstrated a steadfast commitment to education by helping establish scholarships supporting Native American programs. Her mother, Betty Sampson, is regarded as one of the matriarchs of Heritage University, having faithfully served as executive assistant to each of the institution’s four presidents.

Sampson joined Heritage University in August 2023 as the Director of Human Resources. Before coming to Heritage, she held a series of managerial positions of increasing responsibility, including: accounting manager for the Yakama Nation in Toppenish, Wash.; human resources manager at Yakama Nation Housing Authority, also in Toppenish; office manager overseeing accounting operations as well as assisting the general manager for Yakama Forest Products; and interim manager during an expansion of Legends Casino Hotel. Before working for the Yakama Nation, Sampson spent nineteen years in various management positions at Costco Wholesale in six different states, including corporate accounting at Costco headquarters in Issaquah, Washington. She earned a B.S. and an A.A. in business administration from Haskell Indian Nations University in Lawrence, Kan.

Since joining Heritage University, Sampson has played a pivotal role in advancing institutional operations and strategy. President Chris Gilmer noted that the promotion formalizes responsibilities Sampson has effectively carried out since his arrival at the university. “Crystal has been a trusted partner in leadership from day one,” said President Gilmer. “She brings nearly 20 years of executive leadership experience from Costco, along with invaluable service within the Yakama Nation’s administration. Her insight, integrity, and deep understanding of our community make Heritage stronger every day.”

In her expanded role, Sampson will continue to oversee university operations while serving as a key advisor to the president, helping align strategic priorities at Heritage’s campus in Toppenish and co-chairing a management team overseeing its regional site in Kennewick, Wash. Gilmer emphasized that her promotion is both a recognition of her contributions and a reflection of Heritage’s values.

“Crystal’s leadership mirrors the community we serve,” Gilmer added. “Her promotion strengthens our relationships with tribal nations and ensures that our decision-making is informed by lived experience, cultural knowledge, and a deep commitment to our mission.”

Sampson said she is deeply grateful for the opportunity to serve Heritage University in this role. “It is an honor to support our students, faculty, and staff, and to help advance a mission that reflects my values, my professional journey, and my commitment to the communities we serve,” said Sampson. “My experiences in tribal government, higher education, and corporate leadership have prepared me to lead with accountability, collaboration, and care. I look forward to continuing this work alongside campus and community partners as we strengthen Heritage’s impact for future generations.”

Sampson’s promotion is part of President Gilmer’s intentional effort to strengthen and diversify Heritage University’s leadership. Of the university’s six most recent promotions, five were awarded to women, including four women of color. “Each individual was selected based on their exceptional qualifications and proven leadership,” said Dr. Gilmer. “At the same time, I have been deliberate in advancing leaders who reflect the students and communities we serve, furthering our mission and empowering the university’s future.”

For more information, please contact Davidson Mance, media relations coordinator at (509) 969-6084 or mance_d@heritage.edu.

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Call for Proposals Announced for Third Annual Conference on Intersectionality: Intersectionality in Action

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Call for Proposals Announced for Third Annual Conference on Intersectionality: Intersectionality in Action

April 18, 2026 | 12:00–4:00 p.m. EST | Virtual Conference

Toppenish, Wash. – The Third Annual Conference on Intersectionality is now accepting proposals for keynote presentations and conference sessions for its 2026 convening, Intersectionality in Action, taking place on April 18, 2026, from 12:00 to 4:00 p.m. EST.

Vikki Carpenter, Ph.D.

Conference co-founder Dr. Vikki Carpenter of Heritage University, who also serves as chair with Dr. Bea Desantiago of the University of Minnesota, Mankato, invites scholars, practitioners, activists, educators, and community leaders to submit proposals that highlight applied, engaged, and transformative intersectional work. The theme, Intersectionality in Action, emphasizes moving beyond theory to showcase real-world impact across research, pedagogy, policy, community engagement, and institutional change.

Beatriz Desantiago-Fjelstad, Ed.D.

“Intersectionality in Action is about moving beyond discussion and into practice,” said Dr. Carpenter. “This conference creates space for scholars, practitioners, educators, activists, and community leaders to share applied and transformative work that is making a real-world impact,” she said. “We are especially interested in proposals that demonstrate how intersectional approaches are shaping research, pedagogy, policy, and community engagement in meaningful and measurable ways.”

Proposals are welcome for keynote presentations, individual papers or presentations, and panels, workshops, or roundtables. Keynote proposals are due March 15, 2026. Proposals for individual presentations, panels, workshops, and roundtables are due April 1, 2026, with session lengths ranging from 15 to 45 minutes.

Suggested topics include, but are not limited to, intersectionality in policy, law, criminal justice, and governance; community-engaged and participatory research; intersectional pedagogy and curriculum design; arts-based, narrative, and cultural approaches; organizing across identities and social movements; health equity and social justice; and institutional transformation and applied practice.

Submission guidelines and proposal forms are available at conferenceonintersectionality.com. For more information, please contact Vikki Carpenter at carpenter_v@heritage.edu.

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New website uses data to highlight trends on the Yakama Nation Reservation

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

New website uses data to highlight trends on the Yakama Nation Reservation in areas vital to the well-being of the community

Toppenish, Wash. – A new website compiles data from publicly available sources to provide information about the Yakama Nation Reservation community. YakamaNationVitals.org uses content compiled by the Institute of Public Policy and Economic Analysis at Eastern Washington University (EWU), in partnership with Yakima Valley Partners for Education (YVPE).

The Yakama Vitals website, sanctioned by the Yakama Nation Tribal Council by resolution in 2024, presents data on the entire Yakama Nation Reservation community in six areas: people, economic vitality, education, health, housing and natural resources. Suzy Diaz, the director of YVPE says by bringing robust data into one accessible, thoughtfully designed place, Yakama Vitals helps us see more clearly the challenges before us and the opportunities to work together in new and more impactful ways. “As we begin to explore the data and the trends it reveals, we are invited into deeper collaboration—across agencies, institutions, and communities—to focus on where we can improve outcomes for all people of the Yakama Nation Reservation, and neighboring communities,” says Diaz.

Yakama Nation Tribal Administrative Director Crystal Bass is excited by the opportunities for collaboration that can be enhanced by Yakama Vitals. “One important outcome from this launch is a simple but powerful one: sharing this site broadly within our networks. By doing so, we can invite further ideation, encourage new partnerships, and expand the circle of collaborators who can use this data to ask better questions and develop better solutions, especially in support of our Tribal Government, whose decisions guide the wellbeing and future of our communities,” said Bass.

Dr. Patrick Jones, the executive director of the Institute for Public Policy & Economic Analysis at EWU, says the Yakama Vitals project is the first of its kind in Washington State involving data gathered on a Native American Reservation community. Dr. Jones is grateful for the involvement of YVPE and the Yakama Nation leadership. “This partnership is a powerful example of what can happen when vision is matched with investment and trust,” Jones said.

Isaac Kwakye, deputy executive director of the Washington Student Achievement Council, agrees. “Yakama Vitals demonstrates the power of Tribal leadership and community priorities by delivering timely, actionable data. It will enable partners across the region to coordinate their efforts and improve outcomes for learners and families. We’re proud to support a tool that puts key information in the hands of those who need it most.”

Heritage University Senior Vice President of Advancement, Marketing and Admissions David Wise expressed gratitude to the partnership that makes the Yakama Vitals project possible. “We are also deeply grateful to the Washington Student Achievement Council and The Ballmer Group for providing the funding that made this work possible, and to Yakima Valley Partners for Education for creating the conditions that allowed Yakama Tribal Leadership to collaborate with Dr. Jones on Yakama Vitals 1.0. I’m thankful for everyone’s leadership, participation and commitment. I look forward to the continued collaboration ahead as we turn insight into action and data into better outcomes for all,” said Wise.

For easy access and sharing, the Yakama Vitals portal can be found here: https://yakamanationvitals.org

For more information, please contact Heritage University Media Relations Coordinator Davidson Mance at (509) 969-6084 or mance_d@heritage.edu.

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Comments sought for Heritage University accreditation

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Comments sought for Heritage University accreditation

Toppenish, Wash. – Heritage University is accredited by the Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities (NWCCU). Its accreditation status was most recently reaffirmed in spring 2019 after the acceptance of the university’s mid-cycle evaluation.

On April 22 – 24, 2026, NWCCU’s accreditation evaluation team will be visiting Heritage University to confirm and verify the content of the university’s Evaluation of Institutional Effectiveness Report through collegial and compliance peer review and feedback for continuous improvement. As part of the process, Heritage University invites third party entities to submit their signed, written comments to:

Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities
8060 165^th Avenue NE, Suite 100
Redmond, WA 98052
(425) 558-4224

For electronic third-party comments, please use the link to access NWCCU’s electronic submission portal.

Comments must be received by the Commission no later than April 12, 2026. The NWCCU will consider all comments on Heritage University’s qualifications for accreditation. All signed comments will be forwarded, as received, to Heritage University, the evaluation committee, and the Commission.

To obtain a copy of Communication with Accreditation Constituencies go to www.nwccu.org and visit the Policies page on the website, or contact the Commission office at (425) 558-4224.

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Heritage University President Announces Major Leadership Expansion and Bold Vision for the Future

Dr. Christopher Gilmer

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Heritage University President Announces Major Leadership Expansion and Bold Vision for the Future

Toppenish, Wash. – Heritage University President Dr. Chris Gilmer has announced a broad expansion and reorganization of the university’s leadership team, paired with strategic initiatives designed to strengthen student success, deepen community partnerships, and position Heritage for continued growth as it approaches its 50th anniversary in 2033.

Central to the expansion is the appointment of Sagrario Armenta-Jimenez as Vice President of Administration and Chief Financial Officer. Armenta-Jimenez brings extensive experience in education finance and operations. “Sagrario is an exceptional leader whose commitment to transparency, fiscal stewardship, and student-centered decision-making aligns perfectly with the direction we are taking Heritage University,” said Dr. Gilmer.

Dr. Gilmer also announced a series of leadership promotions, including David Wise, who has been elevated from Vice President to Senior Vice President of Advancement, Marketing, and Admissions. During Wise’s tenure, Heritage has more than doubled annual giving from $1.5 million to $3.1 million and secured transformative philanthropic investments, including a historic $10 million unrestricted gift, a $6.3 million scholarship gift, and a $2 million endowed chair in nursing.

Crystal Sampson has been promoted to Chief of Staff to the President and Vice President of Operations, formalizing a role she has effectively filled since Dr. Gilmer’s arrival. With nearly 20 years of leadership experience at Costco and service within the Yakama Nation’s administration, Sampson becomes the first enrolled member of the Yakama Nation to hold the title of Vice President at Heritage University—reflecting Gilmer’s commitment to leadership that mirrors the university’s community and strengthens relationships with tribal nations.

Additional promotions include SaraBecca Martin to Associate Vice President for Academic Affairs, expanding her role overseeing accreditation, institutional effectiveness, and academic planning, and Adriana Villafan to Associate Vice President of Student Affairs, recognizing her leadership of high-touch, wraparound student support programs. Apart from Armenta-Jimenez, these roles represent reclassifications of internal talent rather than new hires, underscoring Heritage’s commitment to recognizing and elevating its own leaders.

Dr. Gilmer has also launched a national search for a new Vice President for Academic Affairs, signaling a renewed emphasis on academic innovation and excellence. He has also expanded the senior leadership team to include a student voice for the first time, appointing Student Government Association President Mercedes Garcia to the president’s leadership table. “Having students help shape decisions that affect their lives and learning is essential to who we are as an institution,” Gilmer said.

Dr. Gilmer also shared an update regarding the future of Heritage University’s Tri-Cities operations. Beginning in January 2026, these operations will report directly to the President as the University advances a new leadership model and develops an expanded investment plan for the region. This approach reflects an enhanced dedication to the Tri-Cities and a strategic focus on growth, innovation, and long-term impact. “This is a commitment to growth and new direction,” Gilmer emphasized.

In addition to leadership changes, the university has launched a $1 million fundraising campaign to eliminate hunger on campus, addressing food insecurity as a critical barrier to student success. “No student should ever have to choose between their education and their next meal,” said Gilmer.

Looking ahead to Heritage University’s 50th anniversary in 2033, Dr. Gilmer’s vision includes assertive fundraising, expanded academic programs, deeper community engagement, and building a national reputation that reflects “the excellence Heritage already demonstrates every day.”

“Heritage University has a powerful mission and a remarkable community,” Gilmer said, “We are investing boldly in our future—our students, our people, and our partnerships.”

For more information, please contact: Davidson Mance, Media Relations Coordinator at
(509) 969-6084 or mance_d@heritage.edu.

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Heritage University protects students from state financial aid reductions

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Heritage University protects students from state financial aid reductions

Toppenish, Wash. – Heritage University announced today that it will fully protect students from the State of Washington’s planned reduction to the Washington College Grant (WCG), ensuring no decrease in student financial aid for the 2026–2027 academic year.

The Heritage University Board of Directors has approved the use of university reserve funds to completely replace the state’s anticipated cut to the WCG. As a result, students’ total financial aid packages will remain whole—assuming their Student Aid Index stays the same. When 2026–2027 financial aid award letters are issued, students will see an increase in university-provided funding (HU Excellence), which will directly offset the state reduction.

“We want all our students, present and future, to know that they won’t be impacted by the reduction of the Washington College Grant in the coming year,” said Heritage University President Dr. Chris Gilmer. “We are committed to ensuring that no student loses support because of a state budget decision. Keeping education accessible is at the core of who we are.”

Dr. Gilmer says Heritage University administrators are actively engaging with Washington Governor Bob Ferguson’s office and state lawmakers to advocate for the full restoration of the WCG. The university is hopeful the Legislature will reverse the planned cut during the upcoming legislative session. Administrators will continue to keep students informed as developments occur. “The Yakama Nation Tribal Council is fully supporting our advocacy of the WCG, and I am grateful for the council’s solidarity on this matter,” said Dr. Gilmer.

“Heritage exists to open doors, not close them,” said Vice President of External Affairs David Wise. “We will always advocate for our students and take every step possible to ensure nothing stands in the way of their education.”

Students with questions about their financial aid are encouraged to contact the Heritage University Financial Aid Office, where staff are ready and available to assist. For more information, please contact Davidson Mance, media relations coordinator at (509) 969-6084 or mance_d@heritage.edu.

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