Growing Our Own

Workforce Development Program Introduced to Fill Skills Gaps

Martín Valadez was having lunch with a business acquaintance several months ago, casually sharing that he was taking a job with a new workforce development program called Heritage@Work being developed by Heritage University. He wasn’t trying to drum up business… not yet. He hadn’t even started his new job as the program director! But the response to his announcement, which was repeated at subsequent lunches with additional business contacts, was always the same – “Wow, I think we need that!”

What he quickly discovered is the workforce development program, while originally developed by Heritage to address a need in the agricultural industry, touched on an unmet need throughout the Yakima Valley and Tri-Cities.

David Wise, Vice President of Advancement and Marketing, said Heritage learned, through conversations with local growers and others that a skills gap existed in the region. “There was a need for short- term training programs first in agricultural companies,” said Wise. “The labor market is tight, and these companies are evolving and becoming more high-tech, so they need additional workforce skills that can also lead to greater, more challenging positions for their employees.”

However, what they learned, said Wise, is that the need for up-skills was more widespread than just farm workers… it cuts across all industries, from financial institutions to municipalities to health care. “There is an education gap between high school and college that we discovered,” confirmed Wise. “Businesses who empower their employees find they are more likely to stay and grow their careers and, as a result, their earning potential. Through Heritage@Work, the employer retains good people, and our university provides a much-needed service.”

Martin Valadez

CUSTOMIZED TRAINING MODULES UPSKILL EXISTING WORKFORCE

Heritage@Work is about meeting practical and specific skills deficiencies within companies. The training provided is different for each organization, customized tothe workforce and the goals of the business. Topics like supervisor training, professional writing, leadership, ethics, and accounting basics are common requests across organizations said Valadez. But there are also niche areas like governmental accounting or human resources practices in unionized workplaces, that apply directly to one company.

“Heritage@Work is driven by the customers, so it’s very focused on how to meet their needs,” said Valadez. “We developed it not to compete, but to meet a need that no other organization is structured to meet. We don’t want to reproduce what anyone else is doing.”

Valadez was the perfect candidate to lead this charge. He brings years of experience in instruction and curriculum development as a former college professor of history and ethnic studies. Later, he moved into a career in business development and served as the president of the Tri-Cities Hispanic Chamber of Commerce. This dual perspective helps him see both sides of the partnership clearly. He can relate to the concerns of a business while also leveraging his expertise in higher education to find solutions.

NEEDS ASSESSMENT DETERMINES PRIORITIES AND GOALS

This partnership, regardless of the company or industry, begins the same – with a thorough needs assessment. “Many customers already know what they want,” explained Valadez. “With others, we meet with a number of people in the organization and put together recommendations based on what we’ve heard, confirming their priorities.”

Valadez has a full plate, managing the logistics of the curriculum, the instructors and the venues. Some are one-off training sessions while others are comprehensive courses that run for many months. He writes some of the curriculum and recruits experts, from higher education or the business world, to write other parts and then conduct the training. The perfect candidates are subject matter experts who are also engaging in the classroom. His connections in both higher education and the community have helped.

“I may use current or retired professors or current or retired professionals in a specific field or industry,” he said.

TRAINING MODULES MAY DOUBLE AS CONTINUING EDUCATION OR COLLEGE COURSEWORK

The name of the game is providing businesses with custom skills training, in which they get exactly what they are paying for. Some want the classes to count toward continuing education credits for their employees while others ask about making the trainings available for college credit so an employee can pursue a degree at Heritage. All of those moving parts fall under Valdez’s auspice.

In a recent example, he sought out faculty in the English department to determine whether a 16-hour workforce-training curriculum might transfer to Heritage as a one-credit class. Valadez said the curriculum is rigorous and more application than academically focused. “Everything in the workforce training modules is practical. There’s a lot of continuous conversation and a lot of feedback from organizations.”

To ensure the training is delivering and equipping the employees as it was designed, Heritage@Work asks participants to complete assessments and provide feedback at the beginning and the end of the training. “We need to demonstrate there is growth and learning,” said Valadez.

Heritage@Work was championed by President Andrew Sund, Ph.D., who oversaw a highly-successful program like it at his previous institution and “lit the fire” at Heritage, said Wise, who was tasked with researching the demand before the program was introduced. Heritage board member John Reeves was another strong proponent, focused especially on how it would benefit farm workers and the agricultural industry. He was instrumental in collecting stakeholders and holding focus groups to make the idea a reality.

Just twelve months later, Heritage@Work is up and running, and generating a lot of excitement, all without a dollar spent on formal marketing! “It’s been gratifying,” said Wise. “It’s a unique opportunity for us – to help those who are already employed contribute more while also providing a diversified revenue stream that contributes to the overall financial health of our university.”

To learn more about Heritage@WORK, visit heritage.edu/workforce.

Legal Eagles

Legal Internships Give Students Opportunities to Serve Their Communities

Last semester, two Heritage students took a different route to work than normal. In January, they began six-month fellowships at two local organizations, working with attorneys to get a sneak peek at what a law career might look like. The program is called The American Rural Communities (ARC) Law & Policy Fellowship, and it was launched last year as a collaborative between Heritage, Columbia Legal Services (CLS), Northwest Immigrant Rights Project and PopUp Justice.

HANDS-ON, REAL-WORLD EXPERIENCE BUILDS STUDENT SKILLS AND CONFIDENCE

Senior Noemi Sanchez, a history major, joined Columbia Legal Services as an intern-fellow and junior Maria Rivera, who is studying criminal justice and history, joined the Northwest Immigrant Rights Project. The non-profits provide legal services to underrepresented populations in the community. CLS advocates for laws that promote social, economic and racial equity for those in poverty, often through class action litigation. Northwest Immigrant Rights Project devotes itself to supporting immigrants through advocacy, legal services and education.

Maria Rivera at the Northwest Immigrants Rights Project in Granger, Wash.

During these internships, the students were mentored by practicing attorneys and gained practical, professional skills as well as learned about experiences other attorneys had in law school and in their careers – especially as people of color. In addition, the students promoted and were guests at a set of workshops called the Lunchbox Series. The series brought together experts in law and social justice who are advocates versed in the diversity and unique aspects of rural communities to share thoughts, provide guidance and answer questions.

The organizations maximized the students’ skills and their enthusiasm to dive in, introducing them to cases and tasking them with projects like conducting client interviews; gathering, organizing and cataloging research; and distributing information about resources through community outreach.

LIVED EXPERIENCE LEADS STUDENTS DOWN DIFFERENT LEGAL PATHS

Sanchez and Rivera learned about the fellowships from Kim Bellamy-Thompson, who is chair of the Social Sciences department at Heritage. “Both students see the need for social change in the community,” said Thompson. “I knew they would be interested in the fellowship.”

Thompson said she looked for juniors or seniors who have strong writing skills and even more so, have a fire in them, believing that action for these causes can lead to a change.

PIPELINE TO LEAD MORE LOCAL STUDENTS TO RETURN TO THE COMMUNITY

For her part, Sanchez was trying to figure out if law school was a must for her real career passion, public policy, which propels social justice through legislation. Rivera was certain law school was her next step, but she wanted more exposure to daily life as an attorney as well as more direction about proceeding to law school.

Senior Noemi Sanchez at Columbia Legal Services in Yakima.

Lori Isley, a directing attorney at CLS, said students like Sanchez are an asset to her organization and the community.

“This has been a very exciting collaboration,” said Isley, who was one of Sanchez’s supervisors and mentors. “One exciting part for me is developing a pipeline from our community into law school by providing context and connection and then having them come back and serve our community.”

Sanchez has been working on the organization’s Working Family Project, which focuses on the undocumented community and farm workers. This is a special interest for Sanchez because she grew up in a family of farm workers and she saw workers with untreated injuries or wage issues who were afraid to speak up for fear of losing their jobs. As a student who identifies as a queer and non-binary student, Sanchez is also passionate about advocating for LGBTQ inclusion in the schools.

“So many Heritage students bring lived experiences of the challenges faced by many in our community,” confirmed Isley. “Having them makes our work more effective. Their own stories are a source of power, and it helps them connect with others on the journey.”

Isley said Sanchez organized research and cataloged information requests so litigation could proceed more quickly and smoothly. She also helped elevate the organization’s community outreach by assisting Insley with visits to camps of H2A workers, using social media to locate and reach out creatively to people in Mexico for a case, and even recorded a Facebook video to explain a settlement in layperson’s terms. Community outreach actually proved to be one of Sanchez’s favorite aspects of the work.

“It’s been really exciting,” said Sanchez about their visits to the camps. “I love to connect with people and show them they are not alone. This means a lot to me because my parents and grandparents didn’t have access to these things.”

Sanchez is still planning to work in public policy, but she has decided that law school can equip her to do that, first at the city and county level, and later, she hopes, at the state level. “When I first came here, I was unsure about law school, because I’m so policy driven,” she said. “What I learned is policy changes can come out of litigation, so even as an attorney, I can still create change.”

NON-PROFIT ENVIRONMENT, CLIENT STORIES IMPACT RIVERA

While Sanchez was pondering the value of law school, Rivera needed no such confirmation. She had been single-mindedly pursuing the goal of earning a Juris Doctorate from the minute she set foot on the Heritage campus. She had taken two years off after high school and had worked for a law firm during that time, so she knew it was what she wanted. When she joined the Northwest Immigrant Rights Project, however, she was surprised by how much she enjoyed the non-profit environment, something she admits she had never considered.

“There are four attorneys here working 100 cases, and they all have pretty big hearts,” said Rivera, who described the all-female office staff she worked with as nurturing, strong and persistent.

The fellowship dovetailed with Rivera’s long-term goal to practice immigration or criminal law in the Valley. She has a curiosity to know what makes people do what they do and for uncovering details that may prove someone’s innocence.

Rivera said her daily tasks were similar to a paralegal’s. She took notes, researched background information on immigrants’ countries of origin to document facts that could strengthen their cases for remaining in the U.S. Many clients had difficult lives before arriving in the Valley.

“I’ve taken the declarations of two clients so far,” said Rivera, who explained that it’s part of the immigration process. “They sit down with me and tell their stories about why they came to the U.S. many times, traumatic events have occurred, and it’s a process that results in the reopening of those wounds.”

As Rivera guides them gently through conversations that can take two or three hours, she tries to capture as much detail as possible while walking slowly toward topics that are painful for them. She believes it’s a privilege to be entrusted with their stories. “It’s not something I take lightly,” she said somberly.

Both Rivera and Sanchez now share the same goal – attending law school and then returning to the Valley to put their law degrees to work in their community.

Bellamy-Thompson said the fellowship would not be possible without someone willing to step up and fund it. Thankfully the Laurel Rubin Farm Worker Justice Project stepped in and provided all of the funding necessary. Isley shared that the project, which exists to make internships available to students interested in pursuing law careers that provide services to farm workers in Washington, has a long history of funding law school students, but this was the first time the organization supported undergraduates.

“We can do great things if we have the funding,” said Thompson, who hopes to offer the ARC Fellowship again to students in spring 2020.

“I can’t imagine not coming back to this community after law school,” concluded Sanchez, who is hoping to begin law school in the fall of 2021. “I just want to give back to the people who have given so much to me.”

A Heritage of Teaching

From left to right: Tim Platsman (Initial Residency Teacher Certificate, 2003), Kristina Platsman (Initial Residency Teacher Certificate, 2001), Allison Platsman (Freshman, Education major) and Carol Platsman (B.A. Ed., Elementary Education, 1990 and M.A. Ed., Professional Development, 1993).

Three generations of one family, all with a Heritage education, find lasting connection in the classroom.

Five years ago, Heritage freshman Allison Platsman would have said teaching was what her parents did, not her. But a lot can change between age 15 and age 20. When teaching hangs on several branches of your family tree, it just might be in your DNA.

Tally the years on all those branches, and between Allison’s grandmother, her dad, mom, two aunts, her sister, a cousin and her great-grandmother on her mom’s side, there are more than 100 years of teaching in the family.

The Platsman teaching heritage isn’t the only “heritage” that’s part of the family’s story. Allison is the fourth Platsman in just three generations to pursue her teaching degree at Heritage. What her parents and grandmother found there, Allison seeks as well: Connection and the ability to make a difference in the lives of young people.

BEING THEMSELVES

The Platsman teaching legacy in the Yakima Valley starts with Allison’s grandmother Carol – her dad’s mother. It was the mid-1980s, and with her two boys off to college, stay-at- home mom Carol Platsman had to decide what to do with the rest of her life.

“I loved being home with my boys. I also had always loved school, so I decided I’d go back.”

Carol chose to study at Heritage to be closer to her aging mother who lived nearby. A decision made largely because of family needs turned out to be one that would positively impact not only the rest of her life but hundreds of others.

“Heritage was such a positive environment, and there were such outstanding education instructors. I learned so much from their teaching styles.”

A few years later, with two Heritage University degrees under her belt, Carol Platsman was hired by the Sunnyside School District and taught third grade at three different schools over the years.

Carol said she was a “grandmotherly” teacher who utilized both her Heritage education and the nurturing approach that had come so naturally to her as a mom.

Carol retired at 63 in 2004. Looking back, what she recalls most fondly are her relationships with her young students. “I tried to make my room a safe place for kids to express themselves and to be themselves. I was happy when I knew the kids felt they could trust me.”

TAPPING THE ENTHUSIASM

Early in her teaching career, Carol saw the difference positive teacher-student relationships made in kids’ lives. She also noticed how enthusiastically grade school students responded to the rare male teacher in their midst.

Eventually, her son Tim would become one of those teachers. Off to Eastern Washington University in 1982, Tim Platsman had majored in business, graduated, and built a career working in Seattle. Despite his success, something was missing.

Tim Platsman helps a student in his third grade class at Artz-Fox Elementary School in Mabton.

“I was helping businesses make money. I wasn’t making a difference in the world,” he said.

His mother, who was still teaching at the time, suggested he consider a change in his profession.

“Tim was always very interested when I talked about the kids,” said Carol. “I’d always seen a sensitivity, a compassion and a patience that made me believe teaching would be a good fit.”

A few years later, Tim registered for classes at Heritage, declaring an education major. By this time, he and Kristina, also a teacher, had been married for several years and had their two little girls, Kendall and Allison.

“I knew Heritage was a good school,” said Tim. “I didn’t realize how much I would end up really enjoying the culture there – how open the professors are and how much they want your success.”

During student teaching at Artz-Fox Elementary School in Mabton, an invitation directly from the superintendent of schools
led Tim to his first permanent classroom. Seventeen years later, he’s still thrilled to be in third grade.

“Third graders are completely enthused. Most of my lesson prep is me figuring out how to give everyone a chance to speak – they’re all so excited to have the answer.

“Every minute of every day, they love being in that classroom. They soak it up, and I just tap that enthusiasm.”

“MOM”

Thinking back to the time their daughters Allison and Kendall were in grade school, Tim and Kristina Platsman recall the girls’ enthusiasm for helping their parents ready their classrooms for the new school year. They’d stick colorful visuals – pictures of planets, multiplication tables – to the walls, order the desks, paint the old cabinet in the corner.

During the school year, their mom’s classroom was where they would go once the last bell rang. Attending school where she taught meant they’d hang around till she wrapped up, playing school – naturally – with the children of other teachers.

For the Platsmans, time together in a classroom was part of family life. “There was always a really nice family feeling there, just like it was a part of home,” said Kristina.

Kristina Platsman teaches kindergarten at Sun Valley Elementary in Sunnyside

It was a natural for Kristina, whose grandmother was a professor at the University of Kentucky and whose mom worked as a school secretary. Kristina studied at Washington State University, worked for a while in Washington, D.C. and in 1990 – not yet married to Tim – she came back to Sunnyside and enrolled at Heritage. She planned to get a teaching certificate so she could counsel high school students.

Kristina’s memories of Heritage include a farmer’s grange on one side, an old school building on another, and learning about the importance of understanding students’ culture. “One instructor I learned so much from was Ruben Carrera. He made sure that we as future teachers understood how important awareness of culture is.”

Student teaching brought her to a primary grade classroom and – like Tim, whom she would soon meet and marry – she didn’t want to leave. She’s taught in the Sunnyside School District for 27 years, the last 12 at Sun Valley Elementary. Not surprisingly, Kristina cites her kindergartners’ enthusiasm as one of the greatest joys of teaching.

“I stand at the doorway as they come walking down the hallway. They see me, they call my name, and they start to run, their arms open for hugs.”

Not infrequently, her students call her mom. Whatever your students’ background, Kristina said, as a teacher you parent, you counsel, you wear a bunch of different badges. “But always you have the opportunity to connect and form meaningful bonds.”

BEING THAT FRIEND

If she wore one, Allison Platsman’s badge would say “FRIEND.” She’s not planning to teach young children like her parents – though she loves the two- and three-year-olds she works with in her on-campus job at Heritage’s Early Learning Center. She has her eye on creating a happy space for kids not much younger than she is right now – high school, maybe middle school, she said.

Allison wants to be an art teacher. As an artist, she enjoys photography and special effects makeup or body painting – but it’s more than a love for art that guides her. “The art room was a happy island for me,” she said. “I want to be ‘that room’ where kids can feel happy. I want to be that safe haven.”

Allison believes that years of conversation around the dinner table have given her a realistic understanding of what it takes to be a teacher. She realizes bigger kids can mean bigger issues and sometimes more difficult challenges.

But Allison is getting ready to do what her family does: to create that place that feels like a happy family. “Our family tree has strong roots here. Like my parents and my grandma, I think I can make an impact.”

The university is a much different place now than it was when Allison’s parents and grandmother were students at Heritage. The family compared notes during a campus tour early this spring.

Heritage University announces first-ever “Eagle Giving Day” June 27 to boost student scholarships

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Heritage University announces first-ever “Eagle Giving Day” June 27 to boost student scholarships

Toppenish, Wash. – Heritage University friends, donors, and alumni will have the opportunity to help make college possible for countless students by participating in the university’s first-ever “Eagle Giving Day” on Thursday, June 27. Every dollar raised during this one-day online fundraising campaign will go directly to student scholarships.

David Wise, VP of Advancement and Marketing at HU, said the university has been blessed by generous supporters who believe in the Heritage mission of providing students an opportunity to earn a college degree regardless of race, ethnicity or socioeconomic status. “Nearly every student who has ever attended Heritage has had scholarship support thanks to the generosity of our amazing donors. If there is one constant in this valley it is the belief that education offers the best mechanism to transform lives, and the women and men of the Yakima Valley have demonstrated this belief through their giving,” said Wise. “All of us are lifted up when we provide those who are most in need, with the opportunity to pursue their dreams.”

HU alumni are also being invited to help provide scholarships to students who are following in their footsteps. Alumni will be able to support students in the programs of their choice. “Social workers can give to social work majors, teachers can give to education majors, nurses can give to nursing majors, and so on,” said Wise. “It is not the size of the gift that matters, lots of small gifts add up to really big opportunities for students. And as added incentive an anonymous alum has agreed to match every gift up to the first $5,000!“

Gifts can be made before and through June 27 using Heritage University’s secure online donation form at heritage.edu/givingday, or by calling (509) 865-8587.

For more information contact David Mance at (509) 855-0731 or mance_d@heritage.edu.

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Heritage University to host week-long career-enhancing seminar for Yakima Valley teachers

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Heritage University to host week-long career-enhancing seminar for Yakima Valley teachers

Toppenish, Wash. – Yakima Valley teachers will gain insight into the science of how children learn, and learn how to re-engage their students as part of the Summer Institute Neuroscience of Learningat Heritage University July 15-19. In this immersive course, a framework and foundation in evidence-based Neuroscience is taught that empowers educators. Teachers will gain insight into the science behind how children learn and will be given practical and proven skills to identify and re-engage students.

The Summer Institute Neuroscience of Learning is a program of Neural Education, Institute for Connecting Neuroscience with Teaching and Learning. Its founder, Kieran O’Mahony, Ph.D., FRGS, is a learning sciences fellow with the University of Washington College of Education LIFE (Learning in Informal and Formal Environments) Center. The LIFE Center was the first Science of Learning Center funded by the National Science Foundation whose primary objective was to investigate social, cognitive and neuroscience of how people learn. “Education in America has stagnated, as efforts to raise education levels during the last 50 years have gone nowhere,” said Dr. O’Mahony. “By using a neural lens, we can positively affect our education deficiencies by giving teachers tools and practices that align with how the brain works and how children learn.”

Neural Education aims to enhance education outcomes by inspiring teachers to ignite their classroom using research-based brain science methodologies which allow them to manage the classroom by managing the brain; provide K-12 professional development to help educators realize a new paradigm – a way of thinking about teaching and learning using a neural lens; translate neuro-scientific research (how the brain processes and retains information) into accessible practices and processes; and improve educational outcomes for all students by empowering them to access their own potential as they understand themselves and see themselves as learners. O’Mahony is passionate about how these new methodologies have changed the learning world since the Decade of the Brainin the early years of this century. “It shocked me to realize that for all my years in the classroom, I hadn’t taken any classes on how the human brain works or how children’s brains learn. Today, teachers get to understand the organ that is most influential in learning—the cognitive machinations of each brain—as we create learning spaces that work in their schools.”

“In order to overcome these education deficiencies which may leave anxious and disengaged students behind, we need a new perspective that breaks free of the current system that isn’t working,” said Kari Terjeson, the Chair of the Department of Teacher Education at Heritage University. “Neural educators view teaching and learning as collaborative practices that grow cognitive capacity with the goal of helping every student reach their full potential.”

Heritage University will host the basic summer institute during the week of July 15-19. Participants will learn how to create a stress-free classroom, eliminate disciplinary referrals, increase academic performance and help students self-engage with voice and agency. The Basic Institute cost is normally $995, but with every teacher being sponsored at 90%, the final cost is $99.50, and those who complete the week will earn 35 clock hours.

To register for theSummer Institute Neuroscience of Learning, visit Neuraleducation.org.For more information, contact David Mance at (509) 865-0731 or mance_d@heritage.edu.

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Pacific Power Foundation gives $3,000 grant to Heritage University for student scholarships

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Pacific Power Foundation gives $3,000 grant to Heritage University for student scholarships

Toppenish, Wash. – Heritage University is pleased to announce it has once again been awarded a $3,000 grant from the Pacific Power Foundation. This is the fourth year in a row Heritage has received the grant, which will be used to fund scholarships for students pursuing degrees in the health sciences and STEM (science, technology, engineering, and math) fields.

David Wise, VP of Advancement and Marketing for Heritage, was presented with a grant check from Lori Froehlich, regional business manager of the Pacific Power Foundation on June 5. “I am grateful for Pacific Power Foundation’s continued support of Heritage University’s mission of providing educational opportunities for students of the Yakima Valley. This generous grant will help the students who have the drive but not the financial means to obtain the education that prepares them for exciting and rewarding careers in health sciences and STEM, two of the fastest-growing industries today,” said Wise.

Pacific Power Foundation’s Lori Froehlich presents a check to Heritage University’s David Wise

Froehlich said Pacific Power Foundation supports Heritage University’s mission of making a college education accessible to anyone with the talent and drive to pursue a degree is in close alignment to the Foundation’s support for projects that best serve community interests. “We’ve seen how communities across the nation strive to bolster its numbers of technology and healthcare workers. We are happy to support Heritage and its work to prepare students to thrive in these important fields.”

For more information, contact David Wise at (509) 865-0717 or wise_d@heritage.edu.

About the Pacific Power Foundation

The Pacific Power Foundation is part of the PacifiCorp Foundation, one of the largest utility-endowed foundations in the United States. The foundation was created in 1988 by PacifiCorp, an electric utility serving 1.8 million customers in six Western states as Pacific Power (Oregon, Washington, and California) and Rocky Mountain Power (Utah, Wyoming and Idaho). The foundation’s mission, through charitable investments, is to support the growth and vitality of the communities served by Pacific Power and Rocky Mountain Power. For more information, visit www.pacificpower.net/foundation.

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Bounty of the Valley Scholarship Dinner raises over $745,000 for student scholarships

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Annual Heritage University event raises $745,000 for student scholarships

Toppenish, Wash. – The Bounty of the Valley Scholarship Dinner, the premier annual event in the Yakima Valley dedicated to raising scholarship funds for Heritage University students, brought in $742,275 this past weekend. Gifts continue to pour in as an additional $3,200 has arrived for a grand total of $745,475 as of Wednesday.

This year marked the 33rd anniversary of the event that celebrates the many talented men and women who are transforming their lives, and our communities, enabled by the gifts of the generous individuals who make it possible for them to earn their college degrees.

Heritage University students served as hosts for the 250 guests of the event, welcoming them as they arrived on campus, sharing their Heritage experiences and expressing their gratitude for their ongoing investment in the university. Shelby Clark, who served as the event’s student speaker, is a 2019 graduate of the Bachelor of Science in Nursing program and has been accepted into the prestigious and highly competitive Doctor of Nursing Program at the University of Washington. Clark says she’s grateful for the opportunities she’s received, which were made possible by the generosity of Heritage University supporters. “It was gifts like yours which allowed me to be in a position to make life-changing discoveries,” she said in her speech to donors. “Thank you for believing that Heritage students are worthy.”

Jim Barnhill, a longtime champion of Heritage University, was overjoyed by the generosity he witnessed from longtime donors and new supporters. “Every year this event is spectacular and every year it just gets better and better,” said Barnhill. “The people of this valley believe in the power of education. By donating to scholarships, we are investing in our community as these students will go on to become professionals in the medical, education and business fields who will work here and become the next generation of leaders in the Yakima Valley,” he said.

Since its inception 33 years ago, more than $6 million has been raised at the event, with every dollar going directly to student scholarships. Senior Director of Donor Development and organizer of the Bounty of the Valley, Dana Eliason, said it’s an amazing experience to watch our donor community and our students get together at this event year after year. “The bond that is formed between students and donors is magical. Our donors get to see their investment in Heritage come alive by meeting our students,” she said.

To make a donation to student scholarships, visit http://www.heritage.edu/giving/donate-now/and select “Scholarship Dinner Fund” from the Designation drop down menu. For more information contact Dana Eliason at (509) 865-0441 or eliason_d@heritage.edu.

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Heritage University announces Spring 2019 Dean’s List

Heritage University Announces Spring 2019 Dean’s List

Toppenish, Wash. – The following are students who earned a place on the Heritage University Dean’s List for the spring 2019 semester. To qualify for the Dean’s List, students must be full-time, matriculated undergraduates who have earned semester grade point averages of 3.5 or better.

Marixa Abarca-Perez, Kennewick	Gissell Aguilar, Grandview	Amalia Akagi, Yakima
Paulina Alcala, Yakima	Brettagne Aleck, Toppenish	Sonia Allende, Pasco
Danielle Almanza, Granger	Lorena Alvarez, Wapato	Yanett Alvarez, Yakima
Maritza Alvarez, Sunnyside	Yessyca Alvarez, Grandview	Eilee Andujo, Prosser
Adrian Araiza, Yakima	Rosalinda Arreola, Toppenish	Alonso Arroyo, Wapato
Alejandra Arteaga, Yakima	Kimberly Avalos, Toppenish	Emma Avalos, Yakima
Clarissa Bahe, Yakima	Regina Baker, Toppenish	Jeremiah Baker, Toppenish
Hema Balderas, Wapato	Yosi Barajas, Yakima	Junior Barrera Bucio, Buena
Franchesca Bazan, Selah	Elizabeth Benitez, Kennewick	Esther Bermudez, Kennewick
Alyson Blair, Kennewick	Jeanne Blakeman, Pasco	Alyssa Buck, Mattawa
Justin Burke, Yakima	Juan Cabrera-Santos, Buena	Ruben Calvario, Wapato
Jennifer Cantu, Prosser	Roma Cantu, Toppenish	Alexandra Cardenas, Toppenish
Janette Cardona, Mattawa	Brenda Cardona, Mattawa	Jenny Careaga, West Richland
Delia Castanon, Wapato	Leslie Castillo, Sunnyside	Erica Castro, Wapato
Zachary Catron, Wapato	Noelia Causor, Yakima	Jocelyn Celis Torres, Wapato
Jennifer Cervantes, Toppenish	Kevin Cervantes, Pasco	Lizbeth Chavez, Pasco
Diana Chavez Cerda, Yakima	Ruben Chino Bustamante, Toppenish	Heather Christensen, Richland
Ana Cisneros Chavez, Outlook	Shelby Clark, White Swan	Gardenia Contreras-Vazquez, Sunnyside
Grace Corning, Benton City	Melissa Correa, Pasco	Esmeralda Correa, Pasco
Guadalupe Cortes, Wapato	Almarosa Cortez, Wapato	Kristina Cortez, Moxee
Estefani Cruz, Wapato	Veronica Cruz, Sunnyside	Vanessa Cruz, Pasco
Brenda Cruz, Granger	Stefany Cuaspud Guevara, Kennewick	Samuel Cuevas-Carrillo, Grandview
Tamara Cyr, Wapato	Ashley Davis, Naches	Xavier Day, Toppenish
Connie Delacruz, Yakima	Fatima Delgado, Toppenish	Esperanza Delgado, Toppenish
Paige Delp, Yakima	Jesus Diaz, Zillah	Keila Diaz, Granger
Josue Diaz, Mesa	Mercedes Diaz, Toppenish	Rylie Dixon, Kennewick
Amanda Donelson, Kennewick	Taylor Ebbelaar, Grandview	Crecenciana Espinoza, Pasco
Nora Espinoza, Yakima	Jocelyne Espinoza, Wapato	Kaylyn Fairchild, Pasco
Krisana Fernandez, Sunnyside	Spencer Fisher, Richland	Artemio Flores, Toppenish
Stephanie Flores-Landin, Yakima	Antonio Franco, Granger	Isela Fuentes, Yakima
Jocelyn Galarza, Zillah	Leticia Garcia, Granger	Evelyn Garcia, Wapato
Victoria Garcia, Pasco	Rosa Garcia, Kennewick	Marlenne Garibay, Sunnyside
Kimberling Garibay, Sunnyside	Dorothy Garwood, Prosser	Lorenzo Garza, Othello
Anahi Garza, Richland	Lindsy Gatewood, Pasco	Nicole Glatt, Burbank
Sarah Gold, Bellevue	Lesly Gomez, Yakima	Tania Gomez, Pasco
Isabel Gomez Carrillo, Wapato	Carmen Gonzales, Toppenish	Diana Gonzalez, Kennewick
Eduardo Gonzalez, Grandview	Claudia Gonzalez, Grandview	Noe Gonzalez, Toppenish
Alfonso Gonzalez-Colin, Yakima	Bianca Gonzalez-Estrada, Wapato	Heather Gooss, Moxee
Heidy Granados Lopez, Kennewick	Ashley Grego, Richland	Shelby Groth, Selah
Brenda Guadarrama, Granger	Sonia Guerrero, Toppenish	Isaias Guerrero, Outlook
Estefania Guerrero Angel, Granger	Yazmine Guido, Yakima	Eva Guizar, Kennewick
Gricelda Guizar Gaitan, Yakima	Kaylyn Gunnier, Zillah	Alissa Gutierrez, Yakima
Yuli Guzman, Yakima	Martha Guzman, Yakima	Alexis Guzman, Pasco
Melissa Guzman, Pasco	Kori Haubrich, Sunnyside	Anna Hempel, Kennewick
Mayra Hermosillo, Prosser	Elena Hernandez, Wapato	Yaritza Hernandez, Yakima
Xochitl Hernandez, Pasco	Noemi Hernandez, Pasco	Lizbeth Hernandez Islas, Yakima
Pete Herron, Yakima	Tracie Hicks, Kennewick	Savannah Hill, Wapato
Christina Holland, Kennewick	Chaelee Hudson, Yakima	Kasey Hutto, Kennewick
Samanta Jimenez, Pasco	Alondra Juarez, Wapato	Ekman Kaur, Kennewick
Wendy Kleppin, West Richland	Viktoriia Konko, Kennewick	Valentyn Konko, Kennewick
Marna Kostelecky, Burbank	Michael Kummer, Kennewick	Rachel LaBelle, Benton city
Jiovanna Lamas, Wapato	Maria Lechuga, Wapato	Shiraz Lefeber, Pasco
Yovana Leyva Carmona, Wapato	Ilse Leyva Manzanarez, Yakima	Idalis Licea, Zillah
Andres Lima Elias, Othello	Mark Litka, Richland	Brittany Loeken, Yakima
Elvira Lopez, Toppenish	Yesenia Lopez, Wapato	Yezie Lopez-Perez, Yakima
Daisy Luna, Wapato	Jennifer Macias, Toppenish	Claudia Madrigal, Pasco
Yareli Madrigal Luna, Pasco	Mariby Magana, Yakima	Marlene Magana, Sunnyside
Herminia Magdaleno, Yakima	Kaitlin Maier, Richland	Richelle Maki, Kennewick
Edgar Maranon, Wapato	Elisa Mariscal, Toppenish	Ana Marquez, Grandview
Rosalinda Marquez, Toppenish	Lydia Marquez, Yakima	Natalie Martinez, Sunnyside
Dulce Martinez, Sunnyside	Daisy Martinez, Wapato	Enrique Martinez, Toppenish
Andrea Martinez-Santiago, Toppenish	Christina Mattson, Richland	Stephanie Maybee, Selah
Sara McColloch, Pasco	Shaunacy McMurray, Yakima	Ashlee Mearns, Kennewick
Judit Medina, Kennewick	David Mejia, Yakima	Sandra Mena, Granger
Debbie Mendez, Yakima	Stephanie Mendoza, Mabton	Jazmin Mendoza, Pasco
Guadalupe Mendoza, Umatilla	Jesus Mendoza Mendoza, Yakima	Diana Meraz, Tieton
Cassandra Mercado, Pasco	Jheymy Mercado-Covarrubias, Yakima	Rebecca Meza, Sunnyside
Celine Michael, Yakima	Gladys Monroy, Pasco	Priscila Montiel, Yakima
Brenda Montoya-Roman, Yakima	Domitila Morales, Pasco	Ana Morales Villafan, Toppenish
Gabriela Moreno, Toppenish	Eva Morfin, Kennewick	James Muggli, Kennewick
Susana Naranjo, Yakima	Guadalupe Navarro, Sunnyside	Thuan-Thien Nguyen, Pasco
Andrew Nguyen, Yakima	Edith Noriega, Sunnyside	Arlene Olea, Sunnyside
Meaghan Oliver, Richland	Rosa Olvera, Pasco	Daysi Orduño Jacobo, Grandview
Lorena Ornelas, Sunnyside	Joel Osorio, Toppenish	Esther Osorio, Toppenish
Alexis Oxley, Grandview	Rebecca Ozuna, Toppenish	Liliana Padilla, Grandview
Miguel Palma, Yakima	Mary Pantoja Gonzalez, Yakima	Stephanie Pardo, Yakima
Seong Park, Yakima	Shane Parkhurst, Kennewick	Marcelo Penaloza, Toppenish
Yolanda Penaloza, Mabton	Ana Perez, Pasco	Hunter Perez, Kennewick
Jasmine Perez, Wapato	Sabrina Persinger, Pasco	Eric Philipp-Petrick, Yakima
Diana Picazo Villanueva, Outlook	Allison Platsman, Sunnyside	Angela Ponce, Zillah
Hunter Pryse, Yakima	Casey Quantrille, Selah	Daisy Quinones, White Swan
Lezly Quintanilla, Yakima	Mayra Quintero, Wapato	Viridiana Ramirez, Pasco
Elizabeth Ramirez, Toppenish	Nichole Ramirez, Hermiston	Briceida Ramos, Grandview
Olivia Ramos Alvarez, Kennewick	Lazaro Ramos Aragon, Walla Walla	Rosa Rangel, Connell
Amy Rapin, Sunnyside	Anyssa Rebollero, Yakima	Rocio Regis, Toppenish
Araceli Regis, Toppenish	Joshua Rein, Wapato	Shealynn Reuther, Wapato
Anitramarina Reyna, Yakima	Amy Richter, Pendleton	Rosa Rios, Moxee
Abigail Rivera, Zillah	Timothy Roa, Wapato	Morgan Roberts, Kennewick
Ellie Robins, Selah	Grisel Rodriguez, Moxee	Lizbeth Rodriguez, Wapato
Adriana Rodriguez, Kennewick	Cassandra Rodriguez, Grandview	Justin Rodriguez, Olympia
Sarah Romano, Richland	Juan Romero, Zillah	Kristian Romero, Zillah
Robert Romero, Sunnyside	Monica Romero Castro, Grandview	Erika Romero-Vargas, Pasco
Leidy Rosales, Pasco	Eva Rosenow, Kennewick	Lizett Ruiz, Yakima
Vah-Leria Sampson, Yakima	Mayra Sanchez, Kennewick	Nita Sanchez, Zillah
Amarilis Santiago, Toppenish	Danielle Sauceda, Pasco	Johnathan Schab, Prosser
Erika Scheel, Meridian	Robert Schreiber, Yakima	Margaret Sewell, Yakima
Jeniya Slutskaya, Kennewick	Brandon Smith, Yakima	Diana Solorio, Granger
Gerardo Soto, Zillah	Maria Soto-Galvan, Yakima	Anothony Stewart, Yakima
Christy Taylor, Othello	Destiney Theisen, Kennewick	Jacqueline Tlatelpa, Sunnyside
Stephanie Tolley, Othello	LisaLyn Tormey, Yakima	James Torres, Grandview
Maribel Torres, Richland	Jonay Torres, Pasco	Yanet Torres, Zillah
Brayan Torres, Sunnyside	Alejandra Treece, Zillah	Daisy Vaca, Wapato
Victoria Valdez, Toppenish	Maria Valencia, Toppenish	Anakaren Valenzuela, Toppenish
Juan Valladares, Yakima	Elizabeth Van Corbach, Sunnyside	Brenda Vasquez, Toppenish
Veronica Vigil, Yakima	Maurita Villafan, Toppenish	Julia Villagomez, Toppenish
Maria Villanueva, Yakima	Citlaly Villegas, Wapato	Arcelia Virgen, Wapato
Dawn Waheneka, Wapato	Kyle Wandling, Pasco	Mette Warnick, Richland
Robyn Webster, Yakima	Katie Wentz, WhiteSwan	Shelby White, Burbank
Devin Williams, Kennewick	John Williams, Kennewick	Janae Williams, Kennewick
Jasmine Yellow Owl, Zillah	Zachary Zamora, Sunnyside	Ruby Zarate, Moxee

Costco Co-Founder’s Family Foundation Selects Second Cohort of Scholarship Recipients at Heritage University

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Costco Co-Founder’s Family Foundation Selects Second Cohort of Scholarship Recipients at Heritage University

Toppenish, Wash. – The Sinegal Family Foundation, created by Jim and Jan Sinegal, has selected five students who will comprise the second cohort of Sinegal Scholars at Heritage University. These five students will receive the Sinegal Family Foundation Scholarship, which includes full tuition, fees and a $500 stipend for books for up to four years of study toward the completion of a bachelor’s degree. The cohort will also receive regular mentoring opportunities with Heritage alumni who work at Costco headquarters in Issaquah, Wash. and with Jim Sinegal, the co-founder of Costco, himself.

The recipients and the high schools from which they graduated are Rebecca Gomez, AC Davis High School; Jason Grajales, White Swan High School; Nansi Iniguez, Toppenish High School; Miguel Mendoza, Toppenish High School; and Kareli Mora, Granger High School.

These five students will join the five Sinegal Family Foundation Scholars already pursuing their degrees at Heritage as a result of a $1.14 million donation by the Sinegal Family Foundation to Heritage University in 2017. Each year five new scholarship recipients are selected and by 2021, the fourth year of the program, there will be a cohort of 20 Sinegal Scholars on campus. Sinegal and his wife Jan created the scholarship to assist students in pursuing their educational goals as well as being a partner with Heritage University in serving students and developing accomplished alumni.

The five recipients were chosen by a panel which included Mr. Sinegal and Heritage University graduates who now work at Costco headquarters in Issaquah. Selecting only five scholarship recipients was a daunting task. “The five named as the second cohort left long-lasting impressions on us all,” said Sinegal. “We can’t wait to work with them as they pursue their education, and watch them excel and succeed.”

Nansi Iniguez, who also has a twin brother who will attend Heritage this fall on a different scholarship, says receiving the Sinegal Family Foundation Scholarship is life changing for her family. “We are very thankful to Sinegal Family Foundation and Heritage for giving us this opportunity. This scholarship will make the dream of a college degree possible for me and my brother.”

Miguel Mendoza, who wants to pursue either an engineering or a medical degree, says the Sinegal scholarship will also make college possible for his family. “As a first-generation college student, my parents and I are thrilled to have this opportunity. My parents work in agriculture, and those jobs are changing rapidly too. What once required mostly a strong back and determination, now requires advanced education. Nearly all the students of the valley will need a college degree in the future and I am so thankful for the Sinegal Family Foundation and Heritage for making college possible for me.”

For more information, contact David Wise, VP of University Advancement and Marketing at (509) 865-0717 or wise_d@heritage.edu.

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Project NANO Tri-Cities Showcase to highlight student scientific investigations at The Reach Museum

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Project NANO Tri-Cities Showcase to highlight student scientific investigations at The Reach Museum

Pasco, Wash. – Six teams of Tri-Cities area elementary and middle school students will show off their scientific investigations during an event called Project NANO Tri-Cities Showcaseon Wednesday, May 22 at the Hanford Reach Interpretive Center (The Reach Museum)in Richland, Wash.

During Project NANO Tri-Cities Showcase, student teams will deliver oral and poster presentations which are based on their research using a portable scanning electron microscope (SEM). The schools participating in the Showcase include Captain Gray STEM Elementary School, Chief Joseph Middle School, Horse Heaven Hills Middle School, Carmichael Middle School, Marie Curie STEM Elementary School and Barbara McClintock STEM Elementary School. Each team member of the top presenting team will win a Kindle Fire tablet.

Project NANO began as an initiative which brought a portable SEM to Columbia Basin College (CBC) from Portland four years ago, with the goal of making science fun and exciting for teachers and their students. The Showcase developed as an event sponsored by the special outreach partnership between Heritage University in Toppenish, Heritage University at CBC as well as the Kennewick, Pasco and Richland School Districts. The partnership team includes Drs. Kazu Sonoda, Bob Kao and Marisol Rodriguez-Price from Heritage University, Drs. Sherry L. Cady and Josh Silverstein from Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL), as well as teachers from schools taking part in the competition.

Project NANO Tri-Cities Showcase runs from 6:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. The Reach Museum is located at 1943 Columbia Park Trail in Richland, Wash.

For more information, contact Bob Kao at (509) 865-8681 or Kao_R@Heritage.edu.

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