¡Viva Mexico! Heritage celebrates Mexican culture with El Grito de Independencia

On a crisp fall Saturday, Heritage University was awash in the sights and sounds of Mexico—girls in brightly colored skirts swirling and swishing to the music of the mariachi, children swinging wooden sticks at piñatas filled with goodies, and food vendors selling piping hot churros
and street tacos. It was the university’s first celebration of El Grito de Dolores, an event of cultural significance for those with cultural ties to Mexico.

El Grito de Dolores, translated to Cry of Dolores, is celebrated annually on September 15 to commemorate the start of the Mexican War of Independence. The war broke out in the early morning hours of September 16, 1810, in the town of Dolores when the Roman Catholic priest Miguel Hidalgo y Costilla organized a forced freeing of jailed revolutionaries, rang the church bell to gather his congregation and called upon them to take up arms for the cause of freedom. What followed was ten years of war against Spain, which ended in 1821 with the signing of the Declaration of Independence of the Mexican Empire.

Diana Maria Oliveros Martinez from the Consulate of Mexico in Seattle called out the traditional El Grito proclamation.

“Respecting and celebrating cultural diversity is a core value at Heritage that goes back to our founding,” said Dr. Melissa Hill, interim vice president for student affairs. “Many of our students have strong ties to the Mexican culture, whether it is through parents or grandparents who immigrated to the United States from Mexico, or perhaps they themselves immigrated here. Events such as El Grito are opportunities to break down barriers and unite us all as we learn about one another and celebrate our common human experience.”

Student groups, such as the Omega Delta Phi fraternity, hosted food and activity booths during the event.

Heritage’s El Grito de Independencia celebration brought roughly 500 people to campus. The family-friendly event featured Folklorical dancers, piñatas and games for the children, performances by the Central Washington University Mariachi Club, food vendors, and a family movie. The event culminated with the traditional delivery of the El Grito proclamation. El Grito was called out by Diana Maria Oliveros Martinez, a visiting dignitary from the Consulate of Mexico in Seattle.

Video from the event can be seen on Heritage’s YouTube channel, HeritageWithinReach.

Home Growing a Workforce

Most students graduating in May spend the summer looking for their first big job. Not Sandra Benitez (B.A., Business Administration, 2018). When she graduated last spring, she walked right back into the office where she had interned as a student – now as a full-time employee. Over the last two years, ten other people have done the same thing.

They’re participants in a growing Heritage University business internship program that pairs juniors and seniors with companies looking to not only offer experiential learning for students but to potentially hire them.

Fertile soil, lots of sunshine and a long growing season make Yakima County first in the state for value of
crop and livestock products. Agriculture contributes a whopping $1.2 billion to the local economy. It’s a big number, and it’s growing, said Vicky Swank, business administration professor at Heritage.

“Heritage’s business internship program is growing with it.”

Swank oversees the program, placing students with majors in business administration, finance and accounting with companies that want to give them meaningful working world experience.

A job after graduation isn’t guaranteed but, often job offers are extended. Since the summer of 2017, almost half – 10 out of 22 students – were hired by the employer where they interned.

“From Stadelman Fruits to Yakima Chief Hops to Roy Farms, our students are doing meaningful internships and getting hired,” said Swank.

She said Heritage has recognized a perfect fit between its students and area agriculture companies.

“We have young people who attend Heritage and they want to stay in the Valley because of their families. With the human resource needs in the valley creating incredible opportunities, we strive to provide educational resources to meet these needs.”

For some, such as Heritage junior Alfonso Gonzalez-Colin, the opportunity to enter their careers starts long before graduation. He started what was to be a summer work experience with Stadelman Fruit last June. By the end of the summer, the internship turned into a part- time position in the company’s accounting department. By the time Gonzalez-Colin graduates, he will have two years of professional experience with a company that he loves, and in the career he is studying to enter.

Heritage University alumni Krystal Treece and Sandra Benitez work at Roy Farms Oct. 17, 2018 in Moxee, Wash. (GORDON KING/Gordon King Photography)

PREPARING STUDENTS FOR THE BUSINESS WORLD
Swank considers a significant part of her job to be that of preparing Heritage students for the internships many will pursue.

“Our students often come to us needing to feel more confident in their communication, probably having no experience in the business world,” she said. “This is one of the areas around which we design our curriculum.”

Every business class at Heritage requires students to do at least one oral presentation. It’s those “soft skills,” said Swank that, along with rigorous course requirements, make students better communicators, positioning them for success in an internship and beyond.

A Heritage advisory board consisting of area business leaders makes recommendations that keep Heritage’s curriculum strong. Its members weigh in on experiences that can make Heritage students stand out from the crowd.

John Reeves, an agriculture industry expert and Heritage board member, sees ag industry internships as key in that student experience – and key in making Heritage students most useful in the ag industry.

“There will be 10 billion people on the planet by the year 2050,” said Reeves. “That means developing more and better ways to feed more and more people. For an area that is a true mecca of agriculture, that’s a big opportunity.

“For Heritage and its students, these internships represent a great opportunity to be a significant part of it.”

“We create a better-equipped graduate by always asking how we can better prepare them,” said Swank. “What else can we do to develop a student who is a strong communicator, is collaborative and works with others, and a critical thinker who approaches a problem and comes up with a solution?

“We tell our students, ‘Don’t go to your boss with problems all day long – go in there with solutions.’ We give them experiences in the classroom so that they can improve those skills.”

EAGER AND ENGAGED

Mike Goettl, CEO at Yakima Chief Hops, first heard of Heritage’s professional internship program while on a campus tour.

“He thought it sounded like the perfect way to give young people meaningful work and real-life experience and give us potential new employees,” said Lisa Garcia, Yakima Chief Hops human resources director. “Mike has been a big advocate for partnering with Heritage as part of our search for future employees.”

Garcia works with several educational institutions – Yakima Valley College, Central Washington University and Perry Tech among them. She says Heritage students have a particularly strong work ethic, an eagerness to learn, and a huge desire and determination to do well at their jobs.

“With Heritage, we started out with three really strong interns, and we’re working to expand our program,” said Garcia. “Our goal is to increase our internship program with Heritage to six to 10 students.”

COMFORT LEVEL MEETS THE CHALLENGE
Like most Heritage student interns, Denisse Gutierrez, Business Administration ’18, went into her internship with experience in the agriculture industry. Her dad owns a small orchard, so she was used to helping pick apples.

“The whole thing just feels familiar, so that’s nice, yet I’m working in areas of the company that give me new experiences.”

As an intern at Roy Farms, Gutierrez helped with safety audits, drug and alcohol testing and data input. As the months went on, she had the opportunity to get a sense of the bigger picture at the company.

“Towards the end of the internship, I was attending most of the weekly all- company meetings. Everyone would talk about what they were doing, and I just soaked it all up. I really learned a lot.”

Gutierrez did a second internship at Yakima Chief Hops where she was ultimately hired – and considers both huge personal growth experiences she wouldn’t have had in the classroom.

“In my first internship, initially I kind of kept to myself. But you interact with a lot of different people in the working world. As I kept talking to more and more people in the office and the warehouse and the fields, I just kind of opened up. Your communication skills really develop.

“I had an amazing experience during my internship,” said Sandra Benitez, who feels Swank’s placement of her with Roy Farms matched her with the perfect company.

“I have worked in agriculture my entire life. I had let Vicky know that this was something that I wanted to do in the long run, and I know this is my future.”

Sandra Benitez’s internship at Roy Farms led to a position in the company’s human resources department.

LIFTING SELVES, FAMILY, COMMUNITY
Reeves sees big things for Heritage interns.

“First, our students’ work ethic is unquestionable. Nothing’s been handed to them,” he said. “Then there’s this opportunity. With

lots of private equity coming into Washington State and a big bunch of that into Yakima, we’re looking at everything from robots to super high tech irrigation to drones, with big companies and lots of investment.

“And when they receive this education and find meaningful work in this industry, we have provided the opportunity to uplift not only them but their families. These kids lift themselves up, their families, our community, the county and then the nation. That’s what makes America great.”

“I’m in awe every day of our students. What they bring to everything they do and to these companies. The positive outlook, the persistence, tenacity, motivation, eagerness, this can-do attitude,” said Swank. “What employer wouldn’t want an employee like that?”

To learn how your company can partner with Heritage University’s business administration internship program, contact Vicky Swank at swank_v@heritage.edu, or call (509) 865-0726.

HU BSN program aims to alleviate projected nursing shortage in U.S.

The U.S. is projected to experience a shortage of registered nurses in the coming decades. It’s a problem that will be compounded by the aging Baby Boomer generation.
Heritage University’s Bachelor of Science in Nursing program was started in 2015 to help meet that demand. With our nursing program, students graduate with three years of work experience in patient care. The rigorous curriculum, experienced faculty and state-of-the-art nursing center will equip students to step into a nursing position right after graduation or continue their education in a Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) or PhD Nurse scientist program.
The BSN program at Heritage recently earned accreditation from the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE). For more information on how to get started with the BSN at HU,  contact Melissa Sanchez at (509) 865-8551 or visit Heritage.edu/nursing.
Nursing.org, created in 2016 in response to the growing demand for nurses, has researched financial aid opportunities for nursing students and nurses who want to advance their careers. A pair of guides provides extensive information into FAFSA, scholarships, loan forgiveness programs and more. One is geared specifically towards minority students, who often face greater financial hardship than their counterparts. They are:
Financial Aid Guide for Nurses
https://www.nursing.org/resources/financial-aid/

Financial Aid Guide for Minority Students

https://www.nursing.org/resources/financial-aid-for-minority-students/
There’s also a resource for nurses in Washington which includes state-specific license requirements and career outlook information:
https://www.nursing.org/online-programs/washington/
The Heritage University Financial Aid Department also works with students to find resources to help fund education. Contact the office at (509) 865-8502 for more information.

RADLab – Digital Storytelling of Rural America

Rural America. It’s not just country music and acres upon acres of farmlands. It’s a complex stewpot of people from different cultures and ethnicities. It’s multi-million dollar agribusinesses that communities depend upon for their economic prosperity. And, sadly, it’s communities that struggle to deal with the same social ills that impact larger cities–poverty, crime, violence, substance abuse–but often without the resources necessary to make a difference.

A joint project between Heritage University, Whitman College and Seattle-based PopUPJustice gave students a voice to tell the story of rural America through their eyes. Called Rural American Digital Lab (RADlab) students became filmmakers, producing short documentaries on topics of social justice that impact their communities.

RADLab invited 11 students from Heritage along with 11 students from neighboring Whitman College in Walla Walla, to come together to learn, in person and across campuses, how to leverage digital technology to shine a light on the fabric of
life in rural America. The goal said Aurora Martin, the founder of PopUPJustice, was not just to introduce students to the conferencing from the Whitman power of digital technology and storytelling to affect societal change, but also to build bridges and community across two very diverse student bodies.

For Heritage students, RADLab was an opportunity for many to tell their own stories because they or their family members were the subjects in videos that dealt with compelling topics including domestic violence, gender issues, homelessness and immigration status.

(Pictured left to right) Heritage students Cecilia Vizcaino, Noemi Sanchez, Madeline Alviso Ramirez and Maria Soto present their project at Whitman College.

The structure of RADLab was intense–19 days packed with training on advanced digital equipment and audio and video editing software. Every morning, Heritage students, whether in person or through video conferencing from the Whitman campus, heard lectures from subject matter experts about rural issues, ethics in storytelling, podcasting and video log best practices, and more. Every afternoon, the students were let loose to brainstorm, conduct interviews with their subjects or shoot supplemental footage, and edit their project.

Maria Soto, a third-year Heritage student who is double majoring in social work and history, said the quality of the speakers exceeded most students’ expectations. “We did not know there would be such a strong team from all over Washington,” she explained. “We heard from a YouTuber, a Ph.D., and filmmakers who taught us technical skills, like ways to shoot from the back to protect identity. And the importance of moral responsibility and content in storytelling because this is someone’s life.”

FILMS EXPLORE IDENTITY, CHALLENGES IN RURAL AMERICA

The students were broken into groups, and Soto’s group created a project based on the poem, I am Joaquin by Rodolfo Gonzalez. It explores the complexity of Mexican-American identity. Her group filmed the stories of four individuals, and two group members were featured in those stories, which dealt with the challenges of gender identity, undocumented students, farm workers, and a cholo who is giving back to the community.

 

 

“I was born in Mexico but have spent the majority of my life here,” explained Soto, noting that she, too, has struggled with issues of Mexican and American identity. “I learned it’s okay to be both. And that we are all part of the same ethnic group, but we can be all of these different things, too.”

Noemi Sanchez is a junior history major who participated in RADLab and also appeared in the video, sharing her experiences as a queer and non- binary student in a conservative rural area.

“For me, one of the skills I further developed was navigating conversations about social justice with people who are not affected by it,” noted Sanchez, who said sharing her story was scary but also liberating. “I didn’t have much experience filming or adjusting audio, but these skills have also helped me produce flyers and short videos for other student organizations and community groups I’m part of.”

Noemi Sanchez and visual arts major Anthony Tzib start their initial research for their RADLab project.

This is exactly the vision that Kimberly Bellamy-Thompson, chair of the Social Sciences Department, had for RADLab, which took almost a year of planning and conference calls to put into motion. “Journalists haven’t been paying attention to rural America, and I’m concerned about the repercussions of not having a voice,” said Bellamy-Thompson. “Here we are just two hours from Seattle by car and from San Francisco by plane, and yet, we have such disparity in digital technology in rural America.”

Thompson said RADLab allowed these students to bring attention to their stories while also gaining job skills and showcasing what they could do when given the resources in a hands-on, experiential learning setting.

Martin, whose organization helps to consult and incubate innovation and social connections, saw RADLab’s mission to be two-fold. “At the end of the day, RADLab was a community-building experiment that sought to plant seeds of innovation starting with the stories of why.” Explaining further, Martin said that because they worked with a shoestring budget that required innovative thinking just to launch the program, they were forced to strip away many extraneous factors and focus on those who could best inform solutions – end users who actually live the problem and who benefit from solutions.

“For me, this was a story of grit and grace,” said Martin. “The ideas are there; they just need the resources.”

Bridging the diverse cultures between the Heritage University and Whitman College students was a key element of RADLab.

Blake Slonecker, chair of Humanities at Heritage and a member of the RADLab design team, said one of his goals for his students in any learning experience is that they leave asking different questions than when they started. For one Whitman student, that meant overcoming a fear of the homeless and being willing to see them as a people with a story of their own. For Heritage students, it was transforming the way they saw the power of digital technology to produce words and images that told a story in ways that can impact hearts and minds for change.

“During the very last few days, we got together with the Whitman students, and we watched all of the videos,” said Sanchez. “And even from the people in my small group, I learned so much I didn’t know.”

HU biology professor develops ‘quizfolio’ to get students interested in science

Getting students interested in science is always a challenge, but HU assistant biology professor Dr. Bob Kao may have developed a new way to pique the curiosity of pupils. He’s developed an innovative assignment called a “quizfolio.” What exactly is a quizfolio? It’s a blend of a quiz and mini-portfolio, and the Yes We Must Coalition ran a story on the concept in its newsletter. Click here to read the full story.

Heritage University faculty member named ‘Distinguished Nurse of the Year’

Heritage University faculty member named Distinguished Nurse of the YearAnita shoup

Toppenish, Wash. – The March of Dimes’ Washington state chapter has named Heritage University Assistant Nursing Professor Anita Shoup as Distinguished Nurse of the Year. With this award, the March of Dimes recognizes Dr. Shoup for having a lasting positive impact on the nursing profession in Washington state.

Dr. Shoup has nearly 40 years of experience as a clinical nurse specialist and is a founding member of the Washington State Council of Perioperative Nurses, an organization now in its 28thyear. Dr. Christina Nyirati, the director of the bachelor of science in nursing (BSN) program at Heritage, said Shoup has played an important role in developing, implementing and evaluating the BSN’s curriculum. “The dedication she’s shown in working as a nurse, influencing healthcare policy and training our students for excellence in nursing makes her a perfect choice for recognition as Distinguished Nurse of the Year,” said Nyirati.

Dr. Shoup, Dr. Nyirati and sixteen BSN students from Heritage attended the March of Dimes ceremony in Seattle last month where Shoup received the award. “While I was surprised, humbled and honored to win, I felt it was more important that the students who were there got the chance to engage in professional networking and celebrate outstanding nurses who care for patients day in and day out,” said Dr. Shoup.

Anita Shoup joined Heritage University in 2015 as an assistant professor of nursing and the coordinator of simulation and experiential learning. In addition to overseeing classroom, laboratory and clinical instruction, she oversees the program’s learning resource center and simulation suites to ensure an authentic experiential learning experience for students. Shoup has worked for Swedish Medical Center and the University of Washington Medical Center, both in Seattle, as a perioperative clinical nurse specialist, as a clinical nurse consultant for Mölnlycke Healthcare, and as a faculty member for the University of Washington School of Nursing. She earned her doctorate, master’s and bachelor’s degrees in nursing all from the University of Cincinnati.

For more information, contact Anita Shoup at (509) 865-8596 or Shoup_A@Heritage.edu.

 

Heritage University and Yakima Valley College Sign MOU for Criminal Justice Program Press Release

Heritage University, Yakima Valley College sign memorandum of understanding for criminal justice program

Toppenish, Wash. – Heritage University (HU) and Yakima Valley College (YVC) have signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) that makes it easier for students studying criminal justice at YVC to transfer to Heritage University to earn a bachelor’s degree in that field.

The MOU ensures that YVC students who successfully complete an associate of applied science-transfer (AAS-T) degree are guaranteed to be accepted into HU’s undergraduate criminal justice program. “We want students who start at YVC and then transfer to HU to experience a smooth transition, with minimal to no loss of credit and duplication of coursework,” said Janet Foster Goodwill, criminal justice instructor and department chair at YVC. “The process by which our students can turn their two-year degree in criminal justice, into a four-year degree at Heritage has never been easier.”

YVC students who pursue a bachelor of arts degree in criminal justice can take advantage of a program designed for career success. “Studying criminal justice is so much more than public safety,” said Kimberly Bellamy-Thompson, social science department chair at Heritage. “We teach innovative ways to approach public policy and justice in an ever-changing America. Students can take advantage of established internship programs with law enforcement agencies who have a need for people with critical-thinking skills, the ability to integrate ideas and a commitment to lifelong learning.”

For more information, contact Janet Foster Goodwill at (509) 574-4794 or jgoodwill@yvcc.edu or Kimberly Bellamy-Thompson at (509) 865-0748 or Bellamy-Thompson_K@Heritage.edu.

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Heritage University finals week schedule now online

Finals week is less than a month away, and the information you need to know can be found online.

The PDF posted has information including: class code, class name, instructor name, final exam day, final exam date, final exam time and final exam room.

Click on the link for the complete schedule.

http://www.heritage.edu/event/finals-week-fall-2018/

 

Heritage University’s BSN Program Receives Accreditation

Toppenish, Wash. – Heritage University announced today that its bachelor of science in nursing (BSN) program has earned accreditation from the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE). The BSN Program met all four accreditation standards, and its accreditation status is valid through 2023, when the program will be eligible for renewal. The CCNE is recognized by the U.S. Secretary of Education as a national accreditation agency and contributes to the quality and integrity of baccalaureate, graduate and residency programs in nursing. CCNE serves public interest by assessing and identifying programs that engage in effective educational practices.

Dr. Christina Nyirati, director of the BSN program at Heritage, said “the program  cultivatesnurse leaders to provide culturally competent, community-focused care. By preparing our BSN program to meet CCNE professional nursing education standards, real health equity for the ethnically diverse populations in the Yakima Valley is served.”

Heritage University President Dr. Andrew Sund said the BSN at Heritage promotes fulfillment of the Heritage University Mission, as it prepares graduates to function as providers of care, scholars, as well as leaders and collaborators. “We are proud of the work Dr. Nyirati and her team are doing to meet the regional, statewide and nationwide demand for nurses,” said Dr. Sund.

The CCNE accreditation of the Heritage University BSN program is effective as of January 31, 2018, the first day of the program’s recent CCNE on-site evaluation. For more information, contact Dr. Christina Nyirati at (509) 865-8578 or Nyirati_C@Heritage.edu.

 

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Heritage University’s Physician Assistant Program opens application process for 2019-20 academic year

Heritage University P.A. Program students Jim Peterson, Sal Lopez and Angie Bosma

Toppenish, Wash. – Heritage University announced today that the application period has opened for its Physician Assistant Educational Program for the 2019-20 academic year. Classes for this cohort will begin in the summer of 2019.

The Physician Assistant Program at Heritage University is one of three healthcare industry-related programs (the other two being the Bachelor of Science in Nursing and the Master of Arts in Medical Science) that exist to meet the demand for highly-qualified medical professionals that are in high demand in rural communities like the Yakima Valley.

Dr. Linda Dale, the director of the P.A. Program at Heritage, is thrilled to be providing students with the education and training they need to become successful medical professionals. “We are excited to soon begin the process of sifting through thousands of inquiries and hundreds of applications from around the country from people who want to become physician assistants,” said Dr. Dale. “We will choose the top 32 candidates who want to concentrate their work in underserved, rural areas like ours.”

Dr. Dale said the program is fully committed to providing students with the best education possible and has already surpassed two other program goals related to rural health care; the first was to have two-thirds of graduates working in an underserved area (actual percentage is nearly 70 from the first three classes). The second goal was to have at least half of the graduates working in primary care (the actual is just over 50%).

The Physician Assistant program is a partnership between Heritage University and Pacific Northwest University of Health Sciences with which the University has a deep and growing relationship.  “The P.A. program is a tremendous example of our collaborative effort to provide for the healthcare needs of The Valley,“ said Edward Bilsky,Provost and Chief Academic Officer and Professor of Biomedical Sciences at PNWU.  “We continue to explore additional opportunities on which we can work together in the future to continue to meet those needs.”

To learn more about the P.A. Program at Heritage, visit heritage.edu/PAprogram. For more information contact Linda Dale at (509) 865-0707.

 

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