Women’s Day Event

Education consultant and public speaker to deliver keynote address at Heritage University’s International Women’s Day Event

Education consultant, public speaker and former candidate for Washington State Superintendent, Erin Jones, will be the keynote speaker at “Women2Women,” Heritage University’s celebration of International Women’s Day on Saturday, March 17, 2018.

Ms. Jones has been involved in and around schools for the past 26 years. She has taught in black, white and diverse communities. Jones has received many awards during her career, including “Most Innovate Foreign Language Teacher” in 2007; “Milken Educator of the Year” for Washington state in 2008; and in 2013, she was recognized as a “Champion of Change” at the White House. She’s worked for the Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction, and in 2016 she ran for State Superintendent, a race she lost by a mere 1%. At the time of her candidacy she was the first Black woman to run for any state office.

“Women 2 Women” celebrates the women of the Yakima Valley and supports early childhood education. It is organized by Heritage University’s Women 2 Women collaborative and is sponsored by the university’s Center for a New Washington. Funds generated by the event go to child care scholarships for students whose children attend the Early Learning Center.

“Education is a key factor to improving the lives of women and children,” said Dr. Natalie Martinkus, director for the center. “The stress of taking care of children can take its toll and become a barrier to women trying to earn their college degree. We want to break down these barriers while providing their children the crucial cognitive and physical start they need for later success.”

Doors open for the event at 9:00 a.m., the program begins at 10:00 a.m. and ends at noon. The event features artwork displays which celebrate the accomplishments of local women in both art and science, technology, engineering and math (STEM). Refreshments will be served. Registration is $50, and can be completed online at http://www.heritage.edu/2018Women2Women. For more information, call (509) 865-0450, or email

Honoring Dr. King

Heritage University to Hold Events Honoring Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.

Heritage University will hold three events on January 18-19 to honor the legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.

The first, The Power of Sound; Embodied Approaches to Sonic Activism will feature a keynote address by Dr. Lauren Eldridge of Spelman College. Dr. Eldridge will discuss how music has paved a way for change, and how sound highlights the struggles that bring us together. Highlighting this event will be students reading excerpts from Letter from Birmingham Jail. This event will be held Thursday, January 18 in Smith Family Hall from 11:45 a.m. to 1:00 p.m.

The second, The Long Red Power Movement: A Tribute to Dennis Banks, will continue the celebration honoring the Civil Rights struggle of Native Americans. A community salmon dinner (first-come, first-served) will honor the work of Native American civil rights activist Dennis Banks who passed away in the fall of 2017. Keynote speaker Ryan Booth, Ph.D. candidate at Washington State University and Swinomish tribal member will recount the complex roles of Native Americans in resistance movements throughout history. This event will also feature an open mic and traditional performances by dancers and a drum group.  Heritage art professor Gloria Garcia will facilitate a special art project for children who attend. The event takes place Thursday, January 18 in Smith Family Hall from 6:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m.

Finally, Dr. Chad Hamill of Northern Arizona University will present Coyote Made the Rivers: Indigenous Ecological Continuity in the Era of Climate Change, a presentation and performance which blends music and visual imagery to recount the current state of health of the Columbia River and its tributaries. This event will take place Friday, January 19 in the Donald North Library from 12:00 p.m. to 1:00 p.m.

These events, which are free and open to the public, are sponsored by Heritage University’s MMUF Program. For more information, contact Winona Wynn, Mellon & Leadership Alliance Coordinator at (509) 865-8633 or wynn_w@heritage.edu.

Celebrating A Culture

For the second year in a row, Heritage University’s two Native American student clubs kicked off the start of fall semester in grand style. Less than a week after classes began, the American Indian Business Leaders of Heritage University (AIBL) and the Heritage University Native American Club (HUNAC) jointly hosted the second annual All Nations Student Powwow on the Heritage campus.

The event brought approximately 500 people to campus for a one-day powwow that featured drumming and dancing competitions, as well as vendors selling everything from Indian fry bread tacos and homemade pies to handcrafted jewelry, traditional beading and other merchandise.

“Heritage University is located on the ancestral lands of the Yakama Nation,” said Brenda Lewis, president of AIBL. “The powwow is a great way to celebrate and share the rich culture of the Yakama people with our community.”

Dancers of all ages competed in men’s and women’s traditional, fancy, grass and jingle dance competitions—from tiny tots (children who are under five years old) to adults over 55. Several honor dances and intertribal dances, special dances where people from all different cultures are invited to participate, also took place, as did a special blanket dance that raised money for the Dr. Russell Jim Scholarship Fund.

Eight different drum groups, one from as far away as Idaho, competed for cash prizes.

The Toppenish drum group Wild Rose Singers served as head drum for the powwow. Heritage University board member and long-time supporter Arlen Washines, deputy director for Yakama Nation Human Services, was the master of ceremonies. Recent Heritage graduate Jacob Billy served as arena director, and Casey Cree was the whip man and Karen Umtuch was the whip woman.

Legacy Walk

Walk This Way – First Bricks in the Alumni Legacy Walk Installed

Heritage University alumni are leaving their mark on the university, literally. In October, Heritage dedicated the Alumni Legacy Walk. This pathway, which runs between the university’s signature Kathleen Ross snjm Building and the Violet Lumley Rau Building, is paved with bricks engraved with the names, majors and graduation years of participating alumni.

“Universities are steeped in tradition. Heritage is no exception. We expect that, over time, the Alumni Legacy Walk will grow as more and more of our past and future graduates immortalize their time here with their own brick on the walk,” said David Wise, vice president of advancement.

The legacy walk dedication took place during the university’s first-ever Alumni Family Fun Fest. More than 250 people came out to enjoy the celebration, which included crafts and games for children, trick or treating, bounce houses and a barbeque.

“It was all about celebrating our alumni and bringing them back on campus to reconnect with Heritage and their fellow alums,” said Anne-Marie VanRiper, alumni relations coordinator. “We received great feedback from the families who attended and expect that this will become an annual event.”

Reserve your brick today! Go to heritage.edu/LegacyWalk, complete the order form, and make your gift of $45. The next round of bricks will be installed next summer.