Heritage University to host Career Fair on April 13, 2023

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Heritage University to host Career Fair on April 13, 2023

Toppenish, Wash. – Yakima Valley job seekers will be able to connect with employers during the Heritage University Career Fair 2023 on Thursday, April 13, 2023. The Career Fair is free and open to the public.

Career Fair 2023 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 Career Fair 2023 include:

AgWest Farm Credit
Astria Health
Catholic Charities
Community Health of Central WA
Comprehensive Healthcare
Costco
DSHS – Developmental Disabilities Administration Community Residential Support
EPIC
Inspire Development Centers
Kent School District
Multicare Yakima Memorial
People For People
Prestige Care
SunComm
Tree Top
Toppenish School District
Triumph Treatment Services
Wapato Police Department
Wapato School District
Washington State Patrol
Yakima Chief Hops
Yakima County Department of Corrections
Yakima Neighborhood Health Services
Yakima Police Department
Yakima School District
Yakima Valley Farm Workers Clinic
WorkSource

Attendees can also learn more about graduate-level programs offered by other institutions, including Eastern Washington University, University of Washington, and Seattle University among others.

The Student Affairs department at Heritage is sponsoring a free professional headshot booth, where all attendees can receive an instant professional photo.

Career Fair 2023 will be held Thursday, April 13, 2023, from 2:30 p.m. to 4:30 p.m. in Smith Family Hall, which is in the Arts and Science Center on Heritage University’s main campus in Toppenish. For more information, contact Ariana Villafan, TRIO Director/Career Fair Coordinator at (509) 865-8518 or Villafan_A@Heritage.edu.

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Heritage University to open new Tri-Cities location in Kennewick, Wash.

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Heritage University to open new Tri-Cities location in Kennewick, Wash.

Toppenish, Wash. – Heritage University President Andrew Sund, Ph.D., has announced that the university will open a new location in downtown Kennewick, Wash. and begin offering freshman classes to students. The new site will admit its first freshman cohort at the new location for the fall 2023 academic year. The fall semester begins on August 21, 2023.

For the past twenty years, Heritage University has operated a regional site in the Tri-Cities on the Columbia Basin College campus in Pasco, Wash. This site offers transfer students an opportunity to complete their bachelor’s degrees in education, social work, criminal justice, psychology, and accounting. The new location in Kennewick will expand instruction in those fields to also serve freshmen and sophomore students. Additionally, the university will add a bachelor’s degree in business administration at the new location. Students attending Heritage University Tri-Cities will also have access to the nearly 40-degree programs offered by the university, including the Bachelor of Science in Nursing, Biology, Computer Sciences, Environmental Sciences, and Mathematics taught at its campus in Toppenish, Wash. “Students will have the opportunity to transfer seamlessly between the Tri-Cities and Toppenish, and some classes may be offered in a hybrid format where classes are delivered both in-class and online between both locations. The linkage between Toppenish and Tri-Cities will present a tremendous range of possibilities for students to study in their field of interest,” said Dr. Sund.

President Sund says the university’s decision to offer instruction to incoming first-year students in the Tri-Cities is a natural extension of the institution’s mission to make college accessible to anyone with the talent and drive to pursue a degree regardless of economics, culture, or geography. “We see this expansion in the Tri-Cities as a chance to enhance our collaboration with other higher education institutions, which has been a long-standing tradition in higher education. Our partnership with Columbia Basin College has been mutually beneficial for 20 years and will continue. I believe that our relationship will only get stronger over time,” said Dr. Sund. “We can work together to serve the people in the Tri-Cities who come from many backgrounds. Providing more choices for students is always better in higher education. Our goal is to increase the total number of students who graduate from college. Together we can increase the total college-going student population to benefit the entire community.”

Martin Valadez, the director of Heritage University’s regional site in the Tri-Cities, said this expansion will make it easier for students to achieve their dreams of pursuing a college degree. “Many Tri-Cities students are raising their families as they work several jobs, and we know they will benefit from having this additional opportunity to earn a four-year degree close to home.”

The new Heritage University Tri-Cities site is headquartered at the former Tri-City Herald building at 333 W. Canal Drive in Kennewick. Heritage will occupy parts of the building’s second floor with classrooms, offices, a reception lobby, study spaces and a break area. Administrators chose this site for its central location with easy access from all points in the Tri-Cities and proximity to services in downtown Kennewick. Heritage University Interim Provost Melissa Hill, Ph.D., said. “We are excited to play a larger role in the landscape of higher education in the Tri-Cities and be a part of revitalizing downtown Kennewick.”

For more information, contact Martin Valadez at Valadez_M@Heritage.edu or (509) 430-1081 or Davidson Mance at Mance_D@Heritage.edu or (509) 969-6084.

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Heritage University to invest $250,000 in scholarships to prepare the next generation of K-12 principals in the Yakima Valley

 

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Heritage University to invest $250,000 in scholarships to prepare the next generation of K-12 principals in the Yakima Valley

Toppenish, WA – Heritage University is investing $250,000 in the next generation of experienced educators who aspire to leadership roles in K-12 school systems. The “Heritage University Educational Leaders Scholarship” will provide $5,000 to qualified educators who enroll in the university’s Principal Certification Program.

The demand for qualified school administrators has never been higher. According to the National Center for Education Statistics, many principals in the United States are expected to retire in the coming years, leaving a significant gap in leadership positions. Ken Bergevin, Ed.D., the Chair of Educational Administration at Heritage University, said the university wants to help school districts hire the professionals needed to lead their schools. “We know that demand for qualified principals in small towns is acute,” said Dr. Bergevin. “Through Heritage University, these educators can become certified as a principal in as few as ten months with a program designed to meet their career goals.”

Bergevin said Heritage’s innovative, blended delivery model ensures that candidates receive the benefit of a live cohort model with minimal travel required. “The only way to build and practice critical collaborative relationships is to learn from a diverse statewide cohort,” said Bergevin. “Our instructors include superintendents, assistant superintendents, and principals with years of experience in the field. Our program is designed to provide ongoing, individualized support for students and their mentors.”

“Our Principal Certification Program provides participants with the necessary knowledge, skills, and practical experience to become successful school leaders,” said Heritage University President Andrew Sund, Ph.D. “And with our investment in scholarship support, we are committed to ensuring that the program is accessible to all who want to pursue this path.”

The $250,000 scholarship investment from Heritage University will be distributed over the next several years to support students who are pursuing a Principal Certification. Educators admitted into the Heritage program will automatically receive the scholarship. “While open to all educational leaders, this scholarship opportunity represents the Heritage University mission to support leaders who come from our diverse communities,” said Bergevin.

Participants who successfully complete the program will be eligible for Washington State Principal Certification. Applications for the Principal Certification Program are now being accepted. Interested candidates can learn more about the program and apply online by visiting the Heritage University website or by contacting the College of Education at (509) 865-8650. This new cohort will begin their studies in August 2023.

For more information, contact Ken Bergevin at (661) 472-5819 or Bergevin_K@Heritage.edu or Davidson Mance at (509) 969-6084 or Mance_D@Heritage.edu.

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Heritage University receives $350,000 grant award from Direct Relief’s Fund for Health Equity

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Heritage University receives $350,000 grant award from Direct Relief’s Fund for Health Equity

Toppenish, Wash. – Heritage University today announced it is among 71 awardees that received a grant from Direct Relief’s Fund for Health Equity, which mobilizes financial resources for organizations focused on non-clinical interventions that affect a person’s health. Commonly known as the social determinants of health, these factors include an individual’s physical, social, cultural, and economic environment.

The grants, which total $22.7 million and will be disbursed over two years, were awarded with funding from philanthropist MacKenzie Scott, the AbbVie Foundation, and Eli Lilly and Co. to support underserved communities across the United States.

Heritage University received $350,000 from the Fund for Health Equity for its work to increase the number of BIPOC (Black, Indigenous, (and) People of Color) students who achieve a Bachelor of Science in Nursing degree in the Yakima Valley.

“We are pleased to bolster the indispensable work of Heritage University and other grassroots organizations striving to reduce disparities and increase equity in vulnerable populations across the United States,” said Dr. Byron Scott, MD, MBA, Co-Chair of the Fund for Health Equity and Board Director of Direct Relief and Chair of its Medical Advisory Council. “It is a privilege to promote and support these organizations that are deeply connected to the communities they serve, know best what their patients and communities need, and the most effective means of providing it.”

Andrew Sund, Ph.D., President of Heritage University, expressed gratitude to Direct Relief for the funds to ensure Heritage’s efforts to contribute to a diversified nursing workforce. “A nursing workforce that closely represents the diverse makeup of the community it serves is able to provide culturally-sensitive healthcare that promotes recovery from trauma or illness to its patients,” said Dr. Sund.

The organizations in the latest round of funding were chosen for their efforts to enhance workforce diversification, reduce health disparities, and expand innovative models of care. A full list of winners can be found here.

The awardees were selected by the Fund for Health Equity’s Advisory Council, which includes the following members:

Co-Chair Regina Benjamin, MD, MBA, 18th U.S. Surgeon General of the United States, Founder Bayou Clinic, Inc.

Co-Chair Byron Scott, MD, MBA, Board Director of Direct Relief and Chair of its Medical Advisory Council

Martha Dawson, DNP, MSN, RN, FACHE, President and CEO President of the National Black Nurses Association, Associate Professor the University of Alabama at Birmingham

Jane Delgado, Ph.D., MS, President and CEO of the National Alliance for Hispanic Health

Gail Small, JD, Head Chief Woman, a citizen of the Northern Cheyenne Tribe

Since the start of the Fund in 2021, more than $42.5 million has been provided to support 149 organizations across the U.S.

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Educational Service District 105 & Heritage University receive federal grant funds to implement a local Master in Social Work program

Educational Service District 105 (ESD 105) and Heritage University will partner to implement the Yakima Grow Your Own Consortium to offer a Master in Social Work program, focused on school-based social work and mental health.

This new program is intended to help support the great need in our region to fill mental health provider positions by ensuring that local students who are interested in practicing school-based social work and mental health therapy, have access to high-quality programming while remaining close to their communities.

“There are a tremendous number of unfilled mental health provider positions in our region. Training more students who are from our community and will stay and serve our community will go a long way to meeting this need.” said Dr. Andrew Sund, President, Heritage University.

“Heritage University has a strong Bachelor of Social Work Program, but graduates have limited access to in-person MSW programs in Eastern Washington. Because our graduates are so committed to living and working here near their families, going away to graduate school is a barrier for many. This program will train our future social workers to serve children and families in the same communities that they themselves were raised in. We know that they are committed to supporting and improving the lives of the children and families right here. This program will have a lasting effect on the well-being of our region,” said Corey Hodge, Interim Vice President of Student Affairs/ Chair, Social Work Program.

The opportunity to implement this new Master program comes with the announcement that ESD 105 is one of two organizations within Washington State to be awarded with a Mental Health Service Professional Grant through the Department of Education, the other being the University of Washington. This five year grant will provide $1,108,985 annually to support the Yakima Grow Your Own Consortium.

Both organizations will play integral roles in the design, implementation and delivery of this new programming. While Heritage University will be designing the coursework and offering the degree, ESD 105 will be partnering with local school districts to oversee internships. These unique internships will allow program students the opportunity to gain skills in social work and clinical mental health therapy in a school setting. School districts partnering with ESD 105 to host internships include Union Gap, Wapato, Toppenish, Mt. Adams, Granger, Mabton, Grandview, Royal and Wahluke.

This “grow your own” consortium, which has the support of the Yakama Nation, seeks to open pathways for candidates from historically underrepresented groups, such as those who identify as Indigenous and/or Hispanic/Latino. Of this new offering, Emily Nelson, ESD 105 students support director, who will supervise the grant implementation, states, “We believe that representation in school and clinical settings has a positive impact on the success of our Pre-K to 12th grade students. Through the Yakima Grow Your Own Consortium, we seek to help build a more diverse workforce that reflects and connects with our growing student population. We are excited to support the growth of professionals in our region and to help address the workforce shortage in mental health and social work that impacts access to care. ”

Yakima Grow Your Own Consortium is expected to begin enrolling students in Spring 2024.

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About ESD 105:

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ESD 105 supports 25 public school districts and more than 20 state-approved private and tribal schools in South Central Washington. The agency serves the expressed needs of those schools in coordinating and conducting cooperative programs to benefit the approximately 68,000 K-12 students who are served in Kittitas and Yakima counties and portions of Grant and Klickitat counties. As one of nine ESDs in the state, ESD 105 carries out liaison activities between local school districts, the Washington State Office of Public Instruction, and the State Board of Education.

About Heritage University:

Heritage University is a non-profit, independent, regionally accredited institution of higher education offering undergraduate and graduate education across the state of Washington. Rooted in the homeland of the Yakama Nation, we embrace transformational student-centered education that cultivates leadership and a commitment to the promotion of a more just society. Visit our website, www.heritage.edu.

Heritage University dedicates new Early Learning Center

The new Heritage University Early Learning Center, December 16, 2022

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Heritage University dedicates new Early Learning Center

Toppenish, Wash. – On Friday, December 16, 2022, Heritage University held a building dedication for the new Heritage University Early Learning Center (ELC) at its Toppenish campus. Around 50 people attended the dedication for the new $4.1 million state-of-the-art facility. Arlen Washines, deputy director of the Yakama Nation Department of Human Services and HU board member and Dr. Kathleen Ross, founding president of Heritage University, each offered a blessing of the building.

Construction began in earnest on the new five-classroom ELC in March of this year by Chervenell Construction, and the work was largely completed by November. Graham Baba Architects of Seattle designed the new facility. While Graham Baba co-founder and co-owner Brett Baba is now based in western Washington, he enjoys working on projects in the Yakima Valley, the region he grew up in. “Over the course of my 44 years as an architect, I can’t think of a better feel-good project to be involved with than Heritage University’s Early Learning Center. The ELC provides a way for student-parents who may not otherwise be able to attend Heritage University, to do so. It continues the legacy of the Plath family (through the Manzana Foundation) to give a boost to kids when they are at an age that is so critical; an age Cliff Plath stated to be ‘the most formative’”, said Baba. “Heritage University is known for giving first-generation college students a path to success, and the Manzana Foundation is committed to providing a jump-start for kids at the most opportune time. The teaming of these two institutions is a phenomenal opportunity. We are humbled and honored to be a part of it.”

The majority of funding for the new ELC was provided by the Manzana Foundation and the Plath Family Charitable Trust. The ELC project also received a grant from the Washington State Department of Commerce.

The ELC is scheduled to open in January and will serve children between the ages of 12 months and kindergarten, providing pre-kindergarten learning known to be invaluable in later years of scholastic achievement. This new facility will allow the ELC to increase its licensed enrollment from 74 to 90 students. To watch a time-lapse video of the construction, please visit this link on the Heritage University website: https://www.heritage.edu/eagle-cam/

For more information contact Claudette Lindquist at (509) 865-0723 or Lindquist_C@heritage.edu or Davidson Mance at (509) 969-6084 or Mance_D@heritage.edu.

Heritage University VP of Advancement and Marketing David Wise, ELC Office Supervisor Sandra Ruiz and ELC preschooler Anahi at the new ELC dedication ceremony December 16, 2022

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News Briefs

Dr. Andrew Sund to serve another five years as Heritage University president

The Heritage University Board of Directors announced in July that it unanimously approved extending Dr. Andrew Sund’s contract for another five years of service.

“We appreciate Dr. Sund’s steadfast dedication to the university’s mission and campus community and his strong leadership of the institution during challenging times,” said Dr. Kathleen Hilton, chair of the Board of Directors. “We look forward to continuing to work with him in the years ahead to ensure a strong future for Heritage University.”

“The years I have spent at Heritage University have been, professionally, the most rewarding of my life,” said Sund. “I would like to thank the Board of Directors for trusting me, but I would also like to thank staff and faculty for their support. I know that together we will continue to do amazing things. I believe in our mission, and we have much work ahead of us. Finally, I would like to thank the many students that have been at Heritage these years. Their dedication to education has inspired me to serve the University. I look forward to the future of Heritage!”

Ichishkiin (Sahaptin) Language Center director earns Ph.D. from the University of Oregon

Heritage University alumnus and director of the Center for Language Revitalization and Preservation Twálatin Greg Sutterlict received his Ph.D. in Critical and Socio-Cultural Studies in Education from the University of Oregon. During the ceremony, Michelle Jacob, Ph.D., an enrolled member of the Yakama Nation and director of UO’s Sapsikw’athla, a master’s-level teacher program for Native American students, hooded Sutterlict and handed him his degree.

The ceremony occurred on Monday, June 13, 2022, at the UO Education Department graduation ceremony. It was the first time in the university’s history that a Yakama professor hooded a graduating Yakama student earning a doctoral degree.

Environmental Studies students take home awards at a national academic conference

Two Heritage University students won poster presentation awards for their research projects at the American Indian Science and Engineering Society (AISES) National Conference in Palm Springs, Calif., in October.

Kayonnie Badonie, a senior majoring in environmental science, won second place for her presentation, Water Conservation Tactics Through Well Decommissioning on the Yakama Nation Reservation. Noah Sampson, a senior majoring in environmental studies, placed third for his project Brewery Byproducts Can Help Fisheries? Evaluation of Brewer’s Spent Grain as a Feed Additive for Rearing Larval Asum (Pacific Lamprey). The students collaborated with the Yakama Nation for their projects.

AISES is a national nonprofit organization focused on helping to increase the number of Indigenous and Pacific Islander’s pursing science, technology, engineering and math studies and careers.

HU student among top honorees at a national conference in San Juan, Puerto Rico

Heritage mathematics major Anna Diaz took home one of the top awards for students at the Society for Advancement of Chicanos/Hispanics & Native Americans in Science (SACNAS) National Diversity in STEM Conference in October. Diaz received the Outstanding Research Presentation at the conference, which was held in Puerto Rico. Her presentation reported on her project Data Fusion Methods in Applications to Ocean Acidification, which was part of her summer research experience at Brown University.

Diaz was one of three Heritage students to attend and present at the conference. Joining her were biology majors Abby Bravo and Sol Figueroa.

SACNAS is a national professional organization that serves to advance the number of Chicanos/ Hispanics and Native Americans who earn STEM degrees, enter into professional careers, and advance into leadership positions within STEM fields.

Pioneer for Education

Martha Yallup

When Martha Yallup was a young woman, she needed to earn money for college. So every spring and fall, she went to the Upper Falls of the Klickitat River and fished for salmon.

“When they’d jump, she’d catch them in the air with a dip net, and then she’d haul them up the riverbank,” said Sydney Hill, one of Yallup’s nieces. “Each weighed 20 to 30 pounds.

“She’d sell them to non-Indian wholesalers at the Upper Falls, then take the Greyhound to Central Washington University in Ellensburg and go to class. Afterward, she’d go back to the river and, at night, she’d sleep in a pup tent with just her dog.”

This was the kind of drive that Yallup, who co-founded Heritage College, was known for. She died July 8th at age 80.

Throughout her life, Yallup earned three degrees, helped create the Yakama Nation Tribal School, established its Head Start program, and played a significant role in nurturing her many nieces and nephews, instilling the value of education in all of them.

“I think of her as a second parent,” said Hill. “She was always encouraging us to further our education. When I said I wanted to be a teacher, she asked me, ‘Why don’t you be an administrator?’ She wanted us to never limit ourselves.”

A ZEAL FOR EDUCATION

Yallup worked for the education of indigenous people with the same zeal she brought to her own life.

She believed that people from all walks of life, particularly students from low-income communities, had the right to a good education. She saw it as the way out of poverty.

Yallup earned her bachelor’s and master’s degrees in education and, later, her Ph.D. in education leadership, making her one of the first Yakama citizens with a doctorate. She wrote her dissertation on the indigenous experience of education, becoming a top expert in the field and a nationally renowned educator. She studied what had been, but she kept her focus on what could be.

During the George H.W. Bush administration, Yallup turned down a request to interview for a position that would have had national influence.

“She told them, ‘I’m here to serve my people,’” Hill said. “That was her work.”

IMAGINING HERITAGE COLLEGE

Heritage co-founder Dr. Kathleen Ross saw Yallup’s commitment throughout a friendship that spanned more than four decades.

“Heritage University would not exist today without the determination of Martha Yallup,” Ross said.

Yallup’s work with Violet Lumley Rau on behalf of indigenous education, combined with Ross’s institutional knowledge and abilities, made it possible for the three to do what would have seemed impossible to others.

It was 1974 when Yallup and Lumley Rau went in search of a college that would bring college courses to the Yakima Valley so that their Head Start teachers could earn baccalaureate degrees. They came to see Ross, who was then the academic vice president at Fort Wright College in Spokane.

Ross convinced Fort Wright to start a remote campus in Toppenish, and the Yallup and Lumley Rau set about recruiting students.

When enrollment challenges at Fort Wright made it necessary to close the college, Ross broke the news to Yallup and Lumley Rau.

“Martha said simply, ‘Let’s just start our own college,’” said Ross. “I told her that was crazy, and she said, ‘Tell us one thing we can’t do.’”

Ross told them the biggest challenge she knew: They’d need to pull together a board of directors. Not about to let their dream die, Yallup and Lumley Rau went to work, gathering the heads of a local bank, a hospital, and a school district, and two of the three county commissioners to serve as the core of the new college’s board.

Through their determination and planning, the dream they set out to accomplish was about to become a reality. Soon, Heritage College was born.

STANDING FOR PRIORITIES

Following Heritage’s founding, Yallup continued to serve the university in several important roles. Her involvement was integral to the relationship between the college and the Yakama Nation.

She served as director of educational programs for the tribe, as well as tribal administrator, a role that allowed her to effectively communicate and implement educational priorities and objectives due to her direct communication with the Tribal Council.

Yallup remained on the Heritage board for more than 20 years, bringing Yakama Nation input to board and committee meetings. Upon retiring from the board, she was granted Board Member Emeritus Status, which allowed her to continue to be a guiding voice.

“When we had important visitors, especially those from foundations or agencies regarding major grants or gifts, I often asked Martha to come meet them,” said Ross, who was president of the college and then the university. “She was always very articulate in expressing the importance of Heritage College to the Yakama Nation.”

Having gained a great deal from her own pursuit of higher education, Yallup often expressed her particular belief in the importance of hiring the most qualified Heritage faculty at Heritage, Ross said.

“Martha stressed the importance of hiring fully qualified faculty, as many with doctorates from reputable institutions as possible. She was always happy and supportive when we were trying to do that.”

THE LEGACY LIVING ON

The significance of Martha Yallup’s contributions to Heritage University lives on in the form of the Martha B. Yallup Health Sciences building and the Bill and Martha Yallup Scholarship Fund.

“It was appropriate to put Martha’s name on a building that was dedicated to academic programs since she had pursued advanced higher education and so greatly valued it,” said Ross. Today the building is used for several different programs and houses the Heritage advancement department offices.

Martha Yallup may well have found the Yallup Scholarship Fund the most meaningful tribute to her life, her work, and her ideals for the betterment of her people. Established in 2007, it awards scholarships to Yakama tribal members or Yakama descendants majoring in natural sciences or health-related majors.

DOING FOR OTHERS

If Martha Yallup ever felt doubt or frustration pursuing her goals, it wasn’t obvious to the people who knew her.

“She didn’t always agree with tribal leadership, but she knew she needed to get past any differences in order to get what the people needed,” said Hill.

“She may have experienced some frustration if something didn’t seem possible because of lack of resources or when people weren’t seeing her dream or vision,” said Ross. “But she had so much of the energy and connections to get things going and see them through. That’s why she was so effective and accomplished.

“For Martha, it was always about how we should continue working toward our vision and what we should do for others.” page13image41569536

Celebrating the Call for Freedom

 

In the largest public event since the pandemic, a crowd of more than 800 people turned out at Heritage University to celebrate El Grito de Independencia Cultural Fiesta on September 16.

El Grito is an important traditional celebration in Mexico that commemorates the start of the country’s war for independence. Each year on September 15 at 11:00 p.m., Mexico’s president rings a bell at the National Palace in Mexico City and shouts out a call of patriotism based on the Cry of Dolores, the call out made two centuries ago by Miguel Hidalgo y Costilla that started the war for independence. This call is replicated in cities and towns throughout Mexico, with the highest-ranking government official making the call. Here at Heritage, Héctor Iván Goday Priske, Consul of Mexico in Seattle, led the crowd through the Cry of Dolores.

Heritage’s El Grito de Independencia celebration featured traditional foods and beverages, music, dancing, a resource fair, and games and hands-on activities for the entire family. Entertainment was provided by Grupo Projecto 2020, Raices de Mi Pueblo Grupo Folklorico and DJ Manny. Along with the activities hosted by Heritage University student groups, participants interacted with community service organizations from throughout the Yakima Valley who attended the resource fair.

“The vast majority of our students have roots in the Mexican culture. Many have family who still lives in Mexico,” said Martin Valadez, regional director of Heritage @CBC and chair of the event planning committee. “It was extremely rewarding to be part of an event that gives them the opportunity to celebrate their heritage and to share the richness of their culture with not only the rest of the Heritage community but with the community at large as well.”

Dr. Andrew Sund awarded the Heritage University Community Service Award to Robert Ozuna during the program. Ozuna is a Heritage University alumnus who earned a Bachelor of Arts in Public Administration in 1991. He is the president and CEO of RGI Corporation, which works with non-profit organizations to research, write and manage state and federal grants to provide the funding necessary to fulfill their organizational missions.

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Honoring Our Elders

Celebrating the significant lifetime contributions of Native American elders that impacted the people living on the homelands of the Confederated Tribes of the Yakama Nation.

Every year, for the past seven years, Heritage University recognizes Native American elders for their lifetimes of significant contributions to their communities as part of its Native American Heritage Month celebration. Please join us in celebrating these four individuals.

TANINSH TED STRONG

Strong is a full-blooded, enrolled Yakama whose life work has helped tribes throughout the United States and indigenous people worldwide strengthen their sovereignty. His lifelong command from elders was, “Fill your heart with compassion and your mind with knowledge.” In the early 1970s, he designed the first computer network linking tribes in Montana, North and South Dakota and Wyoming. Immediately following, he led the restructuring of the Yakama Nation to a centralized administration and financial management system, allowing the tribe to take control of practices formerly run by the Bureau of Indian Affairs. He advocated and state and national levels while serving as the executive director of the Columbia River Inter-Tribal Fish Commission. President Clinton appointed Taninsh to the President’s Council on Sustainable Development, where he advocated for social equity, economic vitality, and environmental justice. He counts being Chief Judge for the Yakama Nation as the most challenging yet most rewarding experience of his career.

CAWMIT TALLULAH PINKHAM

Pinkham is a full-blooded, enrolled Yakama with a heart for helping those struggling with mental illness, addiction and abuse. She spent 23 years advocating for patients at Indian Health Services, where she met with individuals and families to get to know them on a human level so she could help connect them with the programs and services they needed. She encouraged patients to learn the traditional practices of their culture and family to find connection and purpose in their lives. And, when Cawmit saw the generational destruction that comes from domestic violence and child abuse, she worked behind the scenes through the Native Women’s Association to support the passage of the Indian Child Welfare Act.

AIIYUTTONMII CARRIE CHAPMAN SCHUSTER

Schuster is the matriarch of the Snake River Palouse Tribe and a Heritage University alumna. She grew up learning tribal history and culture from family matriarchs in the Confederated Tribes and Bands of the Yakama Nation. She served as a judge in the Yakama Nation’s courts, as the original news director for the Yakama Nation Review, as an educator working with at-risk middle school kids and preschool children, and as a cultural ambassador connecting the Yakama people with tribal communities globally. In everything she does, she works to prepare those she serves to find their place in their community, to be rightful stewards over the land and people, and to respect the generational teachings of those who came before. She credits the patriarchs and matriarchs on the five reservations for all historical information and family teachings.

CHIMSHOWA GIL CALAC

Calac is Paiute from Susanville Indian Rancheria in California. A Bronze Star decorated Vietnam War veteran, he is passionate about helping those whose voices are often unheard. He spent two years working as a case manager for Yakama Nation Behavioral Health Services before moving to Fort Simcoe Job Corp to help at-risk youth. After he retired, Gil turned his attention to advocating for veterans in hospice care. He is a member of the Yakama Warriors, where he led the effort for the Washington State Welcome Home Vietnam Veterans, and is a member of the Yakama Nation Tribal Advisory Board. Calac maintains a deep reverence for traditional values, guiding him in everything he does.