FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Dr. Shelby Clark appointed as the Gaye and Jim Pigott Endowed Chair of Nursing
at Heritage University

 

 

Toppenish, Wash. – Heritage University administrators have announced that effective March 1, 2025, Dr. Shelby Clark will become the new Gaye and Jim Pigott Endowed Chair of Nursing at Heritage. Dr. Clark replaces Dr. Christina Nyirati who founded the Bachelor of Science in Nursing program at Heritage University in 2014. Dr. Nyirati retired from Heritage University after the spring 2024 semester.

Dr. Clark is a distinguished alumnus of that mission, graduating with one of the first cohorts from the BSN program at Heritage in 2019. In 2022, Clark earned her Doctor of Nursing Practice in Population Health & Systems Leadership at the University of Washington. Growing up on the Yakama Indian Reservation and an enrolled member of the Yakama Nation, Clark always knew she wanted to be a nurse like her aunt and grandmother, having a deep passion for service to her community and other tribal communities. Clark began her nursing education wanting to specialize in critical care. However, a year of clinical rotations in an Indian Health Service (IHS) facility during nursing school (where Native American patients appreciated having a nurse who was like them) changed her focus to improving public health through systems and policy changes. She can make strides towards those goals in her new role at Heritage.

“I am thrilled to have the opportunity to advance the mission of our BSN program. What sets our program apart is its focus on addressing the healthcare needs of our community through active patient participation. We believe that patients should be partners in their care, not just recipients of instructions on improving their health,” said Dr. Clark. “My connection to this program gives me a unique perspective—I am a product of it myself. I am passionate about inspiring our students to strive for excellence in their nursing careers and to pursue further education, whether through a master’s or doctorate. In the future, some of these students may return as faculty, sharing their expertise and experiences with the next generation of nurses.”

The endowment supporting the chair of the department was created by a $2,000,000 gift to Heritage University by Gaye and Jim Pigott, in 2023. The Pigotts have been champions of the University, supporting numerous programs including student scholarships, academic programs and capital construction projects on campus such as the dining commons on campus which bears their names. “We are delighted by the appointment of Dr. Clark and know that she will continue to advance the health of multicultural families and communities in rural environments through excellence in nursing education, service, practice, and community-based research established for the program by Dr. Nyirati” stated Jim Pigott.

Heritage University Provost and Vice President of Academic Affairs Dr. Melissa Hill said Dr. Clark is just the right person for the chair of the Nursing department. “Dr. Clark brings a unique perspective to the position of chair. She personifies the nursing program’s emphasis on cultural inclusivity and its sensitivities to our Native communities,” said Dr. Hill. “Shelby is one of 80 skilled and capable nurses who have graduated from our B.S.N. program. We see great things to come from the program under Dr. Clark’s leadership.”

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

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