Students share research through ‘elevator speeches’ during symposium

Summer Internship Research Symposium at Heritage University, September 14, 2018

Several Heritage students shared what they learned during their summer internships with the Heritage campus last Friday. During the “Summer Internship Research Symposium,” students presented posters detailing their work. They also summarized their work by delivering “elevator speeches” which focused on the most important aspect of their internship.

Great job everyone!

Heritage University campus and community celebrate El Grito de Independencia

The Heritage University campus was festive this weekend as student clubs and organizations held the first ever “El Grito de Independencia” in observance of Mexican Independence Day. El Grito commemorates the “Cry of Dolores,” a historical event that set off the Mexican War of Independence from Spain.

Diana Maria Oliveros Martinez delivering the El Grito at the El Grito de Independencia event at Heritage University, September 15, 2018

Close to 500 people attended the Heritage festival which featured fun for the entire family. The cultural event included Folklorico dancers, piñata breaking, games for kids, and performances by Banda Parla Azteca and the CWU Mariachi Club. Families were treated to a free movie and popcorn.

The highlight of the night was the reenactment of the “El Grito” as delivered by special guest Diana Maria Oliveros Martinez of the Consulate of Mexico office in Seattle. We wish to thank everyone who made the event possible and those who attended.

Click below to see videos and pictures from the event.

VIDEO El Grito de Independencia Begins

VIDEO El Grito de Independencia – Pinata Breaking

VIDEO El Grito de Independencia – El Grito

El Grito de Independencia Facebook Album

Heritage University hosts festival for Mexican Independence Day, Yakima Herald-Republic, September 5, 2018

TOPPENISH, Wash. — Heritage University will host a cultural festival in honor of Mexican Independence Day next week.

The festival, called “El Grito de Independencia,” will commemorate what’s known as the “The Cry of Dolores,” when a Roman Catholic priest in the Mexican city of Dolores Hidalgo rang the bell of his church and gave the call to arms that triggered the Mexican War of Independence in 1810.

Heritage University receives $1.5M scholarship endowment for Native American students, KIMA-TV, September 5, 2018

TOPPENISH, Wa. — Heritage University is helping Native American students reach their educational goals with a $1.5 million scholarship endowment.

Ida Moses-Hypeer is a Senior at Heritage University and she is majoring in business with the help of several scholarships from the school.

“Blessing and also really helpful because, including myself, when you’re having these many scholarships all I want to think about right now is to learn,” said Moses-Hypeer.

Watch the story at kimatv.com.

Fall Convocation to recognize Dean’s List students

Please join the faculty, staff and students of Heritage University for the Fall Student Convocation as we welcome in the new academic year. Special recognition will be given to the students who made the Dean’s List for the spring 2018 semester.

Toppenish School District Superintendent John Cerna will deliver the keynote address. Fall Student Convocation will be held Thursday, September 13, 2018 in Smith Family Hall from 11:45 a.m. to 1:00 p.m.

Heritage University to host Mexican cultural festival in honor of Mexican Independence Day

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Heritage University to host a Mexican cultural festival in honor of Mexican Independence Day

Toppenish, Wash. – Heritage University will host a Mexican cultural festival in honor of Mexican Independence Day. El Grito de Independencia, will take place on the Heritage campus, Saturday, September 15, 2018 beginning at 5:30 p.m. El Grito de Independencia commemorates the “Cry of Dolores,” a historical event in Mexico that set off the Mexican War of Independence from Spain.

The festival will feature fun for the entire family. From 5:30 p.m. to 8:00 p.m., there will be games for kids, jumpers, food and beverages, folklorico dancers and piñata smashing for all ages. Then at 8:00 p.m., a family movie will be played with free popcorn and sodas served and a “Banda Street Dance” with music performed by Banda Perla Azteca. Earlier in the evening the CWU Mariachi Club will also perform as a part of the festivities. There will be free door prizes for the first 100 people to arrive at the event.

For more information, contact Melissa Hill at (509) 865-0411 or Hill_M@Heritage.edu.

Major gift allows Heritage University to create $1.5 mil scholarship endowment for Native American students

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$650,000 donation completes Heritage University effort to create a $1.5 million scholarship endowment for Native American students

Toppenish, Wash. – A major gift to Heritage University has allowed it to reach its goal of creating a $1.5 million endowment for Native American student scholarships. The university has received a $650,000 grant from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation; it will be combined with matching funds from the Johnson Scholarship Foundation (JSF) and other private donors to create the endowment which supports scholarships for Indigenous students studying business or entrepreneurship.

Alden Andy, Heritage University graduate (business administration, 2017) and Johnson Scholarship Foundation scholarship recipient (GORDON KING/Gordon King Photography)

In 2016, Heritage and JSF set the endowment fundraising effort in motion when Heritage committed to raising $1 million over three years and JSF pledging matching funds of $500,000.

“This generous gift means so much to us at Heritage University,” said Dr. Andrew Sund, president of Heritage. “This new scholarship program will change the lives and narratives of so many deserving Native students for years to come.”

“I am so grateful for this wonderful show of support,” said Dr. Maxine Janis, president’s liaison for Native American Affairs at Heritage University. “This support, coupled with the contributions from the Johnson Scholarship Foundation, as well as gifts from many, many donors in the community will help us provide a pathway for our Native American students to achieve their educational and career goals.”

Kip Ramsey, Yakama Nation tribal member, entrepreneur and Heritage University board member, says Native Americans are underrepresented in nearly every sector of the American economy, and JSF scholarships will increase the numbers of Native Americans in the business world. “Education is the great equalizer and this scholarship endowment will allow more Native American students to earn their business degrees and thrive.”

The strategic intent of the Johnson Scholarship Foundation is to provide scholarship funding to Native Americans studying business and/or entrepreneurship under the theory that those men and women will then draw from their education to start business enterprises that will in turn impact their communities for future generations.

“We are so thrilled to have the Gates Foundation join us in this endeavor to support the education of Native Americans at Heritage University,” said Malcolm Macleod, president of JSF. ”This endowed scholarship will help hundreds of students earn their college degrees and enhance the lives of many thousands of people whom these students will touch over the arc of their lives and careers.”

About the Johnson Scholarship Foundation

The Johnson Scholarship Foundation was founded by Theodore R. and Vivian M. Johnson to serve disadvantaged people by assisting them to obtain education and employment. For more than 25 years, JSF has awarded close to $125 million in education-related grants. JSF gives to economically disadvantaged students, people with disabilities, and Indigenous Peoples. For more information, please visit jsf.bz.

About Heritage University

Heritage University empowers a multi-cultural and inclusive student body to overcome the social, cultural, economic and geographic barriers that limit access to higher education. 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.

To find out more about this scholarship endowment, please call David Wise, Vice President of University Advancement at (509) 865-0717 or Wise_D@Heritage.edu.

For more information, contact David Mance at (509) 865-0731 or Mance_D@Heritage.edu, or Lady Hereford at (561) 659-2005 ext. 6 or Hereford@jsf.bz.

Costco co-founder meets with Sinegal Family Foundation Scholars

Costco co-founder Jim Sinegal met with the first cohort of Sinegal Scholars at Heritage University last month. The students are the first five to receive full-ride Sinegal Family Foundation Scholarships at Heritage. A total of 20 students will earn their degrees through the scholarship program made possible by a $1.14 million gift from the Sinegal Family Foundation to Heritage last year.

Heritage alumni who now work at Costco headquarters will provide mentoring opportunities over the course of the year inclusive of a trip to meet with Costco executives and Jim Sinegal again next spring.

You can see pictures from the dinner on Facebook.

Heritage University to graduate 12 new medical laboratory scientists

Heritage University to graduate 12 new medical laboratory scientists to fulfill professional needs of medical community

Toppenish, Wash. – Heritage University’s Medical Laboratory Science Program will graduate 12 individuals who are primed to help meet the demand for high-skilled medical laboratory scientists in our community and nationwide.

While enrolled in the Heritage MLS program, the students trained four days a week in clinical laboratories of regional partners including Virginia Mason Memorial Hospital, Astria Regional Medical Center, Lourdes Medical Center, Kadlec Regional Medical Center, TriCities Laboratories and Trios Southridge. The students ran tests on patient samples, with results being used by physicians and nurses to diagnose illness and monitor treatments. They also performed culture and sensitivity testing on microorganisms, tested samples for hormones, glucose, cholesterol and electrolytes, and monitored medication levels in blood.

Terese Abreu, director of the MLS program at Heritage says as graduates, they are now skilled in the main sections of laboratory medicine: chemistry, hematology, microbiology and transfusion services. “They’re ready for successful careers in the medical field where they’ll work in local hospital laboratories, doctors’ offices and pain management clinics, to name just a few of the opportunities,” said Abreu.

“The need for medical professionals in the lab is so vast, we are pleased to be partners with Heritage University in helping to fulfill this need in our community,” said Diane Patterson, chief of operations at Virginia Mason Memorial Hospital.

The graduates are preparing to take the national certificate exam to earn their medical laboratory scientists credentials. Abreu says Heritage graduates have a 98% pass rate on the national exam, and the scores they earn are often above the national average.

Heritage University will celebrate the graduates’ accomplishments with a ceremony on August 17, 2018 at 4:00 p.m.in Smith Family Hall located in the Arts & Sciences Center at its main campus in Toppenish. As part of the ceremony, the dozen students that make up the MLS program’s class of 2018 will demonstrate the medical laboratory science skills they’ve acquired. “This exercise is meant to build confidence in their abilities,” said Abreu. “The graduates will remember fondly where they were when they started at day one, and then they’ll see how far they’ve come in their professional program year.”

For more information, contact Terese Abreu at (509) 865-8642 or Abreu_T@Heritage.edu.

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Heritage University and PNWU collaborate to prepare students for health science careers, Yakima Herald-Republic, July 24, 2018

The sweet smell of strawberries lingered as students wearing white lab coats and rubber gloves carefully mashed the fruit inside small plastic bags.

Seated at long tables in the classroom at Pacific Northwest University of Health Sciences this month, the 10 young men and women from the Yakama Nation Tribal School and the Mt. Adams School District were performing an experiment as part of the inaugural Summer Program for Yakama Students.

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