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April 6: Home Baseball Game
May 3-9: Latin Music Celebration
Come cheer for the men’s baseball team at their home game against Blue Mountain Community College. For a complete list of upcoming athletics events visit www.yvcc.edu/athletics
Join the YVCC Salsa Band in concert with guest artists for the 7th Annual Latin Music Celebration. Activities and events will be held throughout the week at the YVCC Yakima Campus and the Seasons Performance Hall. For more information: 574.4835.
April 19: Wildflowers of the Pacific Northwest YVCC’s Biology Department, in partnership with Yakima Area Arboretum, presents Mark Turner. His illustrated lecture, Wildflower of the Pacific Northwest, will be held at 7:00pm in Kendall Hall Auditorium. Free and open to the public. For more information: 574.4858.
April 24: What does Diversity Mean to Me? The 2012-2013 Diversity Series presents a YVCC student video competition What does Diversity Mean to Me? YVCC students will compete for cash prizes as they creatively use their experiences, knowledge, and research to inform the audience on what diversity means to them. The event will be held in the Hopf Student Union Building at 6:30pm. Free and open to the public. The series continues on May 2 with economist Yoram Bauman. For more information: 574.6800 x 3151.
April 26-28: Spring Barrel Tasting Yakima Valley Vintners, YVCC’s teaching winery, located on the YVCC Grandview Campus and will open its tasting room during the valley’s Spring Barrel event. Taste our student-made award winning wines. For more information: www.yvcc.edu/wine or call 509.882.7007.
May 1: Faculty Lecture Series The Faculty Lecture Series continues with Drama Instructor Alicia Bickley. Her lecture, When Opportunity Knocks: YVCC Students and The Kennedy Center/American College Theatre Festival, will be held in the Parker Room at 7:00pm. Free and open to the public. The series continues on May 22 with YVCC Music Instructor & Director of the Salsa Band David Blink. For more information: 574.4809.
May 3: Home Fastpitch Game Come cheer for the women’s fastpitch team as they battle Blue Mountain Community College. For a complete list of upcoming athletics events visit www.yvcc.edu/athletics
May 7-June 1: DoVA The Larson Gallery presents the annual Department of Visual Arts Exhibition featuring the work of YVCC students and faculty. An opening reception will be held May 7 from 5:00-7:00pm. For more information: www.larsongallery.org or call 574.4875.
May 16-19: Tartuffe YVCC playmasters presents Tartuffe. Performances will be held May 16-18 at 7:30pm and May 20 at 2:00pm in Kendall Hall Auditorium. Tickets can be purchased in advance at the YVCC Bookstore or at the box office the evening of the performance. For more information: 574.4837.
May 18: Tour of Artists’ Homes & Studios The Larson Gallery presents the annual Tour of Artists’ Homes & Studios from 10:00am-4:00pm. For more information: www.larsongallery.org or call 574.4875.
May 18: Grape to Glass Gala YVCC’s Vineyard and Winery Technology program will host the annual Grape to Glass Gala - A Winemakers Dinner & Silent Auction. Join us for an evening of fun, food and wine! All proceeds benefit student scholarships. For more information: www.yakimavalleyvintners.com
June 7-July 5: Members’ Arts & Crafts Show The Larson Gallery presents the annual Members’ Arts and Crafts Show. An opening reception will be held June 15 from 5:00-7:00pm. For more information: www.larsongallery.org or call 574.4875.
June 13: Commencement YVCC celebrates our 84th Commencement Ceremony at 7:00pm on Parker Field. Join us to honor the class of 2013. Reception to follow. For more information: www.yvcc.edu/commencement
Contents 3 4 5 7 9 10 11 13 14
President’s Letter Campus News Student Activities Grants & Initiatives Larson Gallery YVCC Foundation Celebrates 35th Anniversary Athletics Sharing Good News Faculty Highlight - Hawthornden Castle
Engineering Day For the past six years YVCC’s Engineering Program, along with the student Engineering Club, has partnered with the Yakima Branch of American Society of Civil Engineers to host Engineering Day. This annual event is held in conjunction with National Engineers Week and features hands-on activities for children related to math, science, and engineering. Over 425 children participated in this year’s event.
Produced by YVCC Community Relations Niki Hopkins & Stefanie Menard Published March 2013 If you would like to be added or removed from our mailing list, please contact us: Yakima Valley Community College Office of Community Relations PO Box 22520 • Yakima, WA 98907-2520 email: communityrelations@yvcc.edu / 509.574.4646
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On the Cover YVCC Adult Basic Education Student Anna Saenz works on a math assignment during class at YVCC’s Yakima Campus. Saenz is working on earning her GED. The college offers GED classes and testing at locations throughout the valley including the YVCC’s Yakima and Grandview campuses and learning centers in Ellensburg, Toppenish, and Sunnyside.
From the President
President Dr. Linda Kaminski Board of Trustees Paul McDonald, Chair James Carvo Robert Ozuna Lisa Parker Patricia Whitefoot VP of Administrative Services Teresa Holland VP of Instruction and Student Services Tomás Ybarra Deans Arts & Sciences and Basic Skills Kerrie Abb Workforce Education Paulette Lopez Student Services Leslie Blackaby Grandview Campus Dr. Bryce Humphreys
When the sun is still shining at the end of the workday, you know the first spring flowers can’t be too far off. The last final exam is now completed, the faculty is busily calculating their winter quarter grades, and students are already enjoying their week of spring vacation. Winter quarter has included many exciting events, some that are new and some that are repeated. One of the new events is the Science Olympiad that was held on the YVCC Yakima Campus in February. As you will read in this issue, this was a very successful opportunity to engage middle school students in various competitive activities that focus on science. Events such as this have proven very successful in promoting interest in science-related careers. A similar event was the 6th annual Engineering Day for kids that was developed for elementary school children to participate in hands-on activities that involve math, science and engineering. Both of these activities address the great need, locally and nationally, for workers who are trained for science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) careers. We are very grateful to faculty members Matthew Loeser (Biology) and Rajkumar Raj (Engineering), who coordinated these events, and the entire faculty and staff who helped to make them successful. We are also pleased to have received a number of grants during the winter quarter. One of them is the Pacific Power Blue Sky renewable energy grant, which will enable us to install a solar array and monitoring system on the roof of Glenn Anthon Hall. This will be the first “Blue Sky” project in Yakima. It will not only reduce our carbon footprint, but will also serve as an educational tool for our students to learn more about this technology. Another important project you will read about in this issue is the new Aerospace Apprenticeship program that began in the winter quarter as a result of two grants. On a sad note, on March 14 we lost our long-time trustee and friend, Jim Carvo. Jim had served on the Board of Trustees since 2003 and was board chair in 2005-06 and in 2010-11. He was a strong advocate for all of the Washington community colleges, but had a special place in his heart for YVCC and, especially, YVCC students. He will be greatly missed. We hope that you will find this issue to be informative and inspiring. We are always aware that the first “c” in our name is for “community” and that you are an integral part of everything we do.
Sincerely,
Linda Kaminski, Ed.D. President
campusnews Board of Trustees
Condolences to the YVCC Community
Jim Carvo
It is with sadness that we announce that YVCC Trustee Jim Carvo lost his battle with cancer on March 14, 2013. Carvo was appointed to the YVCC Board of Trustees by Governor Gary Locke. His term began on July 25, 2003. He was reappointed by Governor Christine Gregoire in 2005. In 2010 he was reappointed to his third term on the YVCC Board. Carvo served as the YVCC Board Chair in 2005-2006 and again in 2010-2011. Jim Carvo was involved in the State Board for Community and Technical Colleges trustees association and represented the trustees on a statewide Salary Taskforce from October 2007 through July 2008. He also served for many years as the YVCC Board of Trustee’s liaison to the Yakima Valley Community College Foundation. Prior to becoming a trustee, he served as a member of the YVCC Workforce Education Advisory Committee. He was a retired business manager from the Laborers’ International Union of North America, Local #614. He served on numerous boards in the community including the South Central Workforce Development Council, Tri-Valley Private Industry Council, and the Tri-County Workforce Council. His commitment to YVCC and his efforts to improve education in the Yakima Valley will not be forgotten. He was an active member of the college community and he will be missed by his colleagues on the Board, the administration, faculty, and staff of YVCC. A student scholarship has been established with the YVCC Foundation in recognition of Jim Carvo’s dedication to YVCC students. For more information contact 574.4645.
Lisa Parker & Paul McDonald Attend Legislative Summit in Washington D.C. YVCC Board of Trustees members Lisa Parker and Paul McDonald traveled to Washington D.C. this winter to attend the National Legislative Summit hosted by the Association of Community College Trustees. The event provided opportunities for trustees from across the country to focus on national community college issues and visit with their local congressional representatives. From left: Lisa Parker, United States Senator Patty Murry, and Paul McDonald
High-Demand Programs at YVCC Receive New Equipment Last year’s supplemental capital budget provided approximately $430,000 to purchase equipment for high-demand programs at YVCC. “Our Workforce Education programs that received the equipment are very excited and grateful for this opportunity considering the economic times,” stated Dean of Workforce Education Paulette Lopez. “High-demand programs generally have high-cost equipment associated with them. This funding helps to replace older equipment, and adds new technology so students have more opportunities to experience hands-on training,” she concluded. YVCC programs that received equipment included radiologic sciences, veterinary technology, dental hygiene, nursing, surgical technology, information technology, and engineering. The radiologic sciences and veterinary technology programs will share a new computed radiography unit. The machine takes radiographs that produce a digital image without the use of a chemical processor. Dental hygiene and nursing each received a new simulation manikin. These manikins help train students by simulating patient responses. Students in surgical technology will benefit from two refurbished operating room tables that provide hands-on training utilizing equipment they will find in hospitals when they begin working. Information technology received equipment to upgrade two computer labs with current technology and allowed the program to purchase a new line of CISCO routers. In addition, funding was used to purchase a new computed numerical controls and universal testing machine for YVCC’s expanding engineering program.
students
Teams from across the valley participated in the first annual South Central Washington Science Olympiad held at Yakima Valley Community College.
YVCC, Heritage University, Educational Service District 105, University of Washington GEAR-UP, and the Pacific Northwest University of Health Sciences partnered to host the first annual South Central Washington Science Olympiad (SCWSO). This event, held at YVCC’s Yakima Campus, allowed middle school students from the Yakima Valley to compete in disciplines such as physics, chemistry, mathematics, and biology. Unlike traditional science fairs where students create and show individual projects the SCWSO brings together teams of students for group competition. Nine teams participated in the event. The team with the top overall score moves onto the state and national competition. “Science Olympiad helps raise awareness among students, teachers and our community about the benefits of a science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM)-centered education,” stated YVCC Biology Instructor Matthew Loeser. “In the tournament students are challenged by exams or by designing structures that pit their knowledge and skills against their peers. By elevating our expectations of student learning, we expect to find inventive problem-solvers. This is a skill that is transferrable to every career they pursue,” he concluded. The Science Olympiad is a national program that has been active in Washington State for more than two decades. Prior to this year teams from central Washington had to travel to Spokane or west of the Cascades to compete. Over the past several years YVCC’s Biology Department has partnered with community organizations to provide additional learning opportunities to students and the community through a visiting lecture series. Partnerships include: Cowiche Canyon Conservancy, Yakima Environmental Learning Foundation, Yakima Area Arboretum, Central Washington Native Plant Society, and Northwest BIO – Community College Biology Teachers. “Bringing lecturers to campus creates access to professionals that students may not get elsewhere,” stated YVCC Biology Instructor Dr. Matthew Loeser. “We have been fortunate to host experts such as plant ecologists, hydrologists, and entomologists. Among the many benefits, students have an opportunity to see a career path that is not often highlighted in popular culture. Moreover, students can observe the application of classroom concepts to real-world problems,” he continued. “In addition, we often see a large showing from the public. As an institution of higher learning, and one that emphasizes lifelong learning, this is just one more way that we serve our community,” concluded Loeser. The series will continue on April 19 with Mark Turner’s lecture, Wildflowers of the Pacific Northwest. YVCC’s Dental Hygiene Program hosted its 20th Annual Sealant Day. The event provides patients ages 6-21 with free dental care including visual dental exams, fluoride varnish, and sealants when needed. This year 33 dental hygiene students and 31 volunteer dentists and dental hygienists participated in treating 46 patients. Ninety-six percent of the patients received a fluoride varnish, and the volunteers placed over 219 sealants. “We had another very successful Sealant Day,” stated YVCC Dental Hygiene Instructor Debbie Mahre. “This event provides the perfect opportunity for dental hygiene students to practice the skills they’ve learned in class and give back to the community. It also showcases the wonderful partnership that YVCC has with dentists and dental hygienists throughout the Yakima Valley,” she concluded. Sealant Day is hosted in collaboration with DSHS, the Yakima Health District and dental hygienists and dentists from throughout the Yakima Valley. Over the past six years YVCC has partnered with several local area organizations to host events and lectures through the annual Diversity Series. “This year’s theme, Sustainability as Cultural Imperative, highlights a critical issue that we as a community, nation, and global village must confront: over-consumption and waste of non-biodegradable products. The events communicate the message that our cultures must consider sustainable practices, policies, laws, and systems as we venture into the 21st century,” stated YVCC Chicano Studies Instructor Maria Cuevas. “I’ve enjoyed coordinating the series because it has allowed me to bring “diverse” perspectives to common or everyday topics. I’ve also enjoyed pushing the boundaries of the term beyond race, gender, social class, sexuality – and to include various mechanisms that diversity can be communicated to an audience. I believe the benefit to the college and greater community is that we extend the concept of education beyond the classrooms and into the community by raising awareness about important contemporary issues, to engage and be engaged in critical thinking and learning, to learn in non-traditional ways, and to have fun,” concluded Cuevas. The series continues on April 24 with a YVCC student video competition titled, What does Diversity Mean to Me?
All-Washington Academic Team
Congratulations to Maria Brown & Callie Segraves YVCC is proud to announce the selection of Maria Brown and Callie Segraves to the 2013 All-Washington Academic Team. The scholarship recognizes and honors students from all 34 community and technical colleges in Washington State for outstanding accomplishments. Maria Brown’s journey through higher education has been anything but ordinary. A non-traditional student, Maria immigrated to the United States in 2007 from Latin America knowing very little English. Living with a sponsor family in Seattle, Brown began taking basic English courses thorough an au pair program. During this time she met her future husband and the couple were married. Brown put her dreams of furthering her education on hold while her husband pursued his education. In 2010 they moved to the Yakima Valley so he could earn his degree in nursing. Also interested in continuing her education, Maria enrolled at YVCC and graduated with an associate in arts degree in business. She then transferred to the University of Washington – Bothell to pursue a degree in marketing. Her goal is to work in the fashion industry. Callie Segraves was born in Oakland, California and then moved with her parents to the Yakima Valley. She attended Selah schools and at age 16 enrolled in YVCC’s Running Start Program. “Running Start helped motivate me to challenge myself, explore subjects that I never had a chance to, and mature,” stated Segraves. Excelling in her coursework, Segraves graduated with an associates in arts transfer degree in June 2011. This past fall she returned to YVCC to complete prerequisite courses before transferring to Washington State University to pursue her bachelor’s degree in criminal justice. Team members receive a $500 scholarship from KeyBank, the annual sponsor. In addition, many four-year colleges and universities offer a variety of scholarships to team members who transfer to their institutions.
Maria Brown
Callie Segraves
Transforming Lives Award
YVCC Recognizes Student Selene Zapata The State Board for Community and Technical Colleges trustees association awards five students with a Transforming Lives Award. Selected from nominees from each of the 34 colleges, the award honors current and former students whose lives were transformed by attending a Washington State community or technical college. Award recipients receive a $500 prize. Yakima Valley Community College nominated Selene Zapata. Zapata began attending school on YVCC’s Grandview Campus in 2004 but had to quit due to financial and family reasons. Returning this past fall she is determined to complete her education. “As a nontraditional student, YVCC has made a huge impact on my life. It has opened doors and expanded my horizons in the professional field,” stated Zapata. “This experience has not only affected me as an individual but has also influenced my children. I have dealt with family tragedies and have faced many challenges as a single mother and Selene Zapata with her sons full-time employee. It has not been easy, but with the support of my instructors I have been directed to the appropriate resources to support me academically,” she continued. Happy with the support she has received at YVCC, she encouraged her children to also pursue their dreams of education. Her oldest son completed his associate’s degree from YVCC as a running start student and transferred to San Diego State University. “The quality of education that YVCC provides is reflected through my son who was accepted to a very competitive university,” she continued. He is working toward his degree in business administration. “My younger son will also have the opportunity to enroll in YVCC’s Running Start Program and will begin taking college courses as a high school junior during the 2013-2014 academic year. I cannot emphasize enough the quality of education and the excellent work the instructors do to motivate and challenge their students’ potential,” she continued. Zapata will complete her associate’s degree this summer. “If it weren’t for this community college, my dreams as an individual and as a parent would have never come true,” she concluded. She plans to transfer to a four-year university and pursue a bachelor’s degree in education. Her goal is to become a high school math teacher.
Grants+initiatives
Students receive hands-on training in YVCC’s new aerospace and advanced machining lab.
Aerospace Apprenticeship YVCC, in partnership with the Aerospace Joint Apprenticeship Committee (AJAC), began offering a new aerospace apprenticeship program at YVCC’s Yakima Campus. The program combines supervised on-the-job training experience with college-level classroom instruction. Courses began this winter. The program will give apprentices the opportunity to learn and enhance their knowledge in a variety of skills including math, computer numerical control (CNC) technology, computer aided design/computer aided manufacturing (CAD/CAM), inspection, metallurgy, advanced materials and more. The four-year program requires students to complete 8000 hours of on-the-job training. Upon completion, students will receive a journey-level status recognition card through the Department of Labor and Industries. This program is designed to meet aerospace industry needs to train incumbent workers. “YVCC is excited to offer this opportunity in an effort to strengthen the local workforce through our partnership with AJAC, GE Aviation, and other potential manufacturing companies,” stated YVCC’s Director for Workforce Education Angel Reyna. This is AJAC’s first apprenticeship program in Yakima. The first group of apprentices are from GE Aviation. YVCC was awarded grant funding to serve 15 students for the 2012-13 and 2013-14 academic years.
Advanced Machining
YVCC administrators, along with representatives from AJAC and Senator Maria Cantwell’s Office, tour YVCC’s facility. Shown from left; Angel Reyna, YVCC Workforce Education Director, Kevin Quinn, AJAC Representative, David Reeploeg, Central Washington Director of Maria Cantwell’s Office, Dr. Linda Kaminski, YVCC President, Paulette Lopez, YVCC Dean of Workforce Education, and Tomás Ybarra, YVCC Vice President of Instruction and Student Services.
In addition to the new aerospace apprenticeship program, YVCC is also offering a certificate in Advanced Machining. Students interested in this industry can receive hands-on training in YVCC’s new lab. To assist with the equipment purchases, YVCC applied for a competitive Special Projects Grant through the State Board for Community and Technical Colleges and was awarded $278,000. The funding will be allocated over the next two years and will be used to purchase equipment and supplies. The first disbursement was used to purchase a computer numerical control (CNC) mini mill machine, a CNC lathe, and tools for the program. “Without the Special Projects Grant funding, YVCC would not have had the opportunity to offer the aerospace apprenticeship and the advanced machine technology certificate at an optimal level, which would have sacrificed the integrity of the training,” stated YVCC’s Director of Workforce Education Angel Reyna. “We are very excited to be able to have both programs and have the funding to provide state-of-the-art equipment for our students,” he concluded.
Hospital Employee Education & Training Grant YVCC and the Allied Health Center for Excellence, in collaboration with numerous partners, received a Hospital Employee Education & Training (HEET) grant provided by the State Board for Community and Technical Colleges. The goal is to address the education and training challenges facing medical assistants in the state. The partners include the Service Employees International Union 1199 Northwest Education and Training Fund, Olympic College, Highline Community College, and Skagit Valley College. In March 2012 Engrossed Substitute Senate Bill (ESSB) 6237 was passed determining the scope of practice for medical assistants. This healthcare reform will impact industry professionals beginning July 1 when the new law goes into effect. All health care facilities in Washington State who employee medical assistants will need to transition their employees into a certification category approved by the new law. YVCC received $43,458 in funding, out of a total $208,775, for its work. This funding will support the development of a standardized prior or competency learning assessment credit that can be used across medical assisting programs in Washington State. It will also investigate modularizing skills and competencies to ensure workers can access the training they need without having to repeat content already mastered. Lastly it will provide additional training modules to address some of the emerging skills needed by medical assistants as they transition to work at the top of their credential’s scope of practice under the healthcare reform. The Center of Excellence will be setting up a repository on its website for best practice developed from the Washington State HEET grants. For more information: www.yvcc.edu/coe.
Early Achievers Opportunity Grant Yakima Valley Community College is the first college in Washington State to pilot the Early Achievers Opportunity Grant. The funding is available as a result of Washington winning the Race to the Top-Early Learning Challenge Grant which enabled the Department of Early Learning (DEL) to expand the Early Achievers, Washington Quality Rating and Improvement System. DEL is now providing Early Achievers Opportunity Grants to students who are current childcare professionals working in facilities that have adopted the new certificate requirements in childcare. Students are eligible to receive financial aid to earn their early childhood education degree. For more about YVCC’s Early Achievers Grant visit: www.yvcc.edu/earlyachievers.
Energy Efficiency Initiative Department of Commerce Grant
In March 2013 the State of Washington’s Department of Commerce awarded an Energy Efficiency Grant in the amount of $503,000 to YVCC. This grant provides funding to higher education institutions and local government agencies to implement energy saving measures that will lower energy costs. YVCC was able to secure the grant with the help of McKinstry of Spokane, a consulting firm that completed an energy study of YVCC buildings. YVCC and McKinstry will work together to install new lighting controls and heating and air-conditioning control systems for several buildings on the Yakima Campus including Sundquist Hall, Deccio Higher Education Center, Glenn Anthon Hall, Raymond Hall, Sherar Gymnasium, and the Hopf Union Building. These projects will result in a projected annual savings of nearly $20,000 per year.
Pacific Power Blue Sky Renewable Energy Grant
YVCC is the first in Yakima to receive a grant from Pacific Power’s Blue Sky Renewable Energy Program. The grant, in the amount of $97,476, will be used to install a 30-kilowatt photovoltaic solar panel array on the roof of YVCC’s Glenn Anthon Hall. The funding also provided an opportunity for YVCC Facility Operations staff John Gilbert and Chris Liersemann to attend training. This training certified them as solar technicians who are now qualified to install and maintain solar panels. In addition, a monitoring system sharing data from the array will be installed in the lobby to provide maximum visibility to students and visitors. The project will provide faculty with the opportunity to incorporate the use of an active renewable energy system into the curriculum. Another component of this grant includes community outreach. YVCC’s Facility Operations staff visited local 4th grade classrooms at Gilbert Elementary to demonstrate the project. These outreach opportunities will continue with future presentations.
community The Larson Gallery Light Night
Kiven Ball and Mackenzie Perrault Styled by Belu Salon
Stephanie Cuevas Styled by Jolie Salon & Spa Hair
38th National Juried Biennial Photography Exhibit Every other year, the Larson Gallery presents a photography exhibition. Traditionally a juried show, it draws work from photographers nationwide. This spring the 38th National Juried Biennial Photography Exhibit will be juried by Gail Gibson. She is the owner and operator of G. Gibson Gallery in Seattle which exhibits national and international artists in painting, sculpture, and photography. She is a member of the Association of International Photography Art Dealers. Locally, Gibson is involved in the Mighty Tieton arts community. She received her bachelor’s of fine arts in photography from the University of Washington. Prior to opening her gallery she directed the Weston Gallery in California from 1987-1991. The Larson Gallery has accepted entries from across the country, along with work of local Yakima Valley photographers. Gibson has selected approximately 80 pieces from over a few hundred submissions. The exhibit opens on Friday, March 29 with a reception and awards ceremony. The exhibit will remain on display until April 27. For more information about upcoming events visit www.larsongallery.org.
On February 2 the Larson Gallery partnered with The Seasons Performance Hall to bring a new event to Yakima. The evening brought together different types of visual and performance art all centered on the theme of light. Light Night featured a fire dancing group from Seattle called Spinergy Arts, a local youth orchestra called Yakima Music en Acción (YAMA), and even the audience became part of the scene, wearing blinking lights and rings. Local light artist, Andy Behrle, who recently exhibited in the Central Washington Artists’ Exhibition at the Larson Gallery, displayed his work and projected an art film of light and water. This art exhibit was curated by Laurie Kanyer especially for the event. Four local salons, whose 28 stylists created hairstyles that utilized light, provided the highlight of the evening. Around 20 models worked their way through the audience, with each salon employing themes such as Greek myths or seasons in their overall presentation. The successful evening has already sparked plans for the next year. Save the date: February 8, 2014. The goal of the event was to bring more of an awareness of the Larson Gallery and The Seasons Performance Hall contributions to the community through arts, music, and culture. In the end, everyone enjoyed the experience of art that brought light to a winter’s night.
Images from the 38th National Juried Biennial Photography Exhibit. Clockwise from left; English Peas from Franks Quality Produce by David McCrae, The Birds by Kelly Michael Cannon, and Mist, Dundee Hills by Donald Lysons. Photographs courtesy of the artists. Information and photographs provided by the Larson Gallery.
2012 2007 2002 1997 1992 1987 1982 1977
Dr. William Russell
YVCC Foundation Celebrating 35 Years
The YVCC Foundation was created in 1977 to provide financial support for the students and programs of Yakima Valley Community College. During the first year, eight scholarship trusts were established in the names of Susan I. Anthon, Roy and Ruth Brown, Al and Genevieve Gallucci, Herman and Julia Hopf, Clementine Prior, Mrs. W. W. Robertson, Jessie Staley, Marvin and Pat Sundquist, Ralph Sundquist, and Willie and Mamie Wood. To establish these initial scholarships, $120,000 was transferred from Yakima Valley Community College to the YVCC Foundation. In addition, the Foundation received two contributions totaling $20,000, bringing the net worth to $140,000. Founding Board of Directors included Dorothy Prior, Marvin Sundquist, Chet Hatfield, Robert Leadon, and Alex Maxwell. The executive director was Milton G. Martin. The Foundation grew financially under the direction of Martin from $140,000 in 1977 to $777,028 in 1986 when he retired. The Foundation then selected Paul Strater to serve as executive director. Under his leadership there was steady growth from 1986 to 1992 when the Foundation reached $1.2 million. In 1992, the Board of Directors named Darlene Koch as executive director. With opportunities to receive matching grant funds from the Department of Education, the Foundation increased the endowed scholarship by $2.2 million and the Exceptional Teaching Endowment to $700,000. The Foundation was able to take advantage of the grant opportunities through tremendous community support. In the fall of 2010 Stacey Kautz was named as the executive director. Today the net worth is in excess of $8 million. The Foundation’s primary focus is student scholarships. They award approximately $250,000 each year providing opportunities for students of the Yakima Valley to attain higher education. Highlight William Russell III was very instrumental in the development of YVCC’s Foundation. Russell, who was president of YVCC when the Foundation was incorporated, spent his entire career devoted to education. He taught at both the high school and college levels in Montana, Colorado, Washington, and Texas before switching to administrative leadership. He served as President of Yakima Valley Community College from 1973-1979. “My husband established the Foundation because there are so many ways the Foundation can assist the college that cannot be accomplished any other way,” stated Kathryn Russell. “Donors are more prone to give to a foundation, combined gifts mean a larger pot for investment, more interest means more scholarships. This then helps more students. The original and ongoing plan of the YVCC Foundation has always been to assist as many students as possible in furthering their education,” she continued. Sadly, Russell died in January of 2001. His daughter Mary Sundquist is still involved with the Foundation today. She serves as a director and chair of the scholarship committee. “I was interested in being involved with the YVCC Foundation because being raised by an educator and becoming an educator myself, higher education is very important to me. Plus, having my father and my father-in-law work together to develop the foundation made me feel it was important for a Russell-Sundquist to continue to be on the Foundation Board,” stated Mary Sundquist. “In today’s economy our scholarships help students reach their goals. Without our help they might not be able to continue their education,” she concluded. The ability to provide scholarship opportunities can only continue through the generous support of our community. If you are interested in becoming a donor contact the YVCC Foundation Office at 574.4645.
athletics
YVCC Men’s Basketball Team
YVCC Women’s Basketball Team
Men’s Basketball The YVCC Men’s Basketball Team finished its season with a 10-4 record in Eastern Region play. Heading into its sixth consecutive NWAACC Championship Tournament appearance, YVCC was ranked fourth. “Even though we had our consecutive-years-placed-at-the-tourney streak stopped at 5, we still competed and battled hard despite going 1-2 in the tourney. We beat Lower Columbia 86-74, but lost to Clackamas 80-73 and to Pierce 88-80. Overall, we finished 21-10 for the year,” stated Head Coach Ray Funk. YVCC players earned recognition; including Montero Rice who was named to the All-Eastern Region Second Team and Tomas Ogbaslassie who was selected as the Eastern Region’s Defensive Player of the Year. In addition, both were selected to represent YVCC in the Sophomore All-Star game. “This was a fun year to coach a great group of guys, anytime you win 20+ games in a season it’s a good year,” continued Funk. “Our team’s strength was its camaraderie and unselfishness in their pursuit of becoming the best we could be. To have a group that saw all 13 guys play at least 100 total minutes for the season and to also witness each player having at least one game scoring in double figures is very rare in intercollegiate athletics,” he concluded. Next year is looking bright for the Yaks who will return eight players to the team.
Women’s Basketball The Women’s Basketball Team also concluded its season with a trip to the NWAACC Championship Tournament. The Yaks entered the tournament as the third seed from the Eastern Region behind the 2012 champion Walla Walla and second-seed Columbia Basin. “We lost four very close region games,” stated Head Coach Greg Oldham. “We finished 9-5 in region play, but were only a handful of plays away from being 13-1 and the region champs,” he continued. YVCC opened the NWAACC tournament against Lane, a team which had been ranked #1 in the NWAACC for much of the season and who had beaten the Yaks by a large margin at Christmas. The Titans prevailed once again, winning by a 71-54 margin. The second day was much better, as the Yaks pulled off an amazing come-from-behind victory against Peninsula. “I’m hard-pressed to think of a more incredible game that I’ve ever been involved in,” said Oldham. The Yaks were down by as many as 17 points in the second half, before riding freshman Sammi Jo Blodgett’s 35 points to a 82-71 victory. “Sammi Jo did whatever she wanted in the last few minutes of that game. She only had four points at halftime and just put on a show in the last ten minutes of regulation and in the overtime,” stated Oldham. The Yaks ended the tournament with a rematch against Columbia Basin. Unlike the first two meetings, however, the Hawks prevailed by a score of 68-53. YVCC finished the season with a 17-13 record. Several Yaks earned honors this season. Angelique Williams was named to the All-Eastern Region First Team, Sammi Jo Blodgett was named to the All-Eastern Region Second Team, and Chantel Dixon was named to the Eastern Region All-Defensive Team. Sophomores Jaimi Cox and Hannah Lekson represented Yakima Valley in the Sophomore All-Star game. “We have a very talented group of freshmen returning who will be much better because of their experience this year. I can’t wait to get back to work,” concluded Oldham.
Parker Youth & Sports Foundation YVCC Coaches Award
From left; Head Baseball Coach Marcus McKimmy, Outfielder Reid Martinez, and Parker Youth and Sports Foundation Board President Jerry Ward.
YVCC athletics is fortunate to have a long-standing relationship with the Parker Youth and Sports Foundation (PY&SF) that has provided much-needed scholarships for YVCC student athletes. One of the main contributions of the PY&SF is the annual Coaches Award presented to a returning sophomore baseball player. Awarded for the third time, this year’s recipient is outfielder Reid Martinez. PY&SF provides funding to cover a full NWAACC athletic scholarship. This year is was in the amount of $1600. In addition, the PY&SF donated $1400 to YVCC’s Baseball Program. The previous two recipients were Tyler Berman in 2011 and Jake Fife in 2012. The scholarship award is funded by the Faller-Brayton endowment, administered by the PY&SF. Named in honor of former YVCC baseball coaches, Bill Faller and Chuck ‘Bobo’ Brayton, the endowment was started in 2009 as the result of a generous donation to the PY&SF by former YVCC baseball player and Eisenhower graduate, Stan Renecker, who played for Coach Faller in 1974 and 1975.
Community Service
YVCC Basketball Teams Reach Out to the Community The men’s and women’s basketball teams worked with a number of organizations this season to provide opportunities for the student-athletes to give back to the community. In October the teams partnered with Children’s Village to put on a series of sports camps for children with special needs. The day camps included skill development in basketball and soccer. In January members of the men’s team participated alongside students from YVCC’s Brothers and Sisters United Club and local community members in the 29th annual Martin Luther King Jr. Peace March. In February players from the men’s team spoke with inmates at the Yakama Nation Corrections Facility at a team dinner hosted by several of the student’s parents.
YVCC Women’s Basketball Team with participants from Children’s Village during the series of sports camps offered this fall.
Crosier Court Plaque
YVCC Honors Coach Ellwood Crosier At the final home basketball game of the season, YVCC unveiled the Ellwood Crosier Court plaque displayed in the Sherar Gymnasium foyer. It commemorates the naming of Crosier Court to long-time basketball coach and psychology instructor Ellwood Crosier.
From left; Ellwood Crosier and his wife, Arla, at the plaque ceremony hosted in Sherar Gymnasium.
Did you know? Sherar Gymnasium is named in honor of YVCC Hall of Fame Coach Glen Sherar. Sherar came to Yakima Junior College in 1935 to serve as the basketball and tennis coach as well as an English instructor. He later served as athletic director from 1946 to 1972. This fall YVCC named the basketball court in Sherar Gym after long-time coach Ellwood Crosier who coached with Sherar before becoming head of the men’s team in 1964. Yakima Valley Community College opened as a junior college in 1928. In Clio’s Corner we share historical facts and memories about our college. A special thanks to Mr. Jim Newbill, longtime YVCC history instructor and current honorary director of the YVCC Foundation for his contributions to this idea.
people Classified Employee of the Quarter Congratulations to Mahalaga Wise on his award as the Fall 2012 Classified Employee of the Quarter. Wise is a Technician I in the Technology Services Department. Congratulations to Jeanene Hunt on her award as the Winter 2013 Classified Employee of the Quarter. Hunt is a Media Assistant II in Media Services. Education Instructors Marlene Cousens and Glenda Orgill participated in a statewide committee to work on the Early Childhood Education (ECE) Certificate Project. Their work resulted in 14 new common courses for three common certificate levels. These courses are designed to assist students in their educational pathway of earning a certificate, an associate’s degree, and ultimately a bachelor’s degree. Mahalaga Wise
YVCC Dental Hygiene Program Coordinator Cheri Podruzny and Instructors Debbie Mahre and Debbie Gould attended the American Dental Education Association (ADEA) Annual Session and Exhibition in Seattle. YVCC Writing Center Instructional and Classroom Support Technician Andrea Simon completed the online course Crossroads of Learning Tutoring Foundations. Following this extensive training she is now certified with the National Tutoring Association. English Instructor Julie Swedin presented at the 64th annual Convention of the Conference on College Composition and Communication in Las Vegas. Director of Library and Media Services Joan Weber was elected as the Chair of the Library Council of Washington. The council is composed of members of the library community who act as a catalyst for dealing successfully with library-related issues of statewide concern, and advise the State Librarian and the Office of the Secretary of State on statewide library issues and the expenditure of federal funds.
Jeanene Hunt
YVCC’s Upward Bound (UB) program has experienced great success and was awarded additional funding from the U.S. Department of Education to expand the program’s reach. The grant allowed YVCC to hire a program coordinator to serve an additional 25 students, bringing the total number of students in UB to 110. UB prepares underrepresented high school students for college. Success is measured by meeting objectives for college entry, retention, and completion of degree. YVCC UB senior class of 2012 had a very successful year. The cohort had a 100% high school graduation rate, and 80% of these seniors went on to enroll in post-secondary education in the fall of 2012. “UB is proud of the hard work our seniors completed. Their path to success began with the work they joined the program in 9th and 10th grade,” stated Upward Bound Program Coordinator Melissa Green. Additionally, all freshmen, sophomores, and juniors who participated in UB in 2011-12 continue to be involved in the program during the 2012-13 year.
Entrepreneur Resource Center A resource for enterprising students, staff, and community members is now open on the Yakima Campus. The Entrepreneur Resource Center, located on 13th Ave and Nob Hill Blvd, offers free assistance to individuals who wish to start a business venture of their own. The center boasts a growing library of resources, computers with business planning software, and the confidential business counseling and mentoring of the volunteers of the Yakima Valley SCORE organization. To make an appointment call 877.575.9941. For information about entrepreneurship courses offered at YVCC contact Dr. Brock Eubanks at 574.6800 x 3226 or Carol Schneider at 574.4904.
SCORE Volunteers Elizabeth Fitzgerald, Hal Frantz, Noe Gutierrez J.B. Meyer, Jim Pelatt, and Jack Wren.
Hawthornden Castle by Jill Widner
On the night of November 22, 2011, I found a yellow envelope waiting on the table. The address was handwritten. The stamp, a purple crown. The message inside, elegant and formal. I’ve received a 2012 fellowship to the Hawthornden International Retreat for Writers at Hawthornden Castle, Lasswade, Midlothian, Scotland. Hawthornden Castle was built in 1638 by poet William Drummond on the foundations of a ruined 15th-century tower house. The castle remained home to the Drummond family until 1970 and is currently owned by philanthropist Drue Heinz, widow of HJ Heinz, former chairman of the American food company. Part of the castle now forms a private retreat for writers. Established in 1982, the retreat houses five writers at a time, who are known as Hawthornden fellows. Writers from any part of the world may apply for the fellowships. No monetary assistance is given, nor any contribution to travelling expenses, but once arrived at Hawthornden, the writer is the guest of the retreat for a month of seclusion. Hamish, the administrator of the castle, met me at Edinburgh Airport. He drove like the wind, as if we were going to be late for supper, down narrow country roads that curved past the bridge at Lasswade and a pub called Laird and Dog. We passed sheep and a few horses in pastures, row houses and a sign to a school. A sharp right turn took us through an iron gate and down a narrow lane, thick with trees. At the end, the pink stone brick of the castle walls. Since it was Sunday, supper was served in the formal dining room with a fire. Alistair the cook brought plates of arugula, rounds of goat cheese, and shaved beets, then lifted the lid on the main course, haggis and haggis—“the light one is vegetarian,” said Hamish, “the dark one for the omnivores.” A winding stone staircase leads to the third floor. It’s like climbing the steps of a tower. My room is at the end of the hall. The sash window opens. Through it, the sound of the River Esk below, the wind in the trees, a bird call. At midnight the moon broke through the clouds. I think of the front of the castle as the front of a ship and the stone step at the back of the garden where I start my day, the foredeck. The prow. Coffee, the wind and the river. I haven’t ventured too far away yet. I like the view from my room at the top of the trees. Twice I’ve circled the castle along the River Esk. Yesterday or the day before, I saw a fox on the trail. And then I come home to my desk. One day I took a trek into Edinburgh. Beautiful windy day. Lots of sun. Even the walk up the drive to the gate felt like an adventure. It was my first day out of the castle, and all I could see were details. A brick in a wall. A rose on a trellis. A man’s teeth. A boy’s ears. We entered the city from the south on Nicolson Street. I hopped off the bus at North Bridge, which doesn’t cross a river, but feels as if it does. I saw the signposts to the Royal Mile, but I wanted to go my own way. To find a way by chance. Princes Street turned into Waterloo Place at Leith and Waterloo turned into Regent Road. I made my way up the Royal Terrace, where I found possibly the best views of the entire city, including the Firth of Forth and all of Calton Hill. I love the terraces and the mews, the doors to the houses. And then the rain came down. The first real rain since I’ve arrived. I pulled on my rain jacket, walked down the Leith, and it wasn’t long before I found the ways and alleys that appeal to me the most, Dublin Meuse, Drummond Place, Royal Crescent, and Fettes Row, past the Queen Street Gardens to Heriot Row and back up Frederick Street, where I stopped for lunch at Café Rouge. I caught #31 at the bridge just as the sun was setting. I recognized Bonnyrigg when we came to it, but it was dark when we reached Polton Hill or Mill, and I knew the bus was circling back to Edinburgh there and wasn’t sure which way to walk. “I came in on the 49,” I said to the driver. “Is this the way to Rosewell?” “You can wait here for the 49,” said he. “I’m walking to Rosewell,” the woman behind me said. “With these long legs. You can walk with me if you like.” “Go with her,” said the driver. And I did. We walked hard and fast in the dark and talked the whole way about following men away from the sea. “There’s your castle,” she said. I thanked her and opened the gate and, after all that walking, the dark way through the trees wasn’t scary at all and the gravel crunched and the light came on and there was Hamish at the door and I was home. Widner’s collection of short stories titled A Green Raft on a Muddy Swell, including a novella-length excerpt from her novel The Smell of Sulphur, has been short listed for the 2013 Scott Prize. The winner will be announced in April and published by Salt Publishing, an independent press in the United Kingdom. Widner blogs about her travels and writing at http://jillwidner.wordpress.com
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